Beautiful nails with gel polish – how to do it

Reading time: 5 minutes

What is Gel Polish?

Gel polish has become incredibly popular to use due to its long-lasting durability and the beautiful results you can achieve. Gel polish is a fusion between nail polish and gel nails. You get the great durability from gel and the ease of use of a regular nail polish. Additionally, you avoid the drying time of nail polish because gel polish needs to cure under UV/LED light. It’s really smart.

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions

This guide is a general guide for using gel polish, and it is always recommended that you follow the manufacturer's application guide. There may be different curing times and/or preparation techniques that need to be used, depending on the brand you use. Gel polish can cause allergies if handled incorrectly and is therefore for professional use only. Gel polish must be cured properly and should only be applied to the nail, not on the skin or cuticles. Gel polish is not recommended for those under 18 years old.

Products you will need:

Gel polish base coat
Gel polish color
Gel polish top coat
UV/LED lamp for curing
Nail file
Cuticle pusher
Isopropyl alcohol
Cleanser for the nails, such as Scrubfresh
Nail oil
Brush (for easier clean up)
Nail wipes

Preparation of the nails:

To achieve the best results with gel polish, it is important to prepare your nails correctly:

Clean and remove any old nail polish from your nails with nail polish remover.
File your nails to the desired shape and length.
Gently push back your cuticles with a cuticle pusher.
Degrease the nails by thoroughly wiping them with a cleanser such as Scrubfresh.

Applying gel polish:

Follow these steps to apply gel polish and achieve a beautiful result:

Apply a thin layer of gel polish base coat to your cleaned nails. Keep a 1-2 mm distance from your cuticles. It’s better to keep a little more distance than risk touching the skin.
Cure the nails under the UV/LED lamp for the recommended time. You will notice that your nails feel sticky on the surface all the way until after the last step. This is normal. Do not touch it.
Apply a thin layer of gel polish color to the nails and, as always, avoid touching the skin or cuticles.
Cure the nails again in the lamp for the recommended time.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 to achieve the desired color intensity.
Finish with a thin layer of gel polish top coat to protect the color and give a beautiful shine.
Cure the nails one last time in the lamp for the recommended time.
Wipe off the sticky layer (uncured gel polish from the nail). This is done with a wipe moistened with isopropyl alcohol.

If you accidentally get gel polish on your skin during the process, quickly and effectively wipe the area with isopropyl alcohol.

Curing gel polish:

It is extremely important that you use the correct lamp for proper curing of your gel polish. Therefore, follow these guidelines:

Use a UV lamp, UV/LED lamp, or an LED lamp that is designed to cure the specific gel polish you intend to use, with the correct "wavelengths"/nanometers as recommended for your gel polish. You cannot assume that all lamps can cure all types of gel polish.
Check the manufacturer's recommendations for the exact curing time, as it can vary, especially depending on the lamp's wattage.
Make sure the nails are positioned correctly under the lamp to ensure even curing. Always cure the thumb separately.

If you want to geek out about watts and nanometers, click here and read the big guide on UV/LED lamps.

Aftercare:

After applying gel polish, you can do the following to complete the treatment:

Care for your nails and cuticles by applying nail oil regularly. This actually extends the durability of your new gel polish manicure, as a flexible and hydrated natural nail does not become so stiff that the products might lift off.

Tips and tricks

Here are some tips and tricks to achieve the best results with gel polish:

Always use base coat and top coat to extend durability and protect the nails.
Avoid getting gel polish on the skin or cuticles, as this can result in chipping, lifting, and in the worst case, cause allergies.
If your gel polish peels off, unfortunately, the hard way is to start over with that nail, as patching will never give a nice, even result. Always remember to seal your free edge to increase durability.
To extend the durability of gel polish, avoid using your nails as tools to open or scrape things.