Essie Gel Couture Color (All Colors)

I've always been quite faithful to Essie regular nail polishes. Love their range of colours, the brush, the formula and low level of chemicals used in latest versions. Just like so many other reviewers I had high hopes for this new range. I thought it would be more lasting than the regular. How wrong one can be! I seriously cannot think of a worse nail polish than this. I tried this on several occasions following instructions to the letter and my nails start chipping on the same day. What a complete waste of time and money and most of all a huge disappointment. Would not recommend. Essie regular polishes are much more long lasting than this ridiculous range.

Because I love Essie's colours and have had a fair amount of success with polishes from their regular line, I decided to splurge and try a medium beige-pink shade from Gel Couture along with the top coat. In Canada, these polishes cost 13-14 dollars each when not on sale. I will say, the polish applied beautifully and it was a true, creamy opaque. I had high hopes, using it with the First Base base coat, two coats and the top coat. However, it started to crinkle within a day or two and then chipped. I've tried using just one coat (which, props, still looks opaque) and the topcoat, no base coat, etc. It was worse without the base coat because it really accentuated my nail ridges. I don't find I get better results than with the normal Essie polishes and I honestly like the Revlon Gel Envy topcoat better than the Platinum Gel Couture topcoat--prevents chips much more effectively and is glossier. I doubt I'll be buying more of these and I feel a little ripped off. I just bought a CND Vinylux polish, so maybe I'll get their topcoat and compare...or maybe I should just stick to my current HG for price/wear: the regular Revlon formulas and Gel Envy topcoat.

I purchased a set of Gel Couture polishes upon the recommendation of the sales person at Sally’s. I chose ‘rock the runway’ a candy apple red, and the top coat. The first time I applied on my nails I wasn’t super impressed. I had some chips after a couple of days and the color stained my nails really badly even though Essie stubbornly claims it doesn’t. On the plus side, the top coat is awesome and made my nails really shiny just like a gel mani. I was going to return it all to Sally’s but hung on to them, mostly for the shiny top coat which I was successfully using on other brands of polish. I started using ‘Rock the Runway’ again but this time on my toenails, and I have to say this is the best pedicure polish hands down. It lasts for weeks without chipping. The last time I used it the only reason I had to redo my pedi was because my nails had grown out - the polish was still chip-free and looked nice. I figured out a few tips that make this polish better which I will share here. The first tip is to use a base coat - I use Essie Millionails, haven’t tested other base coats with gel couture so I can’t vouch for them. This makes the polish last longer and prevents staining your natural nails. The second tip is to apply a fresh layer of the platinum top coat the first 2-3 days after the mani or pedi. After that i didn’t need to apply more. Last you need to allow enough drying time between coats, or else it takes forever to dry. This polish is absurdly expensive - however I found a nice selection of gel couture colors on Amazon Fresh that are selling between 6-7 dollars a bottle. I took advantage and bought almost all of them, at that price they are definitely worth it!

I had high hopes for this because I love the essie gel setter top coat, but I was sorely disappointed. The colour I bought was a pinkish-white (not advertised as sheer), and it required 3 coats to not look streaky. Once the top coat was applied, the polish was even less shiny than my regular nail polish. Within 3 days it was crinkling on my nail and I had to take it off. I'm definitely returning this one.

Love these polishes! If combined with an Essie Gel top coat, they'll stay on pretty nicely. I love their colours and the brush is quite thick so it's easy to apply them neatly. They're well pigmented and there are loads of pretty colours to choose from. Would recommend! Along with the ones from Sally Hansen - these are the best long lasting polishes that I've ever tried.

LOVE Sheer Fantasy for a natural looking nail. But, don't cover with their recommended top coat because it shrinks!

What a waste of money. I bought these because my usual nail polish never lasts more than one day. I have peely nails and tend to start picking at my nails if my nail polish lifts. I was hoping these would help prevent that based on the video reviews I have seen. Unfortunately these only lasted 1 day on my nails :(. They started peeling at the edges and I had massive tip wear! I followed the instructions and used the colour "Matter of Fiction" and followed with the "magical" top coat. What a disappointment! They were also around $12 CAD so I feel like that's a ripoff when you can buy a regular nail polish that lasts the same amount of time for around $4. I will try returning these.

I wanted so badly to like this polish but it did not live up to its claims or my expectations. I got a manicure in the TOUCH UP colour...very pretty and professional. It chipped on one of my nails shortly afterwards. I was able to go back to the manicurist and get that particular nail touched up...great! By day three there was significant wear on all of my nail tips despite the fact that I wore rubber gloves whilst doing the dishes. For this reason, I cannot justify paying such a high price to have a manicure last as long as when I do my own nails, at home, using my HG base coat, nail polish, and top coat. For me, this is a no go.

This is my first try with Essie's Gel Couture (Competitor to CND Vinylux) hybrid long-wear polish. It is about $12 per bottle (ouch) and claims to wear for up to (up to) 14 days. I am on day 2 and have one chip already. There is no base coat, you apply 2 coats of (Thin, watery) color and use their "special" pricey top coat and air dry (no light cure needed). Removes with "regular" remover - we shall see.

Thus far the color I chose is pretty (and seems to already be d/c'ed per Essie's website (Holiday 2017 Collection??) - it was an opaque (and slightly chalky) lilac/periwinkle called "Studded Silhouette". Pretty but a little too "Easter egg" for me. Good for the spring.

Still testing wear and I will update again - I am on day 6 with one tiny chip/scratch.
I think I shall go back to gel polish after this - my nail place charged $18 for a mani with this. (Regular mani with "traditional" lacquer is $15, gel is $25)

First I am giving this 1 lip as I got it for $4 at Marshalls, otherwise, I would not have tried it at the regular price,
that said it is an amazing polish.

There was only one bottle there Sheer Fantasy, you can never be sure how those are going to look on the nail. but this went on beautifully, no streaks, nice coat of sheer light pink. TBH I would like more color but anyway

the gel topcoat also applies nicely. brush shape is good

5 days no chips, (maybe one small one) and I added one over the weekend.


would try another color if I see it there,
PSA Harmon has a 2 pack for $17 and you could use a coupon bringing the cost down