Red Carpet Manicure Gel Polish Starter Kit: Review and Swatches

Disclaimer: Product featured was provided for review.

Today I am reviewing yet another gel manicure system for you guys. In the past, I've tried gel nail kits from both Sally Hansen and Fuse but both systems were very flawed- the Sally Hansen lamp broke after two uses and the Fuse polish had no staying power. So of course I had a lot of apprehension when I tried out the Red Carpet Manicure Gel Polish Starter Kit ($99 CAD at London Drugs). So how did this kit stand to the challenge, find out by clicking.......
The Red Carpet Manicure Gel Polish Kit Includes: 
• Professional LED Light (includes AC Power Cord Adapter)
• Prep - Max adhesion prep
• Structure - Gel base coat
• Brilliance - Gel top coat
• Revitalize - Cuticle oil
• Gel color polish in "Red Carpet Reddy"
• Purify - Pre & Post nail prep
• Erase - Gel polish remover

LED Lamp: 
This LED lamp is nice and spacious and fits four fingers at a time. Unfortunately, the lamp doesn't have a built-in timer so when I do my nails I have to have a timer around to keep track.

Red Carpet Manicure Gel Polish Starter Kit- LED Lamp

Purify Pre & Post Application Cleanser:
This is an alcohol-based cleanser that helps remove oil and debris from the nail and cuticles.

Erase Gel Nail Polish Remover:
This is an acetone-based polish remover. I used the foil method to help easily remove gel colors.

Purify Pre & Post Application Cleanser
Erase Gel Nail Polish Remover

Prep Max Adhesion Nail Sanitizer:
This is another alcohol-based cleanser that helps remove excess products/oil on the nails before the application of the base coat.

Structure Base Coat Nail Gel:
The first step of the manicure, this base boat takes one minute to cure. The formulation is quite thin and runny so it's important to apply a thin layer and not get any on the cuticles.

Prep Max Adhesion Nail Sanitizer & Structure Base Coat Nail Gel

LED Nail Gel Polish in "Red Carpet Reddy":
After applying the base coat, apply two layers of the gel color. "Red Carpet Reddy" is a bold cherry red. The pigmentation is quite rich and the formulation is also a bit runny so it's imperative to apply it in very thin coats. Each layer takes two minutes to cure.

Red Carpet LED Nail Gel Polish in "Red Carpet Reddy"

Brilliance Seal & Shine Top Coat Nail Gel:
This top coat takes two minutes to cure and much like the nail color and the base coat, it is quite runny so be very careful to not have it flooding the cuticles.

Revitalize Nourishing Nail & Cuticle Oil:
Made with grapeseed oil, kukui nut oil, sesame oil and vitamin E, this is a lovely cuticle oil that can be used after the manicure or on a daily basis to keep the cuticles nourished and soft.

Brilliance Seal & Shine Top Coat Nail Gel
Revitalize Nail & Cuticle Oil

LED Nail Gel Polish in "Red Carpet Reddy"

Result:

In terms of ease-of-use, this system takes a bit more skills and patience. Firstly, the fact that the LED lamp is not self-timed is a bit inconvenient. Secondly, the formulation of all the polishes are very runny so it's tricky to prevent them from flooding the cuticles. 

In terms of longevity though, this manicure system rocks. I experienced absolutely no chipping and only minimal tip wear/fading. There was no lifting or peeling and the manicure stayed super shiny until I removed it six days after. I don't like wearing the same nail color for too long but I reckon this one would last at least a couple of weeks if you don't mind your nails growing out too long.

Overall, this is an amazing kit with incredible wear. The price is a lot steeper than the other kits but it's well worth it.

Availability:

Red Carpet Manicure products are available in stores and online at London Drugs.