I Turned My Back On Gel Manicures: These Glossy and Strengthening At-Home Builder Polishes Have Pulled Me Back

Before I had children, I was a regular at the nail salon; a fresh set of gels every three weeks. But then my life got busy, very busy, and appointments got pushed so far down the priority list that at some point they fell off entirely. Turns out, my nails needed a break; they were in tatters. That's when I fell back in love with regular polish. And whilst I still think that with the right varnish and the correct prep and aftercare, you can get salon-worthy results, I have to admit that I do miss the incredibly plump, glossy and smooth finish that a professional gel manicure delivers.

Over the years, I've been sent several at-home gel kits, but they stayed firmly sealed, gathering dust under my bed. I worried that if I got back into the habit, it would take a toll on my nails again. However, just after Christmas, I received an email with the most beautiful looking at-home gel nail shades—creamy nudes and soft focus pinks—a delicious soap nails palette. After enquiring, I found out that the Mylee colours are from the brand's new Super Pigment Builder Gel range.

Builder gel, for those who don't know, is a gel polish that's cured under a lamp, but it allows for better shaping, lengthening and strengthening of the natural nail.

I was sold, and for the first time, was ready to set up my own little at-home nail salon. I decided to give it a go to see whether it could help me scratch my manicure itch.

First impressions

After years and years of dedicated loyalty to gel manicures, I felt pretty confident with the task at hand. However, I really appreciated the clever and informative packaging of the Mylee Gelt It Done Kit. There's a really handy step-by-step guide, complete with tips to help you nail your technique. The set comes with everything you need, from your top coat, base coat and remover, to the wooden cuticle sticks, white buffing block, and nail file. What I wasn't expecting, but really showed me that this was a set to trust, was that it also comes with a good supply of lint-free wipes and a 2-in-1 nail prep and wipe solution, both crucial to a good mani and exactly what the pros use.

The Super Pigment Builder Gel Polishes were sent to me separately, although the kits do come with four gel polish shades. What sets this collection apart from Mylee's other builder gels is that these are highly pigmented. I was thrilled with the colours, a melange of glossy nudes—Rose Petal, Antique Pink, Rosewood, Terracotta and Soft Coral—a shade for all skin tones. The collection is inspired by the neutral yet statement styles of Japanese and Korean manicures. Essentially, these are punchy and creamy nudes that have a "high-impact finishing usually reserved for colour". From about mid-October to the end of the year, my nails are either burgundy or cherry red, but come January, I want my nails to look as healthy as can be. So I was drawn to these muted, skin-like shades. The ones that instantly called to me were Antique Pink, a rosy nude, and Rose Petal, a bright, pale pink.

The results

I prepped my nails thoroughly, following the instructions to a tee. As is tradition with builder gels, the formula is thick, so when it came to applying the Super Pigment Builder Polish, it took me a little time to work out the best technique. I'll be honest, after I did all 10 fingernails, I still didn't feel like I had a handle on the application. However, after I cured the polish under my lamp, you couldn't tell that I had had a few wobbles. The colour seemed to coat my nail bed perfectly and gave a beautiful, opaque finish.

I like to wear my nails short and round, so I could only test the gels on my nail preference. However, builder gels are known for sculpting overlays and creating a smoothing effect on extensions.

A word on curing time. I found that each layer of polish—top and base coats, as well as the builder gel—needed longer under the lamp than was advised. This might have been down to my application technique, but I felt like they benefited from some extra curing time.

I applied my gels over a week ago and have been so thrilled with the results. Whilst they don't look perfect, some of the edges are slightly frayed here and there, I just know that will improve with practice. The finish is exactly what I wanted. It's glossy, it's plump, it's elegant and, dare I say it, it looks professional.

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