Beauty

[Xenagirl]

Has anyone used Mally's or the Red Carpet set from HSN ? My manicurist recently raised her prices and I am paying at least $50 a month now just to maintain my acrylics. I was thinking of getting one of the gel sets and doing my own , it would pay for itself in just a few months time. Anyone have any luck with these ? TIA !

[okiebug]

They aren't gel nails - they don't replace acrylics. They are gel polish sets - the lights set the polish so it lasts longer. I have no experience with the at home kits, but I have thin nails that split and they did the same with the gel polish.

[jam22]

I use the SensationNail system I got it at Walmart, its less the $50 for the full system (light, and base/top coat and 1 color) and its about $10 per nail color. Just like okiebug said gel nails don't replace acrylics. Gel is a polish system that is longer lasting color, mine usually go 2 to 3 weeks before I need to redo them. BUT......... you need to follow polish removal instructions cause if you just chip and pick at gel polish to remove it you will destroy your nails. I got my system when they first came out and I love it.

[imashopper]

On 1/14/2014 jam22 said:

I use the SensationNail system I got it at Walmart, its less the $50 for the full system (light, and base/top coat and 1 color) and its about $10 per nail color. Just like okiebug said gel nails don't replace acrylics. Gel is a polish system that is longer lasting color, mine usually go 2 to 3 weeks before I need to redo them. BUT......... you need to follow polish removal instructions cause if you just chip and pick at gel polish to remove it you will destroy your nails. I got my system when they first came out and I love it.

Ditto! This was exactly what I was going to say!

[Xenagirl]

Thanks , ladies ! I'll check the kit out at Walmart.

[ChynnaBlue]

I have the Mally system and I like it. I buy the Gelish polish from my local Sally Beauty instead of Mally's polish, which is more expensive and requires shipping. I also use regular polish between the Mally base and top coat - I just wait 24 hours before I add the Mally top coat. It doesn't last as long, but it lasts longer than regular polish and I can use my existing colors instead of buying more.

[Xenagirl]

Thanks , Chynna ! Why do you have to wait 24 hours before applying the top coat and do you put the nails with the regular polish under the LED light before applying the top coat? This would be great because I have a TON of regular polish that I could use up. I also saw that Ulta has a Red Carpet kit that I could get the 20% discount on when they have that coupon. My manicurist has just gotten too expensive , I spend at least $50 a month , tip included, and if she replaces any nails or does anything else extra it costs even more. The kit would pay for itself in just a few months and I don't mind doing the work myself. I'm kind of leaning toward the Mally set.

[2cockers1cat]

On 1/14/2014 imashopper said:

On 1/14/2014 jam22 said:

I use the SensationNail system I got it at Walmart, its less the $50 for the full system (light, and base/top coat and 1 color) and its about $10 per nail color. Just like okiebug said gel nails don't replace acrylics. Gel is a polish system that is longer lasting color, mine usually go 2 to 3 weeks before I need to redo them. BUT......... you need to follow polish removal instructions cause if you just chip and pick at gel polish to remove it you will destroy your nails. I got my system when they first came out and I love it.

Ditto! This was exactly what I was going to say!

Sensationail is my recommendation for at-home gel polish. I also like Vinylux, a CND 2-step color and top coat system (no light). Sometimes I apply Sensationail base and top coat, to give my naturally thin nails some thickness, then put Vinylux color and top coat over that.

[ChynnaBlue]

Regular nail polish seems dry before it really is. You may not need a complete 24 hours (6 or 12 might work), but if you put the gel polish over polish that's not completely dry and cure it, you can get bubbles in the polish. Even if you use a quick dry top coat over the polish before you use the gel top coat and cure it, you can wind up with bubbles because your color polish and quick dry top coat weren't set.

[Betsey Ann]

I have used the Mally and Red Carpet. I got the Red Carpet one from groupon for $40 but it's the same one from Ulta and Target. As of quality I think they are both about the same. You get more stuff from the Mally kit and it's more expensive. I prefer the lamp from the Red Carpet kit because it is battery operated and you don't have to worry about plugging it in. But if I remember correctly, the Mally lamp took about half the time to cure.

I love my gel nail polish, my nails always have that wet look, don't have to worry about chipping and can do housework without worry.