When I first discovered gel manicures, I was in love. My nails stayed shiny and chip free for two whole weeks! However, the effects didn’t last for long. After about three weeks into my gel manicure, my nails would start to look a little dull and chipped. They would then start to flake off in tiny pieces and I would have to get them redone which is very annoying as it can cost up to £20 every time! So I thought, there must be a way that I can prolong my gel manicure so that they don’t just peel off after three weeks.
After some research online and trying out a few methods myself, I have come up with some tips on how to get long lasting gel nails.
Do not get your nail cuticles pushed back.
From what I have read online, many people recommend getting your cuticles pushed back once your gel manicure starts to flake off. The idea behind this is that the nails are able to grow out without any bumps along the way which causes the gel polish to bubble up and peel off. This method has not worked for me at all because it is extremely painful when getting your cuticles pushed back by a professional (which will cost a minimum of
I love gel nails. They last 10 days. No chips, no peels. A nice smooth finish. But they can be expensive and sometimes a hassle to get done. I’ve been doing my own at home for over a year now, and I thought I’d share my tips & tricks to getting long lasting gel nails.
So first things first, what is a gel manicure? Well it’s just like a regular manicure, but instead of using regular polish, you use gel polish. You cure the color under a UV lamp for about 2 minutes. This hardens the polish so that it won’t chip or peel. Gel polishes come in every color imaginable and there are lots of brands available online and at your local beauty supply store. My personal favorite is SensatioNail by Nailene (click here for link). It’s super easy to use, works great, and doesn’t require any special tools (more on this later).
If you’re still reading, then you’re probably interested in doing your own gel nails at home! Yay! I’m going to try to break down everything step by step with as much detail as possible so if you have any questions leave them in the comments below!
For this tutorial I used Sensatio
If you follow these steps, you can get your gel manicure to last at least two weeks.
I have had a few people asking me how to get long lasting manicures and pedicures at home.
Here is a step-by-step guide for manicure:
1. Chop off the cuticles. You can either get them removed by a manicurist or do it by yourself using a cuticle cutter. Make sure that you do not cut too much of your cuticle, just enough to remove the dead skin and clean up the area around the nails.
2. Wash and dry your hands thoroughly.
3. Apply nail strengthener all over your nails (fingers and toe nails) and gently massage it in till they are completely soaked in the product (this step is optional).
4. Apply a base coat on all your nails followed by two coats of nail enamel (of any color of your choice).
5. Wait for 5 minutes for the polish to dry completely then apply a coat of top coat over it. You can also apply a layer of quick drying nail hardener instead of top coat if you wish to get fast drying results (again this step is optional).
6. Now, dip all your fingernails in ice cold water and leave them there for 5 minutes or until the polish dries completely (I
The other day my girlfriend said to me, “my nails look terrible. I need to get them done.” I looked at her nails and they looked pretty good. Not perfect, but not bad either. She just got a regular manicure 3 weeks ago and had been taking care of them herself since. They weren’t chipped or broken and the color was still looking fresh.
“They don’t look that bad,” I told her. She replied, “but they’re so short now! I can’t grow them out.”
“You could go get gel nails.”
“How long do they last?”
“Like a month.”
“Really? That long?”
“Yeah. I think so.”
She said OK and wanted me to give her a ride to the nail salon. I reluctantly agreed, but only after telling her she’d probably be spending more money on gel nails than she wanted to spend. And I was right. The cost was $45 for the whole thing: manicure & the gel nails (or rather shellac). The salon used CND brand products for everything but the polish color which was OPI brand. At home she would have spent about $10 for a new bottle of OPI polish (she has many bottles)
Step 1: Cut and File Nails to Desired Length and Shape
Step 2: Clean Your Nails on a Lint Free Wipe With a Few Drops of 99% Alcohol
Step 3: Push Back Cuticles
Step 4: Apply Gel Base Coat to Each Nail
Step 5: Cure Under UV/LED Light for 30 Seconds
Step 6: Apply Gel Nail Polish Color to Each Nail
Step 7: Cure Under UV/LED Light for 30 Seconds
Step 8: (Optional) Repeat Application of Second Coat of Color, Curing Between Each Coat if Needed
Step 9: Apply Gel Top Coat to Each Nail, Curing After Each Application Under UV/LED Light for 30 Seconds
Step 10: Clean Any Remaining Gel Polish Residue From Around Your Nails Using a Lint Free Wipe with a Few Drops of Acetone or Alcohol Based Liquid
For those who are wondering what gel manicures are and why everyone is raving about them, read on. Gel manicures are the latest trend in the world of manicures. They say that these types of manicures last longer than regular nail polish, so I decided to try them out for myself.
I went to my local nail salon and had a gel manicure done on my nails. The process involved first cleaning my nails with a nail brush and then applying a base coat. After that, the gel polish was applied on top of the base coat and was cured under a UV light for 2 minutes. Two coats were applied, followed by a clear top coat which was also cured under UV light for 2 minutes. The gel polish does not dry on its own like regular nail polish does, so it needs to be cured under UV light after each layer is applied.
I have to be honest; I absolutely loved the end result! My nails looked better than they ever had before. They were smooth and shiny and looked as though they had been done professionally at a salon. The colour was also very vibrant and did not fade at all over time.
The only problem I found with this type of manicure is that it can be quite expensive, especially since you will