How ELSE lines, numbers and sizes work
The naming system at ELSE is stricter than at most brands. Every coloured product has three identifiers: a line, a number and a word. Together they identify the product unambiguously; separately they do not, and that is where orders go wrong.
The number repeats; the word does not
Six lines are each numbered from #01 without gaps: Filter base #01–#18, Tone top #01–#22, Gel polish Cat eye #01–#06, Gel polish Colour #01–#44, Calm gel #01–#30 and Stone gel #01–#18. Thus #01 exists in all six, #07 in five, and only from #31 onwards does a number belong exclusively to Colour gel polishes. The word works the other way round: it is never repeated within or between lines. Remember “Lush”, “Savanna” or “Hibiscus” and you will find exactly one product page. Remember only “number seven” and you will also need to recall the line. Record ELSE products as “line + number + word”, and repeat purchases will stop being a lottery.
12 ml across the brand—except Stone gel
131 of the 156 products come in 12 ml: both clear bases, all Filter bases, all top coats, all gel polishes and the entire Calm gel line. There is one exception: Stone gel, the hard extension gel: all its 18 numbers come in 30 ml. The other sizes in the catalogue are not coatings at all: 300 ml ManiBREEZE degreaser, 200 ml hand antiseptic and its 500 ml refill. For the buyer this is convenient: one product page equals one shade, without the “14 or 15 ml” confusion familiar from other brands. The downside is that you cannot buy a larger bottle of your favourite colour.
Bases and top coats: the name says it all
There are two clear bases , both unnumbered: Balance base is the standard one, Relax base is fluid. The camouflage bases number eighteen, all in one Filter base line. Names run from milky and petal-inspired shades at the start (#01 Cloud, #02 Cotton, #04 Petal) to sandy and woody ones at the end (#15 Cedar, #17 Sand, #18 Desert). The word describes the shade’s idea, not a guarantee of its colour; check the photo for the exact shade.
The top coat section has 31 products in three groups. The three clear top coats differ in exactly one feature, stated in the name: Day top has UV filters, Night top has none, and Hush matte top is matte, also without filters. “Day” and “night” refer to filters, not mood; this is the quickest way to distinguish two identical-looking bottles. The second group comprises 22 camouflage Tone top products, all with a UV filter. The third contains six effect top coats with no numbers: Goldenflash and Silverflash are reflective, Goldenmist and Silvermist have shimmer, Shell is pearlescent, and Top Cat has a cat-eye effect. Like the Cat eye gel polishes, it requires a magnet.
Gels: Calm is fluid, Stone is hard
The gel section has 48 products and exactly two lines, which the manufacturer separates by purpose, consistency and size. Calm gel is a fluid strengthening gel, with 30 numbers in 12 ml; #01 Dew is clear and the rest are coloured. Remember the #19–#24 block: Bush rose, Protea, Hydrangea, Freesia, Eustoma and Ranunculus. These exact six are labelled “with shimmer” and these exact six have flower names, so there is no need to search the whole line. Stone gel is a hard extension gel with 18 numbers in 30 ml; #01 Glass is clear. Alternatives from other brands are in the general extension gel section, and lamps are in the lamp section.
Two names that disrupt searches
The manufacturer has spelled two colours differently from the usual spelling: Colour gel polish #30 appears in the catalogue as Pistashio, while Stone gel #09 is Quarts. Searching for “Pistachio” or “Quartz” will return other brands and miss these two. If you cannot find them, open the full gel polish or gel section and follow the number.
The rest of the brand is brief. There are five products in special liquids : three 300 ml ManiBREEZE degreasers that differ only in fragrance (aloe vera, barberry blossom and lavender), plus the antiseptic and its refill. In auxiliary supplies there are two double-ended “liner + oval” brushes, 8 and 11 mm; a wider selection is in the brush section. Compare ELSE with other brands on the brands page.
