OPI Axxium Soak-Off Gel Polish

Regular manicures are so 2010! I am always looking for new nail trends and ways to make my manicures last longer. I have previously posted on my experienced with CalGel (Click here: Fab-YOU-lous: BEST MANICURE OF MY LIFE!!!) and Shellac (Click here: Fab-YOU-lous: CND Shellac Hybrid Nail Polish). At my last trip to the nail salon, I tried OPI Axxium for the first time and I wanted to share my experience and the results with you.

OPI Axxium is a soak-off gel nail polish that lasts for at least 14 days without any chips or cracks. Much like CalGel and Shellac there is absolutely no drying time involved, which is always a plus. OPI Axxium is cured under a UV light, which makes it hard, shiny, and completely dry when your treatment is finished. Axxium is an odorless gel that is applied to your natural nail by a nail technician with a small brush. The treatment starts with a base coat, followed by color coats (or in my case the French application), and then finished with a top coat, all sealed in under the UV lamp. 

As seen in the above photo, I chose to have a French finish put on my nails instead of using a plain color; however, OPI Axxium is known and loved by OPI enthusiasts for their color choices, which include some of OPI's most beloved and popular shades. My nails look amazingly shiny and are perfectly smooth, and they are stronger than ever! 

Above is what my nails looked like exactly 14 days after application. Not a chip or crack anywhere! 

So how does OPI Axxium compare to Shellac and CalGel? Well, I have to say that CalGel is still my #1 favorite of them all, both Shellac and OPI Axxium are at a close second, and a regular manicure finishes last. I personally felt that both the Shellac and Axxium offered pretty much the same thing overall, making them basically interchangeable in my mind. I would completely recommend any of these services to everyone- if you hate waiting around for your nails to dry, want a manicure to last 2-3 weeks without any chips at all, and want a stunningly smooth and shiny mirror-finished nail, then Shellac, Axxium, or CalGel are for you!


My OPI Axxium manicure cost $30; Prices for this service vary per salon, but usually range from about $25-$50.


Stay Fabulous xoxo
~Miss Glamour Girl

Calgel Manicure Update

Wow is all I have to say! Pinch yourself and believe what you are seeing- these are what my nails look like almost a month after my Calgel manicure (picture above)!
I posted photos of my first Calgel manicure at Marie Nails in NYC almost four weeks ago now (photo seen above). I loved the manicure and fun white gradation and glitter design that I got, and can you believe it that a whole month later they still look pristine?!
I absolutely adore my Calgel nails. Over the month of having them I have experienced no chips, no peeling, and no broken nails. My nails feel so strong, have gotten incredibly long, and feel very healthy. I would recommend this service to any fashionista that wants chip-free, healthy, beautiful nails! I cannot wait to get another Calgel manicure the next time I am in NYC- I am going to try a crazier design, maybe with some 3-D art ;)

Have any of you tried Calgel? Tell me what you think!

Stay Fabulous xoxo
~Miss Glamour Giirl

BEST MANICURE OF MY LIFE!!!

Oh my goodness, words can not describe how OBSESSED I am with my nails right now!! After lots of lust and research, I finally got Calgel put on my nails, and truthfully I have never had a better manicure in my life! Calgel is a superior nail system that not only promotes nail heath, strength, and growth, but also last over 3 weeks without chipping, lifting, or peeling- Calgel is my dream come true!

Since I am lucky enough to be in NYC currently, a hub and mecca of nail salons, I was able to find a FABULOUS establishment that specializes in applying Calgel to your nails. I went to Marie Nails, which is located in the SoHo area, yesterday evening.

I had a vague idea of what I wanted done, but not a completely formed idea due to the vast amount of designs possible (I am SO bad at decisions). Calgel is available in over 80 colors, but the possibilities of designs are truly infinite. When I arrived at Marie Nails, my amazing nail technician directed me to a stack of huge books with thousands of designs, following up with "We can do anything!"

Well she wasn't kidding, they honestly can do anything you could possibly dream to your nails- from leopard print to glitter to a Hello Kitty 3-D face! And even more fabulously, it is all hand-painted on by the nail technician- no stickers or stencils used here at all- this is truly art! You can opt to get 3-D art too, which sounds so cool, but being a first-timer I didn't want to go all out just yet.

I decided to go with a white and glitter gradation design (fading from clear to glitter to white) and then got rhinestones applied and a rose painted on both of my ring fingers to top it off! It took around 1.5 hours total and cost $55. I LOVE IT!!!!

I am SO pleased with the ways my nails look and the experience as a whole- I got so many compliments today already! I am excited to see how they hold up over time (they should last 3 weeks without any chips or lifting) and I can't wait to experiment and get more crazy with the designs. Every time I look down at my nails I can't help but smile! :)

Here is the FINAL PRODUCT:

Verdict= FABULOUS! (5/5 stars)

I got my nails done at Marie Nails in SoHo, NYC.

Total cost for this design was $55; Prices start at $40 for plain colors and go up from there depending on design and art; Prices vary at different salons.

Stay Fabulous xoxo

~Miss Glamour Giirl