The Manucurist’s Green Flash nail set is said to be durable, easy to remove and a ‘clean alternative’ to a gel manicure. Madeleine Crutchley took it for a test drive.
The promise
The Manucurist, a beauty brand that makes its products in France, launched the Green Flash collection in 2019.
It’s a similar process to getting gel nails done by a professional, with an LED lamp used to ‘cure’ the polish to a firm texture. The proposed difference and benefits lie in the product formulas and easy removal.
Manucurist claims to offer the first alternative to ‘methacrylate monomer’ gel polishes, with their Green Flash polishes forgoing substances that the company says can be sensitising and damaging to the skin. Instead of an acetone-based remover, the Green Flash set includes a bottle of ‘dissolving water’ which promises to work quickly and gently to remove the polish. The kit is also cruelty-free and vegan.
The Green Flash Routine Set that I use includes a base coat, two polishes in a classic ‘poppy red’ and ‘hortencia’ pink, a top coat, a bottle of remover, cuticle oil, a 24W LED lamp and five nail clips, for holding remover to the nail polish.
The practice
The last time I had gel nails done, I really liked them for about a week. After that, I was really frustrated by the feel and look while my nails grew back in and became desperate to get the polish taken off. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the process, wiggling in the chair while a nail technician filed back the polish.
Since then, I’ve been a little resistant to devoting time or money to doing my nails. This is partly due to my own inability to keep them fresh and unchipped, and partly due to my newfound, slightly stereotypical yo-pro bouldering hobby (which requires clipped nails to climb with maximum dexterity). In general, the process rarely feels rewarding enough for me to justify the effort. My usual routine includes a simple coloured polish and top coat, which I’ll do over a slow weekend or for special occasions.
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Advertise with NZME.Looking over all the polishes and machinic bits in the Green Flash kit is slightly intimidating. However, there are little pamphlets and online tutorials to guide you through the process, and each bottle of polish is numbered, so it’s quite straightforward once you’ve been fully briefed.
The texture of the coats and polishes are really smooth and they’re not too runny or messy, building nicely on the nail. The LED lamp is also straightforward to use, with a timer on top counting down each curing period. I use the pink polish, to really test how opaque the formula is. Though it does have a slightly translucent look, it’s one of the better light colours I’ve used — there’s a kind of glazed effect that’s quite elegant.
The product that I like the most is the cuticle oil, as it feels luxurious and moisturises my nails and fingertips nicely. I can imagine also using it when I’m filing my nails and pushing my cuticles back, for a slightly more luxurious addition for a basic manicure.
The whole process takes about 20 minutes and I’m left with a pearly pink set of nails, firmly set. There’s no real cleanup needed around the nails either, making the kit friendly for even an amateur skill set.
The place
The Green Flash Routine Set is available online at Mecca.co.nz
The price
The set, which includes one polish alongside the base coat, top coat, remover, lamp and nail clips, according to the Mecca site, will cost you $145 online.
A single bottle of polish, from which you can choose from 21 shades, costs $37 and the cuticle oil costs $27.
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Advertise with NZME.The verdict
Overall, I’m pleasantly surprised by the Green Flash kit. Though it does take a little longer than the simple polish and top coat routine I’d usually do special occasions, the results are definitely slicker. The short drying time is also a major bonus — I don’t miss the nervous checks of the polish as it dries or those awkward hand maneuvers I’m usually left doing for half an hour with my usual routine.
The nail polish itself is sturdy and keeps its robust, slick look over many days. I even get a compliment from a friend at dinner, who’s wearing her own professionally applied set of gels.
The removal process is the major sell. I tested the dissolvent on just one nail before reapplying, as I didn’t quite need the full maintenance for the set yet. The clip works well to hold the dissolvent-soaked cotton bud to my nail and the polish does come off relatively easy. I do have to give them a bit of a rub to get the colour off the borders of my nails. It’s only slightly trickier than normal polish, but definitely much easier than the gel nails I’ve had before.
It’s likely the kit won’t be something I use weekly, but I could definitely see myself pulling it out for special occasions. I’d suggest the kit for more enthusiastic nail painters, who are looking to pull back on the number of nail appointments they’re going to or want to try out a more gentle gel polish.
The real test will be how well they hold up to the bouldering wall, the chicest event for showing off a freshly manicured set.
