20 December, 2016

OPALLAC GEL NAILS AT HOME - REVIEW, TIPS & TRICKS

Opallac is the latest nail innovation promising glamorous salon quality gel nail colour designed to last up to 14 days. The unique Opallac Gel formula glides on like normal nail polish but sets instantly like gel when cured by the revolutionary Opallac LED nail lamp

NO dry time! NO chipping! NO smudges! NO damage!

Today I will be reviewing the Opallac Gel system as well as sharing my tips and tricks to achieve the perfect gel manicure at home. 



THE ESSENTIALS
- WHAT YOU WILL NEED FOR THE PERFECT SALON QUALITY MANICURE AT HOME -
  • 7Watt UV LED Nail Lamp - RRP: $69.00 (AUD)
  • Opallac Gel Base Coat - RRP: $19.95 (AUD)
  • Opallac Gel Top Coat - RRP: $19.95 (AUD)
  • Opallac 2-in-1 Shine & Soak Solution - RRP: $9.95 (AUD)
  • Opallac 30pk Remover Wraps - RRP: $15.00 (AUD)

* There is a Priceline exclusive Starter Kit available that includes everything you need to create the perfect salon quality gel manicure at home. The value pack even includes 3 nail colours. 
It's the perfect DIY kit!
- RRP: $99 AUD (Great value for money!)


APPLICATION
- HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT GEL MANICURE AT HOME -
1. Prep your nails by ensuring the nail surface is completely clean and free from any oils, creams or chemicals and lightly buff the nail surface.

2. Apply a thin coat of the Opallac Gel Base Coat.

3. Cure the Base Coat for 90 Seconds with the Opallac LED nail lamp.

4. Apply a thin coat of your chosen Opallac Gel colour.

5. Cure the nail colour for 90 Seconds with the Opallac LED nail lamp.

6. Apply a thin second coat of your chosen Opallac Gel colour.

7. Cure the second coat of nail colour for 90 Seconds with the Opallac LED nail lamp.

8. Apply a thin coat of the Opallac Gel Top Coat.

9. Cure the Top Coat for 90 Seconds with the Opallac LED nail lamp.

10. Remove any sticky residue off the nail surface by saturating a cotton pad with the Opallac 2-in-1 Shine & Soak solution, and gently wiping it over each nail for a few seconds.


TIPS & TRICKS 
- THINGS I HAVE LEARNT - 
Nail preparation prior to applying Opallac -
Avoid premature peeling and chipping by ensuring the nail surface is completely clean and dry prior to applying Opallac. Remove any oils, creams or chemicals off the nails with Gel Primer, Isopropyl Alcohol or Acetone and wash hands thoroughly. Lightly buff each nail to remove any ridges and help the gel adhere to the nail for longer wear time. 

Application -
Apply THIN COATS of polish ONE HAND AT A TIME and cure under the nail lamp before going onto the next hand! This will help avoid the polish from pooling at the sides of the nails and ensure flawless application. If pooling does occur, it is important to clean it up before curing your nails under the LED nail lamp. 
I personally recommend curing four fingers at a time (each hand) and the thumbs separately.

Be prepared!
Have everything you need set up, open and ready to be used - this will make the application steps much easier to follow.

Using the LED nail lamp -
There are no tricks or complicated instructions when it comes to using the LED nail lamp. Simply plug it in, switch the lamp on* and you're set. 
It is handy to have a stopwatch or timer nearby to time the 90 second curing intervals to insure the Opallac Gel colour cures properly. 
* There is an on / off button on the back of the lamp.

Ensuring manicure longevity -
Wrapping the nail tips with a swipe of polish helps prevent premature pealing and tip wear. 
Iis important to avoid keeping your nails under hot water for long periods of time 
- while doing dishes or washing, it would be ideal to wear gloves.


LONGEVITY
- HOW WELL DOES AN OPALLAC GEL MANICURE HOLD UP? - 

Opallac promise salon quality colour that lasts up to 14 days.
So I put it to the test...
OPALLAC 'LURE ME AZURE' - DAY 1
Two coats + top coat
I tested Opallac's claim with 'Lure Me Azure' a stunning deep blue holographic glitter gel polish. The polish applied effortlessly and was completely opaque in two thin and easy coats. The picture above swatch was taken on Day 1. So pretty!
OPALLAC 'LURE ME AZURE' - DAY 10
No chipping, minor tip wear + nail growth.
The picture above was taken on Day 10! 
I have never had a manicure look this good in 10 days! I am so impressed! 
I removed the manicure after this picture was taken because I wanted to change it up but i'm sure it would have lasted well over 14 days! Wow!


REMOVAL
- HOW TO REMOVE YOUR MANICURE WITH THE OPALLAC REMOVER WRAPS AND OPALLAC SHINE & SOAK SOLUTION 
1. Lightly file the gel polish on each nail surface for a few seconds to break it down. 

2. Cut to size the desired amount of Opallac Remover Wraps from the 30 pad roll. 

3. Saturate the cotton pad attached to the Opallac Remover Wraps with the Opallac 2-in-1 Shine & Soak solution.

4. Place the soaked nail pads directly over the nail and wrap around each finger separately*  
Keep wrapped around nails for approximately 5 minutes**

5. Remove wraps, one at a time, and peel off the gel colour***

Once the cotton pads attached to the Opallac Remover Wraps get saturated with the Opallac 2-in-1 Shine & Soak solution, they are likely to detach themselves from the actual wrap. 
A second set of hands may be needed to assist with wrapping each nail.

** I personally find 15 minutes to be optimum soaking time.

*** Instead of 'peeling' the gel colour off I like to use a cuticle pusher / orange stick to gently push / scrape the polish off the nail. The Shine & Soak Solution weakens to polish bond to the nail so it easily removes with light pressure. 

If applied and removed correctly Opallac will not damage the natural nail. It is crucial to not attempt to pick the gel colour off. This will cause damage to the nails. 
It is important to follow the Opallac Gel removal process outlined above. 


IS IT WORTH THE INVESTMENT?
- MY PERSONAL OPINION - 

YES! YES! YES!
I pride myself in giving honest reviews and opinions on my Blog, so if I say you need to try something, you do!

I had never tried real Gel polish before and I can honestly say I really enjoyed using it! 

I tend to change my nail polish every day or so due to the fact that nail polish chips on my nails so quickly, but with Opallac I did not experience any chipping or pealing even after 10 days of wear! It's amazing! I removed the Gel polish off my nails because I was I wanted to switch it up not because I felt I needed to! Really, really, really impressed!

Application may seem daunting but it shouldn't be. The wide brush applicator and fantastic formulas make application effortless. The Opallac LED nail lamp does most of the work for you; creating an instantly glossy and dry Gel manicure in seconds. The Opallac system also hardens the nails allowing them to grow and not break. I noticed substantial nail growth when using Opallac, which is an added bonus!

Save time and money with the convenience of an Opallac DIY Gel manicure at home! 
DEFINITELY WORTH THE INVESTMENT!


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Opallac products are exclusively available for purchase online at www.opallac.com and www.priceline.com.au as well Selected Priceline stores nationally (Australia).

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*Disclaimer: Opallac kindly sent me the products mentioned in this Blog Post for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine based on what I have experienced through trialling these products.


Thanks for taking the time to read this review!
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask :)
Have a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous day,
Doni x


Follow me on Instagram for more nail swatch pics & nail art - @donsnailobsession 

1 comment:

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