Happy last Friday of March, y'all! Today I'll be sharing my thoughts/feedback on a new top coat I've been using these past few months, the essence Gel-look Plumping Top Coat.

So basically I bought this because I wanted to experience gel-looking nails without breaking the bank. Gel nails are uber glossy and look a bit elevated/embossed and apparently they last a long time. However, getting them done is quite time consuming and pricey, plus the removal can only be done in nail salons. So yes, long story short, I'm cheating by being a cheapskate lol.

I got the top coat back in Singapore and I remember grabbing it because it was the only bottle left. The 8ml bottle cost less than S$5 so that was a steal. The formula of the top coat is a bit thick unlike the new water-based top coats that are runny and thin. I'm happy to report that even if it's a little thick, it was a breeze to work with. I can easily apply it the first time and it didn't take long for it to dry as well. In terms of the "gel look" claim, yes, it does make your polish look extra glossy and the embossed/elevated effect is there for the first couple of days. As days pass by, I noticed that the top coat becomes thin which lessens the glossiness of the nails. The gel effect goes away by the second day so if you want to keep up the gel look, you have to reapply it every other day or so.

I guess overall it's a good top coat but it didn't blow me away with the gel effect. I feel like if you look past all the gel claims, it's just another top coat. Would I repurchase it? Probably not. Guess I'll just keep using it and enjoy extra shiny polish for a few more mani sessions.