Getting A Great Gel Nail Finish
So, lets take a look at the steps entailed to get a great gel nail finish:
Preparation Steps For This Sugar Removal Process: Top 3 Steps
Before you indulge in the sugar removal method you should prepare your gel nails and your fingers. How to do so? Just obey these four steps:
Wash your hands
It is crucial to wash your hands and to remove any dirt or bacteria that might be stuck on top. Germs can easily get underneath your nails and you should wash your hands with a clean soap beforehand.
Prepare the supplies
Always work with clean & washed tools. Make sure to purchase new nails files or nail drills every 4-5 weeks. Once you have all the tools set & in place, only then continue with the method.
Do not bite your nails
It is vital not to bite your nails, pick them, or cause any form of damage of your cuticles. The sugaring method may irritate your fingernails some more, which will leave you with inflamed fingers and nails.
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.
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Operating An Led Nail Lamp
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How Long Should Gel Polish Top Coat Be Cured
Gel polish top coat should be cured for no longer than 90 seconds if you are not convinced that 60 seconds are enough.
Gel polish topcoat is a sealer. It protects the color and adds mirror-shine quality to the gel polish color.
Over curing the gel polish top coat will alter this quality and turn it into a hard solid. What this does is the over-cured gel top coat will not interact with acetone any more, and removing it will require manual filling.
Your Nails Don’t Need Air
Gel polish seals over your nails for weeks at a time. Some people might avoid using it because they think that their nails need to “breathe.” However, your nails don’t actually need air at all.
It’s true that gel polish cuts off the air supply to your nails. Of course, so does regular polish – it just doesn’t last as long. But your nails aren’t a living part of your body, the way that skin is. It’s perfectly safe to cut them off from air.
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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.
How To Dry Gel Nail Polish
There are several types of nail polish that you can use today, and gel polish is one of the most popular. Gel polish is made up of acrylic oligomers and monomers, which bond together when they are placed under UV light. The process, which is known as curing, only takes a matter of seconds, turning the gel into a chemical-resistant and hard coating. There are so many different colours and styles of gel nail polish to choose from today, yet one thing you may be interested to learn more about is how gel nail polish dries, which is what we will reveal in this guide.
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The Supplies Youll Need For Gel Nails At Home:
The Difference Between Uv And Led Lights When Drying Gel Nail Polish
You may be wondering whether you should choose an LED or UV lamp. There are not many differences between the two, yet LED lamps do tend to be a bit quicker when it comes to drying gel nail polish.
We will help you to understand how they both dry gel nail polish so that you can get a better understanding. The UV light is the active product in both the LED and UV light source. It is this light that will start the drying process and will ensure your nails are hardened without any chipping or smudging.
Traditionally, UV wavelengths are used to cure gel nail polish. A range of UV wavelengths, which are known as photoinitiators, are emitted by the light, which will compound in the gel. This is then converted into the energy that is needed so that the process known as polymerisation begins. This is when molecules within the gel are attracted together, making the gel harder and creating the coating that we are all familiar with.
So, what about LED lights? Well, they work in a very similar way. The only real difference is that the wavelengths they give off are much narrower and have more energy, and this is why the drying process can be activated quicker with an LED lamp.
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Youre Removing An Old Gel Manicure Without Professional Help
Once a gel manicure is on its last leg, you may be tempted to remove it yourself, but experts advise against it. The safest way to remove gel polish is by a professional, says Harpring.
If you absolutely cant make it to the salon for removal, she advises you first gently file the top of the polish to remove the shine, which allows the acetone to penetrate and dissolve the gel easier. Next, soak cotton balls in acetone , apply a cotton ball to each nail, and wrap it in tin foil. Leave the wraps on for 10 to 15 minutes, and then, using a wooden cuticle pusher, gently push the gel off of the nail plates. To finish, lightly buff the surface of the nail with a buffing tool, and apply oil to your nails and cuticles to rehydrate.
How To Safely Remove A Gel Manicure
Gel is a very general term, so you should always ask your tech what type of gel they are applying and how to remove it, Lim explains. For example, she shares that soft gels should be buffed and soaked off Japanese gels and SNS dip powder should be filed down with an electronic file hard gels should be filed off completely before soaking, and all other gels and traditional polishes can be soaked off without any buffing.
With products constantly coming into the market, no one procedure fits all, Lim says. As such, she reiterates how important it is to know whats on your nails, if not for your own sake, for the manicurist who removes it.
As a general rule of thumb, if soaking your nails in acetone isnt cutting it, its time to take a file to your nail plates. Ever so gently , file off the topmost shiny layer of nail polish. This is important to allow the acetone to penetrate to the deepest layer and speed up your removal process, Lim explains.
If you dont have an e-file on hand, Lim says the best tool for removing gel polish is a 100/180 grit filesomething you can find at most drugstores. You should only use the 180 side when removing the shine, but you may need to use the 100 side to break down multiple layers of topcoat, builder gel, or nail art, she instructs.
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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.
Soak Your Nails In Acetone Using Cotton Balls And Aluminum Foil
Acetone is stronger and more effective than non-acetone nail polish remover, making it exactly what you need to remove your gel nail polish. Drench some cotton balls with the stuff, then hold them in place on your nails by wrapping each finger with aluminum foil. According to Yankee, this traps in heat to help the gel break down faster. Gel polish formulas vary in strength, so the wait time can be anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes. If you dont get it exactly right, you can always rewrap and keep on soaking.
Yankee’s expert tip: Sometimes its best to do one hand at a time at home. I like to start with the dominant hand to get the toughest part out of the way. So if youre a lefty, begin soaking the nails on your left hand, and then your right hand will be a breeze. Its a small change, but it makes a huge difference, she says.
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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
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.
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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.
Tips For Applying Gel Polish At Home
- Shake, shake, shake your polish before application to make sure it mix well. A good shake make your application easier. Invest in a good nail polish shaker.
- The purpose for applying nail bonder is to ensure optimal performance by increasing the bonding between natural nails and the gel polish. If you feel that your application doesn’t last as long as it should be, try using a nail bonder.
- Get yourself a nice and handy cuticle oil, like CND Solar Oil or Gelish Nourish Oil, because you often need to keep the nails moisturized as using gel polish can be dehydrating.
- Any brand of 36-watt UV Lamp or LED light works. The professional LED light that can cure 5 fingers at the same time is preferable. With UV Lamp you have to change the bulbs regularly and takes more time to cure. With LED lamp, you don’t need to change the bulbs, it last longer and cure in a shorter amount of time.
- If you are concerned with UV Light exposure you can apply sunblock on hands or wear the UV Lamp fingerless gloves before application.
- If you find out that your gel polish is thick, use gel polish thinner before application. This is a recommended product to save your gel polish life.
–Update : Since CND Shellac application is slightly different than Gel polish, we posted a simple, photo tutorial on how to do Shellac Nails at Home. Check it out!
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