From each nail on both of my hands, I took off a base coat, two coats of hue and a topcoat with just one, standard cotton ball. It took little effort and passed my osteoarthritis test (no pain or soreness in my hands or wrists during or after use). It has a funky sort of vanilla smell, but it’s not strong by any means and it didn’t bother me. I LOVE the bottle. The pump dispenser is very nice. You can close it one-handed (most pump dispensers will dispense product if you don’t hold the pump with one hand and close the cap with the other) and it doesn’t dispense too much product at one time, which gives you control and helps prevent waste. I’m impressed. Quick removal, no offensive odor, no oily residue, non-drying and an awesome dispenser...this is a win for me.