When lockdown hit, nails were forgotten. With nail salons closed, it sent all of us high maintenance ladies into a scramble! Fortunately, Le Mini Macaron was here to help with an at-home gel manicure set.

The Le Mini Macaron at-home mini gel starter it is all you need to get a salon style gel manicure in the comfort of your own home. Each kit comes with a lamp, cord, file, cuticle pusher, remover pads, and nail polish color! Each set it color coordinated, and I have the rose gold lamp and nail polish.

The kit has a lot of innovative features, like the lamp and the polish! The LED lamp cures polish in 30 seconds, and the USB cord just goes straight into your laptop. That means it truly is portable and efficient. The nail polish formula is another claim to fame for the kit, it’s 9-Free, and also combines base, color, and top coats in one step, meaning no need for extra products. It’s a gel formulation, meaning intense shine and should last 7-10 days. Le Mini Macaron really combines the salon experience with the at-home convenience.

After removing any old polish, push your cuticles back and file the nail a bit. Apply a coat of the color, cure for 30 seconds, and continue. Do this again, and you’re averaging 10 minutes for a manicure. This is an optional step, but I do an extra cure on each nail for extra security, which adds another 5 minutes. There you have it, 15 minutes and you’re done!

The wear time I’ve had on this gel manicure has been about equivalent to normal nail polish, unfortunately. There’s definitely a learning curve when applying, and once you get better at applying thinner coats and avoid the skin, it lasts a bit longer. My first time, the whole polish was peeling off! I wonder if a top or base coat would improve wear time, even though they aren’t required. I love the color, the concept, and the ease, but I haven’t quite replicated the salon manicure at home with this set. Hopefully, with more practice, I can get some mileage beyond what normal nail polish can provide.

Even though the wear time is the same, the actual manicure time is reduced with this set, because once you’re done, your nails are dry and won’t smudge! No more worries about tacky nails for hours in the humid heat. My manicures look a lot better, and since I’m so busy, I can paint them then go back to typing, crafting, or cleaning without fear that the nails will look awful by the end of the hour. I’m all about increased efficiency!

So, after trying this for a couple of months, I would suggest giving this a chance if you’re like me and don’t have the time to let traditional polish dry. If you’re looking for two week wear, this won’t quite hit the mark. As for me, I think I am going to try some of their other polishes (such as a creme formula) to see if maybe it’s just the shimmers that don’t stay as well. Regardless, Le Mini Macaron’s innovation and eye for cuteness should be celebrated, because really, how cute is this?

All thoughts and opinions are my own. This was purchased by me.