For me, there is something totally transformative about emerging from the nail salon with a fresh gel manicure. From the perfectly preened cuticles to the precisely applied colour, I always feel like I’m ready to take on the world when my nails have spent an hour under the care of a true professional. However, while nail salons are now fully back in business and ready to fulfil all of our spring nail art dreams, living through multiple lockdowns has meant that I’ve had to embrace doing my own nails at home—a task that I absolutely hate. And now, a few years on, if I can’t get to a salon, need a quick touch me up or don’t have the budget to get a professional-grade manicure, I look to my trusty at-home kit instead.
However, no matter how carefully I prep my nails, wait for the polish to dry, apply a top coat and then sit around aimlessly without touching anything my nails always chip, smudge or streak within hours of application. And while I’m totally willing to admit that it might just be my total ineptitude as a manicurist that causes these issues, I think a lot of it is actually down to the nail polishes that I was using. Now, I’ve started exclusively using good-quality gel nail polishes and it’s been something of a revelation: No chips, no smudges, just smooth, glossy nails that actually last.