Gelish

I got my first gel manicure this March when I took my friend, Jennifer, out for dinner and a mani for her birthday.  We didn't really know what we were getting into.  The guy asked if we wanted shellac and just said it cost a little more but would last for 2 weeks.  Alright!  Let's do it!  I can never keep my polish on my nails and looking nice for more than a few days because my nails are SUPER thin and weak (a problem which I'm working on correcting).  So I'm thinking if I can get a manicure that lasts for even 7-10 days, it's worth a few extra bucks.

He had us pick out our colors and I noticed while he was doing the manicure that the system he was using was called Gelish.  The color was AMAZING and it was a great manicure.  After a week it still looked brand new, so pretty and shiny, and my nails were GROWING!!!!!  They weren't breaking and peeling.  I could actually see new nail growth.  I had never had the same manicure for so long that I could actually see new nail growth.  I was hooked.

I started doing research and found out that for the price of about 4 of those manicures, I could get the whole system and do it myself.  DONE!!  So I did tons of research and ordered a Gelish starter kit on Amazon and picked out the curing lamp I wanted.  That happened to be at Sally Beauty so I figured I would go pick it up on my way home from work in a few days when the kit was supposed to arrive.  (The following conversation happened all in my head) Now...I just have to pick out a color.  The kit doesn't come with a color!  What am I going to do?  They are kinda expensive so I need to pick just one for now.  What's a girl to do??? I know!  The color I have on right now!  It's gorgeous and the guy at the salon said it's really popular.  I want this color!

So I went on Gelish's website and the pictures of their colors were not helpful at all.  I decided it was one thing then I decided it wasn't.  So I had the brilliant idea to call the salon and just ask them.  They had the colors swatched on a color wheel and by the grace of God I actually remembered the number of the color I had picked out.  It was a little hard to get the information because he could barely understand me and I could barely understand him, but after 5 minutes and lots of spelling later, I present to you, Gelish Queen of Hearts.

7 days after my manicure

Wow...talk about making a short story long...wordy much?  Sorry about that.

Anyway, I love the system.  It's a little time consuming, but not nearly as much as repainting every other day.  I now have 4 different polishes, 3 colors and a glitter.  I have to say that since I bought the other colors I have never been able to resist the urge to change the color after about a week...so none of my home manicures have lasted two weeks like the salon one did, but that's only because I CHOSE to change my color.

Here are the other three colors I have, all swatched at the same time.  My color review:  Samuri isn't as purple as I would like, so it's my least favorite of the three.  I LOVE Gossip Girl.  It is perfect pink.  And I love Waterfield.  Best glitter polish I have ever seen.  And I still love Queen of Hearts.  For the moment I'm not using the Gelish, because I'm focusing on trying to strengthen my nails.  I'm using Nail Magic and I'm trying to really stick with it for the recommended 8 weeks.  So for now, the Gelish is put away, but only until I get my nails where I want them to be.  Then I fully intend on rocking two coats of Gossip Girl with one coat of Waterfield (I don't have a picture but I already tested it and it looks so cute).