You know the way some people can be instantly transported to a time and place from their past when they hear a song? I can do that with nail polish shades. There’s the metallic pale blue I wore on repeat for all of fifth grade (I love her confidence) and the cherry red of high school that perfectly coordinated with my cheerleading uniform. In my early career days, I favored a dark wine shade which I paired with new glasses to be taken more seriously. And my current barely-there-pink has been a long and faithful friend as a tired mom who can barely bother.
And through all these years, I’ve mostly trekked to a local salon, eventually favoring longer-lasting gel manicures over regular nail polish as my life has gotten more full of dishes to wash. But frankly, what used to feel like a treat or a little “me time” has started to feel more like a chore. Enter Olive & June’s Gel Mani System.
From the start, founder Sarah Gibson Tuttle’s mission for Olive & June has always been to teach the general public how to do their own nails. While I can happily stare at an Instagram reel of someone applying intricate nail art, that is just not what I’m after. And thanks to the intuitive design of the Olive & June system, perfectly pretty at-home gel manicures are easier than ever.
Olive and June Gel Mani System
Cons
- Learning Curve for Newbies
- Wear Time Results Vary
I know “system” might sounds like a big, intimidating word if you’ve never attempted an at-home gel manicure, but that’s exactly what sets Olive & June apart from other gel kits. For $85, each system comes with a bevy of tools and thoughtful instructions that take your manicure to the next level. There’s the usual suspects, like a nail file, cuticle cream and clipper—all fabulous. Then everything you’ll need for the full gel experience: the pale pink LED gel lamp for curing your polish, a gel base and top coat, a peel off base coat (more on that later!) and a gel polish color of your choosing (or six for $115).
But then there’s these unexpected, why-didn’t-I-think-of-that tools like the Poppy which attaches to the top of the nail polish bottle and help you paint your non-dominant hand. Genius! Or the perfectly tiny Clean Up Brush that, dipped in their acetone remover, ensures you can clean up any stray polish on the edge of your nail (you don’t want to cure gel to your skin, friends). The inside lid of the nail polish remover bottle even has a little sponge for removing polish from your toes. They have seriously thought of everything!
The kit comes with everything you need for a professional-style manicure, including an LED light, clippers, brush, file, the viral Poppy tool, and more.
How I Tested
Now that I’ve sold you on the ease of the system, let’s talk details. I’ve used the system 4 times. Twice with the peel off base coat and twice with the regular gel base coat.
If you’ve never painted with gel polish, it will likely take some getting used to. It’s thicker than regular polish, but you do have some time to work with it since it doesn’t start drying until you cure it under the lamp.
If you opt for the peel off base coat, your manicure won’t last as long but will quite literally (and gently!) peel off when you’re ready for a new color. The first time I tried it, I painted on too much and had nails that were peeling by day 4. I learned my lesson (and followed the tutorials more closely) and nailed it on my second attempt by painting the base coat only on the inside of my nails which ended up lasting beautifully for 8 days before showing any signs of wear.
I can see myself using this when I know I’ll be in the mood to change colors sooner than the average wear time (which Olive & June says is about 10 days).
The gel-polish was instantly long-lasting for me. I didn’t quite make it to the three week mark that Olive & June touts, but I made it pretty darn close. Using the Salon-Speed Soak-Off Kit ($12 with a gel system, or $16 on it’s own) makes removal easier than ever. It comes with 10 silicone nail caps that you insert with little sponges and soak with acetone for a 10-15 minute removal start to finish.
Overall, once I acclimated to the consistency, I loved the end results which were shiny and even, thanks to the self-leveling quality of the polish. And with all of the needed tools, I was able to achieve that type-A approved precision that really screams “professional manicure.”
My nails after getting an at-home manicure that rivals that of a $50 one from the salon.
Why I Love It
Formulated with as few allergens as possible and two easy methods of removal, the Olive & June gel polish leaves my nails much less damaged than traditional salon manicures. And besides saving me precious time at the nail salon, Olive & June is saving me money. I usually pay around $50 for a salon gel manicure, so the kit paid for itself after my third at-home manicure.
In summary, I think the Olive & June Mani System is really special. Olive & June ensures you have the tools needed for a salon-quality manicure at-home and makes the whole process seamless. Plus, I saved an hour going to and from the salon and painted my nails a festive shade of red while watching a new holiday rom-com from the comfort of my couch. And with Christmas only a few weeks away, it’s sure to last me until I’m ready to break out some sparkles for New Year Eve.
Maribeth B Jones is the Design Director of Country Living where she creates seasonal content full of warmth and playfulness. When she’s not wrangling chickens for a cover shoot you can find her collecting vintage oil portraits or flipping pancakes in her sunny, yellow kitchen with her two chatty daughters.
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