How to cover nails with gel polish. Gel polish at home: what you need for beginners at home. Base coat application

Nowadays, it is not difficult to make a stylish manicure at home. The stores offer a wide range of special devices for manicure: varnishes, gel coatings, stencils, etc. Until recently, home manicures were notable for their fragility, the reason for this was the weak durability of the varnish. But now everything has changed, it has become public gel polish or shellac. The main feature of this material is that it stays on the nails for more than two weeks.

What is gel polish in manicure

The procedure for performing a manicure using gel polish is offered in almost every beauty salon. There are also a huge number of manicure specialists working at home. Recently, many girls have begun to buy all the necessary equipment for performing a manicure using a gel coating and, accordingly, do it at home. But nevertheless, when all the necessary materials have already been acquired, the question arises: “How to make a manicure?”. We will answer this question by talking in detail about the technology for the correct application of gel polish at home. Before you start creating a manicure, you need to understand what gel polish (shellac) is. The gel polish itself is a porous polymer that allows air to pass through. It has a number of advantages:

  • Lasts up to 4 weeks, which saves time on manicure, because even the most good polish does not last more than 5 days.
  • It does not require any special skills, it is applied quite simply.
  • Variety of color options. Every girl can choose a gel according to her mood.
  • Gel polish perfectly levels the surface of the nail plate.
  • Does not spoil the structure of the nail itself.

However, such a manicure also has its drawbacks, which in general do not spoil the overall picture of its merits. For example:

  • The high cost of the procedure, especially if you do a manicure in the salon with a good master. Do-it-yourself gel polish at home also requires the cost of tools and materials (UV lamp, special acetone-containing liquids, etc.)
  • Wearing a manicure using shellac for a long time is harmful. Therefore, after 4-5 times of application, the nails must be given time to rest and recover.
  • Difficulty in removing gel polish. This will not work with regular nail polish remover. It is necessary to use only acetone-containing liquids and spend a sufficient amount of time on the procedure for removing the gel.

What is needed to create a manicure

To make a durable, high-quality shellac manicure, you need to have a certain set of tools and materials. Before coating nails with shellac, they must be well processed, for this you will need the following tools:

  • . They are used to process the free edge of the nails and give them the necessary shape.
  • . Needed to get rid of overgrown skin at the base of the nails.
  • . It is used for polishing the surface of the nail plate, as well as for removing the keratin layer.
  • . Used to align the free edge of the nail plate.
  • . Used to remove excess cuticles.
  • . With their help, you can easily lift and push back the cuticle.

After treating the nails with the above set of tools, you will need the following materials directly to perform a manicure: bonds, (acidic, acid-free), dehydrators. All these funds are necessary in order to degrease and rid the nail plate of excess moisture. In addition, these products provide better adhesion to the gel-coated nail.

  • . It is used to disinfect nails and prevent the appearance of various fungal diseases.
  • . Designed to level the surface of the nail plate, protects against the penetration of gel polish into the nail structure, provides good adhesion to artificial materials.
  • . It is used directly to create a colored manicure.
  • . The top coat, used to fix the color coating, ensures the durability of the manicure, warning it from damage and chips.

And the main important tool, without which it is impossible to create a high-quality manicure using shellac, is. It is used for polymerization (drying) of the gel coating. The quality and power of such a lamp will determine how well the gel polish dries and, accordingly, the durability of your manicure. For home use, a 36 watt lamp is perfect.

UV lamp for drying nails

How to do a manicure with gel polish

The technology for performing work includes several points:

  1. First you need, to soften it, you can first use warm baths. Then you need to give the nails the desired shape, the one that the girl considers the most harmonious.

    Stage 1 - Soften the cuticle

  2. Then take the buff and sand the nail plate, carefully working near the base of the nail and at the edge. Remove excess particles under the nails. This procedure will subsequently help the gel polish to better “adhere” to the nail.

    Stage 2 - Grinding the plate

    Important! We do not process a natural nail with a file, even a finely abrasive one.

  3. Wipe the surface of the nail plate with a cotton pad previously moistened with a degreaser.

    Stage 3 - Degrease the surface of the nail

  4. Application of the base (gel polish base). It is important not to overdo it with the amount, that is, you need to cover the nail plate with a thin layer, paying special attention to the edges of the nail, which will ensure a longer manicure in a presentable form. Then place the nails under a UV or Led lamp for 30-60 seconds.

    Step 4 - Apply the base coat on the nail

    Important! Overdoing the nail, you can achieve the creation of a fragile coating, which will collapse after 2 days.

  5. Applying gel polish of the desired color. The coating layer should be thin. If the gel gets on the cuticle, then you need to use an orange stick to remove it. By carefully distributing the material over the nail, the girl can send it under the lamp for 1-2 minutes.

    Step 5 - Apply the first thin coat of gel polish

    It is important to know how to properly apply gel polish. Apply as shown in the picture. In the center, at the base of the nail, put a point of varnish, then with a sharp but gentle movement, stretch it to the free edge of the nail plate, then brush along the sides of the nail in the same direction (top to bottom). Next, carefully pass the brush along the free edge, sealing it (this will prolong the wear of the manicure). So, the nail is completely painted over.

  6. Applying another layer of gel polish, but a little thicker. This will give the manicure more saturation, make the color deeper. Then, similarly to the first layer, it must be polymerized under an ultraviolet lamp.

    Step 6 - Apply the second coat of gel polish

  7. The use of a top involves applying the product over the gel. We place the nails in the lamp for 40-60 seconds. Its main purpose is to create a protective layer, to prevent the appearance of chips, in addition, the top makes the manicure glossy, neat, more beautiful.

    Step 7 - Apply the top coat

  8. Repeating the earlier action already done: treating the nail with a degreasing liquid. It is performed in order to remove the sticky layer.

    Step 8 - Remove the sticky layer with a cotton pad

  9. At the end of the procedure, it is desirable to soften the skin at the base of the nail, using cuticle oil.

Possible errors when applying gel polish

Gel polish nails are famous for their strength and durability, in theory this is true if you know all the intricacies of applying gel polish. However, in practice, due to lack of knowledge in this area, girls, doing manicure at home, make a number of mistakes, which can subsequently shorten the period of wearing a manicure, lead to cracks and chips in the coating. To avoid these unpleasant consequences, we will talk about the mistakes that should not be made when applying shellac:

  1. Before processing the cuticle, some masters soak their nails with a bath, and so, it is important not to overdo it here, otherwise it can lead to excessive moisture of the nail plate, and you will have to resort to the help of a dehydrator.
  2. If the cuticle is poorly processed and the nail is not cleaned well enough from pterygium, then air can get under the gel polish, which will further lead to peeling of the artificial coating.
  3. If the nail plate is not sanded well enough before starting to apply shellac, especially in the area of ​​​​the cuticle and free edge, this can also lead to premature peeling of the varnish.
  4. Insufficient degreasing of the nail plate with the help of special tools also reduces the period of wearing a manicure.
  5. Disregard for the processing of the end and sides of the nail with special tools (primer, ultrabond), which ensure good adhesion of the gel coating to the nail plate.
  6. Applying too thick a layer of gel polish. Each layer should be thin to avoid insufficient drying.
  7. It is also important to seal the cut (end) of the nail with each subsequent layer. So the manicure will last longer.
  8. If your nails are thin and often break, then it is better not to neglect the use of a strengthening gel and leveling the nail plate with a base. It is better to use a soluble gel so that when removing a manicure, avoid cutting off.
  9. It is very important to take seriously the choice of products such as base and top, because they are responsible for the quality of your manicure and ensure its durability. In no case should you save on these materials.
  10. The use of single-phase coatings is also undesirable. Use three-phase gel polishes, then it will be much easier to avoid premature peeling and chipping.
  11. Avoid using gel polishes that can only be removed by filing. This procedure can often threaten damage to the nail plate. Use coatings that require soaking.

If you follow these simple rules for applying shellac, you will be able to please yourself and those around you with your beautiful nails much longer.

Is it possible to remove gel nail polish at home

Nails covered with gel polish do not require specific care, the rules for its maintenance. However, getting rid of an “overgrown” manicure is more difficult than getting rid of a regular varnish. In a specialized cosmetic store, you need to purchase a gel polish remover (Shellac).

Removing gel polish from nails at home

So, they need to moisten the cut cotton pads (Fig. 2), attach them to the nail platinum and wrap each nail with foil so that the product does not evaporate (Fig. 3). After waiting about 20 minutes, remove the foil and cotton pads, the gel will come off with them (Fig. 4), its remains can be removed with an orange stick and sawing off with a grinding file (Fig. 5).

You can read more about removing gel polish, including with a machine, in the article:

Using gel polish in manicure is the most reasonable solution. In order for it to please you for a long time, it is necessary to use rubber gloves for prolonged contact with water and household chemicals.

Video: Technique for applying gel polish at home

Hands - business card women, according to Coco Chanel. It is difficult to disagree with this, since everything from age to social status is reflected on the hands, which is why it is so important to pay attention to hand skin care and manicure. But worse than a complete lack of nail coverage can only be an untidy manicure. This will never happen to those women who know how to properly paint their nails with varnish.

The appearance of gel polishes has made a real revolution in manicure, allowing you to get a durable coating for two to three weeks with minimal time, which will be almost completely unaffected by external factors.

The advantages of such a coating of nails have inspired many women to already learn new technology at home, and for those who are still thinking, it will be useful to find out what tools and materials will be needed for gel polish manicure, what are the stages of coating.

Required Tools

The new technology of coloring nails causes the use of not only new materials, but also new tools.

Basic gel polish kit includes:

  • coating polymerization lamp;
  • buff, he is a polishing file;
  • degreaser;
  • base coat;
  • gel polish, selected shade;
  • finish coating;
  • adhesive remover.

Let us dwell in a nutshell on each of the points in order to understand their purpose. Gel polish will not dry in the usual way, for this you need a special lamp. Such lamps come in three types: ultraviolet (UF), light-emitting diode (LED) and combined (CCFL).

For beginners, a 36W UV lamp will suffice for home use. The radiation of the LED lamp is absolutely harmless to the human body, and the device that has worked out its life does not need special disposal. In addition, although these lamps shine more dimly and look compact, they dry the varnish four times faster. A 9W LED lamp is equivalent to a 36W UV lamp. Combined lamps are designed for professional use.

Before applying varnish, the nail must be prepared: lightly sanded and removed dust and natural fat deposits from it. For this, a grinding file with an abrasiveness of 900 grit and a degreaser-disinfector are used. Sometimes it is replaced with a 70% alcohol solution.

A transparent base varnish (coating) makes the surface of the nail as even and smooth as possible, and also prevents the pigment from getting into the keratin layer of the nail plate. The purpose of colored gel polish is the same as that of a regular one - to paint the nail in the selected color.

The top coat not only protects the manicure from external negative factors, but also gives the varnish either a glossy sheen or a matte roughness. Not all particles of the gel coating polymerize in the lamp, they make the surface of the nail sticky. To remove it, use means to remove the sticky layer. Recently, they began to produce finishing varnishes without a sticky layer.

Additionally, for a manicure with gel polish, you can use:

  • a primer that will enhance the adhesion of layers of varnish to the nail;
  • lint-free wipes, which, unlike ordinary cotton pads, do not leave small fibers on the nail during degreasing or removing the sticky layer;
  • cuticle oils, you can purchase special blends or buy apricot, grape or almond oil at the pharmacy.

Manicure with gel polish: stages

Having given your nails the desired shape with a nail file and putting the cuticle in order, you can proceed to a manicure with gel polish.

Technology and stages of application:

  1. Preparation of the nail plate. At this stage, you should lightly walk the buff over the nails, but without strong pressure, without cutting it off. After wetting a cotton pad or lint-free cloth in a degreaser, wipe the nail, not forgetting to pay attention to the side rollers and the end of the nail tip. At the same stage, you can apply a primer to the nails.
  2. Applying a gel coat. Gel polish manicure involves applying 3-4 layers of coating, each of which should be polymerized for 2 minutes in a UV lamp and 30 seconds - 1 minute in an LED lamp, depending on the power. Layers are applied from the following sequence: base, colored gel polish in 1-2 layers, top coat.
  3. Removing the dispersion layer and caring for the cuticle. With a cotton pad or a special napkin, remove the sticky layer from the nail plates using the appropriate tool. This will not only prolong the life of the manicure, but also protect the body from allergenic particles that may be present in the varnish. Applying cuticle oil is not only a pleasant caring procedure, but also providing additional nutrition to the nail plate.

How to remove gel polish from regrown nails

Due to the durability of the gel, it cannot be removed from the nails as easily as regular polish.

In order not to damage the nail, all actions should be performed in accordance with the following technology:

  1. First, the surface of the coating on the regrown nail should be lightly treated with a buff. This will help remove the varnish faster.
  2. Soak a cotton pad liberally in gel polish remover. Then attach it to the nail and wrap tightly with a small piece of foil. Leave the nails in this position for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Next, remove the foil and cotton pad, and remove the coating with an orange stick or a plastic pusher. Do not try to remove the varnish with a metal tool, so as not to damage the nail plate. If necessary, treat the nail a little with a polishing file, removing small particles of the coating.

How to make drawings?

You can make a monochromatic coating more interesting and give individuality to a manicure with the help of drawings. Now there are a sufficient number of techniques that allow you to apply unique patterns on the nail at home, even without having artistic talent.

Let's consider some of them:

  1. stamping. To make drawings in this technique, you will need a stamp, a scraper, stencils with a pattern and stamping paint with a high pigment content. A small amount of paint is applied with a brush to a stencil with a pattern you like, the excess is removed with a scraper, then the pattern is applied to the stamp with a rolling movement, and from it to the nail with the same movement.
  2. Stickers for nails. On sale there are ready-made drawings - decals for every taste. To apply such a pattern on the nail, you need to cut off the pattern or the fragment you like, hold it for some time in water, separate it from the paper backing and transfer it to the varnished nail, dry it and cover it with a finish.

Interesting nail designs can be created using special foil, rhinestones and mirror rubbing.

How to paint nails with regular varnish?

Despite all the advantages of gel coating, ordinary varnish may be a little less than before, but it is also in demand, since coating with it is easier and cheaper than gel polish, and existing resistant varnishes allow you to keep the coating in its original form for up to seven days.

Preparation

Before covering the nails with ordinary varnish, they also need to be prepared. To do this, they are first given a neat shape with a nail file.

Then the cuticle is softened by holding it in a warm soapy bath or applying special oil to it. The softened cuticle is pushed back with an orange stick, or carefully cut off with scissors (for trimmed manicure).

Completes the preparation of nails their degreasing. Nails washed with soap should be dried, wiped with an alcohol solution and dried again. On such nails, regular varnish will last longer.

Base coat application

Primer, base, substrate, base - this is another name for the base coat for varnish. There are various types of bases, among which there are healing, restoring thin and fragile nails, with a whitening effect and leveling. The latter, thanks to microparticles of talc and silk, make the surface of the nail smoother, after which the usual varnish lays down in a more even layer.

The main function of the base coat is to provide a tighter grip between the nail and the varnish, as well as to protect against the penetration of the pigment deep into the nail plate and yellow color afterwards. Usually the base coat is transparent or white. It should be applied in one thin layer. It takes at least 10 minutes for the base to dry well.

Proper staining

After the base coat is completely dry on fat-free nails, you can start applying varnish. To paint the nails of the right-hander should begin with the little finger on the right hand, the left-hander - vice versa. Before applying a regular varnish, the bottle with it should be shaken well in your hands in order to achieve a more uniform consistency and even layers.

Having dipped the brush into the varnish, wipe it on the neck on one side, and cover the nail with the varnish remaining on the outer edge, progressively moving from the tip of the nail to the cuticle. This will prevent the varnish from bleeding. So cover all nails and let them dry well. Then cover with a second coat of varnish.

Use of a fixer

To keep the manicure for five to seven days, you need to firmly glue all the layers on the nail plate. For this, special fixers are used - “smart enamels”. Such products will not only prolong the life of the manicure, but can also make the coating more even and give a beautiful glossy shine without changing the color.

The fixer is applied in the same way as a regular varnish, but you can cover it every day. Drying remains an important condition, each layer of the coating for any manicure should dry thoroughly.

How to speed up drying?

Regular polish takes a long time to dry.

It takes 10 to 20 minutes for one coat to dry properly, but there are several ways to speed up the process:

  1. Special dryers. They come in the form of a spray or liquid in a bottle, which is applied with a brush. The effect after using such a product is a completely dry coating in a minute.
  2. Bath with cold water. If you dip nails covered with ordinary varnish in a container of cold water and ice cubes, the solvent will quickly wash out, which will dry the varnish and make the manicure more resistant.
  3. Vegetable oil. One drop of olive or other vegetable oil, applied to the nail two minutes after staining, will make it dry much faster (after 5-7 minutes).
  4. Using special devices for drying or hair dryer in cold air mode. In the latter case, it is important not to bring the hair dryer too close to the nails at first, so as not to spoil the coating with “ripples”.
  5. When drawing patterns on nails using stamps and stencils, the skin around the nail is often dirty. To protect it, a latex varnish is used, which creates a film on the skin, which is easy to remove later. In the absence of such a tool, it can be replaced with ordinary PVA glue.

    The perfect white stripe in a French manicure without stencils can be drawn with a rubber band fixed in the desired position. And if you still get bumps, they can be masked by running a brush dipped in a colorless varnish with sparkles along the joint.

    To protect the delicate skin of the hands from the aggressive effects of gel polish remover, it should be lubricated with a greasy cream or petroleum jelly.

Beautiful and well-groomed hands are the hallmark of every woman. A neat manicure complements any look, and you can do it at home.
If there is everything necessary tools then it will be easy to apply gel polish on your own. It is enough to prepare the nail plate, choose the appropriate design and learn how to care for your hands after the procedure.

In every beauty salon there are masters who offer to perform a manicure using gel-based varnishes. The peculiarity of this material is that it stays on the nails without chips and cracks for at least two weeks. But you can purchase the necessary tools and perform the procedure at home. To process the nail plate and design you will need:

  • nail scissors;
  • pusher;
  • nail files;
  • wire cutters;
  • orange sticks;
  • primer, disinfectant and dehydrator;
  • base and top coat;
  • colored varnishes;
  • drying lamp;
  • milling cutter with nozzles for hardware manicure;
  • design accessories;
  • lint-free wipes;
  • cuticle oil.

It is convenient to trim the free edge of the nail with nail scissors in order to give them the desired shape. Pusher and orange sticks easily cope with the cuticle, you can cut it with nippers. The plate is polished with a buff and the keratin layer is removed.

After this treatment, the nails need to be degreased and strengthened. For cleaning, it is better not to use ordinary nail polish removers, dehydrators and disinfectants are suitable. The primer is applied for better adhesion of the surface of the nail with a colored coating. The base is used to level the plate, to protect it from getting varnish into its structure. It provides adhesion to colored material.

With the help of varnish, you can perform a monophonic or colorful manicure.. Bouillons are used for design - small metal beads, rhinestones, gel paint, foil, stickers, patterned stripes, sparkles, holographic or acrylic powder. The topcoat fixes the color, protects it from chips and cracks, ensuring durability.

At home, you can perform edged or hardware manicure. In the first case, the cuticle and the nail plate are processed with scissors, a pusher and sticks. And in the second, a special device is used - a milling cutter. There are compact options in the form of handles that are easy to handle at home. More bulky are suitable for salons. Various nozzles can remove cuticles and rough skin, prepare nails.

An important tool is a drying lamp. There are UV and LED tools. For the home, a device with a power of at least 36 watts is suitable.

Application technology

It is easy to apply gel polish on your own. You must follow the step by step instructions:

  • preparation of the nail plate;
  • applying the base;
  • use of colored shellac;
  • design implementation;
  • top cover;
  • removal of the sticky layer.

First you need to remove the cuticle. To do this, you can make warm baths that soften it. But you can’t keep your hands in water - the nails will absorb the liquid, become soft, which is why the varnish will not last long. It is better to push the cuticle with a pusher or orange stick, remove it with nippers, scissors or a milling cutter.

For this, nozzles “flame”, “cylinder” and “ball” are suitable. First, the skin is carefully lifted and the pterygium is cleaned out from under it, the lateral ridges are treated. The second nozzle directly removes the cuticle. Before using the milling cutter, baths cannot be done. In hardware technology, it is easier to perform a manicure than in a trimmed one.

After that, nail files give the desired shape to the nails. Buff grind the plate, moving in one direction. It is not recommended to use other tools for this. Brush clean all the small particles from the nails. Then you need to degrease them by wiping with a cotton pad previously moistened with a special liquid.

For a better manicure, use a primer.. It is better to purchase acid-free material, it is less aggressive. On the packaging, the manufacturer indicates whether it is necessary to dry this layer in the lamp. After the primer, you need to apply the base. The nail plate is leveled with it, but covered with a thin layer, sealing the ends. Dry it should be no more than 1 minute.

Next, you can apply color coating and carry out the design. The first layer of varnish should be thin, for convenience it is better to use a special thin brush. It is easy to distribute the material at the cuticle and on the sides. After drying, a second colored layer is applied, it can be made thicker. It is also polymerized in a lamp and designed. Fix the manicure with a top coat. It must be applied correctly - on the entire surface of the nail and the butt.

At the end of the procedure, the sticky layer is removed with special lint-free wipes. It is also recommended to apply oil to the cuticles and side ridges to soften the skin after exposure to the lamp.

Possible mistakes

If a girl has not completed manicure courses, then she may have problems with how to apply shellac. Due to the mistakes made, after a few days the coating cracks or chips off.

Unpleasant consequences arise due to various factors:

  • excessive hydration of the nails;
  • poor cuticle processing;
  • insufficient polishing of the plate;
  • lack of varnish and top on the ends;
  • too thick layer of materials;
  • use of poor quality products.

It is not worth soaking your nails in baths for a long time before removing the cuticle - they will be saturated with water and become soft. If the pterygium is not cleaned out, then air will get under the varnish, due to which the material will exfoliate in two to three days. A poorly polished plate will cause the gel to chip off.

The manicure will not be perfect even if the nails have not been well degreased. The ends must be carefully treated with a primer or ultrabond, covered with a base and top. Too thick a layer of varnish will spread in the lamp during drying and flood the sides and cuticles. For brittle nails it is better to choose a firming gel, and you also need to align their plate with a base. It is advisable to use materials that need to be soaked, and not cut down.

Single-phase coatings can harm the nails, the best option is three-phase. They practically do not exfoliate. The quality of the materials must be high. Chinese varnishes - not the best right choice. They are applied in the same way as expensive ones, but after a few days the coating will crack.

If the nails are thin, then it is better to remove the length. Lacquer makes them heavier, which is why they often break. When the plate is bent towards the finger, the long form is also not recommended. It is important to monitor the position of the hand in the lamp. If you place it at an angle, the gel will flow onto the cuticles or skin. The fingers should lie flat, it is better to dry the nail on the big one separately.

Do not mix varnish from different companies to create a unique shade.. It is better to perform a manicure with an ombre design or use the material of one brand. It is impossible to rush during the procedure, each layer must be dried from 30 seconds to 2 minutes, otherwise the varnish will not last long. It makes no sense to correct the overgrown varnish, it is necessary to remove it and perform a manicure again.

Rules for handling nails

Some girls have problems with lacquer due to the fact that they do not properly handle nails after the procedure. Any manicure requires some care and attention.

Regularly massage the cuticles and the skin around the nail with oils or moisturizers. Such care will have a positive effect on the condition of the hands and prolong the wear of gel polish. Do all housework with rubber gloves. Long-term contact with hot water, chemicals and products with strong color pigments adversely affect the coating. This is especially true for light shades of varnish and matte tops. Lint-free wipes and alcohol will help clean the nails from contamination.

Do not file or cut the plate together with the coating. It is better to remove it and correct the shape. If the nails begin to curl, then you will have to reduce the length. Even strong plates need rest, so after every 3-4 designs, you need to leave them unpainted for one to two weeks. During this period, you can arrange a course of paraffin therapy, spa care and moisturize your hands.

There are several prohibitions regarding gel polish. It is recommended to limit the contact of nails with aggressive household chemicals. Solvents containing acetone liquids, detergents corrode the coating, reduce gloss and make it cloudy. Manicure should be treated with care. Do not use your nails as a bottle opener, toothpicks or scrapers. The plates remain elastic even under the varnish, they are easily damaged.

It is not recommended to sunbathe for a long time under the sun. The varnish under them quickly burns out, becomes dull. If acrylic can be corrected pointwise, then this material cannot be added to the nails. Two weeks after the procedure, you need to change the design, instead of painting over the regrown areas and polishing the varnish.

If the nails are so short that their edges do not extend beyond the fingers, then it is better to refuse to use the material. The fact is that the tips of the plate will constantly get dirty in the fat that the skin secretes.

Because of this, the manicure looks sloppy and quickly deteriorates. It is better to wait until the nails grow a little and perform the procedure.

Removal of gel polish

There are two ways to remove gel polish at home - soaking and using a machine. In the first case, you will need a special liquid to remove the material. The usual acetone solution does not do the job well.

Cotton pads are cut into four parts, soaked in liquid. Wet pieces are applied to the nails and wrapped with culinary foil on top. Special caps are sold in stores that can be put on fingers. In this state, you need to leave the plates for about 20-30 minutes, during which time the gel polish will become soft. Then you need to remove the foil, remove the cotton pads. Most of the material will go with them, the remains are removed with orange sticks and a grinding file.

With a milling cutter, removing varnish is faster and more convenient. You will need special nozzles - “cylinder” or “corn”. It is better to choose ceramic tools, they harm the nail plate less. The device is turned on at 25-30 thousand revolutions, the coating is removed with quick but gentle movements. The nozzle is led from the cuticle to the free edge of the nail. First, one side of the plate is processed on the forward, then the router is switched to reverse and the second half is cleaned.

You can’t press on the nail, the tool should only touch the top layers of the coating. The base remains intact, it is removed with a file. Very carefully, you need to process the places near the cuticle and side ridges. You can also remove the length using the device.

Gel polish allows you to make a beautiful long-lasting manicure at home. Having trained on themselves, girls can apply it to their friends and relatives. At proper care and handling, the coating will last 2-3 weeks without chips or cracks.

Looking at the exact movements of the master in the salon, everything seems simple. We remove the cuticle, file the nails, consistently apply the required coatings and dry it all in a lamp. Manicure with gel polish is ready!

The utopian perception leads to the decision to take care of their own nails, and women buy everything they need for a shellac manicure.

Disappointment comes almost immediately: the compositions refuse to lie down smoothly, they remain bald on the nails, the designs do not work out.

Set up early! There are many nuances in gel polish manicure, but knowing about them, you can make the perfect coating. Where does the path to excellence begin?

The first difficulties arise with the base. This simple manicure layer often causes great frustration for beginners. Why the base of the gel polish lays unevenly? What are the difficulties?

Most often, the problem lies in the degreaser. When using a gentle fresher or its alcohol analogues, particles of moisture and fat remain on the nails, and this creates bald spots when applying the base. Changing the composition solves the problem.

Even application of the base is possible by following several rules:

  • Excellent nail preparation - best with a manicure machine

Few beginners know that gel polish does not hold very well on wet nails after a trimmed manicure. Do not make gel polish after nail polish removers, and after products with oils.

The task of hygienic manicure is not just to give the nails the desired shape, but also;

  1. remove the scales from the delaminated tip - the edge of the nail should be perfectly even;
  2. slightly remove the upper glossy layer from the nail plate and the old “absorbed” coatings;
  3. gently remove cuticle skin and pterygium underneath;
  4. remove dead cells from the side ridges.

The biggest danger at this stage is not coping with polishing the nail. Here are two tips: when using milling cutters, place them on the nail and work without pressure, and when choosing a buff, abandon the hardness of more than 240 grit.

  • Degreasing and "priming"

Auxiliaries will not only clean the surface of the nail from invisible particles of dust and grease, but also increase the adhesion of the nail plate to the base. First use a dehydrator, then an acid-free primer.

The main secret is that the base should not get on the skin. But here, where the color will subsequently be applied, the base is needed. According to the primary classical scheme, the base is applied to the nails in a thin, thin layer.

Also, beginners should remember that when drying, the base spreads, and leave a small distance to the skin.

In the new format, masters prefer to apply the base in a denser layer, but not too much: to level the nail plate and a high-quality base for the subsequent cake of gel polish layers.

  • Nail sealing

The brush is placed vertically and the cut is covered with a thin layer of the base.

  • Polymerization

Base-coated nails are placed under a UV lamp for 60 seconds. If the lamp is LED, then for 10-30 seconds. In order for the base to grab in an even layer, you need to dry either one finger at a time, or first 4, and then separately a large one.

What to do if the gel polish lays unevenly

Gel polish lays unevenly - a typical problem for beginners.

The reasons may be the following:

  1. Shellac of poor quality - it is better to use the compositions of trusted manufacturers;
  2. Unfortunate color in the collection - almost any brand of gel polishes can be found in the collection of a couple of unsuccessful bottles, why this happens is not clear, but the gel polish can strip and you will have to apply additional layers
  3. The pigment has sunk to the bottom - roll the bottle in your palms, but do not shake;
  4. The base is unevenly applied - it is eliminated by a properly made coating;
  5. A UV lamp is turned on nearby - the composition spontaneously polymerizes, hardening in waves;
  6. Gel polish is applied incorrectly.

The last point will help eliminate either very good master classes from the pros, or strict adherence to the tips below:

  1. You need a little shellac. Exactly as much as the brush "holds". If the composition tries to drain, carefully remove the excess on the edge of the vial.
  2. Gel polish is applied by "stretching" the drop. Not with three strokes, as in a regular manicure, but with a large drop, which is gently stretched with a brush in all directions - under the cuticle, on the sides, to the cut of the nail. Gel polish does not dry out spontaneously, and you can work slowly.
  3. Three thin layers are better than one or two thick ones. It is the thick layers that cause bubbles and waves on the gel polish during drying.
  4. The edge of the nail is sealed during the last applied layer - with light movements of the brush along the cut.
  5. Dry enough time. In UV lamp 120 seconds, in LED 30 seconds.
  6. The sticky layer is removed with special degreasing compounds, and not with alcohol and acetone-containing liquids. Violation of this rule can lead to any unpredictable consequences - up to a change in the color of shellac or the appearance of bald spots on it.

If bald spots appear during the application of gel polish, there is no need to be scared: the second or third layer will solve this problem.

Peeling or chipping of the coating is rare, and is either the result of using a base / gel polish / top from different manufacturers, or ignoring the correct manicure and primer at the preparatory stage of work.

VIDEO INSTRUCTION

How to evenly apply gel polish near the cuticle

There are no special difficulties here.

When working you need:

  1. Pull and fix the cuticle with your finger when applying gel polish;
  2. Hold the brush at an angle of 45 when painting in the cuticle area;
  3. At the cuticle, the first and second layers should be performed with an almost dry brush;
  4. If it doesn’t work out, take a thin brush and first paint over the cuticle, then proceed to a regular brush;
  5. Distribute gel polish by stretching, not by strokes;
  6. Do not hurry.

With the correct execution of all manipulations, even the first time it will be possible to apply gel polish butt to cuticle.

Women who once discovered gel polish rarely go back to a regular manicure. Beautiful appearance and durability of the coating make it indispensable for busy ladies. Subject to the technique on the nails will not be within three or even four weeks.

Beautiful manicure

Today, manicure equipment and products are available to everyone. The point is small - study the sequence of coating nails with gel polish and you can start applying.

What you need for a manicure

At home, you need the same tools that are used in salons.

For a manicure you will need:

  • dehydrator;
  • base, color and top coat.

Base coat application

Today you can buy gel polish of different price categories. When choosing a base and top, do not save money, because the durability of the manicure depends on them.

Choosing a lamp

There are two types of lamps on the market - LED and UF. The sequence of applying gel polish does not depend on them, but the drying time of the nail plate depends. For manicure at home, most often they buy UF lamps, since they are much cheaper. Among the minuses are a long curing time and the need to change light bulbs. However, this does not affect the quality of the coating.

UV lamp

An LED lamp will cost several times more. It does not require replacement parts. In addition, the hardening time is much less - about 10 seconds. In addition to the high cost, the disadvantages of LED lamps include the fact that they are not suitable for some types of varnishes.

For home use, it is better to opt for a UV lamp. The main condition is the high power of the device.

Preparation for application

Any manicure should begin with the treatment of the nail plate and the removal of the cuticle. To do this, we lower our fingers into warm water, after which we carefully cut off the cuticle or push it away with a spatula.

Then we give the nails the desired shape and process them with a grinding file. It is better to choose an abrasive buff to remove the gloss. This will provide a better connection to the base.

The sequence of gel polish coating includes the treatment of nails with a dehydrator. It is applied with lint-free wipes. Thus, we remove excess fat and moisture. In extreme cases, you can use, but they are very dry and can even affect the final color.

At home, it is not necessary to apply a primer. If you want to follow the rules as much as possible, then apply it after treatment with a degreaser.

Application process step by step

Remembering what sequence of manicure with gel polish is quite simple. It uses the base, colored varnish and finish.

  1. First you need to apply a base coat on your nails. Use a quality base and you won't have to worry about how long the gel polish will last. The base also provides additional protection against coloring pigment. It must be applied in a thin layer so that voids do not form. It is better to leave quite a bit of the product on the brush and gently distribute it, starting from the tip of the nail. We seal the end. If gel polish gets on the skin, remove it with a wooden stick. Then dry in a lamp for 2 - 3 minutes (10 seconds if it is an LED lamp).
  2. Apply the color layer in the same way. Make sure that the product does not spread around the edges, otherwise bumps will form. Dry the gel polish in the lamp. Typically, 2-3 coats are required for good coverage. Each of them is dried separately. You can not remove the sticky layer from the colored varnish.
  3. The manicure sequence includes the application of a finishing agent. The top, like the base, seals the edge of the nail. The finish can be applied in a slightly thicker layer, but it also takes a little longer to dry. Remove the sticky layer with a degreaser. Once done, use cuticle oil.

Popular nail design techniques

If you are doing a manicure at home, do not immediately use a complex design. Learn to work with basic colors, after which you can start learning additional techniques.

Today, at the peak of popularity, there are two main methods:

  • gradient;
  • broken glass effect.

Use the instruction, which explains step by step how to make an unusual nail design.

Gradient

In order to create on nails, you will need a sponge, brush or sponge. Before starting the application, we repeat the same steps as for a standard manicure. We remove the cuticle, grind the nails, use a degreaser and apply a base coat.

  • Visually separate the nail into upper and lower parts. Gently spread one color of lacquer on the bottom, the other on top. Quickly press the sponge several times, mixing the shades. You can also use a brush. Dry the layer in the lamp.
  • With another method, varnish of two colors is distributed on a sponge or sponge, after which it is pressed against the surface of the nail. Excess funds are removed.

Types of coating technique gradient

If you don't succeed right away, don't despair. For starters, you can practice on paper.

shards

This design uses holographic particles, which have a fairly dense structure and create the effect of broken glass. The beginning of a manicure is exactly the same as in other techniques. After you have spread the base and color varnish, fix the decorative elements on the sticky layer. Distribute them one at a time, best with tweezers or a rhinestone pencil.

Important! Try not to use too many large particles on the side of the nail. The top coat may not completely cover them.

Top coat is the final step. After that, remove the sticky layer and you can enjoy the finished manicure.

Technique fragments (broken glass)

What determines the service life of the coating

If , this indicates that you have sanded the insert too hard. Chips can occur due to poor-quality base. With poorly sealed ends, already on the second day you may encounter the fact that the varnish moves away from the nail.

Follow the sequence of techniques, and the coating will last you 3-4 weeks. The advantage of gel polish is that, if desired, you can change the design if you carefully remove the top layer and apply a different color.