Please - just go buy a topcoat.
Oh my word- no.<br /><br />Okay- so this looked like a wonderful beginner kit. I am not a beginner, but I was excited to have everything in a tiny package- something easy to pull out with friends but with high quality results.<br /><br />I got a friend, we opened the box and assumed I'd be ready to do her nails without getting my nail kit.<br /><br />Nope.<br /><br />The first sept (as it always is) was to clean buff and shape the nail- nothing included to do that.<br /><br />I thought- okay- no big deal.<br /><br />I got my stuff out and took care of it. I then applied their prep product- Nail dehydrator- all good.<br /><br />I started to plug in the nail light, so I’d be ready after we apply the first coat- but this kit didn't include a plug- just a usb cord. (sigh) I got up again- and got an extra usb plug I had. Now slightly annoyed because this is supposed to be a ready kit-<br /><br />but hey-- really-- not a huge deal.<br /><br />Then I applied the base coat. Whew- runny. I wasn’t impressed with it’s consentaneity. But maybe it’d perform well?<br /><br />Then I tried to cure it. Cue the light--<br /><br />Oh, my word their nail lamp is horrible.<br /><br />It’s very cheap looking- only fits four fingers- not the thumb at the same time, and really feels off- like the break into shards plastic, not the bendy kind. (I was still trying to accept this as a no big deal point but the red flags were slapping me in the face.)<br /><br />I read the pamphlet to see how long it needed to cure- the pamphlet said "cure for the appropriate time" or something just a vague. I read the nail polish, to find the appropriate time- nope. I looed over the box- nothing.<br /><br />We used the lamp like 5 times and finally got her base coat cured. Then we had to do the same with just her thumb. I have nail lights that cost three bucks that work better than this thing. I’m not kidding.  In fact- I use single nail lights that only cure one nail at a time—and this was SLOWER!<br /><br />Okay- that was over.<br /><br />Where is the red polish?<br /><br />The box says: “Step two apply polish” and it has a picture of the polish- a red polish, they name it like it’s included.<br /><br />It’s not.<br /><br />This starter kit isn’t much of a START without a polish-<br /><br />but Okay- my nail kit to save the day.<br /><br />I pulled out a blush pink gel that always does me right.<br /><br />But the base coat is weird. The polish is almost clumping on the nail. It applies a tad bit patchy. I get that not all formulas work together—but they DIDN’T GIVE ME a polish to work with so theirs- in theory- should be mostly universal. I didn’t know I was intended to buy-one polishe- AND their kit to make this happen.<br /><br />I try to cure MY gel polish tin their lamp.<br />(thank goodness my friend is a very laid-back person- she was amazing about this, laughing with me--) I was itching to pull out a good lamp but I didn’t, so I’d give this a true test.<br />(Or because I wanted to test my patience. Two birds one stone)<br /><br />Now—here is the saving grace—<br /><br />the top coat is wonderful.<br /><br />It works like some of my best top coats- it leaves that perfect glassy look and it applies like a dream.<br /><br />Later I used the same top coat on my nails- and it worked just as well without the weird base coat and the horrible lamp and a totally different brand of nail polish.<br /><br />THIS WHOLE KIT AND THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE GOING FOR IT IS THE TOP COAT!<br />Now I get why this has good reviews—it’s the gel top coat.<br /><br />No wonder it lasts- I can only guess Red Carpet knows their top coat is fantastic, so they threw a bunch of bad apples in here –aware beginners won’t know any better.<br /><br />Please. You can buy wonderful topcoats for 10-20 bucks NOT 50 OF YOUR HARD-EARNED DOLLARS- This is such a sad waste- and they don’t even throw in a file, or a plug in or red polish?<br /><br />I have more stuff coming from this brand—things I got before I tried this-- that I’m going to be trying-<br />I really hope this is their only issue... we shall see. <br /><br />I hope this review was helpful because I don’t want your money wasted. :(
Rating: 2 stars