# Beauty crash test / semi permanent nail polish.. To do or not ..

Just before leaving for the Seychelles Islands, I finally decided to test something semi permanent, something that I haven’t tried before for various reasons. The first being my own personal reservations and prejudices (completely baseless ones I might add).. I was really reluctant at the idea of applying this kind of product on my nails, and specifically something that lasts for 1 month.. I think in my mind I automatically thought, semi permanent = gel, acrylic, fake nails = it will ruined my nails.. And the second reason is simply my job.. Even if I wanted to, being a model, it is impossible and impractical to keep the same polish for more than 3 days, so a month?? No way !! So I took advantage of these 10 days away from Paris, to push my prejudices aside and try and test semi permanent polish …

Rdv @Bleu cocotte..

For this crash test, I chose the best manicure of its kind, and even more so when it’s semi permanent. Because even if I have forgotten my original preconceptions, It is simply out of the question to put any old product, any old how in the first beauty nail salon I come across. So I booked an appointment with Agathe Pons, Essie representative & CEO @Bleu cocotte for a semi permanent mani pedi.. (actually, Agathe P. took care of my hands & feet on several photo shoots, so I know she does work perfectly.. As a professional manicurist & make up artist, she is a real perfectionist, meticulous and the end result is just perfect, the nails are always top, so I put my faith and my feet in her capable hands..)

1/Application

This time I decided to make do with a pedi application, as it was my first time, I decided to ease into it slowly… So we started with a foot treatment before getting down to business ; choosing the color, and the actual application… In fact everything is as with a normal polish application, (base coat, 2 coats of color, and a top coat), the only difference is that in between each coat, we put our nails underneath the UV machine that solidifies the gel. When the last coat is dry, Agathe massages my feet with a good hydrating cream and applies some cuticle oil and done ! My feet look amazing !

2/ The result

Magnificant.. and unlike nail polish, when the gel has solidified we can put our shoes and socks back on, which is not the case with normal nail polish, we always end up leaving in flip-flops or sandals, and if we have a manicure it is impossible to get our keys out from the bottom of our bag or touch anything without ruining it.. But this time, it’s dry, impeccable and glossy.. The colour is amazing and the overall effect is great ! So far, so good, we will have to see how things go with time, and during removal.

3/ Duration ?

Semi permanent polish is supposed to last 4 to 5 weeks but this time I only left it on for 10 days (my return to work obligated me to) but I don’t think I would leave it on any longer though.. 5For some of you who regularly do this I would love to hear you opinions and experiences, and what condition your nails were in afterwards.)

4/ Removal

Either we can pay for a removal at Bleu cocotte, or we can do it at home (after a detailed explanation from Agathe of course). I decided to remove mine at home, using Agathes advice, and everything went just fine. You just need to file the polish a little, and then apply cotton balls to each finger, coated in the nail polish remover for roughly 20 minutes. (you can wrap the tip of your feet up with aluminium foil, cover with big sock and wait for the nail polish remover to melt the gel) The polish comes off easily, and underneath my nails were as good as new !

5/ To do or not ?

Yes!!! But only occasionally (for me anyway). I think that semi permanent is the ideal solution for holidays, or when you want to be able to leave your nails for a while without having to redo them every week. However I would’t do it regularly because I’d worry about ruining my nails.. In any case the end result is very beautiful and it is certainly extremely practical ; my feet were beautiful during my time away.

A successful crash test and an experience that I will be doing again very soon for my next trip ….

Thank Bleu cocotte <3

xoxo