I Tried the Viral Manucurist Green Flash Nail Kit. Here’s How It Really Held Up

It’s a mixed bag…

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Published Jun 6, 2025

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Original photos by Marissa Wu/PureWow

Design: 20/20
Ease of Use: 10/20
Durability: 15/20
Removability: 20/20
Value: 16/20

Total: 81/100

I love a good at-home manicure. When I was in middle school, I had a three-gallon tub filled with all the drugstore nail polish brands you could think of, and changed my polish color every week. (If I was feeling especially feisty, I would paint each nail a different color.) However, the process of taking everything off was (and still is) a drag. The only options seem to be acetone, which leaves my nails stripped and brittle, or non-acetone formulas that require time and endless scrubbing. Thus, when I saw Manucurist circulating TikTok with its peel-off gel nail polish and acetone-free, castor-oil enriched remover, I was intrigued. So intrigued, in fact, that I made a pilgrimage to the Manucurist headquarters in Paris and tested it over a two-month period to see how it really holds up.

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Manucurist

What I Like

90+ colors
sleek, compact design is easy to store
removal is quick and less drying on nails

What I Don't Like

heavy learning curve
more expensive than other similar products

Manucurist

Fast Facts

Colors: 90+
Included: 24W or 36W lamp, base coat, top coat, 1 nail lacquer, nail polish remover, nail clips
Removal time: 1 minute
Kid-friendly: yes

from $75 at manucurist

What Is Manucurist?

Manucurist is a French nail care brand based in Paris. Its claim to fame is a one-minute gel nail polish removal process—no drill in sight. Videos abound on social media showing the nail polish rolling off neatly in one piece, while also having great longevity. The brand says that its polish can last up to seven days without chipping. Formulas are vegan, cruelty-free and adhere to a strict blacklist on ingredients that bans toxic and petroleum-based ingredients. Manucurist’s lacquers are primarily composed of sugarcane (ethyl acetate), corn (acetyl tributyl citrate), yucca (butyl acetate) and cotton (nitrocellulose).

How I Tested the Manucurist Green Flash

For the purpose of this review, I received a kit with a 36-watt lamp, nail polish remover, top coat, base coat, nail clips and a slew of colors. I tested the brand over eight weeks, doing three applications, including two supervised with the Manucurist team over video call and in their Paris studio to learn the best technique. I evaluated the nail polish and kit on the PureWow100 scale, grading it on design, ease of use, durability, removability and value.

manucurist review: 36 watt lamp, nail polish remover, top coat, base coat, five colors

Original photo by Marissa Wu

The Design Is Très Chic

I’m no stranger to gel nail polish kits, having also tested Le Mini Macaron. One of the things that caught my eye about Manucurist, in addition to the one-minute peel-off removal process, was the design. Having lived in France for a couple of years, and as someone who goes back about once a year, I think I have a good understanding of the French design ethos. Manucurist is French through and through. The kit is sleek, understated, not gimmicky or loud. It would be a pleasure to see it on my vanity every day, though it’s also quite compact and stores nicely in a bag. The lamps are also quite large, so you can cure all fingers at the same time without feeling cramped. The top of the lamp has three buttons, one for each stage (base, nail polish, top coat) with a countdown timer.

L-R: Day 1, Day 6, Day 14. (Original photos: Marissa Wu)

Ease & Durability Have a Learning Curve

This is where I ran into hiccups. The lamp is easy to operate, but the application requires finesse. The process has three steps: one base coat, two coats of polish, one top coat. First, a PSA: Yes, things will be tacky during the application process, even after you’ve cured the polish. This is normal, as I confirmed with the Manucurist team when I visited the Paris nail studio.

The key here is to apply thin coats of polish. This is where I erred, since I’m used to traditional lacquers where laying it on thicker usually provides durability. (I’ve gotten 14 days straight of no chips from my favorite traditional polish brand, Olive & June.) This will prevent the polish from curing and hardening completely after applying the top coat. Because of this, I saw chips and dents within the hour, and found daily tasks, like breaking down a cardboard box or peeling and mincing garlic, enemies to my manicure.

Eventually, I got myself to the Manucurist studio in Paris’ tenth arrondissement for a tutorial from the pros. The third time was a charm, and I got a solid seven days from the manicure (aside from some nitpicky, minor chips I could see), and it even looked good ten days later.

After trawling the internet, I know I’m not alone in trying to master the technique. As I’ve combed through Reddit threads, videos, reviews and comment sections, it seems that many are experiencing hit-or-miss results, with similar experiences to mine where the polish chips immediately or within a few days. But after my session at the Manucurist studio, I think it’s a combo—the formula could use some work, and the person using it needs to hone the technique. Painting my nails with a tech hovering over me, I was shocked to realize how little polish actually needed to be applied. Everything I knew was thrown out the window. You can’t paint your nails with the traditional nail polish mentality. It will not work. During the appointment, the tech also buffed my nails, which I think helped the polish stay on longer, so consider that step if you’re troubleshooting.

Original photos by Marissa Wu

Removal Is 10/10, No Notes

While the application is finicky, Manucurist’s major selling point is easy removal, and they did hit it out of the park. I usually steer away from gel because it’s so horrible taking it off—once I ended up scraping stubborn polish off my nails, and they looked like a chalkboard a cat had swiped.

Depending on the polish, everything will either peel and roll off, or just break down and disintegrate after you’ve applied the nail polish remover. It’s by far the easiest experience I’ve ever had. At first, I wished I had gotten two sets of nail clips, but then I realized that it’s impossible to maneuver your fingers once they’re on, so you really do need to focus on one hand at a time.

The Bottom Line

The Manucurist Green Flash is definitely for people who are experienced with gel nail polish and/or are willing to put in some time to get around the learning curve. Manucurist does have a robust library of resources and tutorials, plus virtual consultations if you need in-person assistance. Overall, the removal technology is brilliant, but patience is required to master the application. After getting a live demo, I’m going to continue experimenting, because the breezy removal experience is just that good.

Marissa Wu

SEO Editor

Writes across all verticals, including beauty, fashion, wellness, travel and entertainment, with a focus on SEO and evergreen content
Has previously worked at Popular Photography and Southern Living, with words in Martha Stewart and Forbes Vetted
Has a B.S. in journalism from Boston University

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