If you go to the nail bar often you know the price of gel nails. However, it’s possible to do the same job at home if you know what you’re doing. These Future in Beauty online courses can teach you a thing or two if you’re interested in learning from the professionals, but you can get started here. Here are the do’s and don’ts of home gel nails.
Do Your Research
You should never hesitate to do some research via the internet because virtually all knowledge will be at your fingertips. Of course, you should always use official and reliable resources for tips, tutorials, and tricks. Watching a few videos on basic gel nail application is important and many brands will have these available. You should also look at your favorite nail blog for any tips that they have gained from experience. When you research, you should also create your own notes. This will help you ensure that your gel manicure lasts.
Complete Proper Nail Preparation
Gel polish requires a clean and dry surface to adhere to if you want it to last. To do this, you should start with pushing back your cuticle. File your nail to the desired shape and you can learn how to do this when doing your research. When you prepare your nails, you need to ensure that the little hangers from the edge and underneath the nail because this will leave rough edges that cause issues.
You should then lightly buff the surface and edge of your nails with an extra-fine buffer. You have to then spray cleansing alcohol on the nail and wipe it off with a lint-free wipe. You should also use a pH balancing liquid or primer on the nail before you start the application process. You can also look at using pure acetone before the primer to ensure that there is no moisture present when you start the application. If you have nail issues, then gel nails may not be the best possible solution and you should perhaps use a suitable nail polish – we have heard good things about drs remedy nail polish
Prepare Your Supplies Before You Begin
You need to make sure that everything you need is within reach before you actually start. Once you begin the application process, you will not want to touch anything unnecessary as this could leave you open to debris and lint sticking to the unfinished manicure. There are a few items that you have to get ready before you start your gel nails including:
Plugging in the gel lamp
All the gel polishes you are going to use including the primer, base, and top coat
The acetone
Lint-free wipes
Cleansing alcohol
Paper towels in case something goes wrong
A clean-up brush
Use Proper Removal Techniques
If you want to maintain the health of your nails, this is a very important thing to do. While the acetone will dehydrate your nail plate, properly soaking off the gel polish will prevent it peeling off your nails. You should use a file to break the surface of the gel polish. You should then saturate lint-free wipes with pure acetone, wrap them in foil and leave them for 10 to 15 minutes. Using an orange stick, you will need to gently lift the remaining gel from the nail. If some of the gel remains, you will need to reply the acetone-soaked wipes to the nail and foil for a few more minutes.
Do Not Apply Thick Layers
When applying gel polish, you need to avoid thick layers. Thin layers of the polish will make the application smoother. Additionally, with gel polish, when the foundation and top coat are too thick, the curing and adherence can be negatively affected.
If you think that you have applied too much of the polish, you need to use a dry-brush technique. This is where you wipe the excess product off with the brush and drag is back over the already polished nail. Once the polish has cured, you will need to repeat this once to twice for a total of 2 to 3 layers of polish.
Do Not Wash Your Hands
While this might seem strange, you should avoid washing your hands before product application. The fact that it is better to have super-dry nail plates is the reason behind this. If you wash your hands, all the dehydrating which was done will be reversed. If you have to wash your hands right after polish removal, you need to dry them thoroughly and proceed with prepping your nails.
Do Not Let The Gel Touch The Skin
This will take a bit of practice and the right tools, but it is vital if you want your manicure to last. Gel polish does not like skin and will start to lift if any is left on the skin to cure. Additionally, the errant polish which is left to cure will also make the sides of your manicure uneven and jagged which can catch and lift. Before each layer cures, you should use an angled brush which has been dipped in acetone to clean along the side of the nail and the cuticle.
Do Not Pick
This is the worst thing that you can do with any nails or manicure. There is a lot of temptation to do this, but picking is actually the most damaging action that you can take. This is also the reason why gel polish has earned a reputation for damaged the nail plate. The high adhesion that is offered by these products means that when the polish lifts, some layers of the nail come with it. This will leave uneven, thin and flaking nails, so remember to not pick at them.