Releasing gel-like nail polish was really a 2016 hype. I never buy these kind of polishes, because they are usually a little bit more expensive than regular polish and I don’t really care for the longer stay. Essie also released a gel-like nail polish system, which they call Gel Couture. It consists of a color and a topcoat (no base coat). I wasn’t planning on buying any, but then I got the color Twill seeker and the topcoat for my birthday! Today I will be sharing my experiences.
So what is so special about the Gel Couture shades? According to Essie they are Gel systems without UV lamp and Essie claims that it stays on your nails for up to 14 days. Do I agree with that? Not really. For me, the main difference is the bottle and the brush. In the picture above, on top you can see the normal European brush, in the middle the Gel couture brush and below the US brush. The Gel Couture brush is even wider than the European but it is also more flat. I already adore the normal European brush, but I even like the Gel Couture brush a lot better!
The Gel Couture topcoat is also amazing, it has a high shine finish, dries fast and doesn’t bubble. What about the long wear claim? To me, it wears the same as normal Essie polishes, which is up to a week. That’s fine for me, because after a week I really want to change the color on my nails anyway.
The color that I have is called Twill Seeker. It is an amazing dusty purple color with green shimmer. I really fell in love with the color because of the shimmer. It looks so special! However, the green shift is only visible when you look really closely. From a distance, this polish just looks like a regular creme color. No problem for me, but it might be important to know before you buy this polish. On the pictures I am wearing two coats. The application was perfection. I don’t think I have ever had a polish that was so easy to apply! Maybe it is also the combination with the brush. If every Gel Couture shade applies like this one, I want them all!
So in conclusion, are the Gel Couture shade worth their higher price tag? That depends on your own preferences, but I won’t buy them for their longer wear. Twill seeker however, is definitely worth the higher price, because of the unique color and the amazing formula.
Do you have any Gel Couture shades? I’m really curious if they are all as easy to work with as this one!
