Manicure Monday: L.A. Girl Gel Extreme Shine in Charming

Disclaimer: The product mentioned in this post is given to me. I am not affiliated with the company nor getting paid to advertise the product. This post is written with my honest opinion.

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I am fortunate to try the new L.A. Girl nail polishes.

I received three polishes. For this post, I will review the one on the right.

Product Review: L.A. Girl Gel Extreme Shine in #GNL652 Charming

Where to purchase: Target, ULTA, and online at lagirlusa.com
Price: $5 for 0.47 fl oz/ 14 mL

Made in China

Description from the website: Gel extreme shine, gel-like polish delivers shiny salon-quality nails effortlessly. This fuss free formula provides intense color and shine without the need of UV light and removes easily. The new 440 bristle count brush is rounded to fit nail shape and delivers amazing application with just one coat.
Ingredients:

Click on the picture to see the original size.
Thoughts: When I was contacted about these polishes, I was excited for couple of reasons. One, I get to force myself to wear polishes. I haven't since the locked down. I'm constantly wearing gloves and hardly going out. I thought there was no point of wearing polishes. It also pushes me to stop being lazy. The other I've always liked L.A. Girl products. This gives me a chance to try their new product.

Here's a closer look at the color, and I would say it's slightly darker on the nails compared to the bottle.

Here's a closer look at the brush. Compared to my favorite OPI brush, the width is the same. The length, on the other hand, is slightly shorter but not by much.

I applied OPI Nail Envy in Original, Madam Glam Gelementary Gel-Like Base Coat, one coat of L.A. Girl in Charming, and then topped all the nails with Essie Good To Go Top Coat.

Now for my overall opinion... First of all, I was kind of mixed about the brush. In most cases, I would love the width of this brush. It's wide enough to do three strokes and move onto the next nail. This time around I thought the width was too wide for the consistency. If you have small nail beds, then it might overflow to the sides. I would say I have in-between normal to wide nail beds. For this reason, it didn't overflow. Another thing, I think I got a bad batch. The tip of the brush is supposed to be curved. Mine was cut strange. It looked like it was cut in a 45 degree angle. It was shorter on one side and it got longer to the other side. This made it hard to paint around the cuticles and sides. If you are a better painter than myself, it wouldn't be hard for you. Secondly, the packaging is nice. It's simple and clean. I like how the color of the top matches the color of the polish. If you own more than one, you can distinguish them apart easily. With that said, it's well-made and sturdy. It's made out of thick glass. The top is also sturdy. You can feel a tight seal when you open and close the top. I cannot see it open or break unless you are rough with the packaging. For this reason, it's travel-friendly. It's easy to throw in your purse, bag, and even your pocket. It's also easy to hold with one hand. Third, the consistency is creamy and I would say it's in-between medium to thick. Even though it's on the thicker side, it does not get thick with usage. I hate when polishes get thick with usage. It messes up my brain and makes me paint faster. That's where I start making mistakes. With that said, you can take your time with painting. It's easy to use and goes on smoothly. It spreads and looks even on the nails. There's no streaking and bubbles whatsoever. Fourth, the color is really pretty. It's a gorgeous all year round but I see it mostly for fall. Would I say the color is unique? To be honest, I'm starting to think there aren't unique colors in the nail world. You can find similar colors in different brands. With that said, I still think this color is really pretty. Pigmentation-wise I was impressed. It's really pigmented for one coat! The website says to paint one coat and I can see why. If you want, you can paint more than one but you really don't need to. Lastly, I saw chipping on the sides on the third day. It's very minimal but you can notice if you examine closely. I tend to look at my nails often for review purposes. If you look normally it's not that noticeable. I did not see any shrinkage whatsoever. I'm glad I got this product. The color is really pretty, it's easy to use, and it looks good on my skin tone!

Pros:
* Simple and clean packaging.
* Color of top matches the color of the polish; can distinguish apart if you own more than one.
* Well-made and sturdy packaging.
* Sturdy top; can feel a tight seal when you open and close.
* Travel-friendly.
* Easy to hold with one hand.
* Creamy consistency and in-between medium to thick.
* Does not get thick with usage.
* Can take your time with painting.
* Easy to use.
* Goes on smoothly.
* Spreads and look even on the nails.
* No streaking.
* No bubbles.
* Gorgeous color!
* Great all year round but I see it mostly for fall.
* Pigmented.
* No shrinkage whatsoever.
* Lasted three days before chipping on the sides.
* Cruelty-free.

Cons:
* Width was too wide for the consistency.

Would repurchase: Yes.
Rating:  4/5 Tobey's Paws


Other L.A. Girl products reviewed/swatch:

3D Effects
Black Illusion
Sparkle Ruby
ColorPop

Lovely
Matte Pigment Gloss
Dreamy

Disclaimer: The product mentioned in this post is given to me. I am not affiliated with the company nor getting paid to advertise the product. This post is written with my honest opinion.