Essie Gel Setter Top Coat

I love all things Essie, full stop. Before getting into make-up, I was a real nail art junkie. My collection of polishes surpasses my make-up one because I am always on the lookout for new shades and all things pretty nails related. Essie has to be my favourite nail varnish brand of all time. Admittedly, when I see a new polish I like, I buy it without thinking twice and that is exactly what happened when I saw this Gel Setter Top Coat a few weeks ago. I've always liked the sound of shellac nails, but I do not have the time (or money) to make a trip to the salon every few weeks, nor do I have a UV/LED lamp to cure nails at home so this sounded like the perfect alternative.

After using it a few times, I quite like this product and it is one of the best top coats I have come across in the drugstore world. Shellac/gel nails are expensive and hard to remove, so I am glad I can give myself gel-like manis and pedis in the comfort of my own home. I'm impressed by how my nails look and how long they last. A manicure will last approximately 9-10 days before chipping, and my current pedi still looks fresh after application 2 weeks ago. You can also reapply this top coat a few days later to boost shine and prolong wear.

But -there always is a "but"- I find that this works best with Essie polishes. I did my mum’s nails and used a Catrice nail polish but sadly they did not last more than a few days which is disappointing as I would love if this worked well with other brands too, but it doesn't.

Pros:

♥ No UV/LED lamp needed.

♥ Shiny finish and gel like texture.

♥ Affordable price.

♥ Long lasting.

♥ Easy removal.

♥ Simple application.

♥ Quick drying.

Cons:

✗ Best used with Essie polishes.

✗ Possibility of air bubbles (read step 2).

✗ Still chips.
✗ Not as long lasting as shellac.

How To

Step 1: Start with the Essie “Prep” Base Coat. This will protect your nails from harmful chemicals found in nail polish, allow the polish to spread more evenly, diminish chances of early chipping, and prevent stains from constant use of polish.

Step 2: Apply your Essie nail polish as normal. I am using Essie 20 Love Dovie which is the perfect flamingo pink and one of my favourites for the summer. I apply two coats and allow polish to dry for approximately 5 minutes before applying top coat. If you apply it straight after, your nails could end up with tiny air bubbles.

Step 3: Finish it off with the Essie Gel Setter Top Coat as you would with a normal top coat, and let it fully dry for 5 minutes.

 

And there you have it. As with any product, this has its flaws and the formula could definitely be improved so that it does not chip at all (perfect world, eh?) and works with non-Essie polishes. Having said that, my nails feel strong and have not broken in 2 weeks which is major for me. It is not the most perfect alternative for gel/shellac out there, but for the price (£9.99) you pay I would recommend trying this out anyway. 

Have you tried this yet? Let me know below!
Thanks for reading beauties and until next time!

xoxo