Is Gel Nail Polish Worth the Cost?

Gel nails are really popular right now. You can only get them done at a salon, it costs significanly more than regular nail polish, but apparently it lasts 2 weeks or more. When I get regular manicures or paint my nails myself, it lasts maybe 3 days before chipping.

  

I decided to try the gel out and see if it's worth the time and the money. Here is my experience:

I went to my normal day spa which uses OPI. Gel colors are limited, but I picked Russian Navy. It's a sparkly dark blue.

 

 

 

Same day as manicure: 

Natural light

Indoor light

Russian Navy

A week after manicure: 

With flash

 No chipping yet! The biggest problem was how fast my nails grow.

 

Two weeks after manicure: 

 

After exactly two weeks, the polish started chipping and had to be taken off. My nails grow quite fast so my biggest problem was that the space between the cuticle and the polish.

Worth the cost?

Gel manicure: $33 Lasted 15 days ($2.20/day)

Regular manicure: $15 lasts ~5 days ($3/day)

Nail polish at home: Less than $4.00 for a bottle ~3 days (teeny tiny costs)

I certainly won't get them done every time I want color, but for a special occasion gel is definitely a better alternative to a regular manicure.