kur by Londontown Review

This is a first for me, posting solely about nail care products.

"What?! No nail art?! How could you?!"

Calm down, I'll get back to that. I think you'll really want to hear about these products today first.

kur by Londontown is "a modern and sophisticated nail care brand rooted in family traditions and homeopathic remedies.  Londontown’s first revolutionary collection, kur by Londontown, encompasses everything you need when it comes to nail care."

I'm always a bit wary of anything claiming homeopathic benefits, but as this doesn't directly concern my health (as medicine might), I was plenty willing to give these products a try.

Londontown sent me three different products to try out and review for you guys: the Strengthening Lacquer Remover, the Protective Top Coat, and the Restorative Nail Cream.

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First up is the Protective Top Coat. To test this, I painted a layer on one nail. I wanted to compare it to Seche Vite for it's drying time. I was pleasantly surprised when the drying time didn't vary by much! In total, it was probably about two minutes longer for the kur brand. I think the benefits behind kur are much greater both for you and your health when compared to Seche Vite as well. Here's what they have to say about their Protective Top Coat:

• Works to create a hard protective shield against damaging external elements.
• Made with essential vitamins and minerals to ensure a hardwearing finish that seals in crucial nutrients which protects and nourishes the nail.
• Provides quick drying time and an ultra glossy finish.
• Minimizes polish fading.
• Chip-resistant and UV-resistant.
• "5-free," does not contain the toxic chemicals;
  • Formaldehyde-free
  • Toulene-free
  • DBP-free
  • Formaldehyde resin-free
  • Camphor-free
• Vegan, gluten-free and cruelty-free.
• Product is 12 ml - .4 fl. oz.

Seche Vite isn't 3-free (it contains toulene).

The top coat is just as comparably shiny as Seche Vite is, and it doesn't smell as ghastly either. (It's not something I'd go sticking my nose in regularly though.)

I'm very pleased with this little top coat. The downside? As with all the products I'm showing you here today, the price point is steep. A 0.4 fl. oz bottle will cost you $25. Ouch. I don't know many, if any, lacqueristas that would be willing to pay anything close to that. However, if you're really trying to cut back on your involvement with harsh chemicals, or you're very sensitive to them, this may be worth the money for you. The perk is that you'll get the same results as those that use the harsher chemicals.

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Next we have the Strengthening Lacquer Remover. I'm really impressed by this stuff. Here's the info on the product:

• Works to safely remove nail lacquer and condition nails by adding hydration and strength.
• Enriched with a unique blend of vitamin and mineral extracts to protect against the stripping of nail protein (keratin) and the depletion of the nail's natural oils.
• Free of acetone, a harsh and drying chemical that damages nails and the delicate skin around and under the nail plate.
• Vegan, gluten-free and cruelty-free.
• Product is 118 ml - 4 fl. oz.

So it doesn't have quite the bang that acetone does, but, you're getting a loss let chemicals again. For how tame it is, it actually does a pretty good job! It cleans off of your skin and nails just fine, but it has a bit of a hard time pulling out the polish that might flood your cuticles. It gets most of it, but the perfectionist in me doesn't think it gets quite enough.

Ok, now onto what really impressed me about this remover. It left no bad after-smell, even though garlic bulb extract is one of the ingredients (WHAT?!). Acetone just stinks, no matter what. The Strengthening Lacquer remover doesn't. In fact, it smells good! I was shocked when I had used it to take off the remnants of last night's manicure, and then smelled what I can only place as tea tree oil. I sat there smelling my nails again and again. As odd as that is to picture happening, picture me running up to Andy and saying "SMELL MY FINGERS!" He's suffering from a cold right now, but agreed to smell it. He said it smelled like hand soap. (I think rapeseed is what we're actually smelling, but if it's not made of salt or meat, he has a hard time noticing anything else. Kidding babe, love you!)

There was a smooth texture to my nails and skin after I used the remover too. This was before I washed my hands. They felt a little slippery, but they were dry. My guess is that's the vitamins and minerals working their magic to protect my nails and skin.

Another big price tag for this at $18 for a 4 fl. oz. bottle, but I'd be willing to spend the money for that. If for nothing else, at least I don't feel high every night after a mani.

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This last product is the Restorative Nail Cream.

A magical cream with magical properties. Here's the deets:

• Works to penetrate and replenish deteriorated nail protein (keratin) and balance the natural oils in the nail to strengthen and nourish them back to health.
• Created with Britain's rapeseed flower oil as well as a unique blend of natural extracts and vitamins to rejuvenate and restore moisture to dry, thin and brittle nails.
• Assists in restoring nails damaged by UV gel polish, acrylics and wraps.
• For best results, apply in the evening and wear Londontown's moisturizing gloves overnight.
• Vegan, paraben-free, gluten-free and cruelty-free.
• Product is 30 ml - 1 fl. oz.

(Fun fact: rapeseed is the stuff in canola oil. They just didn't want to package it as "Rape Oil". Back to the post.)

I love this cream! I have worn it to bed three nights now, with the accompanying magician's gloves on two nights. Although I looked a little like Mickey Mouse, the gloves helped keep my hands moist and protected all night. You can do this with any gloves and lotion, but it was a nice touch that they included a pair that was soft and meant for sleeping. (They also work somewhat well with touch screens, but I'm not sure if they were designed that way.)

My nails are not enjoying the winter weather and weekend skiing trips, so I made sure to put some on right after a day of skiing. I'm very pleased with the way my nails are after just three days. Everything just looks and feels softer. Even some of the jagged cuticles that I'm waiting to eliminate are softening up well.

The cream is thick. It's not a lotion you slap on and run out the door with. It's got some serious restorative science going on I'm sure, so it needs to be thicker. You really need to massage it in well, or else it just looks like sunscreen on your hand. I recommend applying it after you've washed your hands really well, and patted them dry with a clean towel, free of lint. You want your hands to be as clean as they can be so you can really work in the cream and get its full benefits. 

It smells fantastic too! Sort of like an almond floral scent. Very soothing and perfect for night time. I find that putting on citrus lotions at night isn't the best for relaxation. I sleep like a rock though, so this could all be in my head.

The jar's very decorative as well. If my cat wasn't constantly knocking everything off the bedstand to get me up and feed her, I'd be happy putting it out as a decoration/functional item in my nighttime ritual.

I'm going to keep using this until it runs out, and then I'll have to look into buying more. This is the most expensive thing I've reviewed tonight, at $35 for a 1 fl. oz. jar. Ouch again. You hardly need any cream though. I haven't even dipped into the jar yet, as I'm using the residual cream on the lid still. I don't think I'll run out anytime soon.

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You can get kur products from the online Londontown shop, unless you live in New York, in which case there's a store at 1419 Sixth Avenue.

I know the price is outrageous to most. I doubt I would've bought it without reading a lot more about it. However, that being said, I really think you're getting what you pay for. I can't see them, and I have no scientific evidence to give you, but I think that Londontown is being truthful when they talk about the restorative properties of these products. If you've got the extra money to spend, I recommend trying these.

These products were sent to me by Londontown. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.