Unlisted Brand • American Classics - Gelous Advanced Nail Gel Coat • Top/Base Coats

Where To Buy?

cassiecate on 8/31/2011 7:41:00 PM more reviews by cassiecate

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I had my first shellac/gel manicure about a month ago. I loved it. Despite the cost, my hands are craving that glossy, finished look. Not only did my polish not chip (I was really skeptical but it is really true!), but my nails came out super strong. After I removed the gel (a month later, when it was chipping ONLY from the fill/cuticle area), I decided I needed to find a way to make my nails stronger (I don't have a problem getting growth or length, just strength) and it would be better to be able to use a top/base coat that would give my nails gel strength while still affording the opportunity to use my own colors (that I've already shelled out money for). My only gripe about shellac/gel is the limited choice of colors.

So the two goals are: strong nails that don't bend, break or peel and keeping my polish from chipping for as long as possible.

I've completed phase one of my testing. As far as goal #1, Gelous meets all my expectations in making my nails stronger. Two coats makes my nails shiny, thicker, more even/less ridgey and unbendable. This gives my nails a chance to really start to get some length, whereas before I would start to get some length and then they'd be so soft and weak (I work in the medical field: gloves + purell + hand washing + using your hands all day = ugly manicure) that they'd just break. Any length was a liability; they'd snag, rip and then be a sharp, uneven, hot mess. Now my nails are long but they're also sturdy and stable.

Today (it's been a week), I added a coat of Jesse's Girl (nothing fancy) polish and another coat of Gelous. I thought four coats of laquer on my nail would be too much but I'm not having any issues with dry time. I will have to report back in a few days to see how the manicure holds up. But so far, for $5-6 (at Sally's), I'm impressed enough that even if my polish chips, it's a great strengthening base coat.

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

nuttybella on 8/22/2011 4:01:00 PM more reviews by nuttybella

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

at times due to me forgetting to make sure my cuticles are moisturized, my nails get very dry and peel etc. ive heard good things bout this product so i decided to give it a try.

the first time i wore it i wore it as a solo base, then color then my go to top coat, seche.

IT DRIED OUT MY NAILS!!!

so then i thought ok, i liked the thickness it added but not the dryness, so i used essie feed me as a base (1) and then gelous as base #2. then color etc etc

this time it worked better. but the fact that in order for it to work properly i need to add a base to this "base" defeats the purpose of this product.

i like it, but once it finishes, i wont be buying it again.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* edie4711 on 7/17/2011 1:21:00 PM more reviews by edie4711

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

My nails are thin and flexible and no polish stays on more than a few days (it generally peels off in sheets--even Shellac), so I never judge polish products on staying power.


I like Gelous for the following reasons: it stays crystal clear, it seems to even out the surface of the nail, and it dries to a tough, shiny finish that is still flexible enough for my bendy nails. (If the polish is too stiff, it will crack where my nail bends.) I like how it's thick enough to give that smooth surface but not so thick that it's hard to work with.


Another thing I like is that it does not have the typical nail polish odor. I'm not sure why there's no smell but I appreciate that.


It dries quickly, as other reviewers have mentioned, and I appreciate that as well. Sometimes polishes that dry quickly are difficult for me to work with because they start drying as soon as they hit the nail, which seems to make it hard to smooth out. Gelous provides enough open time to successfully smooth the surface but I don't feel as though I'm sitting around for hours waiting for it to dry fully.


Edit: I have begun using Gelous as a 2nd base coat (never the base base coat, always something underneath it otherwise it doesn't want to stick as well) to prep my nails for color. It provides a very smooth layer that evens out my nails and helps the color polish glide on more easily. It is also a great glitter topper as it helps fill in the lumps and create the glasslike surface I need to survive a manicure. Lastly, I throw on a coat of this if I notice sheet marks, small dents, or any other minor irregularity in my dry manicure and it smooths it out and makes it fabulous again.

7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* slippingbeauty on 7/8/2011 3:23:00 AM more reviews by slippingbeauty

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I got a lot of recommendations for this to help treat my peeling, breaking nails, but it didn't really work. It's nice and thick, so if my nails were actually healthy it would be an amazing base coat.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

smarti11 on 5/17/2011 12:35:00 PM more reviews by smarti11

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I'm slightly hesitant to give 5 stars since I'm not 100% if this is what's causing my nail polish to stay on for longer than 1 day (chipped at day 4) and that's with Seche Vite top coat.
Nail history - dry, peeling but hard nails. Had Shellac polish on nails for past 3 weeks which resulted in nice long, strong non peeling nails.
Used Gelous after reading a nail blog review as a base and my polish has chipped on day 4 which is phenomenal for me since they normally chip on Day 0 to 1!!!
OR it could be that I dragged the base & polish over my nail tip (seen the pros do this) thought it might make a change.
I pray my nails remain in good condition or I might get Shellac done again!

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

SUPAtime on 2/22/2011 8:53:00 AM more reviews by SUPAtime

Age: Unknown   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is my favorite base coat. It extends wear, covers dents and ridges in one coat, and applies easily and very evenly. Nothing else comes close!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

UhhSpork on 2/3/2011 3:18:00 PM more reviews by UhhSpork

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Brown    

I love this! It works SO WELL. I will probably never use another base coat ever. This makes my nails hard and keeps polish on and looking perfect for almost a week. It's amazing!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* georgia21 on 1/13/2011 8:36:00 PM more reviews by georgia21

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This adds a thick gel coating to the nails. It takes longer to dry than the thin gel base coats I've tried (Instant Artificials & Sally Hansen Hard as Wraps), and it doesn't work any better, so I stopped using it.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Tresha on 12/21/2010 1:47:00 PM more reviews by Tresha

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Tan, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I was hesitant to try this because of the few negative reviews that said there was peeling and drying to the nails of those who used it. I was so curious by all the other positive reviews that I just decided to get it and chance it. Plus I use Bridge The Ridge Filler from the same line and absolutely love it, so I figured why not give Gelous a try too. I'm so glad I finally got it. My nails DO feel harder and much stonger with this on! I noticed this right away once it was completely dry. I like that I can get it at Sally's where I shop often. I don't have to go out of the way to get this. I will continue to use Gelous unless I start to experience some less than desirable results. My nails feel protected/hard. I'm really liking this! UPDATE: I was really liking this but its drying out my nails out horrible the more I use it, and my nailpolish is chipping on day two. I'm moving on because its too drying. I'm sure it's works great for some people people, but for me it's damaging my healthy nails.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* youwillneverfindme on 12/20/2010 2:03:00 PM more reviews by youwillneverfindme

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I love this stuff so much that I’m giving a few bottles to my girls as part of their Christmas gifts. I feel like it makes my thin nails stronger, the finish is super shiny and can even out imperfections in the nails and the thick consistency dries pretty quickly (less than 5 minutes and you can rake through your bag without worry), the price is under $5 at Sally’s with your member card and it’s non-yellowing. I buff/shine my nails so no nail polish really lasts more than a few days and Gelous is no exception, I usually reapply on day 3 whether or not I’m wearing a nail color or just Gelous alone. I was wearing vamps almost exclusively until I couldn’t stand the yellowing from them anymore…Gelous doesn’t prevent the yellowing/staining from dark and pigmented polish, but it does help keep it to a minimum…you’ll still either have to grow out the staining or if you’re lucky, buff it out of your nails (which will weaken them). I’ve found that if I’m wearing Gelous alone (which I have been lately—I’ve been into immaculate, medium/long natural, unpainted nails), one coat is all I can wear as two coats makes the stuff peel off in less than a day…but one coat is all I need for a pretty, shiny finish and to keep my nails feeling strong and less prone to breaking and peeling.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* LolaBlue on 11/4/2010 5:12:00 PM more reviews by LolaBlue

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

After hearing all the raves for this I decided to finally give it a try. It has a slightly thick consistency, so it smooths over minor ridges, and it dries quickly. That is the best I can say for it because it made my polish quite chippy. I will stick to my H.G. Sally Hansen Complete Care Extra Moisturizing since it actually does make my polish wear longer. On top of that I've been using this for pedi's the last few weeks and it's ruined my toenails. They're completely dehydrated and peeling now, and a frightening looking chalk white in color. This was a total waste of money. ETA: per some recommendations from the NB I hung onto this to use on top of dense glitter polishes (ex: Milani One Coat Glitter) to smooth them out since it would otherwise give them a dull, bumpy finish. For that this is working fine, but if I didn't have multiple layer of polish protected my nails from direct contact I'd never use it. Of course all you really need for that is a thick, clear ridgefiller type product, and not specifically Gelous. I still won't buy it again, but at least I didn't waste my money on the bottle I do have, so I've improved my rating from 1 lippie to 3.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Supergirl0143 on 10/13/2010 11:28:00 PM more reviews by Supergirl0143

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I hate to give this a bad review, but it really did nothing for my nails. I was looking for a base coat that would also help strengthen and fortify them. Had acrylic overlay for over 2 years, and recently decided to go natural. The portion of the nail where the acrylic was removed has grown out significantly. So its the top half of my nail that is a bit weak and fragile. I was hoping to find a product to help me harden them up the weak tips . After reading rave reviews here, I decided to give Gelous a try. It did absolutely nothing for me as far as hardening or strengthening. My nail polish did not chip (but then again my nail polish never really does chip, as I usually apply a fresh layer of topcoat every 2-3 days to freshen up manicure) I tried it for a week, and decided to exchange it for Nail Magic (which I love!)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* ayngemac on 10/9/2010 4:37:00 AM more reviews by ayngemac

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I liked how fast this dried, but unfortunately it did not perform well... in twelve hours I had chipping, that's with my normal top coat. And I don't think this is Sally Girl. I think the brand is called American Classics.

EDIT 12/20/12 --- Revlon Colorstay base coat worked fabulously for me. Holy Grail. My crappy SH chrome polishes last 3 days with it!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* sallysellsseashells on 9/16/2010 11:25:00 AM more reviews by sallysellsseashells

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I get artificals on/off and during my off period I usually use something along the line of this product. Previously, I was using Salon Sciences Instant Artificals (same concept as Gelous) and saw a difference in my nails. I heard how great Gelous was and was curious of how this would work on me. I think Gelous is not as good as SS IA. I'm still experiencing splitting and peeling nails. The only thing I changed in nail care is this and my color only lasts about a day before it peels/chips right off. My nails don't feel "harder" like with SS IA either. Gelous is cheaper but Instant Artificals is an overall better product. Aslo, Gelous takes forever to dry and doesn't provide a glassy smooth shine like Instant Artificals.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

cutevwbug on 8/13/2010 4:12:00 PM more reviews by cutevwbug

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

OMG, this a great product. Used it as a base coat last weekend and my manicure still looks very fresh. No chips. The polish has worn off a little at the tips but, other than that it looks great. Makes my nails really strong. Just love it. Buy this now.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

sw33tvi3tchic on 8/3/2010 2:00:00 AM more reviews by sw33tvi3tchic

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

When I first started using this, I loved it! But like one of the users said below, it made my nails split in layers :( It was like I was peeling off a layer of my nails after I took off the polish. My nails have never split like that before I started using this, so unfortunately, I can't use it anymore. It did make my polishes go on more smoothly, and also last longer, but it's not worth my nails splitting and breaking!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

entreprentice on 7/19/2010 1:16:00 AM more reviews by entreprentice

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Red, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

4.5 stars....I liked this as a base coat and it does make my nails harder for a top coat it gave me bubbles on my nails! I will still however continue to use it as a base coat but I will still try to see if I can make it work.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Peskypixie on 7/17/2010 10:11:00 PM more reviews by Peskypixie

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

Wow! This gives great strength with flexibility, gloss and long lasting results! Days later my nails look as though I've just done them, no staining as with Seche Vite, no dents as with Out the Door.

Dries quickly, and does not have a strong odor. I use both as top and base coat. Will need a backup!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* dulcetpurr on 6/21/2010 6:26:00 PM more reviews by dulcetpurr

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I am so very impressed with this product. Prior to using it, I thought it was normal for polish and treatments to chip/peel off of my nails within 24 hours, even with topcoat. I just thought I was hard on my hands. I thought my nails were in poor shape and nothing could adhere to them. Nah! I just wasn't using Gelous. :-)


Gelous creates a thick shiny coating over your nail and stays put. It protects them and hardens them. I can actually see where my previously peeling, flimsy nail has thickened and become stronger after using Gelous. It also latches onto nail polish and helps it resist chipping much longer than any other basecoat I've tried. I love Gelous! It's a wonderful product.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

librarykrystal on 5/31/2010 10:01:00 PM more reviews by librarykrystal

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

Love this stuff! I have thin, brittle nails naturally. I don't like to paint my nails with colors - I just want healthy-looking nails, and this product works! I use it by itself, and it stays on for a good 5-7 days then begins to peel off in small sheets, but that's a long time for polish to stay on if you ask me! Keeping Gelous on my nails helps them stay strong and grow a bit without breaking so easily. The thing that always ruins my nails is tears that start on the sides and go in from there, eventually working in far enough to make the end a hangnail and I end up having to trim the nail down to the quick... but it happens much less often with a coat of this!

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No