Review | Pupa Milano Gel Top Coat

In the beginning of the month, I was on a short break at Gozo, our more serene and tranquil sister island and of course, I had to fit in a little shopping spree.

 

I picked up this Pupa Milano Gel Top Coat after hearing a lot of good things about it and seeing I was searching for the perfect top coat, I thought of giving it a go. After trying 3279 top coats and a gazillion ways of trying to make them work, well, I can officially say the search is finally over!

 

Pupa Milano are well known for their novelty packaging and while the nail polishes themselves are presented in pretty standard bottles, nail treatments and in this case, the Gel Top Coat are supplied in a small carton box as well. I really like the brush of Pupa Milano nail polishes because it has a roundish end that mirrors the shape of the cuticle, hence offering easy, fool-proof application.

 

The formula is very easy to work with and dries to the signature volumised, glossy look of gel manicures. Moreover, on me, it lasts for a whole 6 days without chipping or tip wear! It can be used with any nail polish but works exceptionally well with the Pupa Milano Lasting Colour Gel polishes (check out my review here).

 

The Pupa Milano Gel Top Coat does not require a UV lamp to dry but it still dries very quickly despite its thick formula. Better results are achieved if the colour underneath is allowed to dry completely before applying the top coat.  

 

One last thing to mention is that I have never experienced any smudging on my nail art while applying this top coat and it is perfect for glitter polishes as it eliminates that gritty feel.

 

Pupa Milano Gel Top Coat is available for sale from authorised pharmacies and outlets at €6 for 5ml of product. More information can be found on the Pupa Milano in Malta Facebook page.

Review | Essence Gel Nails At Home Clear Gel Top Coat

A while back, Essence has launched the Gel Nails At Home system which comprises everything you need to have your nails done by yourself and still have that gel finish as in salons. I was intrigued to try the Clear Gel Top Coat as I had been looking for a good gel top coat at the time.

 

Gel top coats that work with regular nail polish are extremely hard to find but this one does just that! It is designed to work with any Essence nail polish (no gel polish needed) but you do need a UV lamp to cure it. You can also opt to buy the range's own LED lamp. Anyways, back to the Top Coat.

 

It is supplied in a coated brown glass bottle that holds 7ml of product and it also comes neatly packaged in a small carton box.

 

 



The consistency of this top coat is rather thick so always be careful not to overload the brush as if the gel top coat leaks onto the cuticles and nail wall, it results in the polish just peeling off after a couple of days. However, despite the consistency being thick, it easy to work with and doesn't end up thick on the nails. Furthermore, the brush is a good size too even for my narrow nail bed.

 

 

This top coat imparts a high shine look to any manicure and it stays like that throughout the time of wear, which on my natural nails is a week. After that, you can opt to peel off the manicure especially if you have used the peelable base coat; I prefer to remove the manicure with a gel polish remover though.

 

 

I have tested the top coat with various brands of polish and it still works brilliantly. All you have to do after curing it for 1 minute under the LED lamp (2 minutes under UV), is cleanse your nails with the nail cleaner to remove the tacky layer. Alternatively, you may opt to use alcohol instead.

I highly recommend this top coat and with its price tag of just €4 you won't break the bank for sure!

For a list of outlets stocking the Essence Gel Nails At Home system, check out the Essence Cosmetics Malta Facebook page.