Water-Based Gel Stains by Retique It (Contemporary Wood, Java)

I never write Amazon reviews, but this product absolutely deserves 5 stars. Flawlessly transforms almost any surface into an unbelievably realistic wood texture. The process is easy and much quicker than alternatives (mostly just waiting for coats to dry and can be completed in 3-5 hours depending on the scale of the project). Most of the negative reviews seem to be based off of user error. Watch some videos on YouTube and make sure to layer up to your desired tone and texture. Long and consistent strokes across the length of the surface are key to success. The only downside is this bundle does not include a polycrylic sealant, so make sure to pick some up before you start your project or you’ll be scrambling last minute for it. I’ve used this on wood, plastic, and even stiff non stretch fabric and they’ve all turned out flawlessly. With just a pinch of artistry, and retique it is an unstoppable force of design ease. 10/10

This product is a game changer for elevating pieces quickly! It took me two nights to fully refinish our bathroom vanity (see before and after pictures). For a product that only cost $50, I was pleasantly surprised!! I now don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to replace a functional vanity for aesthetic reasons. However, the one drawback is the staining process. After adding the retique it liquid wood and letting it dry, I followed the exact directions for the stain. After applying, letting it sit, then wiping the stain off twice, like the directions called for, I noticed no noticeable difference in the color. I had to get creative and paint it on with a brush and then just let it dry. That was the only way it would actually work, which was different from the directions. I was barely able to stain the entirety of the vanity before I ran out of stain, but I think if I didn’t needlessly wipe off the product at the start, then we would have been fine. Overall, I think this is a great product if you want to easily upgrade a piece of furniture. I’m hoping it holds up well!

I thought this was a good product. I purchased 2 orders of this. Delivered January 17th, the other earlier in January. I got sick and could not use it right away. I kept smelling soothing aweful and could not figure out what it was. It was the wood part of this kit. Worst smell ever! Smelled like rotting food. I did not put liquid in the jar, that is what it looked like. It appeared to be molded. This is very expensive to have the product do this. I had no idea this could happen or I would not have ordered 2 and would have used it quicker. Now I am concerned about the door frame and trim I put this on.

I can’t recommend this product more!!! I made a video just admiring this product on my instagram account because I believe in it sooo much! Super easy to use. Fast drying. Clear directions. Very affordable. You are missing out if you haven’t tried this product. We were quoted 10k to replace everything before I stumbled upon this cost saving product . You have to try it!

This gel stain in “weathered wood” was easy to apply and resulted in a lovely ash / weathered wood look, without looking overly gray. We were trying to decide between this product and a wood weathering accelerator, and we’re very pleased we chose this one. As other reviewers have said, the product is watery, so it soaks into the wood quickly. Before we began, we sanded off the previous paint on our table, to a smooth, natural, unfinished state. Then we applied this stain. We only needed one application to achieve the desired result. We then applied multiple coats of a clear, protective glaze finish. The reason I’m not giving a higher review isn’t really about the product, but instead because the seller only sent us one of the two cans we ordered and paid for. Fortunately, one small can goes a long way. Still, the seller isn’t one of those to make it easy to contact them to address the deficient shipment issue. So, we’re challenged in getting a refund for the can we never received.