How To Do Your Own Gel Nails At Home

Gel Nails At Home Process

Thats It! Took me about 20-25 minutes and I did each hand separately.

These At Home Gel Nail Kits Are Totally Foolproof

When it comes to a manicure, gel nails are by far the best option in terms of durability. They resist the chips and loss of shine unlike your average paint job. A good one can last as long as three weeks. In a nutshell: they’re what everyone wants from a manicure. However, regular gel manis in-salon can leave you and your bank balance on bad terms. So, a DIY gel nail kit could be the way to go if youre in need of a little pick-me-up.

But how do you get that perma-shine effect without the expertise of a technician? You can opt for a gel topcoat or gel nail polish, which tend to be thicker in consistency and more hardwearing than your average polish. Or, you can invest in an LED kit for a pro mani at home like the popular Mylee Gel LED Kit, or the Le Mini Macaron Gel Manicure Set. We asked session manicurist, Jenni Draper gel manicure-lover and beauty blogger Josie Fear of Fashion Mumblr for all their top tips.

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:

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What Do You Need For Gel Nails At Home

Before you attempt an at-home gel mani, you need to make sure you have the right supplies. Youve got two options: You can buy a gel nail kit online, or you can buy all the pieces separately. Youll need a UV or LED lamp, a cuticle oil, a nail buff, a top coat, a base coat, and gel nail polish to get started. BTW: While you technically could use a regular nail polish and a gel top coat, Id recommend staying on the safe side and opting for gel nail polish. Regular polish wont last as long as gel, even if you use a gel top coat.

How to do gel nails at home

Diy Gel Manicure At Home

I am not one of those gals who always has perfect nails. I tend to chip a classic manicure within 10 minutes of leaving the salon. And I am absolutely terrible at painting my nails at home. Once I took a long time to paint all 10 nails a dark shade but it looked so sloppy that I immediately took it all off and just went nail naked.

Earlier this year I had my first gel manicure. I could not believe for how long my nails looked great and that I could carry on with regular life without treating my nails like they were breakable glass.

But gel manis are expensive $45 with tip at my favorite salon and thats not something I can justify spending on a regular basis long term.

A friend of mine had an at-home kit and did my nails for me once, and it worked quite well! Not quite as long-lasting as the salon, but pretty darn close. I researched what it would cost to buy my own, and I got everything for about $125. Therefore, DIY gel nails would pay for themselves in three manicures.

I bought the essentials on Amazon and have been SO happy with the results!! Here are all the details of my DIY gel nails.

Disclaimer: I am not a nail expert, and this is all just based on my experience doing this for a few months, so if I am inaccurate in any way, feel free to politely chime in to the comments : )

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One: Filing Down The Polish

Once we were ready to get started, the nail expert instructed me to take the file from the kit and swipe it across the nail bed where the polish was still present excluding the grow out areas making sure to only go in one direction, rather than back and forth. The goal here is only to break down the top layer of polish, without hitting the natural nail.

And When It Comes Time To Take It Off You Can Remove With Cotton Balls + 100% Acetone Just Be Patient

Removing gel nails can be a total pain simply because it takes FOREVER. But here’s how to do it effectively:

Step 1: Buffer your top coat off with a nail file. The less you have to take off with the cotton, the easier it will be.

Step 2: Soak a cotton piece in 100% acetone, put it on your nail, and secure it with aluminum foil or nail clips.

Step 3: Keep on for 20 minutes. If the polish isn’t beginning to rise off your nail, then re-soak cotton and repeat the process for another 5-10 minutes.

Step 4: Scrape off remaining polish with a cuticle pusher and you’re all set!

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How To Do A Salon

Below is a step-by-step guide for creating a perfect salon-quality gel manicure at home. You can also watch my IGTV video showcasing the process as well here. Before getting started, however, know that polishing your dominant hand can be challenging for some. Patience and practice make it absolutely possible. So, just go slowly and take your time. If youre really struggling, try making an evening of it with friends or family and polish each others dominant hand while you get used to this process.

A Fresh Set Of Gel Nails

Violà, you have a fresh set of gel nails. I know I showed you how to do an infill on your natural nails but you could do this too with nail extensions on. I love doing a gel overlay on my natural nails cause it strengthens them and I hardly get any breaks any more. The most important thing is prepping your nails correctly. Make sure there is no lifting of the gel, your cuticles are clean and any dead skin is removed. Once this is good, you can start with the gel application and everything will run smoothly. If you want a more in-depth nail tutorial on how to do a gel overlay on your natural nails, .

I get all my products from a swiss website. The products I used are:

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Glass Or Crystal Files

There are numerous types of nail files like emery board, glass, or crystal files. We recommend glass or crystal as they last longer. They have the file pattern etched into the glass or crystal, hence the longevity.

Good to note cheap glass files have patterns that are glued to the surface rather than etched, which can wear off quickly. Glass or crystal are also best for your natural nails, as they smooth the nail tip to seal it rather than shredding the nail tip.

If you have a durable glass or crystal file, it can serve you many years since the pattern is etched on the glass and will not wear. They’re perfect for personal use so minimize sharing. Also, make sure to clean them after a while to keep them safe for use. It’s a tool you can’t miss if you want to start your journey to do home gel nails.

Diy Gel Nails: What You Need

• A lamp
• Prep solution
• A gel base and top coat
• Lint free wipes
• Cuticle nipper and manicure tool
• 180 grit nail files/emery boards
• Gel nail colours

If youre a total beginner I recommend this kit which has everything you need in it: Mylee Full Works or this more affordable version! Otherwise, pick and mix from the Mylee website

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What Is A Gel Manicure

A gel manicure is a service that uses a gel-based polish and requires a UV or LED light to cure the polish and lock it onto your nails, says Duguay-Gordon. “Gel polish is more durable than regular polish,” she says. And while regular polish can chip as quickly as two to three days, gel stays chip-free for weeks.

While gel manicures look just like your regular old mani, the added benefits are that they last longer and feel sturdier. Plus, the beauty of a gel manicure is that anyone can get one, whether your nails are super short or Kylie Jenner-long.

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How To Remove Gel

We know too well the temptation that comes with wanting to pick and peel off your gel polish. That moment of satisfaction will be fleeting, but the damage you inflict on your nails could take weeks to repair. Sarah Gibson Tuttle, CEO and founder of the celeb-favorite nail salon Olive & June, shares the rundown on how to safely remove a gel manicure at home.

Getting Started With Your Diy Gel Nails:

First off, we want to start off with CLEAN, DEHYDRATED nails. I cant stress this enough! One of the biggest issues when it comes to gel polish not lasting is natural oils on the nail plate, so wash those hands and cleanse your nails with 100% pure acetone.

For this set we shaped the nails to a soft square. Youll want to use a nail file that has 180 GRIT. This is going to be soft enough to file the free edge of your nail without roughing it up too much, but it also has enough grit to where you can use it to gently buff the top of your nail plate so the gel polish will properly adhere. Make sure you do gently file over the whole nail so the polish sticks! It should look white and chalky.

One of the common misconceptions is that you should use a soft buffer to smooth over the nail plate, but if your nail is too smooth the gel will peel right off. Using the right grit and a nail file prolongs the longevity of your mani by a long shot!

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How To Apply Gel Nail Polish

The perfect gel manicure at home

We love trying new nail techniques, especially when theyre easy and long-lasting! Gel is a great alternative to regular polish it provides a super glossy shine, has no drying time and a manicure can last for up to two weeks, chip-free. Sounds good to us! Heres our fail-safe guide to applying gel nail polish at home:

How To Do A Professional Gel Manicure At Home

The secrets out: Ive done my own gel nails at home for years. Im not talking about a manicure with regular nail polish or the pseudo-gel polish alternatives out there. Im talking about doing a professional-quality gel manicure with the exact products that are used at your salon. This is not a drill.

With the right technique and a little patience, you can truly get the same high quality, long-lasting result at a fraction of the price, without leaving your home. Since were all social distancing right now, I wanted to break down everything you need to achieve a gel manicure and I promise, anyone can do this! Below Im detailing every product and trick for achieving a perfect, healthy, long-lasting manicure at home so we can all save some money and love our nails .

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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

What Youll Need To Do Your Own Gel Manicure

Gel nails are a little different from regular nail polish. The polish is made of polymers and monomers that bind and harden only after theyre exposed to UV light. Because of that, you need to have a light source, the special nail polish, as well as a few other must-have manicure tools.

We highly recommend purchasing a gel nail kit, like the Gel Polish Pro Kit from Red Carpet Manicure. The kit includes an LED lamp designed specifically to cure gel nail polish, a red LED nail polish, a base coat, a topcoat, a polish remover, a pre-manicure cleaning solution, an adhesion-improving nail dehydrating liquid, and cuticle oil.

Alternatively, you can always purchase an LED light and nail polishes separately, along with an acetone-based polish remover, isopropyl alcohol, and a special gel base coat, and a topcoat.

Finally, youll also need a few tools just to help you achieve a great manicure! These include a nail buffer, cotton swabs, cotton pads, and maybe even a cuticle remover if you want to go all out.

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How To Remove A Gel Manicure At Home

Avoid peeling and picking and try these expert tips instead.

Your mani may not be the most pressing thing on your mind these days. But with nail studios and spas closed until further notice, you will likely come to a point where your gel nails require maintenance that only a pro can offer. Aside from visible regrowth not looking quite as fresh or polished as youd like, letting the polish grow too far can strain the health of your nails, leaving them frail and damaged .

Your best bet: take it all off. We asked a nail industry expert for the safest, simplest way to strip away gel. With a couple key tools and a little patience youll have healthy, naked nails in no time.

Diy Gel Nails: Step By Step Tutorial

04/02/2020·BEAUTY, LIFESTYLE

Last weekend I decided to learn how to do DIY gel nails. A Coronavirus-induced lockdown has shut the salons. I had an overgrown gel manicure that needed to come off, plus I didnt want to waste the investment Id made into growing and preening them! Cue learning how to do gel nails at home.

It took a lot longer to DIY gel nails than a salon appointment usually takes. However, Im totally thrilled with the results and the kit feels like a worthy investment. The cost is akin to 2 or 3 salon gel manicures and I found the process really enjoyable. Doing things with your hands keeps you busy! It was a welcome break from scrolling on my phone and I popped Friends on in the background.

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Do Gel Manis Damage Your Nails

Not when they’re done correctly! “Gel manicures are not bad for your nails when professionally done,” Duguay-Gordon says. “It can be damaging though, without proper nail prep, application and removal.” A common misconception is that gel manis damage your nails when in reality, the removal process is usually the most harmful.

Avoid picking the gel off yourself , and if you’re getting your nails done at the salon, be sure your nail technician isn’t filing, buffing them down, or using a drill.

Many people worry about getting gels because they fear their nails won’t be able to “breathe,” but Duguay-Gordon assures that nails don’t breath, as they’re dead to begin with. The whole idea is a myth, but it is kind of cute to imagine your little nails with micro-nostrils.