Nail polishes with gel coating effect: review, description, reviews

When caring for her nails, every woman wants to find something better. Of course, many new products that are now being published cannot but please girls. But among so many varnishes you can get confused. A product has appeared that will significantly reduce the time of nail treatment, and the effect will last for a long time.

Until some time, one of the latest innovations in the field of coating nail plates was considered a gel coating, which was fixed using an ultraviolet lamp to dry the nails. You can read about what you need to cover your nails with gel polish here. This manicure can last on your nails for a long time. The second name for this method is shellac coating. Here you can read how long gel polish lasts on natural nails.

But now a new gel effect has appeared. The difference from shellac is that it does not need to be dried with a lamp.

Peculiarities

This cosmetic product is a transition from regular nail polish to shellac. It has the properties of two coating options, which makes it quite popular among female representatives. Nail polishes with a gel coating effect are highly durable and come in a wide range of shades.

This cosmetic product does not require exposure to ultraviolet rays to dry completely. Professional manicurists claim that this hybrid can facilitate the process of creating a beautiful coating, and its durability will last for several weeks.

How to make the application of reflective gel polishes easier and extend the life of the design?

If you have little experience working with gel polishes, and this is your first time using a reflective look, we recommend using a useful life hack to achieve the required density and saturation of the chosen flower bed. First of all, it will be useful to the master if the client wishes to perform coating using the “under the cuticle” technique:

If you are faced with the fact that the stained glass base of a luminous gel polish does not form a sufficiently opaque layer when painted onto a tip, and a transparent base is planned for the design, you need to select a shellac similar in color to the base. Using a colored product as a substrate, you can achieve the necessary depth and beauty of color;
for a manicure based on a camouflage base, a good solution would be to create a mixture of the base (base) and the reflective gel polish itself. The master paints the cuticle area with this material with a thin brush, dries the coating in a lamp and applies a second, dense layer of reflective shellac. This method will allow you to preserve the freshness and beauty of the design longer, postpone correction for a while, hide the clear boundary between the growing nail and the gel polish layer, and obtain a dense, saturated layer at the cuticle.

Advantages and disadvantages

Any cosmetic product has a certain number of positive and negative qualities. Nail polishes with a gel coating effect are popular among both ordinary girls and professional nail artists. They say that this coating is quite versatile and can be easily used at home. The main advantages of this cosmetic product:

Speed of work. Nail polishes with a gel coating effect are easy to apply and spread over the surface of the plate, and also dry much faster than traditional products.
Simplicity. This option does not require the prior use of degreasers, primers, bases and fixatives. Varnishes do not need to be dried using a special ultraviolet lamp.
Economical. Their cost in cosmetic stores is much lower than shellac, and to carry out the procedure you do not need to purchase additional tools and materials.
Wide palette of shades. You can find absolutely any colors in it, as well as non-standard options, such as shiny nail polish with a gel coating effect.
Persistence. This product remains on the surface of the plate several times longer than standard varnish. The coating does not fade, does not chip or crack without mechanical impact.
Strengthening nails. A high-quality varnish contains useful components that seal the plate, protect it from fragility and do not dry it out.
Removal using a regular product with or without acetone.

Among the disadvantages, it can be noted that this product is highly durable, unlike traditional varnish, but it is significantly less than shellac. And also with its help it is impossible to create a beautiful translucent coating, since it lays down in a rather dense, saturated layer.

The best holographic nail polishes

Their rich and vibrant textures are enriched with a variety of multi-colored shimmering elements, resulting in visual 3D volume, holographic shimmer and a fantastic play of color. Holographics are a godsend for girls with fragile nails, as they thicken the plate, smooth out unevenness and protect it from mechanical damage. The holographic coating is more difficult to remove than glossy, but easier than sand.

Born Pretty Holo Polish – disco style manicure

★★★★★

editorial assessment

100%

buyers recommend this product

An incredibly beautiful collection of holographic designs from Born Pretty will definitely not leave lovers of provocative manicures indifferent. 10 playful and iridescent chameleons with a pronounced glossy finish look amazing on nails of various lengths, visually hiding imperfections. The varnish has a thick texture, saturated with tiny multi-colored mica, and forms a dense coating in one layer.

For a dramatic chameleon effect, apply two thin coats and let dry for 15 minutes. As a result, you will get a mesmerizing shimmering manicure without chipping for up to 7 days. Reviews of Born Pretty Holo Polish are extremely positive, but it does have a small drawback. Thus, the light shades in the collection are streaky and require mandatory layering.

Advantages:

Spectacular finish;
Beautiful range of shades;
Dries quickly;
Comfortable wide brush;
Excellent durability;
Affordable price (about 250 rubles).

Flaws:

Small bottle (6 ml);
Some shades are streaky.

Born Pretty holographic polishes will become an indispensable product in creating a spectacular manicure for a party.

NailLook Holographic – for a brilliant manicure

4.9

★★★★★

editorial assessment

95%

buyers recommend this product

See review▶

With the collection of holographic nail polishes from NailLook, even a beginner can create an unusual manicure. The Holographic collection includes 6 pastel holographic chameleons that delightfully play and refract the rays of light.

The product with optimal density is easily distributed using the thin brush included, forming a rich but thin coating. For a bright and iridescent highlight, apply the varnish in two layers and wait 3 minutes for the coating to dry. This way you will eliminate the risk of chipping and rubbing of the tips for up to 5 days, after which manicure problems will be removed with any liquid.

Advantages:

Beautiful and unusual finish;
Rich pigmentation;
Dries quickly;
Good durability;
Easy to remove;
Affordable price (up to 300 rubles).

Flaws:

There are no dark shades;
The varnish is applied in 1 layer.

Holographic designs from NailLook shimmer amazingly in the sun, so they will be an excellent option for a summer manicure.

Application rules

Professional manicurists say that gel polish is perfect for home use. To create a beautiful design, you don’t need to purchase a lot of expensive tools and apply various basic products. The rules for applying this varnish are simple and easy:

give your nails the desired shape using a nail file;
remove the cuticle with an orange stick or a special product;
Apply a layer of gel-effect varnish to a dry plate and leave for a few minutes to dry completely;
if necessary, apply a second coat.

Girls note that to obtain a bright, rich effect, one application of this cosmetic product is enough. If desired, the manicure can be decorated with rhinestones, sparkles, or a matte finish. A huge advantage is that manufacturers make fairly wide application brushes that completely cover the plate in a few strokes.

Reviews of varnish with gel effect

Anna Osipova, 23 years old, Barnaul

I recently purchased Sally Hansen Miracle Gel nail polish; according to the seller’s description, it should have the quality of shellac. Overall, after using it, I liked it, but I wouldn’t put it on the same level as the salon finish. Just for home use. I applied 2 layers. Each one lasted about 5 minutes. for drying. Then I applied a transparent sealer. The manicure looks expensive, but does not last for the period stated by the manufacturer.

Olga Palenova, 36 years old, Ulyanovsk

Just recently I wanted to replace my old polish and decided to buy Gel finish “Gel Effect” polish from the famous company AVON. I ordered and received a bottle of miracle polish with a volume of 10 ml. In principle, quite big. I tried it and realized that maybe the gel coating effect still exists, but it is not at all similar to real shellac. I applied the polish to my nail, it lay unevenly and was transparent, so I had to apply another layer. The result pleased me at first. It shone like real shellac, but after a day the delight wore off, as my manicure began to crack and peel off. But if used for one-time coverage, it is ideal.

Recommendations for selection

Varnish with a gel coating effect has a large number of advantages that make it popular with customers. The cosmetic market offers a huge assortment, which simplifies the process of choosing the right product. The ingredients that are part of this product help it not only maintain a beautiful appearance for a long time, but also take care of the plate.

Professional manicurists recommend paying attention to the following components:

vitamins A, E;
extracts of seaweed, plants and herbs;
minerals (zinc, silicon, iodine);
natural oils (base and essential);
proteins;
ceramides;
fruit and lactic acids.

These components provide deep nutrition to the plate, strengthen it, protect it from the harmful effects of environmental factors and prevent damage while wearing the decorative covering. But almost every nail polish also contains harmful components, namely:

ethyl acetate - responsible for viscosity and drying speed, is a non-hazardous toxic substance;
dimethicone is a derivative of silicone that can dry out the plate with constant contact;
ethyl alcohol - is an antibacterial substance, but also causes dryness;
formaldehyde - it can be identified by its pungent aroma, is a preservative, and can make the plate more brittle and dull.

Range

The cosmetic market offers a huge variety of nail polishes with a gel effect. This simultaneously simplifies and complicates the process of choosing a quality product. They differ in shades in the palette, cost and durability of the coating. Thanks to reviews of nail polish with gel effect, you can make a rating of the most popular representatives on the global cosmetics market:

Avon. This company is popular among Russian buyers due to its high-quality budget cosmetics. Nail polishes with this effect appeared in their assortment recently, but have already become a favorite among customers. The shade palette includes 16 bright and rich colors to create any design. The composition contains components to strengthen the plate and protect against delamination.
"Bridget Beautier." The manufacturer claims that the coating using this product is quite difficult to distinguish from shellac. The palette contains a huge number of shades that allow you to choose the right one for every taste.
"Podium". The Belarusian manufacturer also released a line of varnishes with a gel effect. Each customer will be able to choose the desired shade from the 20 presented in the palette. This product does not contain harmful components, and the coating remains flawless for two weeks.

How to apply reflective gel polish correctly and why doesn’t it glow?

The technology for using this material depends on the manufacturer’s recommendations and is determined by the degree of saturation of the original product. Reflective varnishes do not require ideal nail architecture. But for everyday wear, they still look more beautiful and aesthetically pleasing when the nail plate has no defects or flaws (corrected with medicinal, reinforcing, camouflage bases or with the help of polygels). Otherwise, the step-by-step technique for performing a manicure or pedicure with their participation is practically no different from the classic gel polish. The only point worth paying attention to is that when laying out, you need to try to apply both the gel polish and the top coat in one layer of optimal thickness. With two coats of paint, the effect may no longer be so expressive, bright and sensitive to the contrast of artificial light and dark surroundings.

Work with reflective gel polish according to the following scheme:

Prepare the nails: push back and remove the cuticle with a pusher, shape the nails and tidy up the periungual skin with a milling cutter. Next, remove the gloss from the surface of natural nails with a soft buff (to fluff up the nail scales and improve the adhesion of the natural nail to the artificial material), degrease and apply a primer;
Apply a base suitable for the specific type and characteristics of the nail plate over natural or artificial nails. The thinner the client’s natural nails, the more flexible the base you choose should be. At the same stage, you need to perform alignment and strengthening in order to ultimately get the perfect highlight without distortion and refraction;
Depending on the pigmentation of the selected gel polish, apply it in 1-2 layers alone or on one layer of a colored base. Each portion of the material must be thoroughly dried in a lamp according to the manufacturer’s recommendations;
Fix the final look with a thin layer of top coat. It is advisable to choose a finish with a tacky layer as it tends to have a more intense shine. If the nails will not be further decorated in the future, after drying in the lamp, the dispersion layer should be removed with a lint-free cloth soaked in a cleanser. The cuticle and periungual area must be moistened with oil or sprayed (applied) with a gentle spray lotion (cream) onto the hands.

What to do if the work technique is fully followed, but the reflective gel polish does not sparkle? As a rule, the reasons lie either in the wrong choice of top or in its application in principle. It is not recommended to cover sparkling new items with a matte top, as they absorb the shine and shine of even the brightest and most glitter-rich gel polishes. If you have chosen shellac, which already includes a top coat, you should not use an additional fixer. The finish may distort or completely “eat” the reflective effect.

Photo by: @yanna_rahimova/@alenahoncharova

Reviews

This cosmetic product is used both in beauty salons and at home. Reviews of varnishes with a gel effect show that with its help you can create the perfect coating in a very short time. Buyers are attracted by the fact that this product does not require drying with a special lamp, is easy to apply and remains on the nails for 10-14 days.

Girls note that the varnish is easy to apply, evenly distributed, does not spread, and dries quite quickly. Saturated bright shades with a mirror shine attract female representatives. Buyers in reviews claim that one of the advantages is the ability to remove nail polish using a regular product in a few minutes.

Lucky chameleons

Unusual nail polishes in the form of so-called chameleon polishes are the most popular at the moment. In composition and application technique, these varnishes are similar to traditional nail coatings. The peculiarity of these varnishes appears when they come into contact with a certain light. So, for example, chameleon varnish in room lighting can be a decorative base of yellow color, and in sunny conditions it can shimmer, say, with green or red colors.

A positive aspect of this group of varnishes is their durability, which lasts up to 10 days. Chameleon polishes have several pleasant features: attractive appearance; simplicity and speed of application to the nail plate; visually hides some of the shortcomings of the manicure (unevenness of the nail plate, different lengths of nails, etc.); nail polish removal is possible using ordinary nail polish remover.

The most popular manufacturers of chameleon varnishes are: Orly and Bourjois.

Aftercare

Any decorative coating can have a detrimental effect on nails. Recommendations from experts will help maintain the beauty and health of the plate:

Do not wear polish for more than two weeks.
Give them the opportunity to rest once every two months.
Apply nourishing oils and creams to hands and nails daily.
Once a week, do medicinal baths against delamination and to stimulate growth.