REVIEW: Broadway Nails Real Life Brush-On Gel Nail Kit

Sunday 21 October 2012

Hey Ladies,

Phew what a product name, I have recently removed my gel nails mainly due to not being able to find the time for an infill before a trip to London & after breaking one I popped to Boots one evening after work to pick up a kit & thought i'd review it as I got a few questions on Twitter.

Broadway Nails Real Life Brush-On Gel Nail Kit rrp £13.49
I actually got the kit that has clear tips

'Broadway Nails Pro Glue Manicure Nail Kit comes with artificial nails with a self tab nail tip which makes them easy to apply with precision. Once in place, tabs can be twisted off, leaving the perfect length nail with no filing or trimming needed.
Once nail tip has been applied, use the mistake-proof brush-on gel with self-levelling formula to set on the nails to give a smooth gel finish with no buffing or filing needed. The Broadway Nails Pro Glue Manicure Nail Kit is perfect for beginners.

The application of the nails I found fairly simple, the instructions are easy to follow and the process is a pretty quick one in theory. Glue the tips on, blend the line of the tip, apply gel and follow with the activator and then add another layer of gel and activator. Simples. The gel is self levelling but you need to make sure you are going over the nail evenly otherwise the gel will be thinner in places so they will break more easily. 

As for the 'perfect length' drivel they're not, some people like short nails other people love talons, I am somewhat in the middle so did need to file them a little so you do need to tailor them to how you like them which does take time as does finding the tips to fit your nails, to me there was lack of pinkie nail tips, in fact I didn't find one small enough even on the first application so maybe introducing a kit for people with more petite nails might be an idea.

The overall process does takes longer than press on nails and so if you are in hurry they're probably not the best option but they look a lot more professional and natural but then again the kit is a lot more expensive than press on nails (In the US its like $9 but £13.50 in the UK, don't you just hate that?)

Are they a replacement for salon gel nails? Of course they're not. Strength wise they aren't great, on my second application I ended up applying about 4 coats of the gel to make them more durable but they still didn't last a long time. Wear time is around 5 - 6 days I'd say and so if you're wanting the nails on all the time you're probably better off going to a salon it will ultimately save you time and would end up cheaper as you'd need 2 kits a month which totals £30ish.

Overall I probably wont purchase a kit like this again, I love the look of the nails but they just aren't durable enough for me, perhaps i'm heavy handed as they do break relatively easily but if you have a special occasion or short break & don't like press on nails it is a great option and the kit has successfully seen me through the couple of weeks since I removed my nails until my nail appointment on monday.

Its strange I do recommend this kit to people but don't at the same time, I guess it should come with a warning that it isn't like a salon gel manicure but an alternative to press on nails. If you are going to buy a kit i've included a few pointers below.

My Application Tips
  • The tips have a little ridge where you should glue up to & then with your nail tip meeting the ridge at a right angle push down on to the nails so that the tip of your nail meets the ridge of the tip and it makes sure there are no air bubbles under the tip, this isn't included in the instructions but makes a big difference to the overall appearance.
  • The blending of the tip is an important step if you plan to keep them polish free or use a sheer polish over the top as it can be noticeable underneath the gel, just soak the edge in lots of the cleanser then go at it with the file and it is relatively easy, it is totally skip-able if you want to paint over them.
  • Seriously use a well ventilated room as it is strong stuff, I actually burnt my lungs doing this & was wheezing for a couple of days & also don't bend your head over your hands as it really makes your eyes hurt.
  • I personally found it easiest to apply the gel to a nail & then the activator straight away instead of applying the gel to all the nails then the activator as the activator needs to be applied over wet gel so it saves you having to rush so you can be more precise & make sure the nail is fully covered and even.
Overall it is a good kit to have if you're between nail appointments or you have a special occasion but not one to use long term.

Have you ever tried one of these kits? A few brands do them but i'm assuming they'll all be similar so I don't have any desire to try any others.



7 comments

  1. Broadway Nails and their shoddy marketing, again!
    This is not a gel nail kit but a fibreglass one minus the fibreglass, it is essentially glue over tips for it to be gel there as to be UV light involved.

    The activator is there to dry the glue quickly but the fumes released from it are dangerous when inhaled, you're better off with stick-ons.

    www.pinksparkle84.blogspot.com

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  2. I disagree. I bought this kit two weeks ago. I have not had a single chip or break. I work full time as a hairstylist so my hands are constantly in water, yet they are still going strong. The fumes we're a lot less than those associated with the acrylic nail applications. I will definitely buy these again.

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  3. Where in New Jersey can you purchase just the refill nail tips for this kit?

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  4. Where in New Jersey can you purchase just the refill nail tips for this kit?

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  5. What do i do if my brush on gel is pretty much dried out in the bottle? Shall I just throw it away and waste money or can I somehow revive it?

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  6. While gel nails can be prone to peeling, they are known to be more flexible than acrylic nails and won't damage your natural nails. However, acrylic nails tend to look less natural than gel nails. These nails are also challenging to remove without damaging your nail bed. futureinbeauty.com

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  7. Beautiful, thanks for sharing us. fake nails are also in trend.

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