Is Glitter Nail Polish Eco
Anyone who has worn glitter nail polish knows its a pain to remove. The glitter particles wont break down or come off. Not only does this take a toll on your nailsand sanitybut it’s bad for the environment too.
Made up of plastic and aluminum bonded with polyethylene terephthalate , glitter doesnt break down and instead makes its way into water systems and wildlife. The plastics can collect toxins, becoming endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are consumed by fish and eventually humans in the food chain.
Activists are currently pushing for a glitter ban similar to the one on microplastics. In the meantime, the best action to take is to avoid glitter in nail polish and other cosmetic products.
Why Does Your Manicure Or Pedicure Dry Out So Quickly
This happens because your hands are generally dirty and oily throughout the day.
When youre using manicure or pedicure products you tend to leave them on for extended periods of time.
This means they arent being properly hydrated, which is essential for maintaining nails.
Keeping your hands clean by washing them several times a day with water and natural soap is an easy and cheap way to hydrate them.
Are Gel Nails Bad For You
As the nail community emphasizes: it is not because of gel polish why nails hastily get ruined. Most of the time, bad nail techs cover the part. It wont cause lasting damage since it is directly applied to the nails. Be sure to do proper maintenance to maintain its glow, and when it is time to remove it, practice caution. Your cuticles and nail beds are the ones that will suffer terribly.
You can either go to a salon and have the removal process carried out by a professional or do it in the comfort of your home. Providing, of course, you are well acquainted with the steps. Similar to human hair, nails are made up of keratin too. Therefore, it is crucial to allow your nails to rest between applications. Doing so will sustain their gleam and well-being.
Heres how to remove gel polish properly at home.
Also Check: Removing Contact Lenses With Long Nails
Try To Limit Your Exposure To The Uv Lamp
A recent study from the American Academy of Dermatology revealed that gel manicures may not be a safe option for people who are highly sensitive to UV light. The UV dose that you receive during a gel manicure is brief, but its intense, Dr. Adigun said in the study. Over time, this intense exposure can add up to cause skin damage.
“An additional concern is the rise in popularity of LED nail lamps,” Dr. Adigun notes of her own research on the safety of gel manicures. LED lamps have become popular as much for their faster curing times as the belief that they’re safer than UV lamps, but Dr. Adigun insists this is not the case. “Although many people mistakenly believe these lamps do not use UVA to cure, they in fact use higher intensities of UVA wavelengths in order to achieve the shorter curing times. This higher intensity of UVA irradiance means that it requires less time for these lamps to potentially harm the skin,” she explains.
Instead, Dr. Adigun recommends bringing along your own pair of YouVeeShield gloves to protect your hands against UVA radiation . “It is the most protective material protects the entire digits and wrist,” Dr. Adigun says.
Is Gel Better Than Acrylic
Gel nails are not as resistant as acrylics, their duration is somewhat shorter. As in acrylics, every 3-4 weeks you have to touch them up. One of the advantages of gel nails is that they tend to be more natural than acrylics and shinier.
Best part? Gel nails do not turn yellow, last about 3 weeks and the damage to the natural nail is low.
Donât Miss: Best Way To Get Dip Nails Off
Also Check: Green Spot Under Acrylic Nail Treatment
Gel Nail Polish : Everything You Need To Know About Gel Manicures
All products featured on Teen Vogue are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Theres a reason why gel nail polish has become a modern beauty mainstay: it’s virtually indestructible, impossibly glossy, and offered at nearly every nail salon. However, the most enticing aspect of a gel mani? Zero risk in chipping your polish the minute you dig through your handbag to check your phone not to mention, for several weeks to come.
“Gel polishes are comprised of stronger ingredients that grasp the nail tighter than traditional lacquers and are strong enough to stand up to daily wear and tear without chipping, explains Essie Global Lead Educator Rita Remark. A few differences between the formula and your regular lacquer? “Gel polishes are more flexible, so they stand up to chips gels are cured under a UV or LED lamp and polishes cure in oxygen. Gels have to be removed by soaking in acetone for at least ten minutes, while polishes can be easily wiped away with nail polish remover.
We spoke with celebrity manicurist Jenna Hipp and Dr. Chris Adigun, a Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based dermatologist who specializes in nail health, to learn how to get gel manis the safe way.
Ahead, discover 11 tips for making your gel manicure last and keeping your natural nails healthy, plus a roundup of our favorite gel nail polishes.
Apply Cuticle Oil To Your Nail Beds
Another important part of nail prep: cuticle oil. Itll soften your cuticles so youll be able to push them back gently. And please dont forget to wash or soak your hands afterward! You need to make sure the oil is completely off your nails before you start the gel processany leftover oil could cause your gel nails to lift . To be extra safe, swipe your nails with a bit of acetone before washing your hands to remove any excess oil.
Read Also: How To Take Out Contacts With Long Acrylic Nails
Make It Easier To Remove
If you want to make it easier to remove your gel nail polish, here are a few tips:
- Resist the urge to peel off the polish. While it might seem like a safe alternative to using acetone, it can actually cause more damage in the long term. Repeatedly peeling off manicures can cause onycholysis, a common nail condition caused by the nail lifting away from the nail bed.
- File your nails before soaking them. It doesnt seem like it will make a difference, but it can require more soaking and scraping if you skip this step.
- Try using a different brand of gel polish. Certain brands are easier to remove than others, but that typically means they may not last as long. Ask your nail technician for their recommendations on the easiest brands to remove.
Purchase Your Gel Nail Polish From Bluesky Cosmetics
You can purchase your gel nail polish today from Bluesky Cosmetics with our LED nail lamp to dry your gel nail polish effectively. We have a stunning selection available for your nail polish needs, with a huge assortment of colours for you to select from.
We also have gel polish subscriptions, starter kits, removal products, top and base, and much more, ensuring that all of your needs are covered.
We offer a 10% discount when you place your first order, and we have designed our website so that you can easily get the products you need by simply adding them to your basket and following the simple checkout process.
If you have any questions about any of the products that we have for sale, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for more information. You can reach us via and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
You May Like: How To Remove Contact Lenses With Long Nails
Heres The Big Problem
Nail professionals who are untrained with the gel technology are mixing and matching UV curing lamps with different brands of gels. According to Doug this is a huge mistake.
If youre using a CND Shellac gel then you should be using the lamp created by CND.
If youre using Gelish by Hand and Nail Harmony, then you should be using the Gelish curing lamp.
The products and curing lamps are formulated to work togetherthere is no such thing as a universal curing lamp.
How Long Will It Take For Gel Nails To Dry
You will be pleased to hear that it does not take very long to dry gel nails. It is certainly a lot quicker than drying regular nail polish with the flapping your hands in the air approach.
Our lamp cures in 60 seconds.However, it does depend on the gel nail polish you have applied and the thickness of the layer can impact how long it takes.
When you are painting your nails using gel polish, applying several thin coats is the best approach. The coats need to be as thin as you can possibly make them. If you do not do this, it can take longer to cure your nails and they may not cure properly if the layers are extremely thick.
You need to cure after every coat, rather than simply curing your nails once all of the coats have been applied. This includes curing your nails after you have applied the top coat and the base coat.
When you purchase a lamp for drying gel nail polish, it will indicate the drying time on it. There are some that can take as long as two minutes. While this does not seem very lengthy on the surface, it can feel quite long after a while.
Also Check: How To Put On Dashing Diva Nails
Mistakes Youre Making When Wearing Gel Nail Polish
Chipping a perfectly good manicure is one of lifes most annoying frustrations. Since Im constantly opening packages and typing stories, wearing gel nail polish has been a saving grace when it comes to preserving my mani. While I love the flexibility a regular manicure provides, gel polish is so much more durablewhich is why I tend to stretch each manicure for as long as possible.
With gel polish, your manicure can last from two to three weeks, but with regular polish you’re lucky if it lasts five to seven days without chipping, Kristin Pulaski, owner of Paintbucket Nails in Brooklyn, tells SELF. According to Pulaski, in addition to staying power, another great benefit of gel is that it provides a harder layer of protection over the natural nail, which can result in increased nail growth.
Unfortunately, this durability and protection can be rough on your nails and make them weaker and prone to splitting. No one wants that, so there are a few things to keep in mind to maintain the health of your nails when youre getting gels. We asked Pulaski, celebrity manicurist Skyy Hadley, and Christy Harpring, co-owner of Sea Salt and Sugar Nail Bar in Savannah, Georgia, to clue us in on gel polish mistakes to avoid.
What Is Gel Nail Polish
Gel nail polish is a mix of acrylic monomers and oligomers that bond together and is applied to the nail and hardens with ultraviolet rays. This process is called curing, It has the same texture as a regular nail polish: it is liquid and has even more shine than the traditional one. It remains flawless, without tarnishing or flaking, up to a maximum of 18 days.
Don’t Miss: Acrylic Nail Tutorial At Home
If You Want A Gel Manicure There Are Two Options
You can go to a salon and have someone apply a gel to your nail for you, or you can buy a bottle of the stuff and apply it yourself.
Although it isnt particularly difficult, it does take some time like applying regular nail polish to get it just right.
The best advice is to take your time and experiment until you get it right.
While you can certainly apply the gel to your nails with a regular nail brush, the chances are that the brush is too big or at least too stiff for your nails to take.
This may mean that the product doesnt work, or that it causes your nails to look strange and uneven.
You might also find that the product clogs up the air holes in your nails, making them look thicker than they really are.
Important: Please Read Carefully Prior To Application Of Savvy Girl Gel Nail Polish
Please Note:
Preparation:
- To ensure the best results, start with clean, dry fingernails.
- Do not use any hand creams, lotions, or sunscreen on the day of application as surface oils on nails will keep the product from adhering properly.
- Some women product more oil in their nails than others, please make sure to prepare the surface of your nails as instructed.
- Push back your cuticles with the cuticle stick.
- Dust off the nails with dry, lint-free wipe .
- Gently shake the polish to distribute contents evenly in bottles.
Step 1:
Note:
Cure Base Coat under the LED lamp for 30 seconds.Base Coat
Step 2:
thinColorColorColorCure for 30 seconds under LED lamp.
Note:
ColorCure for 30 seconds under LED lampColor
Step 3:
thinTop CoatTop CoatTop CoatCure for 30 seconds under LED lamp
Step 4:
CleanseCleanseThis will remove the tacky residue from the Top coat and achieve the shiny, hard, diamond like finish!
Note:
Cleanse
Read Also: Acrylic Nail Tutorial Step By Step
How Do You Safely Remove A Gel Mani
Your nail beds and cuticles are what’s most important they’re made of living tissue, which is why you need to be careful during the application and removal process. DON’T rip them off. You can either gels removed at a salon safely or remove them yourself at home with acetone, tin foil, cotton balls, and a nail file.
If you go the salon, make sure your technician is removing your gels carefully. “No one should be scraping your nail bed aggressively. The product should just crumble off,” says Miss Pop.
If you want to save money and a trip to the salon, just be extra careful. Here’s how Duguay-Gordon recommends removing your gels safely at home:
Opi Gel Color Clear Base Nail Polish
Having an OPI gel nail polish is a must-have for your collection if you love gel nail polish. This set of Opi gel nail polish is perfect for any occasion. A manicure session ending with this gel nail polish of your fingers will ensure it stays in place for up to 3 weeks. This is quite the claim, and people will testify that it is true. So, if you want an affordable but long-lasting gel nail polish, then this is the one that you should go for.
Pros:
- Many color combination sets are available
- The color will stay in place for days.
Cons:
Read Also: How To Get Super Glue Off Jeans
What Are The Benefits Of Gel Nail Polish
Before we dig deeper into drying gel nail polish, lets take a look at some of the different reasons why this has become such a popular option.
- Gel nail polish is easy to remove.
- The application is odourless, whereas acrylic nails can be a little bit potent during the application.
- You can use gel nail polish to extend the length of your nails if you have tips underneath. This is a natural and effective way of strengthening your own nail and encouraging your nails to grow.
- You do not need to worry about your nails smudging, as gel nail polish dries very quickly under the UV light, which we will discuss in more depth below.
- Gel nail polish can last between three and four weeks without fading, peeling, or chipping. You dont have to worry about any scratches or dents.
Gel Nail Polish Brands Used In Salons
Salons only use the best gel nail polish brands. Besides, they need their service to be as best it can be.
As a Nail Technician and Manicurist, I have been working with a number of brands for a number of years.
It is my time in the Salon, and working with hundreds of clients at that time, that I have been able to identify what Gel Polish brands are the best, and which ones to avoid.
We simply only stock the very best, and those that didnt meet our high expectations are no longer used.
Talking with my colleagues, and having conducted a lot of research, you soon learn to discover what to look for in a Gel Polish, and what is going to give you the best results for the best price.
I was recently asked the question: what Gel Nail Polish Brands are Used In Salons and it got me thinking.
So in this article, I would like to the different brands of gel polish, ranging from the least to the most expensive, that I use and provide my thoughts and opinions on these.
If you are relatively new to gel polish and feeling overwhelmed at all the choices, or if you are a seasoned pro but just want some further guidance, then this will help you.
So without further ado, lets get started.
Contents
You May Like: How To Hang Artwork Without Nails
Recommended Reading: Removing Dip Nails At Home
