Thinking of doing it yourself gel manicure at home and not sure what products to use and how to apply it? Great, because I’d like to show you the how-to and tips for doing gel polish at home.

Doing Gel Polish at Home? Really?

The idea of getting your gel nail polish done at home is very reasonable since applying gel nail polish is getting way easier now and it will save you money in the long run.

No more electric drill or strong-odour chemical because gel polish nowadays is just like regular nail polish in the regular bottle without the painstaking steps. There are tons of brands of gel nail polishes to choose from. Esther’s Nail Center offers just the popular ones such as CND Shellac, Gelish, Daisy DND Gel, etc.

Shellac or Gel Polish?

The first thing people usually ask is which brands of gel polish I should choose. In my opinion for doing gel nail polish at home, each brand has its own pro and contra. CND Shellac requires no buffing on nails (so it’s more gentle) but costs more. Gel polish, such as Gelish or Daisy DND, have a lot more colours to choose from and certainly more affordable. But there is more buffing process involved in the application and removal process so it’s rather harsh for the nail. CND Shellac tends to stay for 14 days or more on nails. Compare that to Gelish that stays up to 21 days.

One best way to find out is to try them out. You may go to a salon and see what and how the nail technician does your nails. Then see which one stays longer on your nails as everyone has different nail condition. Some people have a better application with one brand while not on the others.

Gel Nail Polish at Home Step-by-step

What You Need

Basically, what you need for doing gel nail polish at home are listed below. It’s recommended to use gel polish as a system to ensure the optimum result.

1. Gel base coat such as Gelish Foundation Base Gel
2. Gel top coat such as Gelish Top It Off
3. Nail cleansers such as CND Scrubfresh or Gelish Cleanser (blue liquid)
4. Gel nail polish such as Gelish Soak-off Polish or Daisy Gel Nail Polish
5. UV light 36-watt or LED Lamp
6. Nail bonder such as Gelish phBond
7. Gelish Structure Gel – optional, only if you have weak and peeling nails
8. Cuticle Oil – important to use it daily
9. Lint-free nail wipes or Cotton ball
10. Fine nail buffer block – Gelish recommend using 100/180 nail buffer but we like to use a fine nail buffer because it’s less coarse so less harsh to the nails.

To make things easier, you may purchase a Gelish Starter Kit that includes nearly all products above (except structure gel, cuticle oil and nail wipes). This kit is a great choice for everyone who wishes to do gel nail polish at home.

Application

1. Prepare nails by cleaning the nails or removing old nail polish.
2. Push back the cuticle and clean the surrounding nail plate.
3. Shape the nails with 180/240 grit nail file.
4. Buff nail lightly with nail buffer block.
5. Remove the dust and wipe the nail with Nail Cleanser using a lint-free wipe.
6. (Optional) Apply a coat of nail bonder. Wait until it dries. Why nail bonder? Read the tips below.
7. Apply Gel Polish Base Coat in a very thin application and seal the edges of the nails. The key to successful application is to apply in a very thin layer. Make sure the gel doesn’t touch the cuticle. If it does you can wipe it off later with a wood cuticle stick.
8. Cure (by placing all fingers) in the UV Lamp for 1 minute or LED lamp for 30 seconds.
9. Apply Gel Polish Color in a very thin application from cuticle to free edge. Be sure to seal the edges.
10. Place hand in a UV light for 3 minutes for dark colours or 2 minutes for light colours. Or 30 seconds for the LED lamp.
11. To even the coverage, repeat step 9 & 10 as necessary.
12. Apply a thin coat of  Gel Polish Top Coat from cuticle to free edge.
13. Place hand in UV Lamp for 2 minutes or 30 seconds for LED light.
14. Wipe off the tacky surface with nail cleaner and lint-free nail wipes.
15. Massage cuticle oil to the skin surrounding the nail.

Check out these video tutorials on Gelish application.

Tips for Applying Gel Polish at Home

• Shake, shake, shake your polish before application to make sure it mixes well. A good shake to make your application easier. Invest in a good nail polish shaker.
• The purpose of applying nail bonder is to ensure optimal performance by increasing the bonding between natural nails and 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, 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 an LED lamp, you don’t need to change the bulbs, it last longer and cures 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.

Content retrieved from: https://www.esthersnc.com/gel-nail-polish-at-home-tips-how-to/.