What you need for a gel polish manicure at home. Manicure with gel polish at home Learn how to do gel manicure at home

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Today, manicures performed using gel polish are in great demand. This type of coating has become even more popular compared to regular nail polish. This is explained by the long-lasting wear of gel polish, the rich color and its other advantages, which include ease of application, which allows you to perform such a manicure at home. Every girl can do this, but you need to know the basic rules and special secrets.

In order for the coating on your nails to last as long as possible, and for the manicure itself to have a neat appearance, you must follow a number of rules:

Preparing nails for gel polish coating is a mandatory and most important stage of a manicure.

Necessary materials

To perform a manicure using gel polish at home, you need the following tools and materials:

Materials and tools - photo gallery

The cuticle can be trimmed with special tools or pushed back with an orange stick.

How long to dry your nails

The drying time of the coating primarily depends on the type of lamp used. Previously, when gel polish manicure was just becoming fashionable, masters used only ultraviolet lamps. Now the choice has expanded and LED lamps have appeared. Drying in them requires much less time. In some cases, 30 seconds is enough. A UV lamp takes longer to dry your nails. The specific time depends on the power of the lamp. It varies from 9 to 54 W.

If the power is 9 W, then drying will take 3-5 minutes. If 18–36 W, then its average duration will be 3 minutes. In the case of a stronger lamp power, it will take 1-2 minutes to polymerize the gel polish.

Gel polish dries much faster in LED lamps

Expense of funds and cost of the procedure at home

The cost of gel polish is quite high compared to regular varnishes, however, given the duration of wear and the low cost of funds during the manicure process, we can say that gel polish coating is quite budget-friendly. So, if you take a jar of gel polish with a volume of 8 ml, then it is enough for about 25 manicure procedures, provided that the nail is of average length. And if we talk about the base coat and top coat, which are applied in one layer, then their consumption will be even more economical.

By the way, it is not difficult to calculate the cost of a home manicure, which is its undoubted advantage compared to a similar service at a nail salon. If the average price of a jar of gel polish is 350 rubles, then the costs for one manicure will be as follows:

Total: 54 rubles.

If you look at the composition of gel polish remover, you can see that it is almost completely similar to regular nail polish remover with acetone. The difference lies only in the presence of auxiliary ingredients, which do not in any way affect the effectiveness of the application. Therefore, it will be much cheaper to use regular liquid.

This should also include the payback of the nail drying lamp. Now they are sold relatively inexpensively. If desired, a good durable device can be purchased for 1–2 thousand rubles.

Gel polish can also be removed with regular acetone, but you should not use this product too often.

How to achieve long-lasting coverage

In order for gel polish to last as long as possible on your nails, the following conditions must be met:

Nail design

There are a huge number of design options, different materials and technologies.

Striped pattern on nails

Stripes are usually drawn by hand. There are many types of striped manicure.

You can draw stripes on your nails by hand or use special tape.

This is done as follows:

At the same time, not everyone gets even stripes, so now adhesive tape, designed specifically for manicure, is in fashion.

Using adhesive tape for manicure, you can create various designs.

Video: Design Using Scotch Tape

By gluing tape at the junction of strips of different colors, you can hide uneven color transitions. And with the help of it you can create not only stripes, but also any other geometric patterns.

Lunar manicure

Lunar manicure is called that way because it emphasizes the area of ​​the lunula - the lightened hole at the base of the nail. Therefore, if it is drawn in light shades, then it looks the most natural and harmonious. It is performed in several stages:

Video: ways to perform moon manicure

Using stamping

Stamping is a nail design made using stamps. You can resort to this method of decorating your nails regardless of what coating you use for your manicure. Stamping is used on both gel polish and regular polish. For this technique, you need to purchase a special metal plate with engraved patterns, a stamp with which the pattern will be transferred to the nails, and a scraper to remove excess paint from the plate.

Stamping design technology:

Photo gallery: stamping design on nails

An experienced master can create a whole work of art on his nails

Not everyone can master the art of painting nails. In principle, this can be learned, but it will take time, as well as great desire and perseverance. And for those who are not ready to master this technique for a long time, there are stickers for slider design. You need to use them as follows:

1. Perform a standard gel polish manicure.
2. Apply base or ultrabond over the gel polish.
3. Stick on the slider, having previously prepared it according to the instructions. for example, some of them need to be moistened in water before application to remove the film with the design.
4. Secure with two layers of topcoat.

Sliders on nails

Video: description of the technology for making “shells” with gel polish

The shell looks especially beautiful on nails if rhinestones were used during the design process. Unfortunately, this can shorten the wear time of your manicure.

Secrets and lifehacks

There are several tricks that help when performing a manicure with gel polish:

If the tips of the nails have microcracks, peeling and other imperfections, they can either break along with the gel polish or cause it to chip. Therefore, it is better to grind them off or strengthen them with soft gel and acrylic powder before performing a manicure.

Video: gel polish for cuticles

How to remove gel polish with a manicure machine

Cutting off gel polish using the hardware method is carried out in the same way as if it were done manually. It is necessary to use ceramic or carbide cutters. In the first case, it is enough to set 10,000 revolutions, in the second - at least 20,000. After the colored layer is completely removed, you need to use a corundum cone attachment to strip the base layer.

How often can the coating be applied and how long does it last?

The length of time that gel polish stays on the nails depends on several factors:

On average, the coating remains wearable for 2 weeks. It might last a little longer. Sometimes, for one reason or another, the period of wearing a manicure is reduced to a week. And finally, when any violations were made during application (or due to the fact that the manicure was wet immediately after covering the nails with gel polish, etc.), after 2-3 days the nails may lose their appearance: the coating will begin peel, chip, crack or even swell in places.

Gel polish application scheme

Regardless of the period during which the gel polish lasted, the manicure should be updated as necessary. Ideally, of course, do this once every 2-3 weeks, but if there is a need, it can be done more often. The main thing is to make sure that your nails do not take on a painful appearance, because they can “get tired” of gel polish: they will begin to break, peel and become very thin. This is visible to the naked eye. This usually happens every 2-3 months, unless the nails are naturally very good and strong. It is necessary to take a break until the nail plates are completely restored. Do not use any coatings, including regular varnish, but instead resort to firming creams and baths.

Table: advantages and disadvantages of gel polish

Video: mistakes in applying gel polish

Modern varnishes look beautiful, but, unfortunately, they last no more than 2-3 days. They were replaced by shellac, which allows the manicure to look flawless for 2-3 weeks. And making gel polish at home, as it turns out, is not at all difficult.

For a high-quality manicure with shellac coating, the following materials and tools are required:

Step-by-step guide to applying gel polish at home

First of all, you need to get your hands in order. First, you need to fill a container with warm water, add a teaspoon of lemon juice and sea salt, and a few drops of shower gel or shampoo. Soak your hands in this solution for 15 minutes, then wash them well with a brush and dry with a towel.

Then you need to make a bath, which includes any oil (heated in a water bath), 5 drops of lemon juice and a few drops of vitamin E. Nails are immersed in this oil solution for 10 minutes. At the end of the procedure, you need to thoroughly dry your hands with a paper towel and begin removing the cuticle.

After the oil bath, you need to wait a few minutes in order for the dead skin to be better visible. Since the cuticle has softened, it is easy to push it back with an orange stick. Next, use nail scissors or tweezers to remove the cuticle and excess skin around the nail plate.

Preparing the nail plate

In order for the manicure to last well, you need to properly prepare the nail plate. Wipe your nails with alcohol and then polish thoroughly with a buff. It is necessary to carefully remove the keratin layer, without leaving untreated, even small areas. The more carefully this operation is carried out, the longer the manicure itself lasts.

Buff treatment is carried out along the nail plate. When all the nails are prepared, you should lubricate the skin around them with baby or sunscreen so that ultraviolet radiation does not dry them out during drying in a UV lamp.

Applying the base

The main task of the base is to help the color coating adhere better to the nail. Therefore, you should not save on it, because the quality of the coating and the durability of the manicure depend on it. The base is applied in a thin layer and then dried in a UV lamp.

Application of colored gel polish

Now you can start applying gel polish of the desired color. The varnish is applied in several layers, usually two or three. It is necessary that each layer be very thin. The thinner the layers of shellac, the better it will hold up later. If the gel leaves marks on the skin during application, remove it with an orange stick.

After the first coat, the fingers are placed under a lamp to polymerize the varnish.

Then the next layer is applied and the hands are again placed under the lamp. If the color is not saturated enough, the procedure can be repeated again. After the color coating has completely dried, proceed to the last stage - applying the top.

Applying top

The top coat is often called the finishing coat, as it is the final step in creating a manicure. Its main task is to consolidate the coatings that were applied before. The correct choice of finish determines how bright the color will be and how neat the manicure will be. The top is applied in an even, thin layer not only over the paint layer, but also under the nail, sealing it.

Dry the coating under the lamp for a couple of minutes. Then you should repeat this procedure again. At the end of all stages, wipe the nails with a cleanser or alcohol. All that remains is to rub in the cuticle oil and admire the manicure. As it turns out, making gel polish at home is quite possible and you shouldn’t be afraid of it.

What does gel polish consist of?

Gel polish is something between gel and varnish. It is durable and beautiful. It has a polymer structure. Remove the coating by softening.

Gel polish consists of a photoinitiator, film former, diluent, pigments and other decorative fillers.

The photoinitiator reacts to ultraviolet light. Thanks to it, the varnish is structured and becomes hard. Depending on its quantity, the hardening speed and drying time depend. The film former creates a barrier that prevents the coating from collapsing.

Thinners help the polish adhere to the nail plate. Not only the durability of the varnish, but also how easy it will be to remove it depends on their quantity. Pigments give shellac a certain color and density. The gel can be mixed to obtain a wide variety of shades and colors. It’s best if you mix varnishes from the same manufacturer, then you won’t have to worry about the quality of the future manicure.

There are a wide variety of fillers. They give the coating a special sophistication and uniqueness.

How to choose a UV lamp for home use?

When choosing a UV lamp, first of all you need to decide what it is needed for and how much money you can afford to spend on its purchase.

Lamps are divided:

1. Size: Can be held with one or two hands.
2. By type: LED or fluorescent.
3. According to the ignition circuit.
4. In terms of power: the more powerful the lamp, the shorter the polymerization (drying) time of the coating.

For home use, a lamp with a power of 9 W to 54 W is sufficient. The power of the lamp depends on the number of 9 W bulbs that are in it. So in a 36 W lamp there are 4 of them, in a 54 W lamp there are 9 of them. And you need to dry your nails after applying each layer. If the lamp is 36 W, then the drying time for the base is 30 seconds, the color coating and top are 2 minutes.

With a lower lamp power, the polymerization period is increased, and with a higher lamp power, the polymerization period is reduced.

Why is it necessary to apply a base coat?

The base coat is the basis of any manicure using shellac.

Its main functions:

• protection of the nail plate;
• alignment;
• adhesion of the subsequent color layer to the nail;
• strengthening the nail plate;
• treatment.

Without a base, even with the most expensive shellac, the manicure will not be perfectly smooth and will not last long. The base is the first and main component of a reliable manicure, so do not neglect it.

Why do you need to apply a top coat?

The final stage in shellac coating is the topcoat.

Its main purpose is:

• alignment;
• drying;
• preservation of bloomed varnish;
• strengthening

Recently, coatings have appeared that also perform decorative functions. There are top coatings that allow your manicure to glow under the influence of ultraviolet light and make your nails glossy or matte. Gives a sandy texture.

It should be remembered that in order to make gel polish at home, you need to think about how the manicure will look if you apply a coating with “special” actions.

Tricks for even application

Considering that gel polishes have a sticky structure, it is not always possible to apply them evenly.

Experts share some tricks for evenly applying shellac:

Primer, bondex, clinser: differences

There are a lot of words in gel polish terminology that are difficult for a beginner to understand.
A primer is a product that prepares the nail for joining, but does not itself participate in this process. It degreases the nail plate and restores pH. The primer does not need to be dried under a UV lamp.

Bondex is a gel that is used to connect the nail to silk. It does not allow the nail plate to peel off, and allows the coating that is applied to it to hold firmly.

Klinser is an alcohol solution containing some oils. Used to remove the last sticky layer from the surface when the manicure is completely finished. Sometimes it can be used instead of a primer, as it disinfects well and is a good antiseptic.

Features of applying gel polish to extended nails

It is possible to apply gel polish to extended nails. However, it should be taken into account that When applying shellac, the nails become thick, so the layers should be as thin as possible so that your nails don’t look rough and bulky. In general, the painting procedure is no different from the classic use of shellac.

First, the nail is polished with a special file, degreased and a base is applied. Afterwards it is polymerized and a colored coating is applied. Again under the lamp and a second color layer. Polymerization, top, lamp.

As you can see, making gel polish on extended nails at home is quite possible. The problem comes when it needs to be removed. Since shellac is the same gel, it is impossible to remove it from extended nails. This must be taken into account before deciding to use it on acrylic or gel nails.

Simple design at home

How to make gel polish at home step by step has already been discussed. But not everyone will want to limit themselves to just a single-color coating. Having several bottles of multi-colored shellac, you can begin to master the skill of applying a pattern or multi-colored coating.

It’s not only beautiful, but it’s also quite possible to do it yourself. To do this you will need 2-3 brushes and a desire to experiment. Let's look at some simple nail design options at home.

Gel polish design: rose

Rose is one of the simplest designs. Even a person without much experience can draw it. First of all, you need to choose the background color on which the drawing will be applied. A red or deep pink flower looks good on a white or beige background. A white or sand rose on a black matte background looks original.

There can be either one flower for the entire nail, or several small ones. Now it is fashionable for a design to be applied to two nails of one hand. This makes the manicure look unobtrusive and neat. Once the background has been selected, applied and dried under a UV lamp, you can begin to apply the design itself. Rose petals are applied in small strokes, similar to commas, from the center to the edges.

Then they are smoothly connected. If there are blemishes in any place, wipe it with a lint-free napkin and draw again. When the rose is painted, the nails should be placed under a lamp to dry. If desired, the petals are shaded with a more or less intense shade and dried again under the lamp. You can add leaves or curls.

Experts recommend drying the gel polish after you have painted part of the picture with one color, unless of course you want to mix shades or make a smooth transition. After the drawing is ready, it is covered with topcoat and dried.

Gel polish design: butterfly

The butterfly pattern on the nails gives the manicure a special tenderness. In order to clearly imagine what the future drawing will look like, you need to draw it on paper. Think over the nuances and color options. Clearly define your artistic abilities.

Having started work, draw the outline of the butterfly’s wings on the selected background. Fill them with the selected color. Veins are drawn. Each time, after the design is drawn in one color, the nails are dried under a UV lamp. A butterfly whose wings are on two adjacent fingers looks unusual. The color of the wings can be either monochromatic or with a transition from one to another. Everything depends only on imagination.

Gel polish drawing: hieroglyph

Hieroglyphs look very interesting on nails. The hieroglyph drawing does not represent anything complicated. After completing all the stages of the main manicure, use a thin brush to apply the image onto the nail with strokes. You should not draw meaningless lines; it is better to choose a hieroglyph whose meaning is known.

French gel polish

French is still in fashion and is appropriate for both a business woman and a young girl. Drawing a “smile” is not particularly difficult. Just practice a little and you won't have any problems. For the first case, you can use special strips; later, one brush will be enough.

After the base color has dried, use a brush to draw a smile line. Then it is intensively painted over. Defects or irregularities are corrected with a stick or toothpick. After drying and applying top coat, the manicure is ready.

In addition to the classic French manicure, you can use bright combinations of varnishes, an inverted “smile”, decoration with rhinestones and sparkles. As it becomes clear, making French gel polish at home is very simple.

Ombre gel polish

An ombre manicure looks original. A smooth transition from one color to another makes the manicure very attractive. The color palette varies from very bright and catchy to delicate and businesslike. But the technique of applying such a coating is not simple and has some subtleties.

After applying and drying the base, two strips of shellac of the selected colors are applied to a small piece of foil. Then use a toothpick to mix the boundaries of the gel. The skin around the nail is lubricated with a rich cream. After this, the nylon sponge is dipped into the shellac prepared in this way and applied to the nail. Any varnish that gets on the skin is removed and only then dried under a lamp.

The combination of ombre with a French manicure, the so-called moon manicure, looks very impressive, when the white tone smoothly turns into a beige or pink haze.

Imitation of water manicure

It is impossible to make a water-based manicure with gel polish in the full sense of the word, since it sinks in water. But you can achieve an imitation of this effect by using a special application of varnish.

To do this, after the base, parallel lines of different colors are applied to the nail plate. Then, a thin brush is drawn across the lines, mixing colors and creating different patterns. It is worth considering that in this case Drying under a UV lamp takes a little longer than usual.

As you can see, making your own gel polish at home is not only possible, but also very interesting. There are a lot of design options, and every two weeks you can admire a new neat and well-groomed manicure.

Video on how to make gel polish at home

Applying gel polish step by step:

Tips and rules for perfect gel polish at home:

With the help of which you not only maintain a well-groomed appearance of your hands, but also show your individuality. Unfortunately, the coating on the nails does not last more than a week, in addition, it can smear before it has time to dry. Therefore, it is necessary to update your manicure very often, which is quite tedious. Gel polish coating helps solve the problem. The photo below shows what the nails look like after this procedure.

Applying gel polish is easy, and since a UV lamp is used for drying, you don’t have to worry about the coating smearing. In addition, gel polish forms a strong base for nails, which protects them from damage and allows them to grow faster. Decorative gel polish coating retains its appearance for a long time, does not fade over time, and does not form scratches. The technology for applying gel polish is simple, the main thing is to take into account some important points.

What is gel polish?

Gel polish has a unique structure; when dried under an ultraviolet lamp, it turns into a durable coating that is not subject to damage or abrasion. Currently, many companies produce gel polishes, the difference between which is the polymerization time, viscosity, amount of color pigment, etc.

Durability, strength, and simple application technology are the reasons why this type of manicure, such as gel polish, is becoming increasingly popular among women. The photo shows that the color range of such varnishes is quite diverse, from traditional to extraordinary tones.

The coating applied to the nails dries under the influence of ultraviolet rays in a lamp for two to four minutes. The drying time depends on the consistency of the product and the power of the lamp.

Advantages

Among the advantages of such a coating, one can note its durability compared to conventional varnishes, ease of application (if you have special devices, a manicure can be done at home), durable texture, which helps strengthen the nail plate. The gel polish coating remains shiny; when applied correctly, it does not form cracks or chips, so there is no need for additional correction. Nails look natural after applying gel polish. In addition, the use of gel polish is not harmful to health, is safe for pregnant and lactating women, it does not penetrate the pores of the nail and does not affect the condition of the nail plate.

The disadvantages include the complex procedure for removing the coating, as well as the relative high cost of such a manicure. But still, there are much more advantages, which is why many women choose gel polish coating.

What do you need to buy?

In order to be able to do such a manicure at home, you need to purchase a special set, which consists of gel polishes (transparent and colored), an ultraviolet lamp, a degreaser, a bond, a primer, a topcoat, a nail file and a polishing buffer, an orange stick, lint-free napkins. A gel polish coating kit can be found in a specialty store.

When choosing gel polish, keep in mind that an inexpensive product may be of poor quality and can damage your nails with constant use. Therefore, it is advisable to give preference to branded devices.

Without an ultraviolet lamp it is impossible to apply gel polish to your nails. The photo shows what such a lamp looks like.

Its power must be at least 36 W so that the nail coating is securely fixed. Otherwise, your manicure may turn out to be faded and sloppy. The special lamp for gel manicure has a timer, which makes it convenient to track the time.

Wipe the nail plate with a degreaser. To save money, you can use regular medical alcohol for this purpose. Bond is necessary to dry nails. The primer provides better adhesion of the coating to the nail.

Manicure technique

The procedure consists of several stages. Let's look at each of them in detail.

1. Nail preparation

Covering nails with gel polish begins with their preparation. First of all, using a nail file, you need to give your nails the desired shape. For thin nails, the most optimal length will be a short one, which will allow you to maintain your manicure longer. Before the session, you can make a relaxing hand bath with the addition of essential oils. Nails should be allowed to dry thoroughly, as soaked manicure will not last long.

Then you need to push back the cuticle using an orange stick. All nails are filed to the required length. Use a fine-grained polishing buff to remove the natural gloss from the nails so that the surface becomes matte. Delaminations must be removed very carefully, otherwise the coating will begin to chip off along with them. Particular attention should be paid to the edge of the nail plate, removing all cracks and detached parts. Then, using a brush, you need to brush off the dust that has formed during the process.

After this, the nails are degreased, being careful not to touch them until the end of the procedure to avoid chipping the coating in the future. A thin layer of transparent bond is applied to the nail plate, and then a primer. This procedure allows you to preserve your manicure longer.

2. Applying gel polish

Gel polish coating is a simple procedure, but you must follow some rules. First, the nails are covered with a base transparent varnish and placed in a UV lamp for 30-60 seconds. You should not touch your nails so as not to contaminate the surface, this may affect the quality of the manicure.

Then a thin layer of colored varnish is applied. It is important that it does not get on the skin around the nail, otherwise it will not last long. All excess can be easily removed before polymerization. Place the nails in the lamp for two minutes; if desired, you can repeat the procedure two or three times, then the color will be brighter. Do not apply the varnish too thickly; bumps and peeling may appear.

3. Applying top coat

If desired, you can apply any patterns or decorations under the top layer. Polymerization lasts 2-3 minutes. When applying the coating, do not forget to seal the end of the nail, which will give durability to the manicure and preserve it for longer. At the end of polymerization, you need to moisten a lint-free cloth in a degreaser and wipe your nails to remove the top sticky layer. To maintain gloss, change the napkin every 3 nails.

Then nourishing oil is applied to the cuticle to moisturize. This completes the coating of nails with gel polish. The photo shows what the nails look like after this procedure.

Now you can do normal things without fear of ruining your manicure.

How to remove gel polish?

After two to three weeks, the coating must be removed, since during this time the nail grows significantly, and this spoils the entire manicure. Gel polish coating is not so easy to remove and an incorrect procedure can significantly worsen the condition of the nails. The best option would be to go to a salon where they will do it professionally. Under no circumstances should you tear off or remove the coating like a film, since the top layer of the nail can be torn off along with the varnish.

To carry out this procedure at home, you need to prepare foil, cotton pads, a special coating remover or a regular acetone-based product, an orange stick.

First you need to wash your hands. Then a cotton pad is applied to the nail, which is pre-moistened in nail polish remover, wrapped with foil on top to avoid evaporation of the solvent. After 10-15 minutes the varnish softens. After massaging the nail plate, remove the cotton wool and foil along with the coating.

The remaining gel polish can be removed using an orange stick. If not all of the coating was removed, the procedure must be repeated. Do not remove any remaining polish, as this will damage the nail plate.

Possible problems

You can often hear complaints that the gel polish coating turned out to be unstable, lasting no more than a week, or began to chip off after a few days. If all points were taken into account and the procedure was performed correctly, the reason may be in the individual characteristics of the nails. You can try using gel polish from another company or switch to more expensive products.

For women who do not have enough free time to do manicures often, but at the same time want to have well-groomed hands, coating their nails with gel polish will be a real godsend and will delight you for a long time, maintaining an attractive appearance. In addition, for those who have brittle and weak nails, this method will help them grow to the required length.

Manicure with gel polish is one of the most popular procedures today. This is not without reason, because such coverage has many advantages. The service is offered by both professional artists in salons and ordinary amateurs at home. But why pay extra money if you can do everything yourself? It is important to master the basic aspects and rules, then the result will pleasantly surprise you.

Key rules when performing a manicure with gel polish

Before considering the necessary equipment and materials, as well as step-by-step instructions, you should familiarize yourself with the basics when performing a gel polish manicure. They will help you avoid mistakes and achieve the desired result. So, the key rules:

1. The first thing you need to do is organize your workspace. This should be a comfortable place with good lighting so that you can carry out the procedure in comfort at any time of the day. Light plays a very important role and a lot depends on it. This is because if you lack it, you may miss the smallest details that will be noticeable during the day. Small smudges in the side rollers, painting over the cuticle - you most likely simply will not see all this in dim light. As a result, you will have to redo the manicure, since such details look very sloppy and sloppy. Make sure that there is enough free space on the table at which you will work. Each tool or tool must be in its place; determine them in advance. For example, when painting the nails on the left hand, an ultraviolet lamp is next to it, varnishes are on the right, all the necessary equipment is in a special container, everything that will not be useful in the near future is moved to the side and is not in the way. Such an organization will put you in the right frame of mind. Also, you will not be annoyed by a fallen object that was lying in the wrong place.
2. Second: before starting the procedure, make sure that you have all the necessary materials. Sometimes it happens like this: a girl sits down to do a manicure, and already in the process she notices that she has run out of top coat, or she forgot to buy a degreaser. All this, of course, brings nervous tension. To avoid such unpleasant moments, check the availability of what you need in advance.
3. Rule number three: stay focused on the process. Do not be distracted by external stimuli and extraneous things. Give the procedure some time: if, for example, soup is being cooked in the kitchen, which needs to be monitored periodically, and at this time you decide to quickly get a manicure, nothing good will come of it.
4. Lastly, keep your work area clean. Don’t be lazy and wipe the table with a damp cloth after each procedure, disinfect the equipment so that bacteria do not accumulate on them, and throw away used cotton pads. After all, it is much more pleasant to do a manicure in a clean environment than to sit surrounded by dust, dirt and debris.

An example of a properly organized workplace for manicure

What you need for a gel polish manicure

If you've ever done a manicure, then you roughly know what tools and materials are needed for this. The girls are familiar with the usual coating; this is nothing new for them. But gel polish raises many questions and gives rise to various misconceptions. Some, for example, think that an ultraviolet lamp is not necessary for the coating to harden, and that a base and top coat are not needed.

Gel polish manicure cannot be performed without special materials and tools.

It is worth understanding in detail what is needed to complete the procedure. So this is:

1. File 180–240 grit. You can purchase any from the specified range. There are only small recommendations for choice: for thin and flaking nails, it is better to buy a file with an index of no more than 190 grit, and for strong and healthy nails, 210–240 grit is more suitable. It is needed to form a free edge.
2. Nail scissors. Choose high-quality models with sharp blades. This tool is useful for trimming the cuticle, as well as for shortening the free edge. If your nails have grown a lot, it is better to first trim them with scissors and only then shape them with a nail file.
3. Buff. It is needed to prepare the plates for applying the base coat. After polishing with a buffer, the surface of the nail becomes rough, which ensures good adhesion to the gel polish. This extends the life of the manicure for quite a long time. Gel polish placed on unprepared plates may come off in a week, or even earlier.
4. Nail clippers. This device is necessary for quickly cutting off burrs. They can also work with cuticles in places where scissors fail. Wire cutters usually have very sharp blades, so they need to be handled with extreme care.
5. Orange sticks. They will be needed to push back the cuticle, as well as to remove stubborn varnish from the side rollers if you suddenly made a careless movement.
6. Top coating. It is applied at the very end and is required to consolidate the result. Without it, your manicure won't last long. It can be either glossy or matte. It all depends on the desired design. Nowadays it is very popular to combine these coatings with each other. For example, the nails on the ring and middle fingers are matte, while the rest are glossy. It looks very modern and stylish.
7. Base coat. This is the very first layer that is needed for the coating to adhere to the surface of the nail. If you just apply gel polish, it may peel off after a few days and all the time and effort will be wasted.
8. Colored coating. The main tone in which the plates are painted. You can choose several colors or just one. Think about your desired design in advance. When purchasing, choose manufacturers with good reviews.
9. Liquid for removing sticky layers. If you were unable to find it in stores, then ordinary alcohol or tinctures based on it would be a good alternative. After polymerization of the gel polish coating, a sticky layer remains on the plates, which is removed using such a liquid.
10. Cotton pads. You will need about five pieces. They are moistened in liquid to remove the sticky layer and remove it.
11. Bath with warm water and 2 tbsp. l. sea ​​salt. This is necessary for the standard cuticle steaming procedure. In addition, the plates are strengthened by adding salt to the composition. This bath is very useful before applying gel polish.
12. Cuticle oil. After a manicure, redness or even sores often remain. The cuticle can be damaged even by negligence. To speed up the healing process, you can use coconut, sea buckthorn, olive and shea oil.
13. Ultraviolet lamp. This is a device without which it is impossible to do a gel polish manicure. When purchasing, pay attention to more powerful models of 36 and 48 watts, since they will polymerize any coating in just 1–2 minutes. Devices with a lower indicator may cause the gel polish to curl and may not dry it at all.

Olive oil is great for lubricating cuticles

Important! When choosing a base, top and color coating, choose one manufacturer. Products from different companies may not be compatible in composition, as a result of which the gel polish may peel off after a few days.

All this is a standard set for creating a manicure with gel polish at home. After making sure that all the necessary items are available, you can begin the procedure itself.

How to do a manicure with gel polish at home: step-by-step instructions

Making a manicure with gel polish at home is very simple. You need to master the main rules and follow the instructions, then the result will pleasantly surprise you. Let's look at the process step by step:

1. The first thing to do is soften the cuticle with a bath. Remember that there should be no coating on your nails before starting the procedure. Take 1 liter of warm, but not hot water, dissolve 2 tbsp in it. l. sea ​​salt and lower your hands for 20 minutes. After this time, remove them from the container, rinse them under the tap, wipe them with a towel and begin processing.
2. Use an orange stick to push back the cuticle. Pieces that remain hard can be removed using nail scissors or nail clippers. Also at this stage you need to get rid of burrs.
3. After you have processed the skin around the nail, we begin to form a free edge. There are three most common options that are offered in many beauty salons: square, semi-square or oval. For short fingers, the latter form is more suitable, as it visually increases the length and the hand ultimately looks more graceful. If the free edge has grown too much, first trim your nails with scissors to the desired length, and only then start working with a nail file. This will save you time.
4. The next step is polishing the plates with a buff. Make sure that the entire nail is treated in this way. Otherwise, in those places where the surface has not become rough, the varnish may chip off after several days of wear.
5. Next, we begin to apply the first layer of coating. Place a drop of base gel polish in the middle of the nail, and then begin to carefully move the brush towards the cuticle, getting as close to it as possible. After this, we distribute the coating on the right and left sides, preventing it from flowing into the side rollers. If this suddenly happens, remove the smudges with an orange stick before placing your hand in the UV lamp. Most often, the base coat has a thick consistency, so if you take a small amount of the product, it will not spread. So, after you have applied the first layer, dry the gel polish in a 36-watt ultraviolet lamp for 2 minutes. The time is halved in proportion to the power. Thus, in a device with a power of 48 watts, the layer is polymerized in just 60 seconds. In lamps with a lower rating, the coating can dry up to 5 minutes.
6. It's time to apply the color coat. Using the same technology, we paint each nail with it. Apply it in a thin layer, otherwise the risk of gel polish curling increases. We place the hand in the UV lamp for the same time as when polymerizing the base coat. After the first, you need to apply a second layer and dry it in the same way. Remember that the final result largely depends on the quality and power of the lamp. The optimal number of layers is three. But if the gel polish has a loose texture, apply it 4 times already.
7. The last stage is related to the topcoat. It is applied in a thin layer to each nail. Make sure that it is distributed over the entire surface of the plate. Dry it in the same way as the other layers. After polymerization, the gel polish becomes sticky. This can be removed with a cotton pad soaked in a special liquid or alcohol.
8. At the end of the procedure, apply the selected oil to the cuticle and side ridges.

A manicure with gel polish will delight you for several weeks.

Manicure with gel polish at home is ready!

Interesting! Have you ever wondered how many manicures one standard size 7 ml jar of gel polish is enough for? The base coat is used up in about 25 treatments, the top coat in 20, and the color coat will run out after 15 uses. The number of applications increases in proportion to the volume of the bottle with gel polish.

Master class on manicure with gel polish: video

Removing gel polish with a manicure machine

There are several ways to remove gel polish, but one of the safest is to remove the coating using a manicure machine. You do not dry out the plates with caustic substances, as happens when softening gel polish with a special liquid, and you also save yourself from the unnecessary hassle associated with cutting out squares from foil and semicircles from cotton pads. The device has a large number of advantages, which is why many beauty salons now prefer it. This method is safe only if the procedure is followed according to all the rules.

So, a very important point is the choice of cutter. There are two options: ceramic and carbide. The former are distinguished by their high price and corresponding quality. The latter are cheaper, but their characteristics are slightly worse. Ceramic cutters do not heat up because this material has good heat resistance. They are also much softer and do not cause such strong vibrations as are present when using the carbide type. The service life of the nozzle with regular use is approximately 3 years. Carbide cutters remove the coating with shavings and are more suitable for removing too thick layers of gel polish, as well as extended nails. When used for a long time, these attachments become hot. The advantage of carbide cutters is the absence of nail dust, when many people begin to sneeze when it appears in the air.

Choose only high-quality manicure devices, as well as cutters for them

Before starting the procedure, make sure that your elbow and arm are resting on the table, as support is very important. Find a comfortable position and start removing gel polish with a manicure machine. The cutter should move from the cuticle towards the free edge. Cut the coating evenly, taking short breaks of a few seconds. There is no pain during removal. A common myth: you can accidentally cut through a natural nail with a milling cutter. This is just a misconception. You are guided by the basecoat layer and once it is removed, you stop driving the cutter in this place. It is also worth noting that the nail consists of more than a hundred layers, pressed tightly against each other. Even with careless removal, only 2-3 of them are damaged.

Pros and cons of gel polish manicure

Gel polish has many advantages. That is why he was loved by a huge number of representatives of the fair sex around the world. Let's look at them in detail:

1. So, one of the main advantages is durability. If you compare gel polish with the usual coating that everyone used to paint their nails before, you can see the clear superiority of the first. This manicure will have an attractive appearance for several weeks. Gel polish is not afraid of moisture, you can easily wash dishes and do other household chores with it without fear that the coating will rub off. Basically, the need to update your manicure arises only when the nails grow and the distance to the cuticle is about 3 mm.
2. Gel polish remains glossy. The top layer does not wear off or fade during the entire period of wearing the manicure. This provides a flawless appearance to your nails, something you could only dream of before.
3. No matter what they say about the dangers of gel polish, it, on the contrary, protects the plates from the harmful effects of the environment. The only danger is when removing it. If you remove the coating incorrectly, your nails can be damaged.
4. Gel polish does not have an unpleasant toxic odor, which is present in all ordinary coatings. It has almost no aroma.
5. Formaldehyde, which is part of regular varnish, is absent in the gel.

Photo of a manicure after a month: the nails have grown, and the coating looks just as beautiful

Now it's worth talking about the disadvantages. Among them the following can be noted:

1. When drying in a lamp, a burning sensation may sometimes occur, but this does not pose any danger. During the polymerization reaction, a reaction occurs with the release of a large amount of heat, resulting in such an unpleasant sensation. If you feel a burning sensation, take your hand out of the UV lamp for a couple of seconds and then put it back in there.
2. Removing gel polish takes more time than it would take to remove a regular coating. But this needs to be done only once every 3-4 weeks. And in order for regular polish not to look sloppy, you need to renew your manicure every 2-3 days, or even more often.
3. Purchase and use of a UV lamp. Some have a negative attitude towards ultraviolet radiation, while others are not satisfied with the very fact of purchasing it, because this is an additional expense. Yes, a good lamp costs about 3 thousand rubles, but this saves you from having to visit a salon and pay round sums for one manicure. It is much more profitable to do a manicure with gel polish at home: all expenses are recouped in a couple of procedures.

Many people are put off by removing it from a gel polish manicure.

Gel polish has many more advantages than disadvantages. This is a good reason why you should choose this coating.

Important! A manicure with gel polish can be done 3-4 times in a row, after which the nail plates need to rest for about a week. During this time, cover your nails with nourishing compounds and take baths: this will keep them strong and healthy.

Secrets and lifehacks

Like any other business, manicure has its secrets and life hacks that make life easier and make each procedure easier. Let's look at them:

1. If your nails are painted a solid color but you have to go to a special event, the idea of ​​temporarily changing the design will be useful. You can paint regular patterns on top of the gel polish, and in the morning you can wipe it all off and go to work with a strict manicure. Liquid with acetone will have no effect on the gel coating.
2. The neck of the jar with gel polish should be regularly cleaned with a cotton pad soaked in a regular coating remover. This way the lid will always open without difficulty, and the product itself will not become thick over time.
3. To ensure the color of the polish is as rich as it looks in the bottle, apply two coats of white coating to your nails, and then paint with your chosen shade. Its brightness will increase.
4. If you are a beginner and do not yet have the skill to paint your nails perfectly evenly, apply PVA glue to the side ridges and cuticles, wait until it dries, and then start creating a manicure. Now if you accidentally go beyond the plate, everything will remain on the film, which can then be easily removed.

White color on nails creates a so-called base, laying on top of which any color will look saturated

Such simple tips will be useful for both beginners and experienced craftsmen.

Design ideas: photo gallery

A striped manicure is a very original and bright idea. This lunar manicure in red is perfect for evening events. A very delicate shell manicure in burgundy and white with rhinestones. A manicure in red and black, made using stencils, looks elegant. Youthful and bright manicure with drawings will please you. every young girl An elegant manicure in silver-green tones, made using the stamping technique
Reverse moon manicure in red and white looks very modern and stylish
An unusual manicure in blue tones with a splinter effect. A delicate wedding manicure with a white pattern will make the bride’s hands irresistible. A classic French manicure is suitable for any occasion.

So, now every girl and woman can give herself a wonderful manicure with gel polish at home. Follow all the tips and recommendations, then the result will be no different from the salon one. Be healthy and beautiful!

Beautiful and healthy

For a manicure to be beautiful, your nails must be healthy. Gel polish is not applied to thin, fragile and flaky nails. Most coatings simply won't stick to them. In addition, gel polish can even be harmful to such nails. There is only one allowed for problem nails.

There are many ways to maintain the health of your nail plates. It is best to combine:

Taking good vitamins

Regular manicure

Home care treatments

Constant care for your nails will soon bear fruit. And to make it easier for you to navigate this difficult issue, get acquainted with ours. In addition, it would not hurt to study recipes and also find out. Don't forget what you buy at the pharmacy.

If your nails have already lost their former beauty, use high-quality medicinal varnishes. They have it too.

What is important to know before starting the procedure?

There are a few basic things to remember before even starting the procedure. They will help you create the perfect manicure that will stay with you for a long time.

The first and most important rule: the workplace must always be clean. Although gel polish is very resistant to chips and abrasions, it still has a weak point. When a speck gets between the layers, the structure of the coating is disrupted. As a result, chipping and peeling of the coating may appear within the first week after a manicure.

The reason for the violation of the structure of a manicure with gel polish can even be sawdust after processing the nail plate.

Therefore, professional craftsmen equip their workplace with a special vacuum cleaner.

If you are performing the procedure at home, thoroughly clean the work surface. put away any loose cosmetics and tie your hair into a ponytail.

Collecting tools

If you are going to do a manicure with gel polish for the first time and have not taken any training courses, it is important to choose good tools. The quality of a manicure depends not only on the materials you apply to your nails, but also on the tools. Cheap files will ruin the structure of the nail plate; due to bad lamps, the layers of gel and varnish will not dry out. Even the wrong wipes can lead to peeling and cracking!

How to choose a file?

The file should be selected in accordance with the condition of the nails.

There are different degrees of abrasiveness of files. Fine-grained files are softer. they can be used for thin, damaged nail plates. Rougher tools will work better on thick nails.

There is no need to take iron files - they inevitably lead to delamination of the nail plate.

If you don't like the classic soft options, consider glass instruments. They delicately file the nail without harming the structure.

Buff for polishing

In addition to a regular nail file to shape the nail plate, you will need a polishing tool. This can be a special soft file or buff.

A buff is a three-dimensional block with an abrasive surface on each side. They can be different: some are rougher, others are soft. But there are buffs whose sides have the same abrasiveness.

You need a soft tool that you will use for delicate polishing.

Why do you need a pusher?

A cosmetic pusher is needed to work with cuticles.

It is a short rod with a beveled tip.

A cosmetic pusher is convenient to use to push back the cuticles from the nail plate.

For home use, it is better to take soft models made of rubber and plastic - they are less traumatic. The cosmetic pusher can be replaced with an orange wood stick.

How to choose a lamp?

The durability of your manicure and the duration of the procedure will depend on the lamp. There are three types of lamps: LED, UV and CCFL. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. We described recommendations for choosing lamps in more detail in.

What else might you need...

In addition to the standard set of tools, you may need:

Brushes. Firstly, you may not like the base brush of the product. Some companies do not approach this stage of product manufacturing very carefully. It may be too wide or thin. Sometimes the cut of the pile turns out to be uneven and as a result the varnish is applied sloppily. Secondly, brushes will be needed for nail art.

Required funds

In addition to tools, you will also need some supplies. Although for the coating itself you only need a base, color and top, you can’t do without the other components.

Cuticle remover

cuticle remover is the cost of our persistent attempts to persuade you to have an unedged manicure. The remover consists of fruit acids and alkalis. It literally dissolves dead cuticle cells. You can read even more about this useful tool.

Degreaser

The degreaser cleanses the nail plate of dirt and removes excess moisture. As a result, the base coat adheres to the nail better and the manicure lasts much longer. We have already written a detailed one. It will help you choose the right product.

Base, color and top

You can choose the base, color and top from any manufacturer. But, if this is your first time doing a manicure with gel polish, it is better to give preference to products from the same line. It could be or. At first, before you get the hang of it, even . Once you have experience, you can safely combine products from different manufacturers.

Klinser

Cleanser is a very important tool when creating a manicure with gel polish. It is needed to remove the sticky layer from the nail. This step may seem like a waste of time to you. But by missing it, you reduce the quality of your manicure and damage its longevity. about the importance of clinser and draw your own conclusion: do you need this product or not.

Cuticle oil

Only at the last stage will you need cuticle oil. Gel polish is not compatible with fatty substances, so moisturizing follows the removal of the sticky layer. The oil makes the cuticle moisturized and healthy. This way you will protect your nails from infection and deformation of the nail plate. On our website you can find information about this.

As a complement to other means, you can use. This is a special liquid tape that is applied around the nail plate and prevents you from staining the skin with polish.

The nuances of applying layers

Having prepared all the necessary tools, you need to study the nuances of applying layers. The correct technique for creating a manicure with gel polish is very important. Without observing the consistency and features of the technology, you can’t count on a durable and beautiful coating.

Lacquer square

The first nuance you need to get acquainted with is the varnish square. It is not at all necessary to do it, but it significantly increases the period of wearing a manicure.

To make a varnish square, you will need clear varnish. The most common one, not gel.

The polish square should be done after you have shaped the nail plate, removed the cuticles and cleaned the nails with a degreaser.

Just step back from the edges of the nail plate 2-3 millimeters on each side and paint the inner area (that is, the middle of the nail plate) with clear polish.

Once it's dry, you can move on to base coat your nails.

Layer thickness

When creating a gel polish coating, each layer must have its own thickness.

There are three main means, as we mentioned earlier. This:

Color coating

The features for each of them are:

The base should be thin. Professional manicurists advise putting just a drop of the product on your brush. A ball of gel the size of half a match head will be enough. It needs to be carefully distributed over the entire nail in a thin layer. A thick base will not adhere well to the nail and color coating. As a result, the manicure will simply peel off.

Next comes the color coating. It also needs to be applied in a very thin layer - otherwise it will not dry out. The drop size of the color coating is the same as for the base product. You apply the color in a thin layer and distribute it over the entire nail plate. It’s better to make several translucent layers, dry them thoroughly and get a bright, durable coating than to be upset about a bad manicure.

The last layer is applied the base. And this layer should be denser than the previous ones. Since nothing else is applied on top of the base, you don't have to worry about adhesion. At this stage, it is more important for us to create a dense “shell” that will literally protect the nail from impact and friction. In addition, a voluminous layer of top gives the manicure a beautiful glossy shine.

End sealing

In a manicure with gel polish, it is very important to seal the ends.

The end is the very tip of the free edge of the nail plate, which you can rest against the pad of another finger. When you apply layers, they all end here.

Until sealed, the layers of products look like sheets of paper stacked on top of each other. They do not unite, but simply attach to each other.

Sheets of paper can be folded into a folder. She will unite them into a single block.

The same thing happens when sealing layers. To do this, the top product is lightly applied to the end of the nail. It seems to envelop the edges of all previous layers, fastening them together.

Lamp drying time

But don't forget that the beauty of manicure is not only about complex effects. A beautiful coating is impossible without following the correct technique for creating it and healthy nail plates.