Overview
Constant time on a PC makes for a short-lived manicure for copywriter Joslyn Hamilton, but after trying Couture Gel Nail Polish at-home kit, she’s a gel polish convert. “It’s pretty amazing, and something really different. It seriously does not chip and it’s not smelly like normal nail polish,” she says. The company calls the product “the 3-week manicure.” Hamilton says she applied the gel nail polish, and after a short curing process, her nails had the appearance of a salon manicure with a finish that was basically indestructible.
How it Works
Similar to a gel overlay manicure -- where a gel product is laid over the natural nail -- gel nail polish is a combination of gel and lacquer, cured under a UV lamp. To use Couture Gel Nail Polish, lightly buff the nail surface, then apply a base coat, color coat and topcoat, with a two-minute UV cure between each coat. After three weeks, or sooner if you wish, file off the topcoat and soak the nails in acetone briefly to remove the polish.
Innovation
Gel nail polish was an innovative, new salon service, offered in United States in 2010. According to Laura Jenkins, founder and CEO of Couture Gel Nail Polish, the brand is the first company in the world to offer a gel nail polish kit with a lamp, indicated for home use. The brand’s 36 watt UV lamp is the finest available in the affordable price range, according to Jenkins. “We researched and tested over 35 manufacturers of the UV lamp,” she says.
Rainbow of Colors
If you’ve been disappointed by the limited choice in gel polish colors at your local salon, you’ll find the selection available with Couture Gel Nail Polish far superior. “It comes in great colors, not just your usual run-of-the-mill, boring beiges and pinks – although they have those, too. It’s pretty rock ‘n roll,” Hamilton raves. There are nearly 30 shades with new colors launched seasonally.
Three-Free Formula
According to “The Daily Green,” no labeling or certification exists in the U.S. to designate a nail polish as safe or superior. The website recommends seeking brands free of specific harmful chemicals, known as the big three: formaldehyde, toluene and DBP. Unlike many of its competitors, Couture Gel Nail Polish does not contain this trio of carcinogenic ingredients.
Company with a Conscience
Jenkins created her company with her two college-age daughters. “I knew that in this economy we would have to do something pretty creative to ensure a financial future for our children,” she says. Both under 25, sisters Melissa and Kelsey are the company’s president and vice president of fulfillment. The company donates a percentage of its proceeds to the fight against breast cancer, and is developing a non-profit arm to fund a program that feeds children in Somalia. “This is the foundation for my wanting to launch this business in the first place,” says Jenkins.
