It is almost enough to drive me back to acrylic nails. But, I had those for YEARS but I decided one day (after 2 kids) that I just could not bear how they looked if I neglected them and put off getting a fill. Bare short nails is one thing, strange yellowing nails with a big gap before the nail bed is another.
Well Eureka! I have found a fabulous nail option. The OPI Axxium Gel Manicure.
Instead of regular nail polish, OPI Axxium Gel Manicure is a colored gel that is brushed on your nails and then hardened under a UV lamp. My manicurist explained that the gel would last like 2 weeks without chipping or smudging. Really? Sign me up! It did cost $15 more at my nail salon but how many times have you gotten a regular manicure and felt cheated when only 2 days later your nails look shot? I have had my current manicure for a week and a half and not a chip in sight.
The procedure takes a bit longer. Your nails are filed, clipped, and buffed like they normally would with a manicure, but then the magic comes. First a coat of a clear OPI Axxium base is applied. After each coat, your nails sit under a UV lamp device (like your average dryer). After the clear coat dried, then comes the base coat. OPI Axxium doesn’t include ALL of their regular colors, but they have a pretty good range. I think I had 30 or so to choose from. And, I was so happy I could choose a dark, vampy color for fall since I often avoid those due to the obvious chipping. One of the best parts is that once you are done, they are completely dry. You can shove your hand in your purse looking for your keys or phone without fear – you can’t mess it up. Paradise.
When it’s time to take them off, you go back to your salon and they will buff your nails a bit and remove the gel. This is drawback – you can’t remove it yourself, But, your nails will not suffer like they do with acrylics.
I had my gel manicure at Happy Nail in Irvine. There are many of these salons around Orange County or just check with your local salon.
What do you think of the gel manicure? Worth the $$? Leave a comment below.
I love the CND Shellac as well.
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Totally rocks my world. I was never a French girl, but that's all I get now.
just this morning, i was literally re-painting the bits of nail where the polish had chipped off...on my way to work! every time i came to red light i would pull out the polish and quickly paint a nail, must have looked ridiculous. i'll have to try this method the next time i go in for a manicure, thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteKendall- I hear ya! I,ve sonetines repainted my chips so many times my nail polish is 3 inches thick. Ugh. I am going back for this gel again -- I'm hooked!
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