This is my first mani in GelColor by OPI in Cajun Shrimp. As you may know, OPI GelColor is the latest in no-chip manicures. Super shiny!
Let’s get straight to the details:
1) GelColor goes on like polish, with a polish-style brush from a black OPI polish bottle.
2) The consistency is thin, like polish, but perhaps too thin. Two coats of colour didn’t look quite right — Leeanne and I could see shadowy areas in the finish. One more layer to make it three coats of colour fixed that problem.
3) Two coats of OPI GelColor base is better than one — you get a smoother finish that makes two coats of colour look perfect.
4) The base coat cures in an LED UV lamp in just 10 seconds; the colour in 30 seconds for each coat. That’s less UV exposure, and a faster manicure. *LIKE*
I’ve just had this done, so I’ll have to let you know how durable the manicure is, whether it’ll last three weeks for me like OPI Axxium Soak-Off Gel does. This OPI GelColor mani may prove to be more durable than usual because at the moment I have a couple of extra layers on my nails.
Stay tuned.
Manicure by Leeanne Colley at Tips Nail Bar & Spa.
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So, how is this product different from the Axxium? Inquiring minds want to know.
Thinner. Axxium’s thicker, more gel-like consistency delivers a smooth finish with the first layer. Gelcolor needs more layers to look even.
Axxium requires two minutes per coat in a regular nail UV lamp. Gelcolor is LED-sensitive; under an LED UV light, it cures in 10 seconds for the base, and 30 seconds per colour. (In a regular lamp it would need the same exposure as Axxium.)
I think Gelcolor is shinier than Axxium, though. As for strength (OPI founder Suzi Weiss Fischmann said it’s as strong as Axxium), I guess I’ll know better in the coming days!
Fun! I like the thinner part.
Should look thinner on nails, too!
Can’t wait to see how long this lasts! Regular manis only last 5-7 days for me as I’m tough on my nails.
You’re a good candidate for Axxium — I get three weeks, and I, too, am tough on my nails.
Ooo ooo ooo!!!! Must try this next week!!!
You must! Leeanne also has Big Apple Red — she wants to make sure it’s all that before she adds more shades.
The beauty gods are speaking to me again, headed to the big apple right after my appt :D
You need a colour called Kismet! Have a great trip, you and your Big Apple Red nails!
Janine, which salon did you visit? I’m having problems locating a salon in the downtown core for an appointment. Thanks, Lisa
Tips, at 844A Danforth :-)
I have been getting the OPI Gelcolor mani for over 2 months now and its great!!!! Look just as good at the end of 2 weeks! I have had shellac mani before this and the OPI is much much better!
I had gel colour for the first time last month. I LOVED it because it lasted almost 2 weeks (a normal mani lasts maybe one day on me, from all the handwashing I do for work.) Once it came off my nails have been really thin and brittle (usually very hard/strong) and they are turning a lighter colour from the tips downwards. Is this unusual?
May I ask how you got you cuticles to be so perfect? I’m not sure if it’s just that I’m some sort of barbarian, but I can never get that part right, lol
Hah ha :-) My cuticles stay pristine with every soak-off manicure — it’s a weird but blessed thing. It’s as if they know that when a protective covering like gel is in place, they can take a vacation from getting overgrown! Leeanne cleans them up if they need it, which they don’t really (she pushes them back; never has to cut or trim), and is skilled at applying the product precicely.
I was curious if this new LED light by OPI works with the Axxium Soak off gels? If so this would cut down curing time as well? I really want to try out the new gel color, but will be a big investment.
Hi Jeanette,
Unfortunately, Axxium soak-off isn’t an LED-sensitive formula, so it needs the two minutes per layer in a flourescent-bulb UV lamp.
GelColor will cure in a regular, flourescent-bulb UV lamp, though — it’ll just need two minutes per layer like Axxium.
Can you use OPI gel color in any led lamp or only OPI led lamp?
Any LED UV lamp should work. A good idea is one that would be easy to put over toes as well, for pedicures — similar to one by Artistic Colour Gloss in this post.
You can use the new OPI light with axxium soak off. Just use the same curing time with the new LED lightnas you would the Axxium Lamp.
I have a lamp at home – not a pro model but I won’t need to have it on like a pro. I have been having lots of luck putting on my UV base – lamp, REGULAR polish shade – dry, then Sv’s UV top coat, lamp. I am getting a good 3 weeks doing that. I did not want to have to invest in a ton of new/old shades I have and get hooked on the lenght of time I get out of a mani with the light. A # of folks said the above is what they do – tried it and highly recommend it. It really works. You need to really seal that topper coat well is a trick. I know some gals that don’t even use a UV base – just an old regular base before the color and they get just as good of luck as I have been getting.
I do like the idea of an LED lamp – cheaper to run – lasts longer – and less UV exposure time to our hands. The state I live in is now got a law that no one under 18 yrs can use tanning beds. I can see this extending to the UV in nail salons pretty soon as well too. It’s intense exposure – but the time is nothing like what one gets in a 20 min (or longer) tanning bed session.
I would think the gel color would only work with some colors/formulations. I cannot see it working with say a heavy shimmer – the very name OPI gave these new polishes seems to stipulate that it will only be available in polishes that we normally think of as gel. I could be all wet – I don’t know. just glad that I have a system that is working for me right now to use my good old regular polish and get it to last as long as the Axium method (and others like it).
Shimmers and glitters will stay with Axxium Soak Off line. Glitter and shimmer wont cure under LED – this information direct from OPI.
My question, how does this new OPI gelcolor with with the Shellac lamp? Can you combine the base coat of shellac with the OPI and can you to top it with the Shellac top coat. Or are they just totally incompatible? Does the new OPi gelcolor need a topcoat?
thank you!
As far as I know, Karen, the Shellac lamp is a flourescent UV bulb lamp, not LED. That means it can’t trigger the LED-sensitive ingredients in OPI GelColor that make it cure faster. It will cure OPI GelColor in 2 minutes per layer instead.
As to playing mix-and-match, I can’t say either way — I haven’t tried. Does anyone else know?
And re: top coat, I would think it needs the top coat that is part of the OPI GelColor lineup.
I just got the gel colors from OPI and was under the impression I could cure it in my CND lamp. When I swipe in inhibition layer with the nars 99 as recommended, I wipes the shininess off the top coat! I do not think my lamp is curing it the right way. I have put in a call to Tech Support at OPI but have to leave my name and # and wait for a call back. I have a client who wants it in the salon today so I am hoping for a quick response. Anyone have a suggestion? I would hate to have to invest in another lamp! It is awfully expensive!
Hi Simonne,
Sorry I wasn’t able to answer earlier! You can use the CND lamp to cure OPI GelColour — it just takes longer than in the LED UV lamp. Instead of 10 seconds for the base and 30 seconds per colour coat, you have to give each layer of GelColor, including the base, two minutes per coat under the UV light.
If that’s what you did, I’m afraid I haven’t a clue what went wrong.
This is all awfully confusing for first timers like myself haha I just want something that will last on my toes for a while (seeing as they chip easily – ten points me for stubbing my toes on every piece of furniture I own)
So in short, is there a difference between a 36W UV lamp and the 36W CND lamp?
If there is no difference between lamps, you should be able to cure Shellac in the average lamp in the same time limit CND specify, yes?
And lastly, can you cure OPI GelColour in an average 36W UV lamp (just by curing each layer for 2 minutes)? (I have my eye on Strawberry Margarita, but don’t want to fork out between $300-$600 for the OPI LED lamp, ouch!)
Sorry for all the blonde questions, but I’ve been reading so much about this my brain is just overloaded with conflicting information! Thanks in advance for your help :)
Hi Lauren,
Sorry for the reply delay! Sounds like you need steel-toe boots? *grin*
Soak-off colour is ideal for your pedicure. Re: lamps, the only difference between a 36W UV lamp and the 36W CND UV lamp is probably the brand name. And a professional lamp should be more durable than a less expensive type, right?
Nailene actually has a perfectly acceptable 36W UV lamp available for $70 at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. It seemed quite sturdy to me, ideal for home use. Here’s a link to their website for more information. http://www.nailene.com/products/gels. And yes, you should have no trouble curing Shellac in that lamp using the same time guidelines suggested by CND.
And yes, you’re correct — you should also be able to cure OPI GelColor in that 36W UV lamp, as long as you expose the colour for two minutes per layer.
Your questions weren’t blonde at all :-)
Hello,
I just tried using Shellac base and top coat with OPI cajun Shrimp gel color. I used a generic 36 w UV lamp that I picked up at Cosmopro for $56 bucks.
10 sec base coat, 2min gel color and 2 min top coat. Looks great!
I had shellac products and had to try opi gel color but didnt want to make an additional investment if I wasnt happy with products. Pros and cons to both. Shellac is thicker and covers easier, but OPI is thinner, easier to get fine lines, but I definitely cant get away with one coat for full coverage. I had minimal shrinkage lengthwise, but it definitely bled to the sides of the nail bed on my skin while under the lamp. I tried to apply thinnly, but odviously not thin enough. I didnt want to apply 2 coats incase it didnt work and I had to remove. I have gotten away with full coverage with one coat of shellac without bleeding or being too thick. Maybe thats why they give you more product with OPI, you definitely have to use more.
I think once I tame the beast of a new product, combining both products will work fine until I decide which line I like better. Hope this is helpful, I was just dying to try it out!
Wow. I am a gel polish virgin and am now, officially, overwhelmed.
I just happened to run across Sensationail at the drug store the other day and thought I would give it a whirl. I am a die-hard OPI girl but I have an 19 month old little boy and manicures (salon or home) simply don’t last for more than two days, tops. I liked the whole concept of it but their color selection is AWFUL so I started seeking out OPI products.
I found the OPI GelColor online but I don’t know what I need to get, aside from the color. The base coat, color, and top coat, just like regular polish? The Sensationail came in a kit, with all of the stuff, including the LED lamp — will this lamp work (I’m thinking it should)?
Thanks so much — I’m very excited to have polished nails again!
Hi Emily,
Yes, you’ll need an OPI GelColor base coat and top coat, and the LED lamp you have should work. Just know that it’ll take some practice to get the application down so your mani lasts as long as it should (without any lifting or finish flaws). Good luck!