Olive & June

 Gel Mani System

Most Helpful Positive Review

Learning Curve

I've been applying gel nail polish myself for almost fifteen years now. In that time, I've primarily used Red Carpet Manicure, but recently I've been wanting to try something different that has less chemicals and since my lamp broke, it seemed like an ideal time to buy this kit. I have O&J regular p...olish for my toenails, and I especially liked the peel off base that they were advertising. So, I've attached a bunch of photos from my experience so far. First, there is a photo of one of my previous gel polish manicures for comparison (pink and gold foil). Again, I've used this almost fifteen years now, so I'm very familiar with the brushes and application. And, it usually stays on for 2 weeks without a problem before my nails grow out too much and I need to repaint them because I hate the gap of growth. Second, I've attached some photos of the first O&J gel manicure I did. I did a layer of strengthen on the nail, then a coat of the peel of base, 1 regular base coat, 2 coats of You're Invited, and 1 top coat. Honestly, this was a learning curve, and I decided to follow the instructions exactly this first time. I like a thinner brush handle, so it was a bit unsteady to use with the round cap. I could take the cap top off for the color, but not for the regular gel base and top coats (unsure why this is, since I thought it was all supposed to for conversion to the Poppy). Anyways, the peel of base coat takes several minutes to dry. Make sure it dries completely, because it will stick to your regular base coat if you don't and you'll have a goopy mess when you try to paint over it. Now, the regular base coat is where I had the most problem. It is thick and hard to work with (and it stinks). This first manicure, I used too much and couldn't get excess off the nail, so it ended up kind of lumpy. The second manicure I did, I was better prepared for the consistency and was able to prevent lumps. But, because of the lumps, it was more difficult to add the color evenly. I definitely needed two coats of color to make it even. For the top coat, I liked the fact that I didn't need to wipe residue off or anything after it was done like I did for my other gel brand. Main learnings? First, start with less and add more for the base and polish. It is hard to remove excess. I found this made the second manicure easier, and I did not have lumps. Second, clean up your cuticles a day in advance or a few hours. I found that doing it right before actually made it hard to work with the polish, because it kept softening after I cleaned up and started painting. It made it really hard to have clean edges. The second manicure, I did not use the cuticle remover and my edges were much cleaner with just pushing the cuticles back. Third, keep the brush and remover pot close while you get used to it. Since it was a different consistency than I was used to, I strayed outside the nails and onto skin a couple of times. I didn't need it the second manicure, but definitely did the first. How long did it last? My nails grow fast, so I typically like to paint them every two weeks. These lasted about ten days with the peel off base, which is decent and it did make it very easy to remove. I have a photo where you can see it lift at the cuticle. My nails also looked really nice once I peeled it off. Just note there was a residue left, almost like a thin glue. It was easy enough to get off when I cleaned and buffed for the next manicure. The one other thing about the polish is that you absolutely need to make sure to seal the edges. I ended up not doing that well enough on a few nails, and they definitely looked a bit worse throughout the wear. I also attached a picture of the second manicure using the Queen takes her Tea with Milk. I only used one coat of color this time, and it turned out very natural. I also did not have any lumps this time, using the learnings from last time. Is there anything in the kit I didn't use? Well, I like my tools better that I already have, so I ended up only using the brush for clean up. It is fine for a starter kit. Overall, I actually think this is a nice gel kit for a starter set. If you are just starting out and end up liking it, I would invest in better tools long term. Other than that, I'll probably keep adjusting to this new polish and see how the bottles hold up for the base and top coats as I use them, since I've had problems with other brands in the past with the base and top coats getting too thick the older they are.