Dark skin hands painting a thumbnail with red essie longwear gel nail polish

what is gel-like shine?


you can create a gel-like shine at home by adding an essie gel-finish top coat to your nail color layer. the high-shine results are incredibly durable and smooth. unlike traditional salon gel manicures, essie gel-like nail polish doesn’t need UV or LED light to cure – just air-dry like regular enamel.
Dark skin thumbs side by side, one being brushed with green gel polish, the other with shiny gel finish

can you get a gel-like finish with regular nail polish?


if you love the sleek look of gel-like nails, you can create a gel finish by applying a gel top coat over regular enamel nail polish. the keys to successfully achieving this much desired gel-like effect is to layer up thin coats of color and follow the application steps below for a long-lasting finish that mimics a beautiful gel finish.

how to get a gel-like shine at home

 

here’s a step-by-step mini guide on how to apply a gel-like top coat for nails that look spectacular. for the ultimate in salon-worthy results, be sure to seal up the edges to prevent chipping and extend wear.

pro tip: gel by essie is formulated as a system. it’s important to use the gel couture color and top coat together for maximum results and a couture essie manicure you can covet.

 

apply gel by essie

apply gel top coat

matte option

gel-like shine faq