I know gel manicures are probably not the greatest thing for my nails, but between the instant dry time, chip-free wear, and super-glossy finish? I can’t resist — I’m only human! However, as I’ve recently been taking a break from gel, I’ve been pampering my natural nails and trying to get them to a longer, stronger place. Unsurprisingly, my iPhone algorithm caught on and began to serve me endless home alternatives to salon gel. Most of them looked sketchy to say the least, but one of them managed to stop my thumb from scrolling: Manicurist Paris’ Green Flash system. It boasts instant dry time with its LED lamp, in addition to long, chip-resistant wear — all with an easy removal process that doesn’t damage natural nails. It sounded too good to be true, so naturally, I had to see for myself how it worked.
The French brand carries a wide range of nail-care products (including regular polish), and the Green Flash system can be customized with endless shades and add-ons. The base Travel Starter Kit starts at $110 and comes with three polish shades, base and top coats, remover, and a foldable, 24-watt version of the LED lamp all encased in a red canvas toiletry bag. Then, there’s the Super Starter Kit ($160), which upgrades your experience with five polishes, a 36-watt LED lamp that dries your nails faster than its on-the-go counterpart, plus all the prep and remover products that come with the travel kit.
Green Flash Super Starter Kit, $245 $160
After unboxing everything, I laid out all the products and got ready to work. The arched LED lamp really made me feel like I was in my own nail salon, and I plugged it in and set up my very own “station.” Then, I applied the base coat onto clean, dry nails and, per the instructions, cured that for one minute. Then, came one thin layer or color (I went for Hollyhock, a deep oxblood), cure for another minute, and repeat. Even after one coat, the polish was pretty opaque — and sure enough, after two rounds of coats and curing under the lamp, it was maybe 75% dry to the touch. To seal everything in, I applied a layer of top coat and cured that for two minutes.
I have to say that I was pretty impressed right after finishing my mani. The process from start to finish took me no longer than 20 minutes, and as soon as I finished the final curing step, my nails were dry to the touch. This is a total game-changer if you, like me, occasionally forget to get your nails done before an event and end up quickly painting them at home — only to smudge them as soon as you set foot outside your door.
Manucurist’s nail system boasts up to 10 days of wear, and I was excited to see just how it fared compared to regular polish. In terms of feel, it felt like regular polish and didn’t have that sculpted, rounded shape you get from gels. For the first few days, the glossy, gel-like shine held up beautifully. After about day four or five, the shine wore off a bit, and I started to notice very minor chips — no big deal, IMO. A full week later, more chips were visible, but overall, I was still pretty pleased with how it was holding up. (With most regular polishes, I’ve already removed it by day seven.)
But as I hinted at up top, the thing I love least about gel is the removal process. I almost always go back to the salon to get my gels removed — this alone can be a hassle if you’re a busy bee. The Green Flash system came with its own acetone-free remover, which you use in a similar process for gel removal: Drench a cotton pad in remover, apply it to your nails and secure it with foil to soak off the gel polish. (Green Flash comes with clips to hold the cotton in place during removal — genius, if you ask me.) While gel usually takes 15-20 minutes of acetone polish to remove, Green Flash only took about two minutes to remove. (And no, regular polish remover didn’t work on the stuff.) When I removed the cotton, I’d say 95% of the polish came off with it. After light buffing with the cotton to remove lingering polish on the edges of my nail, I was all done — no drill, no aggressive filing, no elbow grease.
All in all, I’m impressed with the Green Flash system; it lasted longer than most regular polish, dried within minutes with the lamp, and the removal process was a breeze. Plus, the brand has a gorgeous selection of polish hues, ranging from metallics to cream finishes, so you’re never limited by what the brand has to offer. Yes, having to only use the base, polish, and top coats from the brand (these are specifically formulated to work together) may be a deterrent to some, and I totally get that. Not to mention, the upfront costs of the lamp and compatible polishes do add up to more than what you’re spending at the drugstore. However, if you’re already getting regular salon appointments, I could easily see this saving you tons of money in the long run. (That, and I personally love doing my nails at home while watching TV or listening to a podcast.) One thing to note: As many of us have recently become aware of UV exposure from gel lamps, it’s important to note that LED nail lamps also emit trace amounts of ultraviolet radiation, so using sunscreen, fingerless gloves (or both!) is a smart move to protect your skin.
My final verdict? As far as “as seen on Instagram” beauty products go, this one is a diamond in the rough for anyone looking to seriously upgrade their at-home mani game.
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