Tired of spending so much money on gel manicures?
Gel manicures are the surefire way to have a long-wearing manicure. The polish is cured onto your nail with the use of an UV or LED light and usually lasts anywhere from 10 days to two weeks (or more). I have gotten this type of manicure done a few times in a salon previously, but when so many brands are releasing their own versions of this system for at-home use, I’ve been taking advantage of doing it myself for way less money.
I’ve tried a number of these at-home kits, but was sent a new one recently. Pink Gellac is very popular in Europe and is available to shop online here in Canada. The brand sent me their Gel Nail Polish Kit, which includes everything you need for an at-home gel mani. Included in the box is the primer polish, a nail colour, the LED lamp, the base coat, the ultra shine coat, a nail file, an orange stick, 10 cleaner pockets, and 10 remover wipes.
For the most part, all these kits work the same way. You first start by buffing your natural nail to get rid of of any shine and oil. Then file your nails down to the size you want them to be and then use the orange stick to push the cuticles back. Finally, before the polish, use one of the cleaner pockets to prep your nails for the colour. Now, for the actual nail painting part, first apply a thin layer of the base coat and cure the polish for 15 seconds (the light beeps so you know when time’s up), then paint a thin coat of the colour, cure that for 30 seconds, then add another coat and cure it again. Finally, apply the top coat and then cure that for one minute. Then you’re done!
Some kits you have to use another cleaner to get rid of any tackiness, but that isn’t the case with this one. Once you’re doing curing the topcoat, you are good to go with shiny nails. I’ve used this system twice now with two different colours and I’ve had the same experience both times. I’m left with super shiny nails that look awesome… and then they peel off the next day.
This system is billed to leave you with polished nails for at least 10 days and for some strange reason, the polish just seems to lift off my natural nail the next day. Not sure why this is happening, but considering how much time you invest into actually doing your nails, it’s very annoying that this keeps happening to me.
Like I said, Pink Gellac is billed as a best-selling system in Europe, so obviously it’s working well for some people. I had really high hopes for this, and honestly, I just thought I did something wrong the first time, but when it happened again, it must be either my nails or the kit itself. I also want to note that the colour seems to lift after I take a shower, so maybe there is a connection there with the water? I dunno…
Anyways, I do still feel like these at-home gel manicure kits are worth it since usually the price of the kit equals on gel manicure in a salon, so this will definitely last you a lot longer. If you’re on the fence about this kit, it retails for $50 and it looks like it’s free shipping with a 30-day guarantee, so I would give it a shot and if you find it does the same thing that happened to me, then just take them up on that guarantee offer.
Have you tried Pink Gellac before? What about other at-home gel manicure systems? What was your experience?
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Whenever Too Faced launches anything new, I get super excited.
Although their new releases are often just new collections, when they launch a new product I get even more excited. Case in point, their new Born This Way Sculpting Concealer.
I have the Born This Way foundation already and although it isn’t my top foundation, I do quite enjoy it and find it does the trick. As part of the BTW family, the brand introduced a new concealer that also contours, highlights, and retouches. This product, available in 20 shades, perfects your skin, while leaving it looking natural and photo ready. The formula contains fully loaded pigments that provide a high coverage that blends seamlessly into your skin tone.
I received two shades of this, Porcelain and Vanilla, and have been using Vanilla non-stop since I got it. You apply the concealer via the doe-foot applicator, which makes it easy to target certain areas of the face, whether that’s undereyes, the bridge of your nose, chin and forehead, under the hollows of your cheeks, etc.
I do find this to be a thicker concealer, but it absorbs into your skin nicely and really stays put. A little goes a long way with this, so if you are using it to conceal, just put a few dots on your skin and then blend it out. You could also invest in a darker shade for liquid contouring as well. I don’t have issues with dark circles, but since the formula is a little more thicker, I think that if you suffer from discolouration under the eyes, this may be perfect for you.
This concealer retails for C$36 each, which I think for the size of the product (0.50 oz) is worth the price. I have Shape Tape as well and although both are amazing concealers, if you’re in Canada like me, you can’t actually get that at Sephora (you’ll have to order it off Tarte’s site as it is exclusive to Ulta). Do I like it better than Tarte Shape Tape? I think it’s comparable. I do find the Too Faced Born This Way to be a little thicker, but it’s not a bad thickness, that just means to me that you’re getting a little better coverage. With that being said, I also find that I don’t feel the concealer. It’s very lightweight. This also doesn’t dry out, crease, or cake on my skin.
If you’re looking for a new concealer or suffer from dark circles, I would say to give this one a try. A bottle of this will last you a while and it really does make your eye area more radiant. And, with 20 different shades, you’ll be sure to find a fit that matches your skin tone.
Are you planning on trying out Too Faced’s Born This Way Sculpting Concealer?
Please note, products provided by PR. All opinions are my own.
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Marc Jacobs Beauty Re(MARC)able Foundation is my favourite foundation of all time.
Since its so expensive I typically reserve it for nights where I’m really doing my makeup. With that being said, since my foundation collection has significantly expanded, I haven’t shown it much love lately. That isn’t to say that I don’t still love it, but I’m open to trying out new formulas and brands as I’m always on the hunt for something bigger and better. Naturally, when I saw that the brand released a new foundation, I was giddy with excitement to try it out and see how it compares to my fave.
Shameless Youthful-Look 24H Foundation came out earlier this year and is a medium, buildable foundation that promises 24-hour wear and a youthful complexion. Available in 29 shades, this foundation is oil-free and feels weightless on the skin. It is a buildable, medium coverage that absorbs into the skin quickly and seamlessly, and best of all, provides no flashbacks photos (meaning that the colour you see in real life will be the one you see in photos).
The formula contains the patented Infinity Milling process that produces super-fine pigments that give you a natural-looking finish. Since there is a staggering 29 shades available, you should be able to find the perfect colour for your skin (I found this tough though since there are so many shades). Shameless also has skincare benefits infused in the formula as well, such as snow mushroom, which is known to hold onto water, kinda like a natural version of hyaluronic acid, as well as blue daisy extract to visibly diminish the effects of pollution. As a result, this foundation leaves your skin looking hydrated, plumped, and more youthful.
Since there are so many shade options, I went with three to try to find my perfect colour — Light Y270 (light with golden undertones), Light R230 (light with pink undertones), and Medium R310 (light medium with pink undertones). I found that Light R230 was a nice match for my skin and have the others on deck for when my tan deepens or lightens up.
Now I’m not gonna lie here, I haven’t read the best reviews about this foundation. With that being said, I actually quite like it. It’s very different from Re(MARC)able though. Re(MARC)able is very high coverage and is a very thick formula, whereas Shameless is very watery and goes on as a medium build. You can layer more on for a deeper coverage, but I have found that one coat of this stuff covers my face nicely. this also feels incredibly weightless on the face, which is awesome for summer days when it’s hot out and you don’t want to feel like you’re wearing a layer of makeup.
This foundation retails for C$56 dollars, which is definitely on the steep size. For comparison, Re(MARC)able sells for C$64, but with that being said, you are actually getting more product with Shameless. When you first see the bottle in person it may strike you that it’s tiny as it fits in the palm of your hand. You get 32 ml of product in here, which I was surprised to see is 10 ml more than Re(MARC)able (22 ml). Since the formula is so watery though, you don’t need a lot to get good coverage with this, so it probably will last you awhile.
Although Re(MARC)able still stands as my favourite foundation, I really do like Shameless as well. If you are a fan of the Make Up For Ever Water Blend Face and Body Foundation, I think you’ll like this as the consistency of the product is similar, but it gives you more coverage. i also want to note that because the formula is so thin, I would recommend a beauty sponge to apply this rather than a brush. The brush may just spread the foundation around your face rather that absorb it.
The foundation does last you throughout the day as I didn’t find that I needed to do a touchup or anything. It also hydrated my skin, which is always a plus.
Since there are so many shades available, I highly recommend popping into Sephora to get them to colour match you and then ask for a sample of it to try out. It may be hard to bite the bullet with this one since the container is so small, but the formula is one I think a lot of people will really like.
Have you tried Marc Jacobs Beauty’s Shameless Foundation?
Please note, I was sent these products from PR. All opinions are my own.
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