Review of Essie Gel Couture

I love for my nails to look great with a manicure that's chip free but unfortunately I hate spending the money at a nail salon for a manicure because it typically last about 2 days before I notice the chipping. So I either take the time to do my own manicures at home or go without polish. Usually in the winter months, I will spend the time to manicure at home and redo them every 2-3 days because my nails tend to get really dry and brittle during the winter months therefore the polish protects them while retaining some length. Luckily doing them at home isn't costing me anything so I don't mind dedicating the time to tidy up my cuticles and add a bit of color. My only problem with home manicures is as a mom finding a free hour to wait for them to dry is a luxury most moms don't have.



I hate for my polish to chip! I'm especially self-conscious of how my nails look in the office. I feel that throughout my day, especially in an office setting people really do notice your polish. This minor detail became increasingly apparent to me when a co-worker made a joke about my choice in nail art during water cooler talk. What I learned that day is if a middle-aged father of 5 noticed my nails, I'm sure he isn't alone in the observation. So from that day on, I paint them and make sure they remain chip free or I go without polish all together which more often than not because remaining chip free is HARD! Especially if you're a mom or wash dishes at all throughout your day.

Day 3

Although I choose not to visit salons regularly for a manicure, I have noticed in the past that a gel manicure last longer than the average nail polish which typically starts chipping after 2 days if you're daily routine includes doing dishes. So imagine my joy when saw Gel Couture nail polish by Essie. I tried it and I will admit that I do love the end results as far as the polish goes but I have started to notice slight chipping on day 3. The chipping isn't as severe as it would be with normal polish but still, it's not flawless. After the first 24 hours I noticed the small chips and as far as I'm concerned day 2 of a gel manicure should look the same as day 1.


Day 3 the chipping was worse but not horrible. He's a picture. Overall though, I do love how smooth the polish application goes and how incredibly fast the polish dries as well. Two coats of the polish and the step 2 top coat was all it took for an exceptional home manicure. the drying process took about 20 minutes and then I resumed my normal routine. That's good considering I don't have a dryer and I didn't apply my favorite quick dry "Out the Door".  Typically if you have multiple coats, you'll need to wait longer or use a quick dry and it's not necessary for this Gel Couture kit and that's why I feel as though it's a keeper. I have 2 color options now but I will be investing in more colors.