Sassy girls love a fresh coat of paint – particularly when it’s a brand new kind of nail polish!
While I tend to opt for gel-based varnishes to help my manicures stand the test of time between nail appointments, I recently tested a lacquer that’s a newcomer to Hong Kong’s salon scene. From CND (the creators of cult nail system Shellac) comes Vinylux, a fast-drying, long-lasting polish that is now available at Nude in Central.
Vinylux positions itself as a ‘polish that defies time’. Available in a whopping 62 colours, it’s easily applied, dries quickly (without the aid of a UV light), and its staying power increases with natural light. Yes, you read correctly – it continues to harden in the days following application!
To be clear, Vinylux is not designed to be harder-wearing or ‘better’ than Shellac, so it’s important not to compare the two. Instead, Vinylux sits in a middle area: it’s not as strong as a gel nail polish but it claims to be longer lasting and more chip-resistant than a regular polish.
One thing I particularly like about Vinylux is the efficient application process. While a regular mani can be a bit slow-going with the base coat, followed by two coats of coloured polish, a top coat and then up to 60-minutes of drying time tacked onto the end, my Vinylux experience at Nude was super speedy. Once my nails had been trimmed, filed and prepped, it took my manicurist about 20 minutes to both paint each hand and for the Vinylux itself to fully dry. The self-adhering colour coat eliminates the need for a base coat, which helps makes the process especially efficient.
While Vinylux claims to give you a week’s worth of chip-free wear, Angelina from Nude said she’s had it last up to two weeks. Here’s how I found it…
Day 1
Very happy with how my nails look and feel – I opted for a deep green hue with a metallic silver accent nail on each hand. The Vinylux dried quickly and smoothly, which is a good thing as I started digging around my handbag as soon as I left Nude (a cardinal sin following a regular mani!).
Day 3
Still looking good but unfortunately a couple of tiny chips have appeared (which is a bit of nuisance as I’m now away on holiday). Hoping the rest of my nails stay intact!
Day 5
Five days in and overall my nails are still looking OK – the metallic polish seems to be slightly more resilient than the green. My nails aren’t particularly long, so filing down the chipped tips isn’t much of an option…
Day 7
Feeling like I might need to part ways with the polish now. It’s done reasonably well to stand the test of a week that’s seen much cooler temperatures (in Japan).
Removal
After soaking my nails with acetone, the Vinylux came away relatively easily – although a couple of my fingers have been stained green…
Overall verdict
There’s no denying Vinylux is a lot sturdier than regular polish; however, I was disappointed that it continued to chip over the course of a week – by day seven, although the polish was still in good condition across the majority of my nails, the tips of my nails were looking a bit worse for wear. I would consider using Vinylux again, but would probably opt for a pedicure rather than a manicure next time!
Nude is currently giving clients the chance to upgrade to use Vinylux FOR FREE no matter what nail services they choose; the offer ends 31 January 2014. Beyond the promotion period, people can choose to use Vinylux by adding $70 to the price of any manicure or pedicure.
Nude Beautique (M88 branch) 14-01 M88 Building, 2-8 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong
2868 9100 www.nudewaxing.com.hk
Nude Beautique (V Plus branch) 8/F V Plus, 68-70 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong
2868 9100 www.nudewaxing.com.hk