Gelish Nails: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

I’ve had Gelish manicures off and on, and love the convenience of not having to worry about nail paint for a beautifully glossy 2 weeks. Gelish nails are therefore ideal for holidays, and when you have long, endless weeks of social events lined up.

The Good:

• Looks absolutely divine! Gelish nails are high on the gloss factor, totally chip-free and continue to look like they’ve just been done for weeks!
• Dries as soon as the manicure is done. No fear of smudges when rummaging through the bag to pay for the manicure! Hell, I even did the dishes right after my last session!
• Hard-as nails! Gelish nailpolish makes my nails ultra strong and hard. I love the look of long nails, and using gelish keeps them strong and less prone to breaking.
• Lasts, and lasts and lasts! This is definitely the biggest advantage of Gelish. Mine lasts just over 2 weeks, till my nails start growing out.

The Bad:

• Pay, even to remove! Although a number of home kits for Gelish are now in the market, I don’t know of many women who do this at home. Apart from paying to get Gelish done, you also have to pay to get them removed, which is a double whammy on the wallet.
• Limited color options. My salon has a box of Gelish in different hues of reds and pinks. I wish they had more options. Would love minty nails, or a bright purple!
• No nail art. Gelish does not allow for nail art, boo!

The Ugly:

• UV lights. Although there isn’t enough scientific backing, UV rays are believed to be carcinogenic, and the less we are exposed to these the better. Gelish nailpolish requires the nails to be ‘baked’ in direct UV light for over 10 minutes a session!
• Harsh Removal Techniques. To remove Gelish nailpolish, the nails are soaked directly in acetone, and wrapped in foil for around 20 minutes. Your nails are therefore being marinated in a toxic concentrate, making them dry and brittle and the extended exposure can also allow the mixture into the bloodstream. And if the acetone didn’t do enough harm to the nails, all that scraping and chiseling on the nail bed to remove the Gelish will definitely strip the nail of its natural strength.

The Verdict: 

Will I do it again? Shamefully… yes! I agree the Gelish technique really gives my nails a beating, but the beauty of having perfectly smudge-free, glossy nails for a full 2 weeks surpasses the negatives. I will definitely give my nails a break between sessions, and reserve Gelish for special treats like holidays away and busy social calendars.