I’ve been curious about Cuccio gel polishes and finally bit the bullet and bought two shades from the new Cafe Cuccio collection. This is Cuccio’s 2014Fall/Winter collection consisting of eight coffee-inspired shades. Each of the Cuccio gel colors also comes with a matching nail lacquer.
I also purchased the Cuccio gel base and top coats to try. While I didn’t conduct an official wear test, I did wear the polish on my right hand for about a week and got a good feel for it (I almost always have two different colored hands these days LOL). The base coat seemed to be a little on the thin side and will pool in the cuticles if not applied carefully in a thin coat. The two colors that I tried had different consistencies, even though the finishes were similar. The top coat had decent shine and strength.
My thumb nail peeled off after only a few days, and then the pinky nail lifted after about 6-7 days. After that I decided to soak-off and try something else. The soak-off process was pretty decent. I didn’t time the soak-off, but if I had to guess I’d say it was in the 10-13 minute range. Overall the experience was ok, but I would probably wear the colors with a different base next time to get longer wear.
This is Coffee, Tea or Me? I was drawn to the shimmery shades in this collection. Coffee, Tea or Me? was very opaque and had great coverage with just two coats. I really liked the consistency of the formula. The color is a bronzy brown shimmer with some mauve undertones.
Higher Grounds reminded me of a rusty orange with a golden shimmer. I think my photo makes this color appear a little more orange than it actually is. I applied this color second and was surprised to find the consistency very thin and sheer compared to the previous color. I had to apply three coats to get good coverage.
I wanted to stick with the fall theme when I purchased these, but I’m not really in love with the colors. I might have to pick up some other colors that are more my style.
If you read my blog regularly, you probably know that I’m crazy about using NailMates for gel polish removal! You can read my full review here. NailMates are great for any type of nail soak-off that you have to do, whether it’s gel polish, glitter polish or a nail treatment. And they can be used on your fingers or toes! Unlike the foil method, NailMates don’t leak and drip all over the place, and they’re reusable. Below is a quick introductory video to NailMates.
I’m pleased to tell you that NailMates is sponsoring a giveaway, and five (5) lucky winners will receive a set to try! Please read the guidelines below and enter using the Rafflecopter giveaway at the bottom of the page.
Giveaway Information
The Prize:
FIVE (5) lucky winners will receive a set of NailMates! A set includes 10 reusable caps, and 20 reusable removal pads.
The Rules:
The giveaway will run through November 5, 2014.
Entries will be collected via Rafflecopter only.
The winners will be selected randomly via Rafflecopter and announced on November 6th.
The winners will be notified via email, and will have 48 hours to claim the prizes or new winners will be selected.
This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. Up to two (2) prizes will be awarded to international entrants (non-US residents).
I did some blood splatter nails two years ago for Halloween, and had to try it again using gel polish. This time I spiced it up a little with some “Crime Scene” tape and a fingerprint stamp. I used three colors from Revel Nail to create this look… Honor (white), Festival (red) and Harvest (yellow). I started with three coats of Honor, and then added the yellow stripes with a thin brush. I stamped the fingerprint using Mundo de Unas black polish & Bundle Monster plate BM-414.
I put a piece of tape over the yellow stripes and added the blood splatter effect by dipping a stirring straw into the red polish and blowing through the straw to make it spray onto my nails. I used my #00 Wistonia brush and some black acrylic paint to add the lettering, and then topped it all off with the Revel top coat. What do you think of this look? Too gory?
I’m sad that my nails are short right now. I broke the pinky nail and then had to file the rest of them down so it didn’t look so obvious. Luckily they grow fast and should be back to normal in a couple of weeks.
Hi everyone! Many of you have asked about the LeChat Perfect Match Pop of Vogue Collection, and today I have swatches for you! This collection contains six (6) glitter gel polishes that can be worn on their own or as glitter toppers over other colors. The swatches on my hands demonstrate how the glitters look without a base color underneath, and then I also show some examples of what the glitters look like over a few different colors.
To find a local distributor of LeChat Perfect Match, please visit the LeChat website. I have also provided links below to the products on Amazon.com. Please note that LeChat products purchased on Amazon may not come in the original packaging.
Violet Vixen is loaded with large and small purple hex glitters as well as some small holographic glitters. This swatch is three coats.
The image below demonstrates what this glitter looks like when two coats are applied over black, white, purple, pink and light blue. You can click on the image to view a larger version. Over black the glitter isn’t very noticeable until the light hits it. It also makes some of the glitter look a little green which is interesting. I didn’t realize until I applied this polish over white that the base actually has a slight greyish tint to it, so it alters the base color underneath just a tad. I like that you can see dark and light purple hexes over the white base.
Style Envy has a sheer base with a teal tint to it, and is loaded with teal, green and holographic glitters.
Because of the teal base I think this color works best over blues or darker shades. In the examples below, 2 coats of Style Envy are applied over black, white, and three different shades of blue. I love how this one looks over black, and I bet it would also look great over a really dark blue or green cream. Click on the image to see it larger.
Neontopia is probably my favorite in the set because it’s so fun and whimsical. This one has pink, blue, green and yellow glitters of different sizes. I especially like the oversized hexes.
The sheer base of Neontopia seems to have a slight pink tint to it. This example shows two coats over black, white, light pink, light yellow and light blue. I personally love it over black and white because the colors really pop. Some of the pink glitters are hard to see over black. Click on the image to see it larger.
Golden Bliss is a glitter topper with a mix of large and small gold glitters. The glitter is pretty dense and has good coverage, but not quite enough to cover the nail completely. This swatch shows two coats with no base color.
Below you can see two coats of Golden Bliss over black, white, coral and purple. I think this would look good over most colors. Click on the image to view it larger.
Titanium is pretty much identical to Golden Bliss except the glitters are silver instead of gold.
Below you can see Titanium over the same colors; black, white, coral and purple. This would also look good over most colors.
Black Tie Affair is a glitter topper with black and white hexes, square glitters and bar glitters, and some tiny holographic glitters. This is probably my least favorite of the group since I’m not a fan of bar glitter, but that’s really a personal preference. Bar glitter looks messy to me and I’m a little OCD and like things to be nice and uniform. LOL
Since these glitters are black and white I think they pop best over brighter colors. Below you can see Black Tie Affair over black, white, orange, teal blue, and lime green.
It’s hard to believe that the holidays are just around the corner again. You can always count on some gorgeous sparkly nail polish collections for the season. Today I have swatches and color comparisons of the new Gelish Haute Holiday Collection! This collection contains six gel polishes; four colors and two Trends glitter toppers. The colors are fairly traditional holiday colors, and some of them are reminiscent of colors from past collections.
All of the colors are a little on the sheer side, but they do build up to a good opacity with three coats. I found that some of them applied a little streaky, but they self-leveled well and were nice and even after curing. I didn’t have any other application issues, they applied from edge-to-edge with no pooling or shrinking.
Here’s to the Blue Year is a dark navy base with some medium-sized hex glitters and some smaller glitters.
Many of you have asked how this color compares to Holiday Party Blues. In my opinion, the glitter in Here’s to the New Year is a little sparse and feels a bit muted compared to Holiday Party Blues. The shade of blue is very, very similar but maybe slightly darker.
Berry Merry Holidays is a really pretty, dark, berry-toned burgundy with a unique shimmer finish. You can see little flecks of red and blue-ish purple shimmer throughout. This shade is very unique to the Gelish line and I think is a must-have.
Sugar Plum Dreams is a shimmery bright red, a classic holiday color. When compared side-by-side with other reds, this one looks slightly pinkish.
So let’s see how these two reds compare to other sparkly reds in the Gelish line. Sugar Plum Dreams has a very consistent shimmery finish compared to the glittery finish of All Tied Up. The shimmer is finer than Good Gossip, which is more sparkly. And Berry Merry Holidays is the darkest shimmery red, next to Wanna Share a Lift?
Below is a blurry shot of the four colors on the right, so that you can really see the unique shimmer of Berry Merry Holidays.
Kisses Under the Mistletoe is a very pretty teal with fine teal glitter throughout. This one is a little more sheer than the others and does show some visible nail line, but I still rather like it.
Kisses Under the Mistletoe is actually very similar in formula to Just What I Wanted, except the shade is visibly more blue/teal than green.
Edit: I forgot to show Race You to the Bottom in my comparison, so here is a picture that includes Race You to the Bottom from last winter’s Snow Escape collection.
Your Sleigh or Mine is a Gelish Trends glitter topper. Below you can see two coats over my natural nails, but the Trends toppers are also great when worn over color bases. The two Trends toppers in this collection are very similar to one another as they both have purple and blue glitters, but one has silver glitter and the other has gold. Your Sleigh or Mine is the silver version.
The two Trends toppers are available as a set here on Amazon, which comes with a free Gelish Top It Off. The set is called Twinkle Kisses.
Feeling Bubbly is the gold Trends glitter topper, also with blue and purple glitters throughout.
So what are your thoughts on the Haute Holiday collection? Which ones are your must-haves?
Hi Everyone! I now have the Pink Gellac gel base & top coats in stock at the Chickettes Boutique! These products have some characteristics that make them stand out from the crowd, so I thought it would be worth a post to highlight the differences.
Base2 Growth Treatment Formula
Pink Gellac’s new gel base coat called Base2, is a vitamin-infused base! Base2 ensures optimum adhesion of your gel polish for long-lasting results. This base coat contains vitamin E, B5 and calcium to stimulate the growth of your natural nails. Base2 also prevents discoloration and staining of your nails. Buy it here!
Ultra Shine Top Coat
Pink Gellac Ultra Shine top coat is hands down the shiniest gel top coat I have ever seen or used. It’s a no-wipe top coat, which means there is no tacky residue to clean off at the end of your manicure. Ultra Shine cures to a perfect high-gloss shine in 60 seconds in an LED lamp, or 120 seconds with a UV lamp. It does take a little longer to cure than your average top coat, but the shine is well worth the extra few seconds of time.
I had to demonstrate the shine of this top coat so that you can see what I’m talking about. I prepared some swatch sticks with a black base, and topped each off with some of the various top coat brands that I have on hand. The photo below shows them all side-by-side after wiping the tacky layer off of the ones that required it. In this picture I didn’t wipe the Pink Gellac Ultra Shine or the Bio Seaweed Gel No-Wipe top coat since they don’t require it. You can see that the two no-wipe top coats are visibly shinier than the rest.
But most people moisturize after doing their gel manicure, so it’s possible that you might moisturize and wipe them off anyway, right? So after taking the photo above I actually did wipe the two no-wipe top coats with alcohol just to be fair. Here is a comparison of the two no-wipe top coats after doing this. They’re both extremely shiny, but Pink Gellac Ultra Shine still wins. At the bottom of the swatch sticks you can even see the reflection of my head and camera when you zoom in real close.
Gelish TIO has always been my go-to top coat until I started using Pink Gellac, so I had to do a side-by-side comparison of these as well. Gelish is pretty darn shiny, but the Ultra Shine is even shinier!
The ONLY potential downside that I can think of to a no-wipe top coat is that you can’t burnish glitter or pigment powders into it since it doesn’t have a tacky layer. But you can still add your glitter or pigments to the color layer, and then use the no-wipe top coat over it. If you want the best shine, this is it! Buy it here!
Ultra Shine PEARL Top Coat
I also have the new Pink Gellac Ultra Shine PEARL top coat in stock! This top coat has all of the same great qualities as the regular Ultra Shine, but it also adds a pearl shimmer effect to any color that you use it over. Now you can turn any cream shade into a pearl, just by adding this top coat. Buy it here!
(The base colors in the examples above are Pink Gellac #133 Fuschia Red and #118 Lavender Purple. I don’t have these colors, but they can be found at www.pinkgellac.nl)
Color Comparisons
Some of you have asked me how Pink Gellac Velvet Purple and Emerald Green compare to some of the other colors in my collection, so I took a few comparison pictures for you. Below is a shot of the purples – you can click on this image to view it in a larger format. Velvet Purple has a slightly bluer tone than most of the dark Gelish purples, and it has some depth with the blue and purple flecks.
Here is Pink Gellac Emerald Green next to some similar shades. Emerald Green has more of a frosty metallic finish than the others. It’s a teal-leaning green, but isn’t quite as dark as Race You to the Bottom.
Pink Gellac is a high-quality European brand of soak-off gel polish. These products can be purchased exclusively in the US & Canada at the Chickettes Boutique. Purchase the base & top coats together in a set and save! And get free shipping within the US on all orders over $65! Global shipping is also available.
Check out these three new color changing gel polishes from DIY Hard Nails. These colors were uniquely created based on customer feedback. If you have suggestions for new color changing gel polish colors you can contact DIY Hard Nails on their Facebook page, or via email at info@DIYHardNails.com!
At the bottom of this post you’ll also find information about a GIVEAWAY! You can win one of two DIY Hard Nails prizes. The giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY! And DIY Hard Nails is also now shipping their products internationally. You can purchase these fun color changing polishes on Amazon.com or at www.DIYHardNails.com.
Paradise is a color changing gel polish with glitter in it. The color of this polish shifts from a minty seafoam green when warm, to dark blue when cold. These colors are definitely reminiscent of the sea at a tropical paradise.
Ice Queen is a color changing gel polish with glitter in it that shifts from a light lilac shade when warm, to a very deep purple when cold. I loved this one because during the transition phase it looked like there were actually three different colors. You can see that it appears to have some pink tones in between the two extremes.
New York Frost is a color changing gel polish with glitter in it that shifts from a light grey-ish blue when warm, to a dark blue when cold. The transition of this color is nice and subtle since the two shades aren’t as drastically different from one another.
GIVEAWAY DETAILS!
The Prizes:
1st Place: DIY Hard Nails top coat, base coat, and 3 colors of your choice! 2nd Place: DIY Hard Nails top coat, base coat, and 1 color of your choice!
The Rules:
The giveaway will run through November 17, 2014.
Entries will be collected via Rafflecopter only.
The winners will be selected randomly via Rafflecopter and announced on November 18th.
The winners will be notified via email, and will have 48 hours to claim the prizes or new winners will be selected.
Today I’m wearing some sparkly chevrons that were created with three of the Pink Gellac by Chickettes colors. I’m totally loving the Pink Gellac Fabulous Silver gel polish. You can do so many cool things with the silver and gold glitters, including accent nails and nail art.
I started with two coats of Fabulous Silver on all of my nails, and then I created the chevron look by applying two coats of Velvet Purple and Passion Pink. I actually attempted these chevrons a couple of times using tape to block off the silver shape, but the polish kept seeping under the tape. Some days I can get tape manis to work great, some days not… oh well. I ended up hand painting the pink and purple shapes with a small Wistonia #00 brush which actually worked out pretty well. Now that I have the smaller brushes I’m finding it much easier to do freehand art. (You’re actually going to see my most elaborate freehand art to-date in just a few days!)
Here’s a close-up shot that shows the details of the colors better, and it also shows off that super high-gloss shine that I got with the Pink Gellac Ultra Shine top coat.
The Pink Gellac by Chickettes gel polishes are now also available on Amazon.com! Add them to your wishlist for the upcoming holidays!
In celebration of The Dalai Lama’s Nails’ 3rd Blogiversary, I have written a guest post that features some festive freehand gel nail art! Below is a sneak peek… Click here to read the post on the Dalai Lama’s Nails and see the design in full color. And be sure to wish Hannah a Happy Blogiversary!
I’m trying to work through some of my untried polishes that are appropriate for the season. Today I have swatches of two ibd Just Gel polish colors. I like the ibd gel polishes because they are quality products at affordable prices. They have a pretty good selection of colors as well.
ibd Midnight Martinis has a dark purple base and is loaded with fine red and blue glitter, as well as some larger oddly shaped red glitters. Coverage was good with two coats, but I felt that the tips needed one more coat for full coverage so I applied three coats total. I’m crazy about this polish… it has a really unique color combination and a lot of depth.
ibd Titanium Dream is a shimmery gunmetal grey. This is a great versatile fall & winter shade. I also applied three coats of this color for optimal coverage.
Are you ready to see a couple of the new LeChat Perfect Match Mood polishes that came out this fall? I have two of these fun, color changing shades today. Both of these colors had great coverage and were opaque in just two coats.
To find a local distributor of LeChat Perfect Match, please visit the LeChat website. I have also provided links below to the products on Amazon.com. Please note that LeChat products purchased on Amazon may not come in the original packaging.
Starry Night has a really dramatic color shift. This polish is packed with holographic microglitter and the base color shifts from a milky light grey when warm, to dark black when cold. I love the addition of the holographic glitter in this polish.
Here’s a closer shot of Starry Night while in transition.
Deep Sea is a very unique color combination with an amazing shimmer finish. This mood polish shifts from a coral shade when warm, to dark grey when cold. This polish also has gold and purple shimmer throughout.
Here is a closer shot of Deep Sea while in transition.
And here’s a closer look at Deep Sea when it’s cold. You can see how the purple and gold shimmer really pop against the grey. Love it!
I have some fun nail art to share with you today. These purple turquoise nails were inspired by Nails by Miriam Elizabeth (follow her on Facebook & Instagram). She does some amazing art with gel polish, and I fell in love with her turquoise nail designs. When I saw this design I asked if she would be willing to write a tutorial on how she achieved the look… you can read the full tutorial here. It’s been a while, but I FINALLY got around to trying this.
I mostly followed the step-by-step instructions, but I made some substitutions since I didn’t have all of the exact supplies. I started with two coats of Gelish Tahiti Hottie… mine is more purple. I think the MINI version of this color is a darker purple, and the full size version is more pink. I took a makeup sponge and sponged on Gelish Night Reflection, Mali-Blu Me Away and A Petal for Your Thoughts (I couldn’t find my bottle of Passion). I cleaned up the excess polish on my skin using an angled brush and alcohol before curing.
Next, I did the saran wrap technique using Gelish Meet the King (Miriam Elizabeth recommended using gold acrylic paint, but I don’t have any and didn’t want to make a trip to the store). I applied a thin layer of my Gelish TIO, wiped the tacky layer and then proceeded with the black water marble. I used a plain black stamping polish for this. I put a drop in a glass of water and then spritzed it with body spray to make it break up, and then dipped each finger in. I used Liquid Palisade to protect the skin around my nails from getting polish all over them, but I still managed to make quite a mess! I cleaned up the excess black polish from my skin, let the black polish dry completely and then added another layer of top coat.
Mine turned out a little darker than the inspiration nails, but I absolutely love them.
I’ve been wanting to do a pearl & gold combination and this design just kind of happened when I sat down at my nail table the other day. I thought I might try glitter moons, but I wanted something a little more edgy and geometric and ended up with this. I did this design freehand without any tape. I started with my base coat and then applied Pink Gellac Magic Pearl very carefully in angled strokes, leaving a bare triangle space. I applied two coats of Magic Pearl, curing after each coat and then filled in the triangular space with Pink Gellac Luxury Gold. I used a small nail art brush and applied the gold glitter polish very carefully, also in two coats. I used Pink Gellac Ultra Shine over top to finish off the look.
Magic Pearl is a white gel polish shade with a frosty finish with a golden sheen to it. I figured that gold glitter would be a great accent to this color, and they do work very well together. The gold glitter really brings out the golden sheen of Magic Pearl. Luxury Gold is a dense gold glitter gel polish that is opaque in just two coats. It’s perfect for accent nails or design accents such as this.
These two colors are available at the Chickettes Boutique, and they are also now available on Amazon.com so you can add them to your holiday wishlist!
I’d love to know what you think of this look. I wasn’t in love with it at first, but it’s really grown on me since I’ve been wearing it and I’ve received tons of compliments.
To find a local distributor of LeChat Perfect Match, please visit the LeChat website. I have also provided links below to this product on Amazon.com. Please note that LeChat products purchased on Amazon may not come in the original packaging.
LeChat Perfect Match Ready for My Close-up is a gorgeous glittery, shimmery, deep blue-ish purple. I didn’t think my camera would be able to capture all of the glittery goodness of this polish, but it did a pretty decent job. I’m just drooling over this polish… seriously. It catches the light and just sparkles all over the place. The formula is great and the color is completely opaque in just two coats. And the Perfect Match gel polishes also come with a matching nail lacquer, so you can match your toes to your hands.
I love this color so much that I had to make a matching ring. If you would like to learn more about making gel polish rings, please check out my videos here. I demonstrate making rings with gel polish & loose glitter, or just with gel polish alone (the second video).
I’m excited to announce that Chickettes Boutique is now carrying Pink Gellac Silver & Gold Foil Effects! These gel polish toppers have a clear base with metallic foil flakes. They can be worn on their own or applied over any gel polish color to add a fun effect! The silver and gold finishes are perfect for the upcoming holidays!
These polishes will cure in UV (120 seconds) or LED lamps (60 seconds). It is recommended that you use the Pink Gellac Ultra Shine top coat over top of the foil effect for optimal shine, smoothness and durability.
Below are examples of the Gold Foil Effect polish applied over some different colors. Each of these swatches has one coat of the foil topper over a base color.
And here are some examples of the Silver Foil Effect over different base colors.
These polishes are available online via Chickettes at the Chickettes Boutique, and Amazon.com! Add them to your Amazon wishlist for the holidays!
P.S. I took these photos in the summer when my skin was very tan and my nails were longer!
Today I have a review of a new-to-me gel polish that is being featured on Gloss48. If you’re not familiar with Gloss48, they offer amazing independent beauty brands that aren’t available at Sephora or the department stores. They carefully curate (and try!) all of the products offered on their site. For the first seven days that products are on the site, they offer a promotional discount so that customers can try new products without breaking the bank. After the launch week, the products are available on the site at regular price. All new members get $10 off of their first order of $30 or more!
Gloss48 is launching GellieBeans gel polish today. The GellieBeans sale starts today, Nov 19th at 11am and lasts one week (until Nov 26 at 11am). Below is a quick summary of the deals that you’ll find on their site for the next 7 days:
GellieBeans Starter Kit – $36(regularly $59.99)
GellieBeans LED Lamp – $48(regularly $79.99)
GellieBeans Individual Gel Polishes – $7(regularly $11.99)
Gloss48 sent me a GellieBeans starter kit, LED lamp and 2 gel polish colors to review. Since this is a brand that I haven’t used before, I put it through a full wear & removal test. Above is a picture of the GellieBeans starter kit and the LED lamp. Gellie Beans is a DIY brand meant for the at-home user. The starter kit includes the following:
No Sticky Finish (conditioning cleanser) – 4 fl. oz.
Best Remover – 4 fl. oz.
Primer – 3.7 ml
Rock Bottom Base (base coat) – 3.7 ml
Hard Candy Shell (top coat) – 3.7 ml
Lint-free Wipes
Remover Foils
Orange Stick
Cuticle Pusher/Remover
Direction Sheet
Please note that the kit does NOT include the LED lamp or color gel polishes, those must be purchased separately.
Application & Wear
I followed the step-by-step directions that are included on the back of the GellieBeans starter kit box. A picture of the instructions are below (click on the image for a larger view). There are a couple of quick things to note:
Step 1 says to lightly buff the top layer of your nail with a 100 grit nail file. The kit doesn’t include a nail file, but I want to point out that a 100 grit file is too coarse to use on the surface of your nail. Please use a 180 or 220 grit buffer instead.
Step 2 says to apply the primer on your nails. I used the primer in my wear test since it was recommended in the instructions. Primer helps bond the gel polish to your nails and is great for people that regularly have issues with chipping or peeling gel polish, but generally is only needed on the tips. Applying primer will make your soak-off take a little longer than normal.
The polish application was great. The bottles and brushes are very small and it took a little getting used to the feel of the small brush, but the polish went on flawlessly and was opaque in just two coats. I actually really liked the formula because it was thin enough to apply evenly and smoothly, but it didn’t run into my cuticles or shrink back from the tips. The top coat appeared a little bumpy when I first applied it, but it self-levels very quickly to a nice smooth, glossy finish.
I used the GellieBeans lamp for the curing process. The lamp appears that it would be wide enough to fit your full hand, but it’s not deep enough to fit the thumb at the same time as the fingers so the thumb has to be cured separately. It only has a single on/off switch on the back, and doesn’t have a timer so you have to manually time the cure. I really wish the lamp at least had a 30 second timer on it.
I applied two coats of “More Cream Less Coffee” on my right hand for the wear test. I’m happy to report that my GellieBeans manicure lasted for two full weeks with no chipping or peeling. Below is a picture of my nails after 2 weeks of wear. The top coat got a little scuffed up, but overall the polish held up well. And yes, the nails on my right hand are super short right now! I suffered a bad break on the middle nail prior to starting the wear test and filed all of them down.
Removal
I also followed the instructions for the removal process, which says to break the seal with a file and then apply some of the remover liquid onto a lint-free wipe and wrap it around the nail with a piece of foil. I was actually skeptical that this would work since the lint-free wipes are so thin, so I used the wipes on two nails and cotton on the others… in the end they all worked exactly the same. I checked my nails after 10 minutes of soaking and the edges of the nails were starting to peel up, but the polish was still adhered pretty well to the center of the nail. I repeated the soak/scrape process a few times until it was all off. The total removal time took about 20 minutes. I believe that applying primer to the whole nail probably made the soak-off take longer than it should have. I recommend using primer on just the tips if you find that you have issues with chipping or peeling.
The Colors
As seen above, this is More Cream Than Coffee, a creamy light grey. You’ll notice that my swatch photos only show three fingers, and that’s because the bottles are very small and I couldn’t do my normal 4-finger pose. The GellieBeans bottles are 3.7 ml / .13 fl oz, which is about a quarter of the size of a typical full size gel polish bottle.
Candy Apple is a very classic, bright red with a cream finish.
Overall Thoughts
I was impressed by the application and wear of GellieBeans gel polish. The removal took a little longer than normal, however I attribute that to the primer. My nails generally hold gel polish well and I don’t typically need a primer. The retail prices are high considering the size of the bottles and the lack of features on the LED lamp… the special Gloss48 sale prices are more reasonable. I think these polishes might make a good gift for a teenager or someone that’s just starting out with gel polish, but avid gel polish users will likely find the bottle size to be too small.
Hi everyone! I get a lot of emails and messages requesting recommendations for things like gel polish colors, lamps, starter kits, nail art tools and the like. Since the holiday shopping season is just around the corner, I thought I’d write a few posts to highlight some of my favorite things to help with the creation of your wishlists or shopping lists.
Today I’m going to feature some of my all-time favorite gel polish brands & colors. I can’t tell you how often I am asked about what brands I like and my top color picks. I must warn you that my favorite colors are often influenced by my mood, the season, new findings, etc… and they change frequently. A month from now I could have a completely different list. I was going to try to do a Top 10 list, but there’s no way I can limit my favorites to just 10. LOL My list will likely show you that I gravitate towards blues/teals, purples, and pinks… and I love shimmery finishes.
I’m going to group my favorites by brand and show thumbnails of the color swatches. You can click in the images to see larger versions of the pictures. Below each picture is a link to where the color can be purchased (mostly Amazon affiliate links). These are in no particular order!
LeChat Perfect Match
I just recently started using LeChat Perfect Match and I absolutely love the quality of their polishes, and that each gel polish color comes with a matching lacquer. Many of the polishes that I’ve tried recently have absolutely gorgeous finishes, and immediately jumped to the top of my list of favorites. All of these sparkly beauties are must-haves in any collection. LeChat also has amazing Mood polishes that change color with your body temperature, which are always fun to wear.
To find a local distributor of LeChat Perfect Match, please visit the LeChat website. I have also provided links below to the products on Amazon.com. Please note that LeChat products purchased on Amazon may not come in the original packaging.
I’ve been a long-time fan of Gelish and I own almost all of their colors, so it’s no surprise that the majority of my favorites are from this brand. Of course I like several purples and blues… Mali-Blu Me Away was my go-to color this past summer. I love the duochrome effect of Big City Siren. Good Gossip is just a good old classic sparkly red, and Vegas Nights is my favorite sparkly topper.
DIY Hard Nails has a limited color selection, but they have some pretty unique polishes. They have the color changing gels with glitter in them, and the DIY black and white are the most opaque ones that I own. And Pink Crystal is just gorgeous!
ibd Just Gel Polish is a good quality brand that’s affordable. They have a good selection of colors. My ibd stash is still pretty limited, but I’ve been trying to get more of them over time. Midnight Martinis is just a totally unique gorgeous color. Dockside Diva is my go-to nude/neutral shade. And I’m No Damsel is my favorite light pink cream.
These are a few colors from other brands that I like. I was just introduced recently to Revel and Kiara Sky and I haven’t had a chance to swatch many of their colors yet, but Revel Hysteria stood out to me as a unique shade. And Kiara Sky has some really unique glitter polishes that look like a nail art effect. And I also included Gelaze 108 degrees because it’s one of my favorites for summer.
Last, but not least… Pink Gellac. I admit that this is a shameless plug. I curated this collection so of course I love the colors! I’m selling these at my boutique at www.chickettes.com/boutique and also on Amazon.com. I’m planning to run a great Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotion next week, so keep an eye out for that!
Part 2 of my Holiday Gift Ideas series is about gel polish starter kits. If you’re thinking about getting into gel polish or know someone else who is, this may help narrow down the options. Most of the kits that I’m writing about today are meant for the at-home DIY user. I’m going to list them in order of retail price from lowest to highest.
There of course are other starter kits out there, but these are the ones I’m most familiar with and stand behind. I personally prefer lamps that fit the full hand and not just 4 fingers, because who wants to spend the extra time to cure each thumb separately? I also recommend going with a kit that has a higher powered lamp if you plan on branching out and trying other brands. The 6 watt lamps don’t always cut it… 12 watts or higher is my preference.
Sensationail (Most Budget-Friendly)
Let’s kick off the list with a very budget-friendly option, the Sensationail Gel Polish Starter Kit. If you’re not sure about gels and just want to give it a try, this might be a good place to start because this kit won’t break the bank. It includes all of the basics that you need to apply a gel polish manicure. The bottles sizes are small at 3.7ml, but that’s enough to do at least 10 manicures. A little goes a long way with gel polish.
This kit does not include remover, so you will need to also purchase a bottle of acetone which you can pick up at your local drug store. Sensational kits and colors can also be found in most drug store and big box stores!
Lamp: 4-finger, 7 watt LED lamp with a 1 minute timer (chirps at 30 seconds, turns off at 60 seconds)
Colors: 1 color is included (3.7ml). The kit that I linked to includes the color Raspberry, but there are a few different starter kit colors to choose from.
Essentials: base coat & top coat combo, primer, cleanser (NO remover)
Extras: lint-free wipes, nail buffer, manicure stick
Red Carpet Manicure (RCM) Pro 45 Starter Kit
The RCM Pro Starter Kit also includes all of the essentials to get started. The bottle sizes are slightly larger than Sensationail at 9ml. RCM does have a less expensive kit than this one with a portable light, but it’s extremely low-powered so I didn’t list it. These mini lamps are already pretty low-powered at only 6 watts so I wouldn’t recommend going any lower. RCM can also be purchased at many drug stores, big box stores, and beauty supply stores.
Lamp: 4-finger, 6 watt LED lamp with a 45 second timer
Colors: 1 color is included, Red Carpet Ready (9ml)
Essentials: base coat (9ml), top coat (9ml), prep (9ml), cuticle oil (9ml), cleanser (2 oz), remover (2 oz)
Couture Gel Polish Starter Kit
I haven’t written much about the Couture brand on my blog because Michelle over at Manic Talons has covered this brand pretty well. She has swatched all of their colors, which you can see here. Couture is a good quality brand and if you have troubles with soak-offs, their base makes the soak-offs faster and easier than most.
The Couture Gel Polish Starter Kit is a great value because you get full-size products and a higher powered lamp that fits your whole hand instead of just 4 fingers! The Couture lamp is comparable to the Melody Susie 12W LED lamp that I reviewed, which works great. And you also get to choose which color you want with your kit, so you aren’t stuck with a color that you might not want or like.
Couture also has a Deluxe Kit for $129 that includes 3 colors instead of 1, but you get a better value by buying the starter kit with one color and then buying additional colors separately since they are only $12.95 each.
Lamp: full-hand 12 watt LED lamp with 30-second drying time. 30s, 60s, 90s & 30m timers.
Colors: 1 full-size (15ml) color of your choice
Essentials: base coat (15ml), top coat (15ml), cleanser, remover
Extras: manicure tool kit & a free cosmetic case
Gelish Complete Starter Kit
The Gelish Complete Starter Kit is very similar to the RCM kit, except it contains two full-size bottles of color and it has some extra tools. In my opinion this kit is a little over priced. If you’re going to spend close to $100 on a kit, go for a higher powered lamp! See the kits listed just above and below.
Lamp: 4-finger, 6 watt LED lamp with a 45 second timer
Colors: 2 full-size (15ml) colors – June Bride & Good Gossip
Essentials: MINI Basix kit which includes base coat (9ml), top coat (9ml), ph bond (9ml), cuticle oil (9ml), cleanser (2 oz), and remover (2 oz)
Extras: orangewood stick, nail file, plastic cuticle pusher with prep tabs
Gelish PRO Kit
The Gelish PRO Kit comes with all full-size (15ml) bottles of Gelish AND the 5-45 LED lamp. The lamp is 18 watts, cures the full hand, and has a 45 second timer. It retails for $149.99 alone, so this kit is a great value!
I hope you have been finding my holiday gift ideas series useful. Today I’m going to share my recommendations for LED and UV nail lamps. I personally prefer using an LED lamp for the faster curing times, but there are reasons why you may want or need a UV lamp.
Differences between LED & UV lamps:
Compatibility: UV lamps will cure ALL gel polishes, while LED lamps will only cure LED specific brands. Always check the label of your bottle, or the manufacturers instructions to confirm whether a polish is LED curable. Most gel polish brand today are LED curable, but there are still a handful that aren’t.
Curing Time: The typical curing times are 120 seconds with a UV lamp, and 30 seconds with an LED lamp.
Bulb Life: You will need to replace the bulbs in a UV lamp periodically, but LED lamp bulbs last the lifetime of the lamp. Many LED lamps boast of lifespans of 5+ years.
Affordability: LED lamps are typically a little more expensive, though prices are coming down. When you consider the cost of replacement UV bulbs, paying a little more up front is reasonable.
Things to consider when deciding on a lamp:
Wattage: It’s said that wattage of LED lamps doesn’t matter as much as the wavelength, but I’ve found that often times the lower powered lamps don’t cure some polishes as well, particularly darker or heavily pigmented colors. I recommend buying LED lamps that are at least 12 watts or higher. For UV lamps, I recommend 36 watts or higher.
Size: There are lots of sizing options from portable 1-finger lamps, up to larger lamps that will fit two hands at once. Small portable lamps are nice for traveling, but for everyday use I personally prefer a lamp that will fit my whole hand. I typically do my nails one hand at a time, so I don’t need a lamp that fits both hands (or feet) at once. I don’t care for the smaller 4-finger lamps that require you to cure the thumbs separately, so all of my lamp recommendations today will fit your full hand.
Budget: You can get good quality lamps in the $50 range, and even better ones if you’re willing to spend more. There are less expensive lamps too, but they generally have lower wattage and don’t cure all brands as well. If you consider the cost of a manicure at a salon, it’s worth it to spend a little more for a better quality lamp that you can use for years to come.
Usage: What do you plan to cure in your lamp? If you plan to use any products that aren’t LED curable, a UV lamp will be required. Some builder gels and other professional nail treatments are UV only, as well as some polish brands such as CND Shellac.
LED Nail Lamp Recommendations
Gelish 18G LED Lamp: If you follow my blog, you probably already know that the Gelish 18G is my lamp of choice. It’s one of the more expensive LED lamps on the market, but the quality and performance are exceptional. The 18G lamp has a motion sensor that automatically detects your hand and turns on the lamp. It has a little shield that slides down over the hand to protect your eyes from the light. The base is magnetic and can be easily removed for cleaning.
Timer: You can set this lamp for 5 seconds, 20 seconds or 30 seconds. It cures the Gelish base in 5 seconds, most colors in 20-30 seconds, and the top coat in 20 seconds.
Warranty: 1 year manufacturer warranty. FYI – Gelish will not honor the warranty of lamps that aren’t purchased through authorized dealers (including Amazon).
Gelish 5-45 LED Lamp: This lamp doesn’t have all of the bells & whistles of the 18G, but it has great curing power and is a little more affordable. It’s an 18 watt lamp, and requires a slightly longer curing time of 45 seconds. It’s smaller and more lightweight than the 18G. The Gelish Pro Kit includes this lamp, and the kit is actually for sale on Amazon at a price lower than the lamp by itself!
Warranty: 90 day manufacturer warranty. FYI – Gelish will not honor the warranty of lamps that aren’t purchased through authorized dealers (including Amazon).
Melody Susie 12W Violetili LED Lamp: I recently reviewed this lamp and was very impressed with it. This lamp is very affordable and has great curing power. I tested it with several darker colors and they all cured completely in just 30 seconds. It’s very lightweight and portable as well. Watch my video review here.
Timer: 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds or 30 minutes for continual use
Warranty: 1 year manufacturer warranty
UV Nail Lamp Recommendations
Melody Susie 36W Violeteer UV Lamp: I recently received this lamp and will be posting a full review of it soon. It’s a great quality lamp that’s super affordable. It has a sliding tray that you can use to slide your hand in and out of the lamp with ease, so that you don’t accidentally bump your nails on the bulbs.
Thermal Spa UV Lamp: This is the first lamp that I ever owned. It’s a large two-hand lamp that has served me well. I still use it when I make new swatch sticks, and for any polishes that are UV only. I haven’t had to change the bulbs yet thankfully. Thermal Spa also has some one-hand versions as well.
Just in time for the holidays… Gloss48 is sponsoring a giveaway in which one lucky winner will receive a GellieBeans Starter Kit & LED lamp! It’s everything you need to start doing gel polish manicures in the comfort of your home. GellieBeans manicures last 2+ weeks without chipping or peeling! (Read my full review of GellieBeans gel polish here.)
Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. The giveaway will be open for one full week, and will end on Tuesday, December 2nd at 11am EST. One winner will be randomly selected.
Higher Grounds reminded me of a rusty orange with a golden shimmer. I think my photo makes this color appear a little more orange than it actually is. I applied this color second and was surprised to find the consistency very thin and sheer compared to the previous color. I had to apply three coats to get good coverage.
I wanted to stick with the fall theme when I purchased these, but I’m not really in love with the colors. I might have to pick up some other colors that are more my style. 
