The Only Polish I Bother With
I have lousy fingernails so was thrilled to discover and wear acrylic over my nails for 20+ years. Back in the day, every young mother at soccer practice sported 10 perfect talons painted in glossy, bright colors, which were never chipped. That was the magic of acrylic nails. They were strong enough to grow to impossible lengths and the polish never, ever chipped. I loved them.
Every two weeks I went in for my “fill” which meant clipping off the loose acrylic, sanding, filing then filling the grown out sections with more acrylic. The salon reeked of noxious fumes and heaven knows what it was doing to everyone’s lungs. When the acrylic finally came off, my nails were destroyed beyond all recognition.
I didn’t give up on polish because I wanted pretty nails, but it was a waste of time and money. The polish never lasted longer than a day, if I was lucky. Then ran across the Essie Gel Couture system at Target several years ago and haven’t bought a different brand since.
Is It Gel?
Gel polish is typically cured under a special light. This Essie Gell Couture is a two-step system that air dries on its own.
How to Apply
On clean dry nails apply two coats of color. No base coat needed. I allow them to dry between coats which only takes a few minutes. Top with one swipe of the 
Colors
It’s available in 100 colors! I have several favorites and lean towards pale colors because my nails are short. Essie’s iconic Ballet Slippers has been a cult favorite for 36 years. It’s a go with everything, soft ballet pink that blends with my skin tone. They don’t make that exact shade in the Gel Couture line but many are very close. These are my favorite colors-
- Fairy Tailor-a semi-sheer pale pink
- Pre-Show Jitters – a soft white- a favorite for my summer pedicure
- Matter of Fiction – soft pink with blue undertones
- Stitch By Stitch – ladylike pink
- Drop The Gown – a soft ruby red I use on my toes in cooler months
- Model Clicks – a deep aubergine wine color for winter pedicures
Removal
Unlike salon gel, this gel-like polish comes off easily with regular nail polish remover. No soaking or filing and no damage to your nails. My nails feel stronger since I’ve been using this consistently because they’re protected and get a boost of strength.
How Long Do They Last
Essie says your manicure will last 14 days without chips. That may be true for some, but my nails break or tear long before then. I can only report up to a 5-day window which is epic for my soft, peeling, weak nails. This polish is my best and only shot for having a polished, natural nail that’s affordable and easy to do at home.
The other thing I’ve done in an effort to have halfway decent or at least not embarrassing looking nails is to take this Biotin morning and night. I made the mistake of thinking that the liquid would be easier, but it’s not for me. It’s hard to describe it’s taste accurately, but it’s a cross between rotten fish and formaldehyde.
Colors I Like
Are you blessed with strong, pretty nails?
Please share what you use.
Nail polish lasts minutes on me, so I was very happy to discover gel or lacquer nail polish. I bought an Ulta kit with a LED light, so now I can do my own. My nails are not sanded or filed away and the polish lasts at most about 2 weeks.
The only problem is LED polish color never looks exactly like the bottle.
For a pedicure, only OPI Cajun Shrimp will do. It’s a beautiful color and I am from Louisiana, so there you have it.
Please be sure to cover the backs of your fingers and hands when you use that light
I never got on the Acrylic nail train, since I have pretty strong nails. I’ve been an Esse fan for years, so awhile ago I tried their gel. Sad to say, it made my nails weak, so here’s my system… 1 coat regular clear polish, 1 coat color – regular polish, then I top it with a coat of clear gel. All Esse …Works like a dream for me!
More great tips (no pun intended)! I am still working in a professional environment and still wear acrylics, although long talons are long gone. They are no maintenance except for the fill and look great all the time.
I know, like you, that there isn’t anything you can do to change the fact we have thin,weak nails just like our hair. This sounds like a good alternative for the days I actually have time to spend on my own nails. Thanks!
I love my nails long , beautifully polished, and decorated. My natural nails have always been weak and peeled easily. If I want long nails I have to use acrylic, fiber glass, or gel. I wore fiber glass nails for twenty years. Now I wear gel nails and love them. It is the way that the artificial nails are removed that damages our nails. Picking the gel or acrylic off takes layers of the natural nail with it, leaving our nails thin and weak. The other problem is the nail tech that is in a big hurry to move on to the next customer and doesn’t let the remover do the job before she or he grabs a file or another implement and starts scraping the product off the nails. Agin, that removes the layers of your natural nail, leaving them thin and weak.
I have lost the ability to wear high heels because of my bad ankles. My hair has decided to leave my scalp and take up residence on my chin. My waist has thickened. Please don’t tell me gel nails aren’t good for me. They are about my last vanity.
OH, no pale or neutrals for me. I want deep, dark red nails. Maybe a little glitter on them.
Essie is an awesome brand of polish and I do wear it when for some reason I don’t have gel polish on.
Like you, Phyllis, I love dark colored nails. I even wear black on my longer nails. I’ve been told by many, many people what beautiful nail beds and nails I have, so I want to show them off. Yes, I’m vain and proud of it! After many years of not being able to grow long nails, I found Nail Tek after using the Shellac system for a few years. It has been a lifesaver, and I have found that I can polish my nails and have them last for a week. Like you, hair is growing where it shouldn’t and not where it should. I now have a tummy and age spots. I will do my best to find all natural products where I can, but when something works for my nails, I will continue to use it.
I must check out Nail Tek, Thank you
You’re welcome! I hope you have the same success I’ve had.
I use Essie polish (gel and regular) all the time and have more bottles than I care to admit. Chipping was a problem until I tried Essie Speed Setter topcoat. This stuff is great…..the polish sets up fast and hard and for me has eliminated chipping….and I don’t baby them either. Available on Amazon for under $10.
Wow. What a great post judging by all the interesting discussion and comments. Great topic. I too recently gave up on gel nails as it has taken me the better part of a year to get them healthy again. Every so often for a special occasion I will get a professional manicure with regular polish. I recently began taken Biotin, and find it has helped a lot with my nails and fine hair. I too prefer softer colours on my nails.
What shade are you wearing in the photo at the top? Love it.
Also off topic, please will you do a blog about different fabrics. Which ones wash well, don’t pill, don’t need ironing, hold up over time etc. I can’t wear wool ever and do not mind synthetics as long as they are not shiny. Some tops come out of the washer and or dryer looking great but others are a mess. I avoid ironing if at all possible.Thank you.
WOW, THANKS TO ALL FOR THIS VALUABLE INFO…great topic, Jennifer!!
Thanks for this post! Cannot wait to try.
Completely off topic: Could you please do a post one day on how to wear booties? Which socks work well, how much or not they should peep out, pant length dos/don’ts. Just bought my first pair and now I’m not sure how to make that part work!
A post on socks, tights and hosiery would be welcome too. I held out to buy socks in Germany because I can never find what I’m looking for in the US. Europe has a lot of affordable good quality cotton that stays in place, keep their shape and last.
Thanks!
For most of my booties, I wear peds or half socks. I just wear them to protect my toes and feel clean. The width of your bootie shaft determines the width of your pant leg.
You do not want your slim leg pant to puddle or pool on top of a bootie.
If the bootie shaft is snug, opt for a shorter pant leg that does not reach the bootie