When it comes to my nails I keep them short, neat and painted. I have strict colour rules too, pale pink or nude for summer, burgundy for winter and I seem to always pick a coral for holiday. Even when I don’t plan to wear these shades it seems unconsciously I don’t like to veer away from the palette. I love going to the salon for a self-care session, but I also find painting my nails at home really soothing and relaxing too. It is my time to turn to stop swiping as it keeps my fingers busy. This means I tend to switch between a salon gel manicure and an at-home paint job pretty seamlessly, although there is no doubt that a salon manicure is a far superior option – until now it seems.
I have tried multiple at-home gel manicure sets in the past and I have always struggled to get a quality finish. I have found most of the polishes tend to be too thick or too thin so then the finish is either chunky and tends to peel easier or too thin and then it doesn’t look professional. Although I don’t expect my DIY job to last as long as a salon, I want them to last at least seven days if possible and have often found many of the at-home kits don’t live up to the job.
When I was offered to try the 14 Day Manicure Be The Moment Home Gel Vanity Bag Kit (£108, originally £228) I was intrigued. This was quite a substantial amount for an at-home option, but if it was good then it would pay for itself after three uses. I couldn’t resist and before you could say emery board I was giving it a go.
About 14 Day Manicure Home Gel Vanity Bag Kit
What I Like About the 14 Day Manicure Home Gel Vanity Bag Kit
The kit has everything you need in one aesthetically pleasing bag. For someone who only wears limited shades the one’s included in the kit would last me the entire year without needing to buy anymore which is ideal. I followed the instructions and gave myself a min at home manicure before applying the base coat and curing under the lamp for 60 seconds. Once this was completed on both hands I got to work on the polish and found it went on super easy. The consistency was similar to some of my favourite polishes, like London Grace and Nails Inc, and I didn’t need more than the suggested two coats to give a full colour finish. I was surprised how easy it was and once the top coat was applied and cured under the light it was fully dry.
This felt like the real advantage to the at-home aspect, as I would normally use regular polish. It would take a while to dry and would often mark against the sheets if I went to bed shortly afterwards. Being gel meant it had instant results and I didn’t have to wait around.
A week on and I have to say my nails look pretty good, I think I still have work to do on my manicure execution but as I am not trained whatsoever I’m impressed.
How to Use the 14 Day Manicure Home Gel Vanity Bag Kit
As described previously you use the system much like any of the other at-home gel kits. Manicure the nails first, add the base coat, go under the light for 60 secs, and repeat with two coats of the colour polish and one coat of the top coat. All in all the process takes about ten minutes, once you’ve completed the manicure part.
To remove the polish you buff away the top layer of gel using a nail file, this is a key step and one that most people skip and then wonder why it’s not working, and then apply the gel remover on top. I allow the first coat to sit for about ten minutes before applying another coat and allowing it to sit for about five minutes. I find this is the best way to get off gels without too much work. Once the polish starts to lift, use a metal nail file to scrap away the gel. Once you have removed the majority, apply the acetone remover to each nail on a cotton pad, hold in each nail for a few seconds before removing. You should only be left with minimal gel at this point which can be scraped away.
What to Consider Before Buying the 14 Day Manicure Home Gel Vanity Bag Kit
This kit is great but it is not a nail technician. If you cannot do your own nails this kit is not going to make you suddenly gain the skills. This still takes patience and precision, I would suggest it is only a viable option for those who enjoy doing their own nails and have mastered a technique to do so.
Where Can You Buy the 14 Day Manicure Home Gel Vanity Bag Kit?
You can buy the 14 Day Manicure Home Gel Vanity Bag Kit from the brand’s website.
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Lauren Ezekiel Lauren Ezekiel (she/her) is an associate editor at PS UK, where she writes about all things beauty and wellness. With a degree in journalism she began her career in 2008. Lauren is obsessed with skincare, hair and makeup. A mum of two, Lauren is an advocate for the benefits of beauty and self-care for your mental well-being, which inspired her award-winning charity initiative We C U 2020. Her work has been published in Grazia, OK!, Health & Beauty, The Sun, Asda, Dare and Metro.
