Every few years a new ground breaking nail system is created, costing more each time we visit our local nail bar but we've gotta try it! Some time ago, I was regularly getting Bio Sculpture nails applied to assist my bad habit of anxiously picking at dry skin around my nails. I know vile but sometimes I wouldn't even realise I was doing it. By maintaining my nails with Bio Sculpture I was constantly aware my nails were immaculate, therefore, resisting picking at them. Good job, it worked but it suddenly seemed too much of a luxury to keep up and consumed my time as each session would take up to 3 hours to soak off, tidy cuticles, then reapply and set in the hand machine. In addition, my nail plates were becoming less and less attractive when natural and this bothered me, what damage was being done and was this really the answer to my stress related habit?
A few months ago, a good friend of mine who is friends and a regular at the salon,
Maximiliano Centini, New King's Road, Fulham, showed me her new
Geleration nails made by
Jessica Nails, 'a hybrid between gel and polish giving fantastic colour', artistically applied by
Jessica Centini, wife of Max and nail expert at the salon and director of
The Nail Lounge. My first impression was, 'Really? They don't appear as thick as the other type of gel nails!'
This is because technology and formulations have moved on and thank goodness, it takes about an hour from start to finish.
Above are my nails after my first visit about 3 weeks ago with the French manicure, what do you think?
I think fantastic! I love the finish and short length with a light cream base (very natural) over a white tip for an ultra natural appearance.
I visited Jessica's colleague at
The Nail Lounge again this week. My nails had grown quite a bit though they remained so shiny and only I noticed they didn't appear as immaculate as before. They had only one chip by this second visit and seeing as I use my hands a lot for work, they were impressive results after 3 weeks.
The soaking off period wasn't as painstaking as I'd experienced with gel nails, it took half the time and with no damage to my nails as you can see this is because there is no filing to the nail bed as an oil-free formula is applied to adhere to the chosen colour.
During the soak off, I was deciding on whether to go for colour or back to the 'french' manicure. Last week I would have chosen colour such as the bright coral 225, it was sunny and bright but now the weather has changed back, I contemplated 529, a rich metallic purple but being someone who never opts for dark on my nails, ever, I couldn't do it, so...
...half and hour later I had the shimmery, pale peach 952 shade, a pretty nude and good compromise.
Finally the price which varies on nail technician, the maximum being £40 for full colour and £45 for a French manicure finish, costing on average £14 every 3 weeks. I find this economical as your average manicure can cost £30 a week, plus I would rather not endure the chipping and fading of traditional polish, I'd rather go au natural.
Have you tried other gel nail systems and have you opted for Geleration?
