A manicure done with gel nails not only looks beautiful, but they can also last up to four weeks. Equipped gel nail polish kits allow you to do this kind of manicure at home in no time. Read here what you need to do gel nails at home and how to do the manicure step by step.

Gel Nails at Home: What You Need

To do a gel nail polish manicure yourself, you need a few things:

To prepare the nails, you need a buffer file to roughen the nail surface, a regular nail file to shape your nails, and a brush to remove nail dust.

For the gel manicure, you need a cleaner, cotton pads, a base coat, colored gel nail polish, a top coat, and a UV/LED lamp.

Step #1: Prepare Your Nails for the Gel Nail Polish

You must prepare your nails to ensure your gel manicure lasts well.

• First, you should remove any remaining nail polish.
• Now, you can file your nails into the desired shape.
• Next, the cuticles should be pushed back. You can do this with a cuticle pusher.
• Now, the nail must be degreased with a cleaner.
• Finally, the nails must be roughened with a buffer file. You can remove the nail dust with a brush.

But be careful: when buffing, you must be careful not to damage your nails.

Step 2: Appling the Gel Nail Polish

Applying gel nail polish is no different from painting your nails with conventional nail polish. There are just more steps:

• To protect your skin from UV rays, apply sun cream to your hands. Avoid the nails. The simpler method, where you don’t have to worry about getting sun cream on your prepared nails, is to put on UV manicure gloves.
• First, you need to coat your nails with a thin layer of basecoat. This must now be cured under the UV lamp.

Why do my nails get hot under the UV lamp?
Gel nail polishes are acrylates and harden under the UV light. As they harden, they rub, and this friction feels like heat on the nail.

• You can then apply the colored gel nail polish. This layer must also be cured under the UV lamp. If you are unsatisfied with the opacity, you can apply another coat of the color and then cure it again.

Important: If any gel nail polish runs, you should touch it immediately before it hardens. Once hardened, gel nail polish can no longer be touched up.

• The next step is to seal the polish with a top coat. This must also be cured again under the UV lamp.

Step 3: Aftercare of Your Gel Nails

• If a so-called “sweat layer” has formed due to the curing process, you can wipe this away with a cotton pad or a tissue.
• To nourish your hands a little, you can use a cuticle oil and massage it gently.
• Your manicure can now last up to four weeks.

Here is an Easy Tutorial on How to Remove Gel Nail Polish in 4 Steps!

Gel nail polish has some advantages, but it also has disadvantages. If you take precautions with your manicure, you can show off manicured nails for up to four weeks. Does your life revolve around fitness, fashion, and lifestyle? Then check out the other blog posts!