I hate going to the nail salon to get my nails done. Not only does it eat up a big portion of my day, but it costs a lot of money, and I feel like it does more harm than good to my nails. That being said, I really like the look and feel of my nails when they have dip powder/gel on them. 

I was recently introduced to Polish Pops by an influencer I follow on Instagram. She was raving about this at-home nail kit, and since I trust her, I went ahead and bought myself a kit. Polish Pops are basically gel manicure stickers that deliver an at-home manicure that’s supposed to last two weeks or more. 

If you’ve been considering purchasing Polish Pops, I hope this review of my experience is helpful in your decision-making process.

My Experience With Polish Pops

After being fed up with my nail situation, I decided to go ahead and take a chance on Polish Pops, ordering the UV Gel Starter Kit for $64.50, which I thought was reasonably priced considering that’s about what I’d pay for one session at the nail salon. Included with the starter kit are:

Basically, you get everything you need to get started with your at-home gel nails. My order came really quickly. I noticed on the shipping confirmation email that my package was coming from South Carolina. I live in Florida, so it only took 2-3 days to get to me. Refill nail kits (which I can get at least 2 applications each out of!) cost just $9 each!

When I got my box, I dove right in, not sure how to even get started, but excited to try it out. The concept is really simple; you do a little prep work to get your nails ready, choose the correct-sized stickers to apply to your nails, and then each nail gets cured for 60 seconds under the mini curing lamp that comes with your kit. 

I took a few minutes to soften and clip my cuticles, clip my nails, and buff them before getting started. Everything you need to do this is in the kit, except for cuticle clippers, which I already had at home. The stickers come on sheets and in a bunch of different sizes. I don’t have small, dainty nails, so I was a little worried about whether or not Polish Pops would even fit my nails, but they literally have a size for every finger, making it really inclusive. 

The nail stickers don’t feel super thick and heavy, so I was a little skeptical about how they would feel when I got them on, but after you cure them under the lamp, they harden right up and feel just like a gel nail. The nail stickers are pretty long, which allows you to have varying nail lengths and still have them work. I personally keep my nails really short, so I had quite a bit to snip off after I applied the stickers, but it’s really easy to snip them. After you cut them down (not perfectly), you put them under the UV light.

I apply 2-3 sticks at a time to my nails and then place all of them under the lamp at once, so it saves a little bit of time. It can feel a bit cumbersome to go one nail at a time. Once your nail has been under the lamp for 60 seconds, it’s hard, and you can take the shaping tools and file them down so they’re smooth and the edges are rounder. 

My Polish Pops Results

I would say the biggest question I have gotten since trying Polish Pops is how long they last and if they chip/pop off. According to Polish Pops’ website, each nail application should last 14+ days; however, I have found that mine don’t quite make it that long. Or rather, I prefer to get a fresh set on before 2 weeks. When you first apply the nails, they are shiny and smooth, but with your everyday wear and tear on them, they get duller. I see that Polish Pops offer gel or matte top coats. I think I’ll add that to my next order and see if that helps keep my nails shinier and more polished-looking for longer.

The other thing I started to notice after about a week of wear is that some of the nails started to separate a bit from my nail bed. Not to the point where they are falling off or anything, but if I run my hands through my hair, sometimes a piece of hair will get under the nail and snag. Other than that, I am extremely impressed with how durable these nails are! I have yet to experience any chipping or popping off whatsoever, which is major because even when I get my nails done at the salon, I feel like I always have issues. 

I am also really impressed by the removal process. All you need to do is add a little bit of the cuticle oil to your nail and use the cuticle wand that’s included with your kit to lightly remove the nail from your nail bed. It’s completely painless, and your nails are left with only a slight sticky residue, zero damage at all. This is critical for me because every time I get gel nails at the salon, my nails would be left in such a damaged and weak state that my only choice is to keep getting them filled, or else my nails look and feel like tissue paper. It’s a vicious and expensive cycle.

Since getting Polish Pops, I have been replacing my nail stickers every week to a week and a half to keep them fresh. Technically, I think I could probably make them last longer, but like I said, I don’t like how they start to lose their sheen, and I honestly get sick of the color after too long, too. 

Do I Recommend Polish Pops? 

Yes, absolutely! I am really impressed with Polish Pops and will continue to use them as an at-home, budget-friendly alternative to going to the salon. I love that there are so many fun colors and styles to choose from and that they don’t damage my nails at all. They’re also really easy to apply, and it takes only 15-20 minutes (I even find it relaxing to do!). 

I reached out to Polish Pops after using them for a few weeks and asked if I could get a coupon code to share with my readers, and they were happy to do so! You can use my code “TAMI15” to get 15% off your order. 

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. And if you’ve tried Polish Pops, leave your experience for us!