Since Christmas 2012, I have tried a ton of different gel polish brands. In the beginning, I was disappointed by the general lack of variety made available to consumers. Back then, Gelish seemed to have the best range (in my opinion) of colors. Naturally I bought a zillion, eagerly taking advantage of rare buy one, get one free – or the rarer still buy one, get TWO free.
Strike One: Get it Together, Gelish!
Gelish has a lovely pink called Go Girl. It was one of my first from them. It went on fairly well with only minor tip-shrinkage (requiring a flash cure; common, not a dealbreaker). Unfortunately, within just a few days, it faded. WTF?
As it turns out, this is common with several other shades, including It’s a Lilly.
To date, I have not experienced this with any other gel polish.
Strike Two: What Were you Thinking?
If you’re familiar with gel polish bottles, you may have noticed that they are opaque – either the bottle has been painted or frosted this way, or there is a label that makes it so. This is not an aesthetic thing; UV light (obviously!) affects gel polish. Premature exposure, in bottle, will compromise the lacquer and prevent it from:
- Applying properly
- Curing properly
- and having as long a shelf-life
Have you seen a Gelish bottle?
Some of them have clear windows so you can view the polish inside. This can destroy brushes and ruin product; I had this happen early on when I was storing everything on my desk. At $10-15 per bottle, retail, that isn’t acceptable.
Strike Three: Only a Year, Really!?
I bought a bottle of Gelish Brights Have More Fun. It’s a jelly, coral-red. I’ve owned it for a year, and just went to use it five days ago…CLUMPY. Stored in the dark, always. Not exposed to a ton of lights, crazy temperatures, or anything. Always rolled before use. It’s stored with all the rest of my gel, all of which is unaffected; much of which is older and still in perfect shape.
Bonus Strike: Labeling
We know Sally Beauty is not selling counterfeit product, but all of the bottles of Sleek White were mislabeled as, “Sheek White.” Not, “Chic White,” even. Sheek. Which is not a word or even a play on words. What!?
The Bottom Line
Gelish products are used in professional salons. People are paying $35+ for manicures featuring these products that leave them disappointed – with faded, less-than-desirable color. What gives, Gelish?
Posted today in 2015… Glamglow Thirstymud – Second Chance