Hi guys! Happy Monday! So a couple weeks ago I instagrammed a few pics about SensatioNail, an at-home gel kit you can buy and do yourself. And now here's my official review of it!
For starters, I'm not a huge gel person. You know that I love to change my nails about every 3-5 days, so the thought of keeping one color on my nails for awhile is tough for me. BUT there are times when I think it's really helpful (vacations or when you know you're going to be in the water a lot), and most normal people probably love the thought of having chip-free nails for up to 2 weeks at a time. The problem is the cost of shellac or gels can really add up. Not to mention the hassle of going to the salon, going back to get them removed, etc.
So enter at-home gel kits, like SensatioNail by Nailene. With your starter kit, you get the LED lamp to cure the gel, a color, and all the base and top coats you'll need to start doing your manicure. You can also buy additional colors, as well as Artist Expressions for glittery nail art options - exciting, I know.
See below for my nails, and how well it worked!
When curing your nails, I would look away from the light, don't think it can be that great for your eyes
My nails. I went with the coral color and did a striped design that I free-handed with the Artist Expressions gold thin-brushed polish).
I did these right as I was leaving for my Stagecoach weekend since I knew I'd be spending time in the pool and wouldn't have time to re-paint my nails at all that weekend.
Day 8 - still no chips and looking great
Day 10 - still look pretty good, a little grow out, and I think one nail finally chipped this day, so I started taking them off after that.
Honestly I was really impressed! They reminded me a lot of how my nails looked when I got shellac professionally done, and lasted through lots of time in the water, multiple showers, and the general wear and tear nails experience in every day life. They were easy to do - one thing I would emphasize is to follow all the steps and when you paint the color, do each coat as THINLY as possible, that's something I would improve on next time. You have to have a pretty steady hand, and make sure you don't get it on your cuticles which can be tough. The best part was that they are dry IMMEDIATELY when you're done with the process. Like, grab your keys, head out the door, buckle your seatbelt, no chips or smudges whatsoever ready to go. So that's a plus. And then I had chip-free nails for up to 10 days! I loved the Artist Expressions and how endless the possibilities are for sparkling up your manicure.
So I would definitely give this a go if you love the thought of gel manicures that will last you awhile, but that you can do from the comfort of your home, without continually paying for them at the salon.
Use the Where To Buy feature on their website (can be found at CVS or Wal-Mart) or purchase them online at CVS.com. The starter kit is around $60 and the colors run about $12 each.
Let me know if you have tried anything similar and what you thought, or if not, but would totally consider trying an at-home gel kit. I'd love to know!
Have a wonderful day my dears!!
xoxo
Sara B
Disclaimer: I was given this product to review, but was not otherwise compensated for this post. The review and opinions are 100% mine as I always want to be honest and authentic with my readers. Thanks for reading! xo
Thanks for this review I had been debating if this would be a worthy investment. Sounds like it is.
ReplyDeleteYour nails look great - I love how you added that touch of gold.
ReplyDeleteRed Carpet Manicure sent me their gel system and a few polishes to try out. I really like how easy it was, and it was totally chip free for more than ten days, but man, it was a BEAST to get off! I'm like you and kind of ADD about changing my polish and trying new looks, so while the gel manicures are great, they won't become my regular thing. (Although I'll for sure be doing it before Hawaii this summer!)
Love your blog - recently found you through Instagram. Based on our love for nail polish and our names I think we have a lot in common ;)
PS - I started a Mani Monday link up with my friend (another Heather) and would love for you to link up sometime :)
ReplyDeletelove that! great nails! :-O
ReplyDeleteey! like your blog, so I started following you on GFC and bloglovin!
like to follow back? we could stay in contact! ;-)
xoxo
self-dressed.blogspot.com
I have only done my Sensationail kit twice and have learned to paint close to cuticles and not ON the cuticle and that makes the process go much faster. First timers should concentrate on completing one nail at a time. Definitely has a learning curve, but worth it for two weeks of chip free nails!! Coral Sunset was so pretty on your nails, so I decided to use it on my second try today and was glad to say goodbye to that raspberry wine color. Both of these colors look better using 3 thin coats. This time I am experimenting without the dehydrator because my first removal experience was difficult for me.
ReplyDelete