Why I'll Never Get Gel or Dip Again
I'm a guitar player and busy mom who destroys a manicure in 48 hours. Here's the chip free nail polish system that finally held up — and the one I switched to for at-home manis.
Why I Quit Gel and Dip For Good
Okay, this is by far the most popular question I got from my Living with Landyn Instagram takeover — why did I say I'll never get gel or dip again? If you're an active woman looking for chip free nail polish that actually holds up, here's everything I know.
I'm a guitar player and a busy mom. I love a fresh mani/pedi — it's one of those small pleasures that makes me feel put together. The problem is I'm constantly raking my nails across metal strings, digging into a bag, or washing my hands twelve times a day. Gel and dip were never going to work for my life.
Every time I get gel or dip, I regret it. I’m stuck with the color until I can get back to the salon to get it removed with foils. Typically, after a few weeks, the polish starts to crack anyway. Or my nails grow out so far from the bed that it’s not a good look. And my nails are absolutely destroyed if I take off gel or dip and decide not to get them done again for a while. They’re paper thin, scratched and it takes the entire time of a nail to regenerate for them to look decent and strong again. You feel me, ladies?
The Polish That Started It All
Enter Dazzle Dry. This is the product that started it all for me — chip free for 1-2 weeks on fingers and 3-4 weeks on toes. It comes off with regular polish remover, and it's clean, cruelty free, and vegan. The system is four steps and you have to follow the directions exactly, but once you get it down it's easy. I still get Dazzle Dry on my toes at the salon. It's unbeatable for longevity.
This is day 5 of my mani.
“Alluring Charm” is my go-to Dazzle Dry color.
My next favorite part is it comes off with regular polish remover. Bonus: it’s clean, cruelty free, and vegan (did you know some polishes use animal by products? I didn’t until recently. What ARE we putting on and in our bodies?! Ew!).
My friend, Steph, originally told me about it and said a salon in my neighborhood offers it. I love getting my nails done professionally because they paint them way better than I can, but I’ve also bought the Dazzle Dry system and done them at home myself when I can’t get to the salon.
The system is 4 simple steps, but I will warn you: you must use the entire system and follow the directions for the polish to cure properly. When you receive your product in the mail, Dazzle Dry includes a QR code where you can watch a video to see how it’s done. It’s easy, but there are nuances. If you try it, I highly recommend watching the video first. The director training will make no bones about it: if your mani chips before 1 week, then you missed a step in the directions. I can attest, it took a little practice for me, but as I type this right now, I’m on day 4 of my at-home mani and going strong.
What I Use Now for At-Home Manis
For at-home manicures on my fingers, I've since switched to Olive and June. Easier system, same chip-free results, and the color range is incredible. If you want something low-maintenance that actually looks like you got them done, this is it.
Shop Olive and June on Amazon →
Try One. Tell Me Everything.
If you try either system, come back and tell me what you think. And if you want to see what I'm actually wearing on my nails any given week, I'm on Instagram at @laurenlucasmusic.
If you're in the market for more things I genuinely use and get asked about constantly, this post has you covered.
