The Best Nail Tech Tricks Of All Time

We asked nail artists to share their secrets.

The best nail techs have a few tricks up their sleeves. Here are some of our favorites.

1. If you break off a corner of your acrylic or gel, don’t freak out. Just file it down and repaint it. You’ll never notice the difference.

2. To make sure your nail beds are completely dry after you push back your cuticles, use a hair dryer to blow warm air on them for about 10 seconds each hand. Then apply your base coat, polish, and topcoat as usual. This will prevent your nail polish from smearing or smudging if you accidentally touch your nails together before they’re dry (it happens to the best of us!).

3. If you’re in a rush and need to dry your nails quickly, dip them in ice water for five minutes after applying the last coat of polish and watch them set instantly!

4. Applying Vaseline around your cuticle before painting will not only help prevent the polish from bleeding onto the skin, but it’ll also make clean-up easier! And no paper towels needed!

5. If you paint on two coats of white polish and then

Gel nails are a great way to maintain your nails. Applying and removing gel nails can be daunting at first, but with a little practice, you’ll get the hang of it.

To apply gel nails, create a foundation for the gel by applying a thin layer of nail polish and curing it under an LED lamp for 30 seconds. Once the foundation is dry, apply a thin layer of color coat polish and cure it under the lamp again. Apply another thin coat of color coat polish to seal in the color and cure it under the lamp again. Repeat this process 2 more times or until you’re satisfied with how thick your gel nails are. Finish your nails by sealing them with a top coat, then curing it under the lamp again. Finally, wipe off any tacky residue left on your nails with rubbing alcohol before painting on another topcoat over them to protect the color underneath!

You can remove gel nails by filing over the top of each nail with a coarse nail file, then soaking cotton balls in pure acetone. Wrap each coated cotton ball around your finger and secure it with aluminum foil so that the liquid doesn’t evaporate before it breaks down your gel nail polish. Let this sit for 15-20 minutes, then gently rub away any remaining gel from

Every nail tech in the world has a way to get gel off fast and without damaging the natural nail. During my 10 years as a nail tech, I have tried every method under the sun (even using dental floss). Here is what works for me.

I start by filing down the top coat of gel polish with 100-grit file, and then I go over it with a 180-grit file. If the client’s nails are long and they don’t want to cut them down at all, I will use a dremel to sand off the top layer.

After filing, I apply acetone to each finger, place it in an aluminum foil wrap, and let it sit for 10 minutes (sometimes longer if the polish is thick). Next, I remove each foil and scrape off any remaining gel with a cuticle pusher. Then I use an orange stick wrapped in lint-free wipe to remove any excess gel from around the cuticle.

Step 1: Remove any old gel polish from nails and clean them. “You can’t just do one coat of gel polish on top of the previous one,” says manicurist Julie Kandalec. “You have to start fresh.” But you don’t have to soak your nails in acetone like you do with regular nail polish, which can dry out your hands and nails. Instead, Kandalec uses a glass buffer block to gently rub off the old polish. Then she wipes nails with nail polish remover to remove any residue. “You want to make sure the surface is clean so that the next layer will adhere properly,” she says.

Step 2: Apply a base coat of gel polish and cure it with a UV light. Gel polish is designed to stay in place for weeks without chipping or peeling, so it has to be applied properly to prevent cracking or bubbling, says manicurist Miss Pop, who has painted Rihanna’s nails for her tour book cover shoot (left). “It’s not like regular nail polish where you can fix any mistakes because it’s so easy to wipe off,” she says. After applying each coat of color, cure it under a UV light for two minutes or according to package directions. (Curing is

The best nail techs can take a basic manicure and make it look totally unique. They add in little tricks to make your nails look longer, stronger and more unique. We’re not saying there is a wrong way to get a manicure, but if you want that salon-quality look, you’ll need to try these tips.

1. Use White Polish To Make Your Nails Look Longer

In this post we will talk about how to apply gel nails.

Gel nails are a type of artificial nails that most closely resembles the natural nail. They are not as strong as acrylics, but that also means that they are not as hard on the natural nail. Gel nails can be soaked off at the salon and do not require grinding down. There are many different brands of gel nail products on the market, and there is some variation in the process. However, most gel nails have these steps in common:

1. Cut, file and buff your natural nails. Clean off excess dust with a nail brush and cleanser. If you have cut your cuticles back too far, now is the time to treat them with an after-care product and a bandage to prevent infection.

2. Push back your cuticles (if necessary) and clean under your free edge with a cuticle stick or pusher. Use the cleanser again to remove any dirt from under your free edge or left on your fingers from pushing back your cuticles. Dry off your hands before proceeding with the application of gel nails.”

Don’t file the top of your nails.

Don’t let your nail technician drill your nails, as it weakens them.

Don’t neglect your cuticles – they protect new growth and give manicures a sleek look.

Never forget to moisturize your nails after washing dishes or cleaning.

Stay away from formaldehyde, a preservative in some nail polishes that is linked to cancer.

Invest in a good basecoat and topcoat – they help prevent chipping and peeling.

Use non-acetone remover only. Acetone will dry out and damage nails over time.

Don’t pick at chipped polish – this causes peeling and breakage, too. Get them professionally done!