Wet n Wild 1 Step Wonder Gel

Have you noticed lately how so many brands have come out with "no light needed" gel polish? I am immediately skeptical of such claims. It simply is not gel if you don't use the light curing process, but as much as I am a skeptic, I am also very curious. When I saw Wet n Wild was coming out with gel polish, I wanted to try theirs especially since it is an inexpensive brand. These cost $4.99, and there was a $1 coupon in the display as well, so I got these for $3.99 each. 

First up is Crime of Passion. This is a bright red that reminds me of tomatoes. I needed three coats here and I didn't add a top coat. I think the shine is okay, but nothing like a true gel polish.

Pretty Peas is a nice minty color. This leans a bit more blue than green, but this color family is my favorite. I have a hard time saying no to mints! This one also needed three coats and was pretty streaky. The shine was a bit better on this one, but still not quite like a gel polish.

I didn't wear these without top coat for long. The same night I swatched these, they chipped while I did the dishes. Definitely not the same as gel. However, I did another design and added top coat and that seemed to stay pretty well. If the name is 1 step wonder, I assume I do not need a base or top coat, so adding a top coat is really just like any other polish. I have a difficult time recommending this product as a gel or even a gel like polish. For me, these look and act the same as any other polish. If you really love the colors, go for it, but if not, I would pass on these.