Review: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel 2X Volume Top Coat*

Exciting news for fans of Sally Hansen Miracle Gel nail colours: the special top coat that seals and protects the polish has been redeveloped and improved to give twice the volume and shine! Miracle Gel 2X Volume Top Coat has been released, and I was generously sent a Duo Pack*, which includes Up The Ante, to try.

If you missed the whole Miracle Gel boat, here's the skinny. Basically it's a range from Sally Hansen that claims to provide you with a salon-calibre at-home gel manicure, without having to use light lamps to set the polish. Instead, the special top coat seals everything in and activates the curing, and natural light does the rest. The brand claims you can get up to 14 days of gel colour, so it's supposed to be long-lasting, just like a salon gel mani.

Although I never get close to 14 days without chipping at the edges, I was still eager to trial this new version, because a volumising top coat not only sounds intriguing, but also a bit out there! In hindsight, I should have used my original Miracle Gel Top Coat on one hand and the new 2X Volume one on the other for direct comparison, but I didn't think of it until afterwards. D'oh!

I am loving the pretty shade Up The Ante. It's a medium-toned plum that's perfect for Spring. And in fact, it's one of six Spring/Summer shades that have been released in Limited Edition Duo Packs, the others being coral, teal, blue, watermelon and spearmint hues. I love the sound of every one of these, they are right up my alley!

Up The Ante was very easy to apply, thanks mostly to the fairly wide, flat application brush. The new 2X volume top coat is quite gel-like, meaning it's not as runny as the coloured polishes. I found that the brush picks up a lot of product, so you really have to ensure you wipe the excess off against the inner neck rim of the bottle, otherwise you just get far too much on your nail. Other than that, this was a fast, easy application. I applied two coats of Up The Ante and one of the Top Coat. As you can see, the result is a super-glossy finish. I'm very impressed by the shine factor and would agree with Sally Hansen's 2X volume claim. However for me, this lost its impact over the next few days. My nails lost their glossy WOW factor, and what started off as a super-professional looking mani began to look, well, still good, but just not as fantastic. I also started to get minor chipping on four out of ten nails on Day 2. I really do use my hands a lot, and I am used to my manicures chipping early. Still, I was hoping it might last a bit longer.

Overall, I love Up The Ante, it's such a pretty shade of purple. I'd also give the Miracle Gel 2X Volume Top Coat a glossy thumbs up based on the stunning shine, wow factor and professional-looking finish. My only criticism is the early chipping I experienced. This happens to me across the board, with every nail polish I wear, so it's not specific to this product, although given it's a gel it should be lasting longer than normal polishes. Clearly I'm using my hands too much, and will cease all housework immediately :D

Limited Edition Duo packs containing a Spring/Summer shade and a 2X Volume Top Coat are $19.95, and can be bought from Priceline, Target, Chemist Warehouse, Terry White Chemists and independent chemists. Look out for sales and specials to get it cheaper!

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*Disclaimer: This product was provided for editorial consideration. All opinions are my own. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

What's your favourite nail polish shade for Spring?