Formula X The System XCEL

I used to be a habitual nail picker, and my nails were never more than tiny, unsightly stubs. Thankfully, a few years ago, I kicked the habit, and I’ve been addicted to painting my nails ever since! That’s why I was so happy when Influenster sent me this new nail care set from Formula X!

The System EXCL is a customizable 4-part nail treatment system for creating the perfect at-home manicure. You can select any polish for the nail color, and the remaining 3 steps help prep your nails and ensure your manicure will last.

The packaging is so cute on these bottles. The large white cap is removable, and a smaller handle is beneath so you have more control while polishing. Before I started my manicure though, I had to remove my old polish.

Thankfully, I also received Formula X Delete All 5 finger polish remover. This stuff was no joke.

Delete All is seriously removed all of my old polish within seconds. When you open it up, a formula soaked sponge sits inside. There are 5 holes (one for each finger, obvi) that you simply slip your fingers in. I sort of swiveled mine around a bit for a few seconds. Once I slid out my fingers, ALL OF MY POLISH WAS GONE. Miraculous, y’all. This would be so convenient to travel with or just to have around for a quick polish change. 

After my nails were polish-free, I moved onto the first step in The System XCEL, CLEANSE XCEL. This step is a quick-drying formula that helps remove natural oils from your nails and condition them before you apply any polish. 

Once you apply that, the next step is PRIME XCEL. This base coat helps whatever polish you use bond with your nail bed while preventing it from staining. This step takes longer to try than the CLEANSE XCEL, but it really helped my polish go on smoothly. After it dries, you can finally move onto the fun part…your polish color! I chose to use the Formula X polish I was sent, TGIF. It’s a beautiful pinky-coral shade.

The TGIF brush was thinner than the other steps in the system, but otherwise I really liked it! The color is beautiful, and it was opaque after two coats, which is important to me! I waited for both coats to dry before moving on to the final step, SHINE XCEL. 

SHINE XCEL is the glossy, quick-dry top coat that is supposed to give your manicure gel-like protection for long-lasting results. I must say, I’m impressed! It did dry pretty quickly, and it really gave my nails a beautiful shine. They definitely feel nice and strong as well! I’ve shelled shrimp, showered, shoveled snow (not really, but you get the idea), and so far, I’m chip-free! I hope it wears well for a long time!

Overall, I’m very pleased with the The System XCEL! I think it could easily replace a salon manicure. My favorite part was the brushes on the 3 clear steps. After some research I can see why.  Apparently they feature the Xpert Strokes Brush, which was just redesigned and features a wider brush with 440 bristles that creates a custom glide and streak-free finish. I wish all polishes had that brush. It’s amazing!

At $32 for the set (which includes whichever Formula X polish color you choose!), this would pay for itself in just a couple of uses, if you consider the cost of a manicure at a salon. If you’re big on at-home manicures like me, I would happily recommend The System XCEL!

Which color should I try next??

Disclaimer: I received the Formula X products complimentary from Influenster, but all opinions are my own.