Gel mani at home - finally!

Well I took the "plunge" as it were and ordered something I've wanted for a loooooooong time!  Like, years. I bought a home gel manicure set! I did some research....but as I often do - couldn't justify the purchase. It's funny, I would rather spend a little here, a little there than one chunk of money all at once.  I didn't really get manicures that often because it's an expenditure that is not in my regular budget.  But for trips or special occasions I would and feel special and love my nails.

So anyhoo I kept looking at different brands.  I've gotten the CND (c&d?) shellac at a salon and thought that was the only way to go.  Then a gal at work started showing up with cute manis that she was doing at home and was using Gelish.  That appealed to me because we actually do have a Sally supply store here so I could buy local.  But THEN! I was reading blogs one morning and came across this post.  Here's a lady who had already been doing her nails for a couple/few years and had tried out this product, Couture gel nail polish.  I was curious so I clicked the link to the website.  Really, it was the variety of colors that got me.  And it comes with an LED light which I know the Gelish brand also uses so I can probably add those colors into the mix as well.  I was sold.

Yes, it's an investment.  But even going to Walmart to have my nails done I would pay $20 and usually tip $5.  I opted to buy the deluxe package that comes with 3 colors and then I also ordered one extra and Jan also ordered some colors too.  I found a coupon code on facebook for 15% off.  So for the price of roughly 5 manicures at Walmart I now can do my own at home.  In my pajamas.

It came in the mail yesterday so of course I had to try it out last night!!!!  Pictures are not the greatest, turns out it's hard to get a good picture of nails! And it was at night so lighting is a factor as well.  The first one is probably the truest to real.

 I couldn't decide which color I'd want and didn't know what the colors would look like on so I did 3 colors!  I love the pink which is actually called cranberry and the teal.  The grey is called London's fog and that was a tricky bugger!  It was weird, on my thumbs the color went on perfectly and dark.  The other 2 nails I did like 3 coats on my left hand and 4 on the right!!!!  The other 2 colors I did 2 coats each.

 And here's my right hand.  You know it's tricky painting with your left hand anyway and with the gel you don't want to get it on the cuticles or sides but it's hard to wipe off with the left hand!  I think I still did okay.  My middle fingernails on both hands are wonky shaped so in this picture looks a little ginormous.

  I'm glad I decided to finally buy the kit!  Now I'm looking for more colors!  Neon would be fun :) Tee hee