A gel nail manicure looks absolutely stunning - even if it is done at home but can turn into a disaster if not done carefully. In this article, we'll help you understand the dos and don'ts of doing your gel nails at home to help you master this manicure and save extravagant salon bills.
Gel Nail Manicure 101: Everything You Need to Know
Gel nail polishes are indeed the best innovation in the beauty industry. Sturdy, classic, experimental, and most importantly, long-lasting – these nails reflect your personal style perfectly. However, there is a thin line between getting your gel nail manicure perfect at home just like a salon or seeing it turn into a blunder.
Although doing them isn’t the most difficult thing on the Earth, it certainly needs care, patience, and practice. If you are looking for some effective ways to master your gel manicure at home, you are in the right place. Find the top dos and don’ts of applying a gel nail polish below to turn heads your way wherever you go.
The Dos of Doing Your Gel Manicure Perfectly at Home
Here are the main dos you must keep in mind while doing our gel nail manicure at home:
Do: Ensure you prepare your nails beforehand
Instead of starting with the application straight away, prepare your nails for the manicure. Preparing them by cleansing, clipping, filing, and buffing not just ensures that your manicure lasts longer but also protects your nails against any weakness or brittleness.
Do: Organise your supplies
Gel nail manicure is not only about applying one coat of polish – the supplies are endless. Make sure you arrange and prepare all your supplies before starting or else rushing for each little thing in the middle will certainly make your nails look tacky and uneven. Having the all the right supplies is can make a massive different to the ending quality. You can browse all our gel nail manicure supplies in our online store.
Do: Be patient
Patience is the key when it comes to gel nail manicure or else you can ruin the shape, texture, and overall shine of your nails.
Do: Cure the base coat for at least 30 seconds
No matter how much your lamp claims to perfectly cure your nails within 10-15 seconds, wait for at least 30 seconds for a long-lasting, durable manicure. However, we even recommend waiting for a minute with the base coat.
Do: Wipe your gel nails at the end
Once you have completed doing your gel nails, wipe them with some lint-free alcohol wipes, at last, to make the surface even and sort down all the tackiness.
The Don’ts of Applying Gel Nail Polish to Avoid Shabby-Looking Nails
If you really want to master doing your gel nail manicure at home, it is important to pay even more attention to the don’ts.
Don’t: Apply thick coats
A gel nail manicure requires working in multiple layers. So, if you don’t work in thin and even coats, you are going to get a terrible result. Hence, don’t apply thick coats and work with minimal quantity for a seamless finish.
Don’t: Let the gel polish come in contact with your skin
Although most of the brands would claim that their gel polish is safe just in case it touched your skin, be extra careful with it. No matter how much they say – eventually, gel nail polish is a strong chemical and can cause your skin to irritate or even get an allergic reaction. Furthermore, if the gel polish touches your skin, its durability is going to get affected and your manicure is very likely to chip or easily come off.
Don’t: Ignore the top coat
Many people skip doing their top coat which isn’t a good idea at all. A top coat not just seals your manicure in place but also adds a gorgeous, salon-like shine to your nails.
Don’t: Underestimate the power of a good LED nail lamp
Even if your manicure is good, a low-quality nail lamp can ruin the durability and overall finish. Hence, do not neglect the importance of a good LED nail lamp and invest in a highly reliable, great quality lamp. Instead of using a UV lamp, we recommend going for an LED lamp. As far as the wattage is concerned, we recommend opting for a high-efficiency 80 Watt LED gel nail lamp.
{Also Read: THE LUXE GUIDE TO USING AN LED NAIL LAMP}
Don’t: Skip the post-manicure nail care
If you are fond of gel nails, you need to be very careful with nail care to ensure they are healthy and strong. Whenever you take your gel nails off, please make sure to do the required nail care such as double cleansing your nails, massaging your cuticles, and more.
{Also Read: IS IT WORTH DOING GEL NAILS AT HOME AND SHOULD I GET A KIT?}
The Bottom Line
We hope we helped you understand the important dos and don’ts of doing your gel nail manicure at home to achieve a salon-ready finish – at the fraction of the cost. Remember to be patient and calm while doing your gel nails. Most importantly, keep reminding yourself that practice is the key to success. What else do you think is very crucial to master your gel manicure?