Confession: I have never gotten a gel manicure. While some of my friends swear by them, most of my friends and family have had such horrible experiences with gel I vowed to steer clear. I have small and brittle nails and I fear the harmful process will destroy them. I ignored all of the at home gel lamps because they seemed like a waste of money, but one at home gel set caught my eye.

  Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab $45

The Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab set contains a base coat and a top coat and does not require a lamp. Needless to say, I was sold at “no lamp necessary.” I immediately went home to test it out, hoping it would live up to my expectations. It’s really pathetic to be in love with a nail product, but I am. My manicure lasted through a golf tournament (which takes a serious toll on your nails) and remained super shiny for almost a week. It fulfills 2.5/3 of its claims: long-wear, high-shine and it dries quickly, but I still use my Sally Hansen quick-dry drops.  So let’s recap, shall we?

1. The $45 price tag seems a little excessive. However, if you are a gel manicure addict, that’s 2 manicures. 
2. It lasts for several days (on my nails, that might as well be three years months) . 
3. High-shine. My nails look as if I went to the salon for a gel manicure.
4. You do not have to only use a Deborah Lippmann polish. They “recommend” it, but I’ve tried it with Essie and OPI polishes and it works just as well.
5. For best results, wait one minute between each coat.
6. Remove like you would a normal manicure. No harsh chemical soaks needed!

Overall Grade: A

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