Is gelish worth it?

When it comes to getting my nails done, I am not actually the type of person that really enjoys the process. I am not naturally talkative and I don't really like people doing things for me.  Anyway, I have had a few professional manicures and had gelish done three times now.

I really don't think that a "normal" manicure is worth it unless you specifically enjoy the process of it. I find that with normal manicures they don't really let the layers dry properly in between and you have to be so careful to not smudge it while they make you pay for the treatment (before your manicure has had proper time to set). This has been my experience at a few of the places I have been to, from high end spas to more affordable franchise beauty salons.  The nail polish lasts maybe 2 to 3 days if I am lucky, so I just do my manicures at home because it is more cost effective for me.

Gelish definitely lasts well and is incredibly durable.  When I first got gelish. I thought that I would have at least 2 weeks of it looking good. It lasts those two weeks, but depending on how quickly your nails grow, your regrowth is going to show at the base of your nail and it makes the manicure look kind of weird.  The longer you leave it, the more noticeable that gap becomes and I personally don't like the way that looks.

Tip: Initially I thought you had to go to a salon to soak it off but you can actually do it at home with nail polish remover or gelish soak off - just file the top coat of the gelish a bit with a coarse nail file, cover with a cotton pad soaked in nail polish remover and cover your finger tip with tin foil. Leave it for 15 - 20 minutes and the gelish should just peel off. If you don't leave it on long enough, you might have to scrape it off, but it isn't advised to do that as you can damage your nail. I have gone to salons to remove my gelish and find that when you do a simple soak off, they don't wait long enough and then scrape the gelish off which is quite sore. Here is a link to a post that helps to explain the process of taking this gelish off at home.

What I personally like about gelish is that for the week or two that I wear it, I don't have to worry about my nails chipping and it looks good for the entire time.  I don't do gelish regularly because taking it off is a bit of a mission, but it is definitely something you should have done if you are going on holiday or have a special event and you don't want your nails to get ruined during it.  For my holidays I have my nails done and always feel satisfied with my decision to do so because I never have to worry about them chipping or cracking.

If haven't had gelish done, you are looking at around R200 to have the gelish applied.  A soak off generally costs around R120, so factor that into the total cost of having your nails done (unless you are willing to attempt to soak off the gelish yourself).  When you factor it all in, gelish will cost you around R300 which is quite a bit.

Anyway,  this post was just to share my thoughts on gelish.  What are your thoughts on gelish?

Big Hugs,
Charlene XXX