Soak Off Gel Nail Polish Brands

You're probably here because of the new soak off gel nail polish fad. It's a quick salon quality manicure in minutes. The nail overlays normally last for 2 weeks without chipping or peeling and your manicure stays shiny and beautiful the entire time. Let's dig into some of the soak off gel nail polish brands.

The recent popularity with soak-off gel polish comes due to the fact that you may not have enough time in the day to spend more than 30 minutes going for a manicure, and then another 30 minutes to take off your gel nail polish. Use a natural nail polish remover to keep your nails strong and healthy.

If you do everything properly, it comes on in 15 minutes and off in another 15.​

Too bad it's not as easy as it sounds. The first few times you do it yourself, expect to put in a solid 25 minutes of work into the process. Going to a salon is sometimes better. The best soak gel nail polish brands last up for 3 weeks and promote natural nail growth.

Let's get into the different brands that offer gel nail polish. You will learn about the quality, different application processes and the pros and cons.

The Different Soak Off Gel Nail Polish Brands

Gelish Soak-Off Gel Polish

"Performs like a gel, applies like a polish" is the sentence used to describe Gelish Soak Off Gel Nail Polish.

It's true to that saying, but so are all the other gel nail polishes. You apply it with a brush like regular nail polish. The only different is the base coat.

Gelish lasts longer than OPI Gel! This is mainly because they focus very heavily on their gel quality whereas OPI has a broad range of products.

There are several products that go into making a beautiful Gelish manicure.

Reasons to buy Gelish Soak off Gel Polish

Some downsides but not deal breakers

Go on Amazon to see the prices for Gelish Nail Polish!

OPI Gel Nails

A smooth and shiny gel nail polish. My most recent one lasted for 2 whole weeks with no chipping. I can compare this to Shellac which is my usual go-to nail polish but I wouldn't choose OPI gel polish over a Shellac manicure.

A very generic application process. Base coat, 2 layer coats and a top coat.

These are dried with an LED lamp. If you have a little manicure table light, it might contribute to drying the gel as well. Keep it a safe distance away to prevent it from interfering with your work!

The base coat is very thin and the brushes are very flat, making it very easy to apply on your nails.

OPI Gel Polish Top Coat

If you have been using OPI for a while, you may have noticed that some nails become matte after curing, while the rest of the nails are still glossy. This is usually because the

To solve this, I recommend you always give you base and top coat bottles a good shake and let them sit for a minute so they don't have air bubbles. You could also try applying 2 layers of the top coat. Wipe the first one and apply the second.

Worst case scenario, it is because of nail malnutrition. At this point, you should be taking steps towards nail treatment with either natural nail strengtheners or IBX.​

Reasons to buy OPI Soak off Gel Polish

Some downsides but not deal breakers

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel

A beautiful line of over 50 different shades of gel colors. Similarly to all the other gels except bio gels, this manicure is supposed to last for 2 weeks.

Miracle Gel does not need a base coat, therefore you just apply 2 color coats, a top coat, and that's it! You're done. I find it that gels without a base coat tend to not last as long, even if they claim to be 2-week chip proof. The weaker the bond, the weaker the gel nails.

Day to day I do household chores, artsy things and generally a lot of work with my hands. These last me 5 days, and the nail chipped when I woke up from the bed sheet. 

Reasons to buy Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Soak off Gel Polish

Some downsides but not deal breakers

Bio Sculpture Gel

 Photo by vicki_hudish from Instagram

The healthiest nail overlays and nail extensions available. This is a soak off gel nail polish brand that easily removes in 10-20 minutes with no excessive buffing or damage to the natural nail.

It can be directly applied to your natural nail, although it is highly recommended to apply a vitamin drop beforehand. There are no primers, bonders, basecoats and importantly, there are no odors or fumes during the application and removal process.

With over 200 different colors, you can wear your favorite for 3 weeks with no chipping or peeling.

If you have dry, weak or brittle nails, treat yourself to a bio gel manicure. Bio Sculpture Gel products have been clinically tested and were awarded a 5 star safety rating.

Reasons to buy Bio Sculpture Gel

Some downsides but not deal breakers

Read more about Bio Gel Nails here.​

Bio Seaweed Gel

The Bio Seaweed Gel brand is one of the other leaders in healthy bio gel nail products. It is Big-5 Free, does not dehydrate your natural nails, and doesn't involve and primers or bonders that deteriorate your natural nail health.

The UNITY product is an all in one system that doesn't need a base or top coat. Apply two to three layers and cure each layer under an LED lamp or a UV lamp.

These soak-off in 5 minutes, which is an industry record for soak-off removal for gel nail polishes and come in over 180 colors.

As usual, there are two methods of removing the gel nails. Either with cotton and foil or using a soak off tray, an alternative to the filling a bowl with acetone.

Reasons to get yourself a Bio Gel Manicure

Some downsides but not deal breakers

Read more about Bio Gel Nails here.​

Red Carpet

Red Carpet Manicure is not a very popular brand that you would see everday, however, they do have a line of soak-off gel nail polishes. I have personally never used Red Carpet gel, but based on reviews that people gave, I will provide you with a summary.

First off all, they're not very expensive, hovering around $7-$15 a bottle. In addition, they cure under LED in 45 seconds or for 3 minutes under a UV lamp and you have the option to use their gel nail polish removal kit.

Their LED Gel Polish comes in 76 different shades and last for ​around 10 days.

The process to soak off the red carpet manicure gel polish is similar to the other brands. Break away the top coat seal by using your nail file, and then proceed to soak your fingers in a bowl of acetone. ​

Reasons to buy Red Carpet Gel

Some downsides but not deal breakers

That's it for my little soak off gel nail polish brands review. I think that the best gel brand is Bio Sculpture Gel. Remember to keep your nails healthy, and honestly, treat yourself to a Bio Sculpture Gel nail overlay if you have never tried it!