Are Gel Top Coats The Healthier Alternative to A Gel Manicure?

The recent buzz about gel manicures causing cancer has been a hot topic lately. The longer lasting coats of polish that many women love may, in fact, be too good to be true. Although they say that risks of cancer are said to be pretty low, gel manicures still have a tendency to really damage your nails.  The UV light that hardens the polish can also cause plenty of skin damage on your hands (hey, it’s basically a mini tanning machine, right?). A key factor is that wearing the same polish for a long period of time can start to cause some funky things to go on underneath. If this scare is something you’re not taking lightly, these new type of topcoats have come around at the perfect time.

Even if you’re not an avid gel manicure client, a chip-free manicure is still something to crave. No one wants spend time and money on a mani just to have it chip the next day. Many topcoats promise long-lasting shine and zero chips for a long (er) period of time, but if your lifestyle or career doesn’t help them deliver, what do you turn to?  Before gel coats, it was a gel manicure. Now, you can get the same look and feel of a gel manicure without the salon appointment and the UV light curing. Deborah Lippmann, LCN, and Dior have already launched these gel manicure alternatives and we think it’s only a matter of time that these polishes will replace your average topcoat.

Here’s the scoop on these new nail innovations. They look like topcoat, but finish as a gel manicure. They can be easily removed with nail polish remover, but last and stay shiny for a while. Okay, so maybe you won’t have a perfect manicure for two weeks, but who wants to have the same color on their nails for that long anyway? 

Dior Gel Coat ($25)

You already apply a topcoat, so why not use this one to get the look of a gel manicure? Just one coat makes your nail polish appear stronger and thicker. When you’re ready for a change, all you need is your favorite nail polish remover to take it off. No soaking and no scratching are necessary.

Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab ($45)

This base and topcoat set doesn’t require any curing. Simply apply the Coat Of Arms, wait a minute or two, apply your favorite polish and top it off with a coat of Shining Armor. Voila! A gel-like manicure with extended wear. Both polishes are infused with biotin, green tea extract and aucoumea to strengthen the nails and keep them healthy. 

LCN Polish Seal ($21.90)

This topcoat is the closest thing to an easy gel manicure at home. This one does require a few minutes of curing, but hear us out. You can use a UV lamp, but it works just as well if you simply hold your hand under a 60-watt light bulb. Got any lamps hanging around your house? Of course you do! Even though you have to cure it, it comes off without a fuss. It even promises a scratch-resistant surface.

Do you think these gel topcoats are the key to a perfect manicure without the cancer scare?