I have two pet peeves – unpolished and cracked polished nails. Normal nail polish cannot withstand my busy week schedules of typing, writing, driving, packing, stressing, etc. Therefore, I used to leave my nails unpolished most of the time until I discovered the Sephora by OPI gelshine System.
This kit comes with a portable LED Light, gelshine Base and Top Coat, Nail Pads, Removal Nail Wraps, Nail Cleanser, Buffing Block, Nail and Gel Color Remover, Brush-On Cuticle Oil, Gloves, and a Cuticle Pusher – an excellent set for a little over 100 dollars. The price has decreased dramatically since I purchased mine. I hope this is NOT a sign of discontinuation… so get yours quick! A wide range of Gel Colors are also available. I prefer not to use this formula. Instead, I use normal polish from my collection.
Follow these steps to achieve a long-lasting mani with gelshine using ordinary nail polish:
- Cuticles – Apply a bit of the Brush-On Cuticle Oil onto nails to add moisture then pull back your cuticles with the Cuticle Pusher.
- Buff – Use the Buffing Block to eliminate all nail impurities, to soften, and to shine.
- Prep – Once the nails are primed, use the Nail Cleanser to clean nails and prepare them for the gelshine Base Coat.
- Base Coat – Make sure the LED Light is plugged in before you apply your first coat. Brush on the Base Coat, making sure all parts of the nail are covered – especially the top and sides. Put nails under the LED Light for a minute (I believe this is two rounds of light).
- Color – Apply any desired nail polish formula next. Make sure coats are smooth. It is not necessary to cure the polish under the LED Light, but I like to anyways just to make sure the color is drying as quick as possible. The number of coats applied also depends on the polish used.
- Top Coat – This is the trickiest part since you have to make sure the gelshine Top Coat does not disrupt the polish underneath it and does not stray off the nail. I like to use the Cuticle Pusher to clean up the coat before placing my nails under the LED Light. I like to cure my nails a bit longer for this step … probably two minutes each (four rounds of light).
- Shine – There will be a sticky layer over the Top Coat once finished. Use the Nail Pads with a bit of the Nail Cleanser to take off. But BEWARE, if you do this step too early, the polish will smudge and likely pull right off. I usually give my nails a five minute breather before cleaning them up.
Surprisingly, I have no problem taking this polish off since it normally starts to peel after two weeks. After most of it falls off, buff out the left over polish then remove with the Gel Polish Remover.
Have you tried this Gel Nail System? What do you think of it?!
andrea elizabeth 