Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Mani/Pedi

Beauty time saving solutions - all about it.  The last gel manicure I did took me over an hour to do with the cleaning up and curing time, not something I can commit to all the time.  I was excited to see Sally Hansen Miracle Gel polish system and hunted down for the set with Birthday Suit.  The set is a good deal for both items, but most of the sets that were left in stores were colors I was not feeling and waited until I was able to snag the last one with Birthday Suit at my neighborhood Walgreen's.

After removing my current gel manicure and polish on my toes, I applied 3 coats of the color allowing each layer to dry for about 5 minutes.  Maybe this color was just too streaky, but I still wasn't pleased with how this didn't level after 3 coats.  Then I applied a layer of the top coat and was out in the sun for 5 minutes. Even after the top coat, it didn't level off and the brush dragged on a nail during top coat application.  These were semi-dry to the touch after curing and was still careful throughout the rest of the day.

I can't wear the same polish for just over a week, so this test shows my nails over the course of  a week which was tough because it started to lift/chip.  Not too noticeable when its a nude color, but it still bugged me!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

You can see a dent/mark on my index finger where the top coat brush dragged.

Day 6 This was when I really couldn't stand it because the nail growth was becoming more apparent and the edge lifted on the thumb.  Still pretty much intact, but not perfect.

Day 7 Barely made it 7 days, but I was so happy to take this off.  This was post shower, so the heat and water made it peel more.  This was an easy removal, just acetone and a cotton pad.

What the website says:

• Up to 14 Days of Color & Shine
• Easy Removal
• No light needed

The ONLY TRUE 2-STEP GEL Manicure with no light needed.  Over 45 shades that wow! And its only from Sally Hansen.

Pros:  -Easy 2 steps
          -No curing time needed
          -Great colors selection
          -Durable polish

Cons:  -Took 3 coats for desired opacity. Even then, it was still streaky, but I didn't want to put another coat             of color.
           -Dented & nicked - Day 2 I already had some dents and nicks.
           -Top coat not that shiny

Cost: $15.99 @ Walgreen's - I found a $2 coupon in the mail

Would I recommend this to a friend:  Sadly, no. :(  For the first time impression, I was not too pleased with the results.  I would like to try another color of Miracle Gel to see if that makes a difference and also see how the top coat pairs with other brands of color.

What was your impression of Sally Hansen's Miracle Gel polish?  Did it work for you?

I did enjoy these other reviews on Miracle Gel:

The PolishAholic: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Wine Stock Swatch, Review & Wear Test
This didn't work for her as well.  In a short amount of time, the wear was terrible.  On day 3, the top coat was extremely dull and you could see the nail bed lines.

beautygeeks: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel + Color Collection Swatches
This review kept me on the hunt for the Birthday Suit set, even though the swatch isn't there, this is a very complete write up of how the polish system works, tests she has done with other polishes and feedback from other testers.