Hello polish folks! I have another review for you today! The awesome people over at Haute Polish sent me a complete starter kit for their one-step gel polish. Gel polish has been booming lately, especially these new one-step systems.
In addition to this blog review, I did a "first application" video. The video is chock full of things to look out for and things that could go wrong. For my full detailed, keep reading.
This gel polish is a one-step system requiring no base or top coat. The only thing is does require is their LED lamp and the removal of the tacky residue after curing. Here is the starter kit and everything that comes with it.
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| Gel Polish Starter Kit |
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| Kit Contents: Instructions | LED lamp | Classic Red polish | Buffer | Cleanser Wipes | Remover Pockets |
They also sent me my choice of one of their color trios. I chose the Casa Blanca Trio because I like the deeper looking colors.
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| Casa Blanca Trio: Classic Red | Paradise | Passion Purple |
The brushes on these polishes are much shorter and are square. I thought this would make the polish easier to apply. It was definitely easy, but it was difficult to get the long brushstrokes in for even application. Still, it has not discouraged me yet.
Okay, so before you start to apply any polish, the instructions tell you to buff the shine off of your nail and use one of their cleanser wipes to eliminate any oil or dust before applying the polish. I did just that.
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| Nails prepped for gel polish application |
Step one in their instruction pamphlet tells you to paint a thin layer of polish on, which I know from previous experience with gel polish. It also highlights that you NEED to bring the polish beyond the free edge of your nail to properly seal the nail. Well, I did that, but I guess not good enough. Below you'll find a picture of what happened after my first cure under the lamp.
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| Step One: Apply the polish |
The light talks! If you get annoyed by "Emily" you can turn her off simply by holding down the power button for 5 seconds. She will let you know that she has been turned off. This light will also automatically shut off when your nails are done curing. No need for a timer in this system! I love that feature.
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| Step Two: Cure nails |
There was some shrinkage...oh my. It probably takes a little bit of practice, but this is to show you what NOT to let happen. With a second coat applied, it evened out just fine and you can barely tell that the first layer had any problems.
When you're applying the second layer, be sure not to glob it on. This polish WILL run and move all over your finger. How do I know? Well, besides the instructions saying so, it happened to me!
I had a lot of cleaning up to do on my pinky. Lesson learned--definitely follow all instructions and be careful of the amount of polish on your brush.
Be sure not to cleanse you nails until after you are done curing the last layer of polish.
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| Curing the First Layer: Had Shrinkage |
Step three is the easiest step. Clean your nails! The kit comes with lots of cleanser pads. If you happen to run out, they sell replenishment kits on their website. If you're in a bind, 70% alcohol and a lint-free wipe will do just fine.
In my video, you'll see that a little bit of the color comes off on the wipe. This is normal per the picture below. No worries!
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| Step Three: Clean off Tacky Film |
This is the final look! The blue is more of a teal color but still very gorgeous. The purple has a blue tint to it in person, and the red loos more pink on the nail.
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| Final Look |
Here are their top performance tips to get the best looking manicure out of this system. Trust me, these tips are legit. =)
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| Performance Tips |
Final Conclusions:
- No odor to polish (unless you're RIGHT up on it)
- Beautiful colors
- If you follow the instructions, application is a breeze
- LOVE the self-timer on the LED lamp
- Full sized bottles will last you a while as you don't need much product for a complete manicure
I want to thank Haute Polish for allowing me to try and review their product. I am in love with the colors they sent me and I am in love with the system. Once I got around making all the mistakes I could possibly make, I was able to complete my gel manicure with no problems. I know my next Haute Polish manicure will be even better and easier!
Click HERE to see my video.
Stay tuned for my removal video and blog post update!
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| Final Haute Polish Look |
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