It claims to be damage-free and stimulate nail growth, but is a Bio Sculpture Gel mani as good as it sounds? We tested it in the Cosmo Beauty Lab
It's the original gel polish brand that since 1988 has served nails long-wear manicures, cured under UV light and soaked off when the wearer grows out of them. Now there are shed loads of gel polish brands, but every time I've tried them my 3 week party with the polish on has led to a 3 month hangover when it comes off. They always seem to leave my nails in a brittle state where they flake and break continuously.
I've been told that damaging effects of gel polishes will only occur from incorrect removal, but not once have I picked or peeled my gel away, instead having it professionally soaked off or doing it at home by following the instruction on the aftercare kits sold by the brand themselves. I'm not alone, friends and colleagues also claim gel nails come with repercussions, although we mostly consider them worth it because the short-term gains are soooo good.
If you're a gel nail virgin, here's the skinny: The durable polishes set completely hard to be totally smudge and chip-resistant and only need removing when you've had enough of the visible nail regrowth or fancy a shade change. They're ideal for when you need guaranteed perfection and longevity; I wore them for my wedding and honeymoon and – most recently – over the Christmas period to see if Bio Sculpture would spare me the side-effects of weak nails this New Year.
The brand has over 150 colours (ample!) and I chose shade Embellished Onyx (above), a black with silver and gold flecks perfect for party season and flattering for interchangeable jewellery - I like to mix-and-match my metals. The noticeable differences in application were the use of their 2 'pre-treatments'. The Vitamin Dose (which looks like a clear polish) goes on to provide a shot of vitamins essential to the nails structure, and the Executive Base coat which acts to nourish your natural nails and keep them flexible the whole time your polish is on, as well as aiding removal, reducing the damage risk.
For the whole duration my manicure stayed super-shiny and it was only after 3 weeks that the regrowth became really visible. I then noticed my hair getting caught between the gel and my real nail at the base of the polish, ripping out several strands for the following 5 days before I had time to do the at-home removal. My bad.
The removal was easy, I buffed the polish to break the base seal and soaked cotton squares with their gel remover, secured to my nails with foil packets for 10 minutes. Afterwards the polish slid off with the gel remover tool in the kit and I was left with my bare nails which looked – as my heart sank – dry and damaged (see picture on left).
However, I swiftly completed the instructions by buffing the nails to smooth away the dehydrated layer and applying a drop of their magic Vitamin Dose to each nail plate before painting on the Lavender Base polish (see picture on right). Now 5 days later my nails feel super-strong and look smooth and shiny. Result!
My understanding is that the flexibility in the Executive Base must have worked to prevent brittleness and the Vitamin Dose served to support the keratin structure and cell metabolism of my natural nails, encouraging healthy nail growth. They may have gimmicky names but they blimmin' well work.
I'll never be a permanent gel wearer but when I do want it (special occasion or not), I'm heading to a salon with Bio Sculpture. The original still is the best.
Find your nearest Bio Sculpture stockist here
Bridget March
Bridget March is Bazaar's Digital Beauty Director overseeing all beauty content, including wellbeing. From news and interviews to tutorials and treatment reviews, she answers the beauty questions you’re searching for with expert advice and takes deep dives into the latest trends. Bridget has written for various brands within the Hearst digital portfolio and was formerly Digital Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan. She lives with her husband and two sons in the Cotswolds.
Follow Bridget on Instagram @bridgetmarch.
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