All about Gel Polish
- 4 min reading time
What is gel polish?
Gel polish is a strong, thick nail polish that strengthens your nails and often stays on for a long time. The difference with regular nail polish ? Gel polish must be cured under a UV or LED lamp. Without using a lamp, the polish remains liquid and therefore does not harden! On average, gel polish lasts 10 to 14 days, so super long! Removing gel polish is also different than with regular nail polish: you will have to soak or file your nails, because nail polish remover does not work sufficiently. Below you can read more about removing your manicure.
Applying gel polish
Because gel polish is different from regular nail polish, the way you apply it is also different from what you are used to. Fortunately, applying it is not difficult and you can get a long way with practice! With the following steps, your manicure will definitely be beautiful:
- Roughen your nails with a nail file . The polish will adhere better to your natural nails if they are a bit rough. Don't file too much away, or your nail will become thin!
- Apply a thin layer of base coat and let it harden under the lamp. The amount of time the polish needs to harden varies per brand, so check that carefully. Be careful: the gel polish remains sticky, which is exactly the intention!
- Time for color! Apply a thin layer of color over the base coat and let this cure under the lamp again. If the color does not cover in one go, you can apply a second and possibly a third layer. Let each layer cure under the lamp.
- The last step is to apply a topcoat. Again, a thin layer is sufficient and the lacquer must be cured under the lamp.
- Some topcoats keep a sticky layer. You can remove this by going over your nails with a special cleanser. There are also topcoats that do not require this, so check that in advance! Applying a cleanser over a topcoat that does not require this can cause dull nails.
- That's it!
Removing gel polish
Ready for a new color? No problem: removing gel polish takes some time, but it’s not difficult! If you follow these steps, you’ll be ready for a new manicure in no time:
- File off the topcoat from your nails. Do this with the rough side of the nail file. It is okay to also file off the color of your nails, but be careful not to touch your natural nail.
- Soak a cotton pad or Nail Wipe with remover. Then place it on your nail, and wrap aluminum foil around it. Let this soak in for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- After the remover has had time to soak in, you can "scrape" the polish off with a wooden hoof stick.
- You can file away the last bits of gel polish and then your nails are ready!
Tips for using gel polish
Anyone can use gel polish, but to make it a little easier, here are some handy tips!
- It is important to take good care of your natural nails, so that they remain strong. You can apply a nourishing primer for this, under your base coat.
- Always apply thin layers of gel polish. Better 3 thin layers than 1 or 2 thick ones! Too thick layers of polish can harden poorly under the lamp, with the result that your manicure will quickly come off your nails.
- Paint the gel polish a little off your cuticle. When your skin comes into regular contact with gel polish, you can develop an allergy. You don't want that! Painting a few millimeters off your cuticle not only prevents an allergy, it also makes your nails look longer. Win, win!
- Take good care of your nails with oil. This will keep your skin supple and soft, allowing your nails to grow longer and healthier.
- You can also apply oil to your cuticles before removing your gel polish. This will protect your skin from the filing and the remover.
Curious about our entire gel polish range? Shop here --->> Gel Polish
