Gel Nails, CND Shellac Vs. O.P.I Gelcolor Vs. Gelish Review

O.P.I Gelcolor

O.P.I Gelcolor launched with 30 colours, this increased to 36 shortly after. I just checked their UK trade website for this post, and it appears they now have nearly 100 click here to view! Colours stocked will vary by salon, but you can always ask them to order in your favourite.

I had my O.P.I nails done at NUYU in Lichfield; they had a limited colour selection on O.P.I compared to Shellac. However I was drawn to O.P.I because of the glitter gels. O.P.I Gelcolor has glitter in the gel itself. I chose the colour ‘my favourite ornament’ and I was not disappointed. It was uber glittery and sparkly.

The girl who did my nails warned me, O.P.I isn’t as strong as Shellac (in her opinion). She suggested it might need to be taken off and reapplied before the three-week threshold. Personally I found that the polish stayed on perfectly for two weeks, but after that it began to lift at the edges.

O.P.I pro tips state that Gelcolor treatment will last two-plus weeks. Depending on say the condition of the client’s nails and how they use their hands. I found this to be entirely accurate.

CND Shellac

They have a wide range of colours; some of them are really funky. You can have glitter brushed on top to personalize the colours too! So far I have had Shellac done twice, the first time I had pink, then second time I had white, with an iridescent pink glitter brushed over the top.

According to their website, they have 83 shades. So O.P.I have actually overtaken them, but I really don’t think this translates to what you find in the salons. Not right now anyway.

Their website says their gels offer high shine for 14+ days. I definitely agree with the shine. They stayed shiny the entire time, but they looked messy before two weeks. However, they didn’t chip or peel. They just didn’t look as neat for as long as the O.P.I ones did. They did begin to peel at the edges as I approached the three-week mark.

I can’t say there is a huge difference between the two, personally O.P.I wins it for me, but I still love Shellac, and think both are well worth the money. If they have an O.P.I gel in the colour I want, I will go for that one, but I would go for shellac if I need it to last a little bit longer, or they have a colour that O.P.I don’t do.

Gelish

Some people are massive fans of Gelish, but me, not so much. The best thing about it was the price: £10 cheaper than CND Shellac & O.P.I Gelcolor, but of course this will vary by salon.

I found that the gel was very thick, and shiny, it almost looked like I had false nails, or very short acrylics. This made the regrowth very noticeable. After a week, I felt they looked like they needed redoing, even though they hadn’t chipped, lifted or peeled.

The positives are the durability- the gel is extremely hard, this is probably due to the thickness, and it didn’t peel or chip before 3 weeks. Secondly at £15 the price is affordable, especially as, you really wouldn’t need them doing until 3-4 weeks (if you can stand the regrowth). Which would save you some substantial dollar in the long run.

Chunky Vegetable Provençal Recipe

Going back many, many years, my Uncle sent me the recipe for his homemade ratatouille. Which he used to make when we went to visit. I have been making this dish ever since, but have made so many changes its now morphed into a new recipe, hence the name change.

I want to share this recipe with the world because it is super healthy, super versatile and super easy... Not to mention super delicious! It has been a staple of mine throughout university, and it is a speedy way to make sure you are well on your way to consuming 5 a day!

I'm not sure exactly how many of your 5 a day it gives you, but as an estimate - at least 2-3. This will vary depending on what vegetables you put in and how big your portion sizes are... and, most importantly what you serve with it! I personally think it goes great with pasta or rice with a sprinkle of cheese on top, but it's equally great on its own with some crusty bread for dipping. In the past I have even served it with sweet potato mash and a side salad. So don't be afraid to experiment!

Below I have listed the ingredients I typically use, however, you can use whichever vegetables you like, the more the merrier! The recipe will make a large amount, enough for 4, if its served on it own.
You can cut the recipe but I tend to always make more than I need, because the great thing about this dish is the flavours infuse, so it tastes even better the following day (or even the day after that!). You can also freeze it for future use, making it perfect for students.

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Ingredients
3 leeks
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 pack of chestnut mushrooms
A dozen vine ripened tomatoes (you can use cherry tomatoes)
1 tin of sweetcorn
2 red onions (you can use white)
Chilli flakes
Paprika
Salt + pepper to taste
Mixed herbs
A big squeeze of tomato puree
Olive oil (or whichever cooking oil you prefer)

*Note -  I normally use courgette as well, but it was out of stock at the shop.

Suggestions - Aubergine, Carrot, Kale, Pak Choi, Spinach, Green Beans, Mange Tout, Baby Sweetcorn, Lentils.

Method
1. Chop the leek, onion, mushrooms and courgette first, make them chunky, then throw them in a big pan with the oil over a medium heat, stir occasionally.
-      If your pan isn't big enough, soften the courgette first, then the leeks, then add the mushrooms       and onion.
Throw in a few shakes of chilli flakes to add some flavour whilst cooking.

2. While this is simmering, chop the pepper, and wash the tomatoes. You can soften the pepper in a separate pan before adding to the main pan with the other veg.

3. Add the peppers and vine/cherry tomatoes to the big pan, and leave to cook for another 5-10 mins.

4. Add the herbs, a dash of paprika, a few more shakes of chilli flakes (2/3), salt and pepper, and the chopped tomatoes - use some water to swill out the cans (about a 1/4 of a can), and add this to the pan. The chopped tomatoes and water should just cover the veg, add the puree and leave to simmer.
-       The longer the better! I leave mine for about 30-45 mins.

During this time, you can prepare what you want to serve it with e.g. pasta, rice, chicken etc...

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Tips

If you use more vegetables, then make sure you cook the ones that will take longest to soften first.

If you use extra, you may need extra chopped tomatoes. So bear this in mind when buying the ingredients.

Let me know what you think...

Please comment below

Thanks :)

P.S Here's a list of this months upcoming student recipes…. STAY TUNED!

Flattened breaded fillet of chicken, served with a rocket, vine tomato and parmesan salad, with a sweet chilli dressing

Tarragon chicken in white wine sauce

Low fat moussaka with greek yoghurt