Steps:
- Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat
- Any nail color of your choice
- Sally Hansen Gel Shine 3D Top Coat
- Seche Vite Top Coat
Here’s why it’s amazing: The base coat is very thin. Other base coats I have tried were thicker, which caused me to be able to pull up the nail polish too easily. The Sally Hansen Gel Shine 3D is the secret weapon: it creates enough thickness for a more gel- like look, and provides durability. Also, it somehow manages to fix streaks, patchiness, and mistakes that come from user error or mediocre nail polishes that require multiple coats. Seche Vite makes it all dry quickly because no one likes waiting. Without the last step, the SH Gel Shine 3D takes a very long time to dry on its own.
Spending the ~ $20-25 on these products has saved me hundreds on getting manicures. Prior to this routine, I had acrylic nails and shellac manicures professionally done. I was spending at least $60 per month getting fills and touch ups every two to three weeks, and not to mention the 1.5- 2 hours that a salon trip takes out of your day.
When I discovered this trio I immediately stopped going to the salon. I’m a nail biter (SICK I know) and I thought that professionally done nails were the only way to keep my nails growing. In the past, when I just used regular polish and topcoats, my nails chipped easily and I was still biting. Layering these makes a strong final result that stops me from that habit, and has allowed my nails to grow.
I admit this is not AS great as a professionally done shellac manicure, but it’s comparable to gel manicures I have had done. Typically this lasts about 5-7 days before they chip. From my experience, salon manicures fail to stay perfect for the duration promised anyway!
This routine gives you a strong, shiny paint job. On toes, it lasts FOREVER until I remove it with acetone.