The best and worst gel nail polish companies according to reviews from masters

The best inexpensive gel polishes: budget up to 250 rubles.

Untidy nails can turn off your interlocutor. The uniform length and shape of the nail plates is only half the success. When the preliminary preparation is done, the matter remains with the most interesting part - the design.

Gel polishes have become an integral attribute of fashionistas, many of whom prefer manicures at home. Beginners in this matter are the target audience of manufacturers whose pricing policy can be classified as budget. The price for a bottle of color, up to 250 rubles, is not too expensive, especially in comparison with the emotions received from a personal manicure.

Gel polishes in this segment are slightly inferior in quality to more famous manufacturers, but overall they have proven themselves to be good.

How to choose gel nail polish

To ensure that your purchase is truly of high quality, we recommend that you study the selection criteria proposed in the article below.

• Color palette. It often makes my eyes wide open! However, it must be remembered that brightly colored varnish requires several layers of application. This information will come in handy when you begin to estimate the volume of a jar of varnish.
• Pigment saturation. She must be present. The translucent pigment will require many layers. However, the saturation needs to be moderate, otherwise the coating simply will not polymerize - that is, it will not dry out and will remain damp.
• Product quality brand. Trusted companies usually have certificates that confirm the quality of the product. Quality means not only durability, but also compositions that are safe for the nail plate and innovative formulas.
• Compound. The consistency should be medium viscosity. The 3-, 5- and 7-free marks indicate that the product does not contain formaldehyde, camphor and xylene, which are harmful to the nail plate and the environment as well.

The best gel polishes in the mid-price category: budget up to 500 rubles.

The gel polishes presented in this section are characterized by great durability - up to 3 weeks. The manicure is preserved in its original form. You get the feeling that you have just left a beauty salon. Nail technicians use the gel polishes presented below in their work, but they are even more popular among those who like to do their own manicure.

Due to their high quality and affordability, these gel polishes make it possible to create a unique design. The palette is represented by a variety of colors and shades, varying densities, degrees of brightness and effects. The price per bottle is less than 500 rubles.

How it all began

In the Breaking Beauty podcast, Jen Arnold, co-founder of CND, told the story of creating long-lasting Shellac coating first-hand. It all started in Colorado, in a large family of a dentist and chemist, Dr. Nordstrom. Children often helped their father in his clinic, and he trained them to replace him. But Jen was not always able to deftly assist him, especially since she was actively interested in fashion and even went to study to become a designer. Seeing all this, the father did not insist on continuing the dynasty of doctors and gave his daughter freedom.

A fateful incident occurred in 1978 - then a patient who worked as a manicurist came to Nordstrom for an appointment. While the doctor was installing a filling and a crown, the girl in the chair recognized the smell and noticed that the composition smelled the same as in her salon. Jen notes that her father was too creative for his serious profession, was interested in fashion, had a lively mind and loved the beauty industry. Immediately, a brilliant thought flashed through his head: what if he applied the filling mixture to his nails as a coating? Of course, an ordinary filling would look unnatural on the plate - the doctor immediately began studying the composition under a microscope in his home laboratory to solve this problem. The mixture turned yellow over time; I had to make adjustments to the formula so that it had the perfect texture and color for nail art. The result of his work was a liquid-powder system, the progenitor of modern shellac - a special SolarNail monomer, which strengthened nails and made them more flexible. This discovery changed the future of the industry and their family.

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“I remember how he gathered us, five children and my mother, around a large table and said that there was two news - good and bad. The good thing is that we have something revolutionary, but the bad thing is that he doesn’t want to open his own business,” Jen recalls. Then he suggested that the children take the ready-made formula and patent and start their own business without any financial support - they would have to earn money themselves to create and develop the brand. Jen took on this with her brother Jim. At first, their family company was called Classique Nails. The office was located in a small garage, and the whole family participated in promoting the brand: together they poured the liquid into bottles, packaged them, and advertised in local beauty schools. The professional nail service was in dire need of new products, and the company eventually moved from a home garage to a large building with modern laboratories and the latest equipment, receiving its current name CND (Creative Nail Design).

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Two and a half years later, Dr. Nordstrom died of a heart attack. Jen still thanks him not only for the formula, but also for teaching his children independence: “Still, with money at the initial stage, we would have had a completely different story.”

The brand continued to develop rapidly even after a tragic incident in the family: CND has the first ever professional nail service school CND Boot Сamp, a partnership with an international German distributor, which led to world fame, a spa line for nail care and, most importantly, heavy-duty coatings that became the earliest version of shellac.

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The best gel polish companies of 2022

Irisk Professional

The nominee is produced in the United States, although nominally the brand is on the list of Russian companies. The manufacturer uses modern technologies and also monitors product quality. Sales are carried out all over the world, so the brand is well known.

The proposed palette includes over 800 tones. Limited collections receive especially good reviews from craftsmen. Among the advantages of the nominee, dense consistency and economical consumption deserve attention. Retains its original shine for a long time and is guaranteed to be worn for 14 days.

But this brand does not have a very convenient brush to use. You will have to adapt and get used to it, because during the first uses the cuticle often turns out to be dirty.

Advantages:

• Wears up to three weeks without chipping;
• Large selection of basic tones and shades.

Flaws:

• Inconvenient brush to use.

TNL Professional

The rating of the best gel nail polishes continues with a nominee from a Korean manufacturer. The products of this company are popular with craftsmen due to their budget price and relatively good quality.

The consistency is convenient: not thick, but not liquid either, so there are no problems with uniform distribution over the surface of the plate. But to get a dense coating without bald spots, some shades will need to be applied in two or three layers. On average it lasts about 14 days. There are no problems with removal either.

The choice of colors is quite good - in total the company offers 350 options, among which you can find both traditional classics and modern tones. The smell of the product is pleasant without aggression.

The polymerization speed varies: if you use an LED lamp, the process will take one minute, in a UV lamp it will take a couple of minutes.

Advantages:

• Large selection of shades;
• Easy to apply and remove;
• Affordable price.

Flaws:

• May cause allergies (according to reviews);
• Lasts up to two weeks.

Kodi

Good gel polishes for manicure are presented by the Kodi brand. The company was registered in 2005, production is located in the United States and fully complies with current international standards.

Thanks to the special formula, the varnish adheres tightly and the color is rich. In this case, only two layers will be enough. A similar result is achieved due to its unusual texture: the nominee crushes the enamel, so it does not flow or streak.

It is also worth noting the absence of a strong chemical smell. The formula is a polymer of natural origin, so there is no negative effect on the health of the nail plate. Includes components that help strengthen it and also prevent delamination.

The collection offers more than 200 shades. In it you can find both timeless classics and bright neon colors that are popular with young people.

Advantages:

• Suitable for home use;
• Retains shine for a long time;
• Worn for up to three weeks.

Flaws:

• The base and top must be of the same brand.

If we talk about which gel polish a beginner should choose, then Kodi will be the best option.

Grattol

The company produces professional products and is well known. The developer is especially attentive to the composition of the products offered. It contains only the necessary components of high quality.

Most varnishes provide a single layer of dense coverage. The exception is transparent shades. Wearing time is up to a month. The product has a pleasant, non-irritating smell. The brush is convenient and allows you to paint the entire surface right down to the cuticle. In the collections offered you can find products with different textures.

Advantages:

• The texture is light;
• Large selection of collections;
• Safe formula.

Flaws:

• Not found.

Gel nail polish - reviews confirm this - is of high quality and does not cause harm even with prolonged use.

Akzentz Luxio

The nominee is owned by a Canadian company. The brand has been known in Russia since 2022 and has already proven itself well. One of the features of the product is the ability to remove manicure yourself. To do this, the decor must be treated with a special liquid - also suggested by the manufacturer - cover with cling film, wait 10 minutes and carefully remove the softened layer.

The material is characterized by good density, since its base is gel. Thanks to this, the manicure is of high quality, durable, provides protection from damage and gives a glossy shine.

The palette comes in 115 different shades that help you create unique designs. There is no odor during painting. The manufacturer has supplemented its varnishes with a convenient four-sided brush with a flat shaft. It is convenient to hold, and thanks to its structure, the product does not drip, does not accumulate during operation, but does not flow, so the cuticle remains clean.

Advantages:

• The formula is safe - it does not contain solvent or formaldehyde;
• Lasts more than 14 days without detachment;
• Varied color palette;
• Easy to use brush.

Flaws:

• High price.

O.P.I.

The company produces safe cosmetics - the products do not contain harmful chemical compounds. The formula contains only high-quality ingredients that do not cause damage to the structure even with regular use. The basic components are amino acids and natural silk particles, which not only have a positive effect on the condition of the nail plate, but also prolong the wearing period.

The product line is represented by several collections, each of which has its own characteristic features. The general palette includes over 180 tones, differing in saturation and density. If the application technology is followed, the decor will easily last three weeks.

Advantages:

• Safe composition;
• Almost odorless;
• Hypoallergenic;
• Easy to use brush.

Flaws:

• Expensive;
• Counterfeit is common.

Beautix

The top continues the Beautix brand. The founder of the French company was Christine Benoit. She created a product that combines quality and durability. The brand came to Russia in 2014.

The company's products are characterized by dense pigmentation, so they do not streak during application. To obtain a high-quality coating, two layers will be enough. The manicure will last at least three weeks.

The composition is completely safe. It does not contain formaldehyde, so the product does not cause harm. Due to the absence of dangerous components, it does not cause allergies, and does not smell when applied.

The palette offers over two hundred shades, including both single-color options and with different effects.

Advantages:

• Safe composition;
• Does not cause allergies;
• Large selection of colors.

Flaws:

• High price.

In'Garden

Good brands of gel nail polishes are continued by the InGarden brand, a trademark of American origin. It was registered in 2007. The manufacturer offers products based on gel and acrylic, but regardless of the main component, they are made from natural raw materials.

A special feature of the nominee is the presence of special resins in its composition. Their purpose is to neutralize the aggressive environment of the product, which makes it safe and, as a result, reduces the likelihood of developing an allergic reaction.

In'Garden is a good gel polish for beginners. The product is easy to apply, so even beginners can handle it.

Advantages:

• Elastic, jelly-like structure;
• Dense pigmentation;
• Convenient flat brush;
• Large selection of colors.

Flaws:

• Quite a high price.

How to distinguish real SND shellac polish from a fake, as well as an overview of the color palette for nails

How to distinguish SND shellac varnish from a fake:

1. The bottles and boxes of original products must indicate the manufacturer - CND.
2. The color of the sticker-label on the bottle with the name of the product for this product is white and yellow.
3. At the bottom of the bottle, real shellac from SND has a convex sign resembling a “flower”.
4. The bottom of the bottle for this product is oval and has smooth rather than ribbed edges.
5. For real SND shellac varnish, the batch number is indicated on the back of the bottle at the bottom, or on the bottom or on the packaging box at the bottom.
6. The font on the label of real shellac is thin, easy to read, and not smudged.
7. The smell of real shellac is no different from regular varnish and after application to the nails it is practically not noticeable. Counterfeits usually have a strong, chemical smell.
8. For real shellac, the inscription on the label “store in a cool place” is placed in such a way that the words “store in a cool” are on one line, and the word “place” is a line below.

We recommend: How to remove shellac from nails correctly and safely?

There are many analogs of SND shellac varnish, the most popular include:

• Shellac IBN (manufacturing country China).
• Shellac Bluesky (manufacturing country China).
• Shellac CCO (manufacturing country China).
• Shellac Kodi (producing country USA).

What makes shellac captivating, besides its durability, is its variety of colors.

Gel polish FOX Professional Gel Polish

Gel polish has a highly pigmented color and after a thin layer allows you to create a beautiful coating. It is this indicator that makes the use of gel polish very economical. The assortment has a large selection of colors, where every fashionista can choose her best option. The texture of the gel polish is pliable, paints the nail plate well and does not create bald spots. The soft brush is presented in the form of a fan, which provides greater convenience and comfort in applying nail polish.

Pros:

1. Large selection of colors;
2. Pleasant aroma;
3. Durability up to 4 weeks;
4. Economical consumption;
5. Easy to apply.

Minuses:

1. Small bottle size.