Red Carpet Manicure - Red Carpet Worthy?

With the latest fad being gel nails, I figured that I would try out both the salon version and the at home version. After visiting three different salons, I went to Ulta and purchased the Red Carpet Manicure Pro 45 Starter Kit for $79.99. Thankfully, I didn't have to pay full price because I had a 20% off coupon.


Photo Cred: Target

The box contains a UV light, a red gel polish, polish remover, a purifying liquid, a base coat, a top coat, a prepping liquid, and a revitalizing oil. The polish remover and purifying liquid are both smaller sizes while everything else is full size. As for the polish remover, I don't find a difference between that and just regular acetone.  

The bottle on the left is full size that I purchased separately and the bottle on the right is the size that came with the kit.  

The packaging itself was good. Nothing fancy, just a simple box; not too big, not too small. Everything inside fit neatly in the box. Was it durable enough to last for a long time? No. I did end up purchasing a plastic container to store everything in. Part of the problem was that I had purchased a bunch of different colors to go with so they didn't all fit in the box. 

Color selection is pretty good. I'd love it if they came out with a few more pastel colors. I feel like most of the colors that they have are very dark which would be perfect for fall or winter; however, I purchased this product in the spring so it probably didn't work out as well as it could have.

Above are the brighter colors that I have.
Left to right: Nervous with Anticipation, After Party Playful, Star Power, Candid Moment, Paparazzied, Ooo La Liscious, and White Hot. 

 

Above are the darker colors that I have.

Left to right: Publicity Stunt, Scandalous, My Inspiration, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Red Carpet Ready, Black Stretch Limo, Midnight Affair, and Plum Up the Volume. 

As for mixing different polishes from different brands, I would not do so. I tried using the brand FingerPaints, and found that the polish would goop up and be bumpy and thick. My nails also did not look as shiny. 

The application of the polish is very nice. The polishes are very pigmented and apply very nicely to the nail. The polishes are pretty thin except for the base and top coat. They're a little bit thicker but not to the point where the polishes are unusable. I noticed with the top coat, the brush can sometimes pick up the color from the polish on your nails. That doesn't ruin the polish, tho.



The color on my nails is called "Midnight Affair". Depending on the lighting, the color appears either more navy or more like a dark turquoise. 

It takes some time to get used to painting with the polish because certain colors sometimes shrink under the UV light and now you really need to be careful because unlike regular polishes that can be easily touched up, once you cure the polish with the UV light, you're basically at the point of no return. 

Removal is not bad at all. I have found that if I take a small tupperware container and fill it with enough Acetone to cover my finger tips and nails, and let my nails soak, that's the easiest way to remove the polish. Then, I take an orange stick and scrape the polish off. However, most of the polish peels off itself and the rest comes off with little to no effort. 

Is the Red Carpet Manicure system red carpet ready? I'd say so! I love how easy it is and how shiny it looks. When I would go to the salon to pay for a gel manicure, it would cost me between $30-$35. With this system, I've gotten my money worth in just two manicures!

Hope you enjoyed this review! Follow me on instagram at natalieb0813 or on twitter @budigbabe. If there are any products you would like for me to review, either comment below or email me at natalie.budig@comcast.net.