Another case of the enabler enabled. This time I blame Renu from Cosmetopia Digest who enthusiastically reviewed Le Mini Macaron Gel Manicure Kit. I mean, zilla can’t help it. From the cute packaging to its promise of chip-free mani for days, I ordered one starter kit pronto.
So what is this sorcery I am talking about? simply put, it’s a kit which contains mini-1 finger LED lamp with USB and charger, 10ml gel polish, cuticle stick, mini nail file, and 10 remover pre-soaked pads valued at $35 (I paid $17 shipping). In less than two weeks, my order came all the way from Shanghai, China. (looking at their website, they maintain two other offices in Alabama, USA and France). Nicely packed, all intact thankfully!
I settled for grape because it looks vibrant and enticing online. Just so you know, you can buy the gel polish individually ($15) which I plan to do down the line. It comes with instructions but operation is pretty basic. Let me show you how…
STEP 1 | Push back cuticle skin using the cuticle stick included in the kit to create more surface area to work on.
STEP 2 | File entire flat surface of nail for better gel polish adherence. Wash hands and wipe accordingly.
STEP 3 | Plug the gadget then coat one nail at a time very thinly. Like really thin so it’s cured properly. In my experience, my nails felt really hot under the lamp when they’re painted thick at first coat but surprisingly felt close to nothing if coated thin.
STEP 4 | Press power button then place nail under LED lamp. It turns off automatically after 30 seconds. Coat nail thinly for the second time and then place under lamp again. While you can repeat the process depending on the thickness and vibrance you desire, I stopped at second.
Not a nail pro but my gel mani came decent at first attempt. On to my learning curve: patience is a virtue, indeed. I wasn’t kidding when I said that my nails felt hot, like incredibly hot I had to turn off the device few times. Reason being, I applied the gel polish too thick so without sounding like a broken record, coat one nail at a time super thin. Removing the gel polish requires another ounce of patience. While this kit came with remover pads (you’re supposed to wrap your nails with each one and let it soak for 15 mins), I ended up using acetone and bigger pads because I can’t wait that long. Anyways, whether what I did was right or wrong, I had to use the cuticle stick to push back the nail polish. Overall, I had five straight days with negligible chipping (right thumb, minor chip) which I consider a feat considering I wash and sanitize my hands frequently (25 times or more in a day).
have you tried something like this?
Soooo cute 😀 Love that the little light looks like a macaron!
Gorgeous mani, Kath! This is one seriously cute kit, too!
The color is so gorgeous, but between the hot nails, application and removal process I'm a little wary of trying gel polish!
If you have patience, I think you can handle this…coming from an impatient woman 😀
This is SO cute – and I love anything macaron, haha. I need this!!!
That is so adorable! I love how portable it is!
I love that color!
Ooh my goodness this is so cute, and so glam heheh
This looks so much better and more portable than the ones that I have.
That is a cute little system. I love that the light looks like a macaron. I'm concerned that the gel gets hot if you apply thick coats, tho. I am a notoriously thick polish applier. Probably not the system for me.
True that. I'm a thick polish gal too so it gets really hot when you apply it that way
I tried a gel polish and LEd light a few years ago and the polish peeled off in a day. Looks like things have improved since then!
I'm not a gel person so I wouldn't get this but I know it can be a life saver for people who are hard on their nails.
I remember Renu's post about this kit, and even though I have a gel lamp, I was still tempted by that cute macaron! It's so travel-friendly, too. Love that grape color, it seems like a great color for you.
The mini lamp is too cute! I love that shade too.
Wow that looks really dainty and nice! Love that purple!
Hi Kathryne! Thanks so much for featuring Le Mini Macaron on your blog!! I actually just stumbled upon it. We love that you loved the product!!
Just so you know, we have our 2nd Kickstarter campaign going and there are new kit colors and also several deals on gel polish ($30 for 3 bottles!) and our remover kit too!
Feel free to tell your readers and friends about it!!
Here's the link:
http://kck.st/1UBuHKx
All the best,
Christina Kao
Creator of Le Mini Macaron
http://www.leminimacaron.com