The GelBottle Inc has taken the nail industry by storm, not least of all because of the brand’s brilliant builder gel formulas. Thanks to the vast number of shades, as well as by utilising layering and shade blending techniques, salons all over the country have started relying on The GelBottle formulas to deliver the best 2024 nail trends—from chrome designs and oud nails to sheer manicures. And while the brand might be most famous for its BIAB builder polishes, its standard gel formulas are equally as popular.
And now, The GelBottle has come out with some exciting new BIAB shades inspired by the most popular TGB gel colours. I’m talking super sheer formulas, cool-toned taupes and, excitingly, a classic opaque red—and I think they're destined for widespread success. If you’re looking for the most sought-after shades and colour combos but prefer the benefits of a BIAB manicure over a gel one, you need to know about this new launch. Of the new range, GelBottle Founder and CEO Daisy Kalina says, “We went to our community to hear what they wanted in a new BIAB™ range. The range includes our sheerest BIAB™s to date, our first-ever red BIAB™ and four more glitter shades with unique year round appeal.”
Exciting stuff. But let’s backtrack a little—why is The GelBottle so well trusted by industry professionals and beauty editors alike? Well, for one, top manicurists (including Harriet Westmoreland) love working with it thanks to the long lasting effect, great colour selection and thin, smooth consistency. As someone who detests a ‘bulky’ looking nail, this last point is music to my ears.
I get gel nails done pretty regularly, so I was curious to see what effect BIAB would have on my nails, having never tried it before. My Townhouse manicurist assured me that unlike gel manicures, GelBottle BIAB would actually protect and strengthen my natural nails, helping them to grow. Though the formula is quite a bit thicker than that of gel polishes, the effect would look pretty similar on my nails. Plus I’d have the option to either stick to the balletcore-esque milky pink BIAB base or layer my TGB gel colour of choice on top. There are a few nail polish shades that everyone’s going for at the moment, and I’ve taken the liberty to round them up for you below.
The most popular The GelBottle colours for 2024
Deep, Rich Browns and Reds
Oud nails; rich, smoky manicures—whatever you call them, deep reds and browns are undoubtedly one of the most popular nail colours right now —and for good reason. These types of shades feel both on-trend and achingly elegant, so you won't get bored of them any time soon. Executive Beauty Editor, Shannon Lawlor has a genius hack for getting the perfect deep browny red shade.
"I am a huge fan of deep red-brown nails—Chanel Rouge Noir is one of my favourite shades of all time. I recently had a mix of The GelBottle Manhattan and Prestige to get the perfect shade," she says.
Milky Pinks
Milky manicures aren’t going anywhere—pale pink is a cult colour option in all nail salons for a reason, after all. This is where GelBottle’s new nude shades come in. From super sheer and shimmery formulas to classic baby pinks (including the Cutie used by Harriet Westmoreland, above), the new range has a plethora of nude shades to choose from—all based on popular TGB gel colours. It goes without saying that these shades will look beautiful layered under a chrome powder finish for an even more on-trend feel.
Deep Nudes
Speaking of nude shades, deeper taupes and mauves are an elegant, elevated take on the baby pink BIABs above. GelBottle’s new BIAB range includes a cool-toned mauve shade: Charm. Inspired by TBG gel colour Au Naturel, it’s the perfect nude match for medium skin tones.
The Classic Red
I’ve saved my favourite shade till last. I’m no stranger to a short red mani, and with the Mob Wife aesthetic reigning supreme on my socials ATM, I’m leaning more towards long almond-shaped red nails than ever. Lucky, then, that GelBottle has come out with a red BIAB formula that helps to strengthen the nail, helping it to grow. This new shade, Love, is the BIAB version of TGB’s most popular red gel colour, Candy.
The brand’s first opaque red formula, it can be worn alone (without layering an extra gel colour on top), so you can keep your BIAB manicure looking as natural and non bulky as possible. It’s the shade I‘m the most excited to try out.
