Professional nail polish with gel polish step by step. Gel polish

The hands of a real woman should look well-groomed, otherwise they are not hands, but the paws of Chewie from Star Wars, and the owner of neglected nails herself turns from a mystery girl into a slob from work who is used to washing with her hands, not arousing any sexual interest.

Therefore, you should not be lazy and look for excuses for yourself, you need to learn to be beautiful and natural. For starters, you can at least paint your nails. The manicure procedure takes an hour at most, even using gel polish at home it will take two hours.

You can devote two hours a week or two to your nails, because they signal to the whole world about a woman’s attitude towards her beloved. But the world doesn’t need to know that a girl walks around at home disheveled, cooks only in the presence of a man and often forgets to wash off her makeup before going to bed - in short, that she doesn’t really love herself very much...

How to properly apply gel polish to your nails at home

What tools and supplies will we need?

Before starting the procedure, you should make sure that you have all the tools and accessories for manicure or that an equivalent replacement has been found. Which materials are definitely needed, and which can be neglected? To get a manicure, you need everything from this list (what’s missing can be put in, and what’s superfluous can be put aside):

If all the manicure products are ready, you can begin the application procedure itself. Below it is discussed step by step. The application sequence must not be violated.

Stages of the procedure step by step

Preparation

Before applying gel polish or first you should prepare your nails. You need to carefully clean them of the previous coating, trim the cuticles along the edges, adjust the free edge and be sure to disinfect the nail plate!

Disinfection is the prevention of fungal diseases under the varnish, since it removes fat, excess moisture and bacteria from the nail. Also, the disinfectant simply cleans the nail from dust and dirt so that the shellac adheres better.

Can be used as disinfectants professional preparations, come in sets with gel polish, but for manicure at home, regular alcohol is suitable. Moreover, it is pure alcohol, and not vodka, not perfume or lotion! There are simply too many additional components in these products that prevent the varnish from fixing to the plates and can erase it. Plus, alcohol has a long period of activity and works even under shellac.

Before starting the procedure, you must once again make sure that the nail is cleaned of the previous varnish. To remove cuticles, you need to use a special product or oil, but you cannot steam your nails, as they can peel.

In fact, when preparing, you should do a regular soft hygienic manicure as a base, but do not immediately apply varnish. Moreover, you don’t have to shorten the nail too much; shellac usually strengthens the nail plate, but everything needs to be sanded, otherwise the gel base will lie unevenly. Polish the nails with a buff, holding it along the nail plate. Removing the top keratin layer of the nail helps the shellac to better adhere to the plate. You will have to remove it, although it seems that this causes great harm to the nail, but this is not so. Then the nail is degreased and a primer is applied.

As a little trick: the skin of your hands can be protected from harmful effects shellac by applying regular sunscreen or baby cream. Otherwise, the effect of ultraviolet radiation may dry it out ahead of time.

Applying base coat

A transparent shellac base is needed for better adhesion of the product to the nail plate. The weaker the nails, the worse the polish will adhere to them, so they are strengthened with a base coat. You can’t skimp on shellac base, even at home, because a bad base will ruin the entire manicure. The base shellac must be applied carefully and evenly to the nails in a thin layer and begin to dry in a UV lamp, then repeat the painting again, and apply the top coat immediately after the base.

Application of topcoat

The top coat of shellac is also called the topcoat because it seals the entire coating. It is done at the very end on fully prepared and treated nails. The brightness of the color and the neatness of the nails depend on the correct coating.

Immediately after application, you should use a dryer, and after two minutes, you should evenly lubricate the area around the nails with hand or lip balm so that the skin does not dry out or crack.

If you follow the classic concepts of gel polish, then nothing is glued or applied to the top. Exceptions may be large elements, for example, rhinestones, but if possible you should avoid this, since a manicure or pedicure will look untidy due to such sealing. This is one of the many secrets of manicure.

Final stage

After correct application top and dry in a UV lamp, blot your nails with a napkin containing liquid to remove the liquid. After this, the hands are lubricated with moisturizing cuticle cream and the shellac coating procedure is considered complete.

Differences between primer, bondex, and clinser from each other

Shellac terminology is full of unfamiliar words, the meaning of which a novice manicurist can only guess. At least some of them should be considered. Below is a step-by-step comparison of three key shellac products.

Primer It is used to prepare the nail for adhesion, but it does not adhere anything, but only removes everything unnecessary on the plate. It can be compared to priming walls for wallpaper. It restores the pH of the nail plate, cleans everything so that the product adheres as correctly and firmly as possible. The degreasing primer does not require additional drying under an ultraviolet lamp.
Bondex– a gel-like substance used to increase adhesion between the nail plate and shellac. Thanks to this product, the nails do not peel off, and the artificial material stays on the nail plate for as long as possible. Its action can be compared to double-sided tape, when it tightens both the nail and the shellac. Bondex should not be applied to the skin or cuticles; if the product gets on your fingers, they should be washed with running water. These two products (bondex and primer) are often confused.
Klinser– aqueous-alcoholic solution with fragrances and oils. Removes the sticky layer at the very end of applying gel nail polish at home, a fixative, although it can replace the primer if necessary, since it is a good antiseptic.

These three different manicure products are a must-have for any woman who takes care of her nails and doesn't mindlessly try to grow them. If possible, you should purchase them from the same brand, for example, Ingarden, Bluesky, to avoid chemical incompatibility and deterioration of adhesion. Proper care guarantees healthy nails and a beautiful appearance of shellac.

How to make designs on nails with gel polish?

Nail art is a type of manicure in which, in addition to the standard classical treatment of nails, various designs are also reproduced on them according to the technique. Shellac quickly gives freedom to decor, which is why there are entire trends in nail design where images are applied to a ready-made coating. You can make absolutely unimaginable pictures on your nails, it all depends on the artist’s imagination, but you need to understand that individual bright patterns will look more impressive on long nails, and their use on short nails is unacceptable. Examples are shown below.

Nail painting techniques.

There are many techniques for painting with gel polish professionally, but only a few of them can be used at home:

painting technique with a thin brush;
dotting technique (a special tool with a small ball at the end);
dot manicure technique (somewhat reminiscent children's drawing by points with the described order);
“wet” technique: the varnish moves freely on the nail plate using a toothpick or needle;
liner manicure technique.

Before starting to use any of the techniques, you should observe the master and his manicure sequence. If you can't go to the salon, necessary advice You can learn from videos on manicure lessons on the Internet. But to gain experience, you still need to work and improve yourself.

Rose gel polish: step-by-step instructions

Rose gel polish is one of the simplest designs, so it can be reproduced even by beginners. The entire procedure from scratch can be divided into several stages.

First you need to choose the right colors. Most often chosen White color for the background and red and green for the flower, but this is not necessary. You can play with the colors and choose something unusual. For example, on matte natural beige tone A glossy rosette is slightly visible. Or paint your nail with black polish and make the rose itself from rhinestones. It all depends on personal preferences and clothing range. And colored matte manicure with a large abundance of small roses it looks very beautiful.
Then the nails are coated with the main color, and all at once, and not one by one, are dried in a UV lamp, this gives additional durability. The dryer allows you to seal the color for a long time.

When the varnish has dried, use the tip of a needle to make several dots on the nail with the colors you like and connect them to create the image of a rose.

Butterfly gel polish

Butterfly is a universal design, as it is suitable for both short and long hair. long nails. It looks most impressive on a classic French manicure or just white nails, when insect wings contrast with the background.

You can draw a butterfly yourself using a liner or a brush, or you can simply buy a sticker and attach it to your nail. This won't work with a rose. And this is an undeniable advantage of the butterfly.

If you still want to make a drawing yourself, then it should be applied to a good ready-made base. First, the outline of the insect is drawn, and then the wings and body of the butterfly are filled with color. If desired, the drawing can be left as a contour. But learning how to apply color inside the outline is a must.

Skull shellac

Sometimes you want to step away from something cute and decorate your nails with something like a skull. The application technology will differ little from the same butterfly; this is also an easy manicure, but the inside of the skull can be painted with shiny varnish or rhinestones. Looks impressive! But the manicure ideas don't end there.

Hieroglyph shellac

Hieroglyphs are the easiest to draw because they only use two colors. Usually choose black and white varnishes, but you can try a combination of black and red, blue and white, or yellow and green. But the most important thing here is not to miss the meaning of the symbol. Hieroglyphs are in fashion, but you shouldn’t wear meaningless lines or descriptions of public toilets on your hands, this is one of the mistakes beginners make when designing nails.

Pirate theme

Using gel polish, you can cover your nails with the profile of Jack Sparrow, the outline of his Black Pearl and the pirate's helm. Of course, such a design will take a lot of time, but the end result will be a stylish, unique design, and not a typical nail painting!

Shellac letters

You can also write your name on the manicure. Conveniently, if your name is Alexandra or Constance, you get one letter per finger. Others will have to come up with the arrangement of letters from the first and last names of relatives and children, but these are the subtleties of nail coating. In general, gel polish at home gives a huge flight of fancy if you remember the rules of application! The main mistakes in application: it is better to use the alphabet that has the most letters in the name. The Latin or Cyrillic alphabet is chosen according to your own preferences, otherwise you will want to quickly wash everything off later.

French gel polish: step-by-step photo guide

It is better to consider this manicure technology and the next one using the example of drawings; better training in coatings is given there. Since they are no different from a regular manicure at home, they are simply done using gel polish.

Ombre gel polish step by step at home

The gradient ombre manicure method looks simple in the pictures, but you shouldn’t start it as a self-taught person without practicing on other options, for example, roses. An ombre manicure is characterized by a smooth transition from bright and shiny to a matte pale shade of one color, but only a professional can accurately draw all stages of the coating.

And some more facts about shellac.

Shellac is a resin secreted by certain insects in Asia. Then this resin is bought and used as a key component of gel polish. None of the mechanical devices make shellac.
Gel polish promotes the growth of your natural nails; if desired, you can grow them under such a shell.
Thanks to a special coating technology, shellac protects the plates from scratches and traumatic damage.

This product has a natural base, and therefore is harmless to the body and has nothing to do with destructive extended nails. With shellac, constant nail correction is not required.

Technologies in the cosmetics industry are developing every day. They never cease to delight women who cannot imagine themselves without a manicure with their innovations. What can we say about manicure?! Even the usual coating simple varnish faded into the background. After all, the focus is on gel polish, which has already won the hearts of many representatives of the fair sex. This is not surprising, because gel polish is a good alternative to extended nails. The secret of the varnish lies in its properties.

Gel polish, oddly enough, is a hybrid of varnish and gel. Moreover, its functions are related to best properties polish and gel can stay on the nails for about 20 days. This is an excellent indicator and panacea for those girls who are tired of changing their nail polish after 2-3 days.

If you are “lucky” to buy a cheap varnish, then it will generally last until the first immersion of your nails in water. But gel polish will provide high-quality durability for up to 3 weeks. This property is precisely associated with the gel.

Gel polish is as easy to apply as regular polish (with the exception of some points). If you are a fan of unusual solutions, then salon technicians can offer you to mix several colors of gel polish, creating an unusual shade. This is the practice now.

The popularity of this product, in addition to the above properties, is associated with the harmlessness of gel polish. But only if you give the nail plate a periodic rest.

For example, if applying gel polish took six months, then you should abandon this procedure for a month. After the expiration date, the nail coating can be restored.

A salon manicure procedure with gel polish is not cheap. But this does not stop girls from knocking on the thresholds of salons. After all, it’s better to pay for quality than to enjoy painting your nails every day.

Applying gel polish to nails is so popular that many girls have already abandoned other methods of coating.

A gel polish coating kit can be purchased at specialized cosmetic stores. Therefore, the girls, without thinking twice, decided to apply gel polish themselves, saving both time and money.

Of course, you will first have to spend money on purchasing all the components, but subsequent procedures will pay off, because the price in the salon is much higher. To do this, you just need to learn the step-by-step application of gel polish.

First, let's decide on the components that will be required:

gel polishes (base, colored polish, top);
degreaser (you can use acetone, but it can greatly dry out the nail plate);
alcohol;
ultraviolet lamp (at least 36 W);
brushes (optional, if you want to create an unusual manicure).

First step. Prepare the nail plate

The best way to prepare your nails is to get a manicure.

If this is not possible, then you should move the cuticle with an orange stick. Whether you cut the cuticle or not is up to you. Next, you should adjust the length and shape of the nail.

It is important to check each nail for cracks. If there is a crack at the edge of the nail, the gel polish may break off.

If the nail peels off, you should file the nail plate with a non-hard file.

Use a buff to remove the top keratin layer of the nail plate, removing the gloss.

This way the varnish will last longer. After this, under no circumstances should you wash the dishes, prepare a sandwich, or get your husband ready for work. Everything must be sterile.

Third step. Degreasing

To do this, simply wipe your nails with a disinfectant or nail polish remover containing acetone. You need to thoroughly wipe the end and sides of the nail.

Fourth step. The basis

The base is needed for better adhesion of the varnish and the nail plate. It also contains vitamins and substances that precede the penetration of color varnish pigments.

You need to apply the base in one thin layer, leaving 2 mm from the cuticle. If you apply the base in a thick layer, the gel polish will chip faster. You cannot apply the base to the end and edges of the nail. Polymerization in ultraviolet lamp 36 W power takes 2 minutes.

Fifth step. Applying colored varnish

Before applying, colored varnish must be mixed, but not shaken! When shaken, the gel polish is enriched with bubbles, so we simply roll it in our hands, literally warming the bottle with its warmth.

The first colored coat of varnish should be applied in a thin layer. It is very important. Moreover, you need to retreat from the cuticle by 1 mm. The polymerization time of the first layer is 2 minutes (it is better to overdry than not to dry).

If your gel polish spreads, then you can place each painted nail in the lamp for 5-10 seconds.

If you are already satisfied with the result, then there is no need to paint the second layer. If needed saturated color, then you need to apply a second layer of varnish using the same principle. - read here.

Sixth step. Top coating

The topcoat should be thicker than the varnish.

Moreover, it is necessary to print the free edge of the nail plate.

After this, be sure to dry your nails well.

Seventh step. Removing the sticky layer

After drying, you need to remove the sticky layer with alcohol or a special product.

Gel polish coating decorates your nails without harm. Special products will provide nutrition to the nail plate.

The main thing is to follow the rules when applying gel polish and then you can easily save yourself from grueling repainting of your nails in a day or two.

However, to remove gel polish you need to purchase special products, otherwise you risk damaging the nail plate.

Video lesson - how to properly apply gel polish master class

Almost everyone uses gel polish modern women, and this is not surprising. By understanding how to apply the coating correctly, you will always be able to maintain the beauty of your hands at the proper level. Aerobatics is the location of the composition as close as possible to the cuticle; we will talk about these methods below. We will also present a classic scheme for creating a beautiful manicure.

Necessary materials for applying gel polish

Before painting your nails with gel polish, it is important to take care necessary materials and tools.

You will need:

pusher;
napkins (lint-free);
UV or LED lamp;
dehydrator (degreaser);
primer;
base;
color coating;
cuticle oil.

You will also need nippers/scissors to cut the cuticle, a nail file to shape the free edge, and a chamomile infusion to steam your hands in a bath.

Correct application of gel polish - instructions

Below is information for those who do not know how to use gel polish, taking into account all the subtleties. Creating a beautiful manicure at home comes down to the following:

1. Start by steaming your fingers and nails in particular, immersing the phalanges in a heated chamomile infusion. After a quarter of an hour, stop the procedure, cut the cuticle with tongs, and file your nails to shape.

2. Prepare everything to make gel polish, since it must be applied correctly quickly and without distractions. Start by sanding the surface using a buff. This move should not be skipped in order to ensure high-quality adhesion of the coating to the natural plate.

3. Wet a cloth in the dehydrator, then go over each nail. Spread the primer in a thin layer. You need to apply the base within 15 minutes (if you don’t do it within this period, apply a second layer of primer). Dry your nails for 30-60 seconds.

4. Start distributing the color coating by making 1 high-quality thin (!) layer. Don't touch the cuticle. At the slightest mistake, collect the excess with an orange stick. Dry the color for 60-120 seconds.

5. Repeat the layer, making it a little denser. Carry out polymerization using a lamp, holding your fingers for 1-2 minutes. Complete the manicure by applying the finish and dry for 45-60 seconds.

6. Now, using a cloth soaked in degreaser, go over each plate to remove any stickiness. You will see that your nails shine and become richer.

7. Cover the cuticles with oil and voila, the gel polish is ready! Once you understand how to correctly apply primer, base, color, finish, you will no longer ask yourself such questions.

Methods for professionally applying gel polish under the cuticle

We examined the subtleties of applying gel polish according to the classical scheme. But not every girl will be able to repeat the work of a master at home. We will describe step by step how to paint your nails literally under the cuticle.

Method No. 1

It is easier to apply the coating after a trim manicure so that the pigment does not get on the skin around the nail.

1. So, first remove the cuticle using tongs. You can skip this step and instead use a pusher to push the skin to the base of the plates.

2. Pick up pigment with a brush, squeeze out the excess on the edge of the container with gel polish. Place the brush at an acute angle (45 degrees), apply 1 thin layer. Dry, repeat 2-3 times, “pushing” the coating under the cuticle.

Method No. 2

Gel polish located as close as possible to the cuticle is considered aerobatics. Let's look at another diagram of how to apply it correctly.

1. Using an orange stick, push the cuticle to the base. While painting each nail plate, pull back the skin of the side ridges.

2. Using a thin brush, paint the area along the cuticle and periungual ridges. Dry and repeat all steps. After preparing the outline, paint the nails completely.

Method No. 3

We suggest considering another simple step-by-step method for applying gel polish.

1. Moving the cuticle to the base, paint the outline with a thin brush nail plates. With enough experience, you can do without drying. Next, immediately paint the nail with gel polish.

2. You can follow the reverse pattern: first paint the surface completely, and then use a thin brush to follow the contour as close to the skin as possible.

Nail care after applying gel polish

Having studied the sequence of applying gel polish, you should follow important recommendations. They will help maintain your manicure.

1. So as not to spoil it after the procedure beautiful nails, you should refrain from going to the bathhouse/sauna and taking a bath. It is also not recommended to wash dishes in hot water. To return to to the usual way life, it will take 3 days.

2. Gel polish cannot be filed. If necessary, adjust the shape of the free edge before applying it correctly. Otherwise, the coating will not last longer than a few days and will begin to peel off.

3. Before using cleaning and detergents gloves must be worn. Otherwise, the aggressive composition will quickly damage the structure of the gel polish. The surface will become dull and cracked.

4. It is prohibited to try to remove the gel polish yourself. In this matter it is better to trust a professional. He will carry out the procedure as safely as possible for your nails. Ripping and filing of gel polish is unacceptable.

5. It is not recommended to keep gel polish on your nails for longer due date. This coating has its own shelf life. In order not to harm the nail plate, it is important to regularly update the gel polish. Every 2 weeks it is reapplied, removing the old layer.

Working with gel polish is not difficult if you strictly follow the recommendations. We have presented the classic application scheme and methods for creating a professional cuticle coating. Following useful tips, the manicure will not lose its appearance for a long time.

A beautiful, bright, and most importantly, long-lasting manicure is what many women dream of. But often the coating peels off the nails within two or three days. But it was like that before. Now everyone has the opportunity to perform a manicure with gel polish, which will allow you to create a bright, beautiful and very durable nail art of nails to your taste.

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Coating features

Nail manicure using gel polish is becoming more and more popular every day. It allows you to create a beautiful, long-lasting manicure even on your own at home. In addition, unlike nail extensions or covering them with acrylic, gel polish is safer for the structure of the nails. The variety of shades, the possibility of applying a pattern or rhinestones on top of this coating make it possible to create a manicure for every taste and occasion.

main feature gel polish lies in its durability and the absence of such a defect as cracking on the surface of the nail. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about the safety of your manicure and feel free to do household chores such as laundry, washing dishes and wet cleaning.

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Being the opposite of standard varnishes and acrylic coating, this product not only does not injure the nails, but also helps to strengthen them and enhance growth. Therefore, this type of nail art is ideal for women with thin and brittle nails.

Also, such a coating will best choice for those who love bright and beautiful manicure, but cannot or does not want to do it on their own every day. The unique formula of this product allows it to maintain the brightness of the colors, their shine and safety on the nails for more than 14 days. Therefore, this nail design is perfect for those who go on vacation or a long business trip.

But perhaps the most important feature gel polish is the need to use specific equipment when applying it.

The process of covering the nails with it is not difficult, but it can become completely impossible due to the lack of necessary tools. Therefore, before proceeding directly to the manicure, you should purchase all the necessary attributes in advance.

Those who decide to try doing a manicure with gel polish on their own need to stock up on the necessary equipment, and first of all this applies to special ultraviolet lamps. There are two types of such lamps on sale - UV and LED. It is best for beginners to give preference to the first option, as it has a lower cost and is easier to use.

You will also need special files various sizes and a special file for grinding the nail plate - buff. In addition to the gel polish itself in various shades, you will also need a special base and fixer. Particular attention must be paid to ensure that these two products are intended specifically for gel coating; those used for nail extensions are not suitable. After using them, the gel polish begins to crack within a few hours. As a last resort, you can coat the gel with ordinary colorless varnish, but in this case you should not count on long-lasting manicure.

You will also need such components as special lint-free cotton pads or napkins, degreasers, orange wood sticks and softening cream or cuticle oil. But it’s not enough to buy everything necessary tools, you need to learn how to use them correctly.

First of all, you need to undergo special training. It is preparation for further work that plays an important role. Not only does it depend on how correctly the manicure is performed. appearance and perseverance, but also an opinion about you as a specialist.

This can be done either at specialized courses or by asking a good specialist to show you a master class. It’s even better to take private lessons periodically, this way you can avoid many problems at work and, if necessary, immediately receive competent help. The instructions for working with gel polish itself are very simple, all the steps are accessible, understandable and described in detail, but it is still better to see once than to read or hear several times.

An important role in the work is played by the neatness of both the master himself and his working area. Therefore, it is very important that your desktop is always in perfect order. The first impression is the most important thing, even if you plan to do manicures only for yourself and your friends.

Simply applying gel polish to your nails in one color quickly gets boring. Therefore, it is recommended to constantly improve your professionalism. The easiest way is to purchase special stickers, rhinestones and stencils to create drawings and patterns.

Experienced manicurists strongly recommend that all beginners, even those who plan to apply gel polish exclusively for themselves, create a portfolio of their work. This will allow you to clearly see the progress of your activities or spot some mistakes.

In addition, in the future this will allow the client to have a clear choice of possible nail designs.

How to apply at home

But you can learn how to paint your nails with gel polish efficiently, beautifully, correctly and accurately only by practicing regularly. Therefore, first of all, you need to understand in detail how to properly paint your nails with gel polish at home yourself.

Getting a manicure with my own hands without leaving the walls of your home, there are two ways. They differ in the materials used and the type of lamp. In the first case, to perform a manicure you will need a file, a buff, a base and top coat, a UV lama, gel polish of the desired shade, a degreaser and a disinfectant. In the second case, similar tools are used, but a primer is also added to them, and the UV lamp is replaced with an LED lamp.

The instructions for the first method contain the following steps:

Filing the edge of the nail to give it the required even shape and removing the keratin layer from its surface using a regular file and a buff file. The buff must be used with caution; it is enough to make only a few movements with this tool to remove shine from the surface of the nails. This is necessary for better bonding of the coating to the nail.
Then you need to trim the cuticle, using special tweezers.
Degreasing the nail bed is a mandatory step in a manicure with gel polish.
After this, the surface of the nail bed is covered with a special gel base. It is best to apply it to each finger and dry it in a lamp. In UV the drying time is two minutes.
After this, a thin layer of the selected shade of gel polish is applied to the dry nails. Please pay Special attention that the first layer should be translucent. We also recommend applying it to each finger in turn, and each next one should be painted after the previous one has dried.
We apply a second layer of gel polish, which should be much thicker than the first. We also dry the tips of our fingers in a UV lamp.
Finally, a top coat must be applied to all nails, which should also cover the end of the nails. It must also dry completely under ultraviolet rays. After time, the sticky layer from the nail is removed using a disinfectant.

If we talk about the second method of performing a manicure at home, then the sequence of actions is similar to the method described above. The difference lies in two things:

After degreasing the nail bed, a primer is first applied to it, which is dried in a lamp, and only then the base for the gel polish is applied. Further manicure techniques are performed in the same step-by-step manner as in the first method.
Unlike an ultraviolet lamp, an LED lamp allows you to dry the coating not in two minutes, but in just 15-20 seconds, which can significantly reduce the procedure time.

Although in the first version of the manicure, an LED lamp can also be used. It all depends on financial capabilities and personal preferences. The technology for performing a manicure with gel polish does not necessarily imply the use of a primer. But experienced masters say that this particular product allows you to extend the life of your manicure and has a positive effect on your nails.

Performing a manicure step by step, you can add some of your own changes. For example, before applying the top coat, you can decorate your nails with colored threads, rhinestones or any design. It must be remembered that additional decorations can be applied only after the gel polish has dried in a lamp.

After decorating the nails, they must be especially carefully coated with a fixative to fix the elements on the nails and dried in a lamp for about three minutes or 30 seconds, it all depends on its type.

When doing a manicure with gel polish, you need to pay special attention to the accuracy of applying all types of coating to the nails. You should carefully ensure that the gel polish or fixative does not get on the skin ridges around the nails and cuticles. Firstly, they can provoke irritation or an allergic reaction, and secondly, such a manicure will look untidy and careless.

How to do a manicure with gel polish at home, see the video below.

But making nail art using this product is only half the battle. Sooner or later it will need to be removed from the nail plate.

Withdrawal rules

This type of nail polish cannot be removed the same way as regular nail polish. Some masters remove it from the nails with a file, that is, they file it off, just like acrylic coating or extended nails. But this is absolutely wrong. Firstly, it is a waste of time, and secondly, such a procedure can significantly damage the nails.

To remove gel polish from the surface of the nails, you can use a special cleaning solution, which can be purchased immediately complete with the gel. You can also use regular nail polish remover, but provided that it contains acetone.

In addition to the liquid itself, you will also need cotton wool discs or balls, orange tree sticks, as well as regular kitchen foil.

The discs are generously moistened in the selected solution and applied tightly to the fingertips, and wrapped with foil on top. The hands remain in this position for an average of 20 minutes. If a special product was used, then its exposure time on the gel polish is 15 minutes. If you used regular nail polish remover, leave it on your nails for half an hour.

Then the foil with cotton wool is removed from the fingertips. The nail covering underneath should swell greatly and rise above the surface of the nail itself. Using an orange stick, carefully lift it to the end and move it to the edge of the nail, then remove it completely. Under the influence of liquid, the varnish turns into a thin film, which can be easily and simply removed from the surface of the nail without damaging it.

Of course, you should understand that the longer this product was on the surface of the nails, the more difficult it will be to remove it, and the procedure may take much longer. Therefore, the optimal time interval between application of this coating and its removal is considered to be 14 days.

After removing the gel polish, you need to give your nails a rest for at least a couple of days. It is best to make special herbal baths or baths with sea salt, this will help them recover faster after the procedure.

Master classes

Using gel polish, you can create a manicure in any style and color. And so that you don’t have to rack your brains and look for the most suitable options, we have prepared for you 3 master classes on nail design with gel polish. Among them, you will definitely be able to choose the most suitable option for yourself.

The first master class will help you create the most elegant and popular French manicure of all times. You can choose not only classic colors for this design, but also any others to your taste.

Prepare a lamp, buffer, nail file, primer, primer, base, gel polish in two selected shades, fixative, disinfectant, cotton pads and special strips for a French manicure.
We file the edges of the nails and treat their surface with a buff.
Apply the primer in one layer and put the nails in the lamp for 2 minutes or 10 seconds, it all depends on its type.
We cover the entire surface of the nails, including the end, with a base for gel polish, and apply a thin layer of primer to the tips of the nails. We send the marigolds one by one into the lamp for a similar period of time.
Apply two layers of base shade gel polish to the entire length of the nails. Do not forget that the second layer can be applied only after the first has dried.
We glue special strips to the nails, with which we limit the painting area with the second shade. Paint the tips of the nails with a second, more dark color, again in two layers, sending your hands into the lamp each time.
Finally, coat all nails with a fixative, dry them in a lamp and remove the sticky layer using a disinfectant.

Your French manicure, done yourself at home and in your favorite colors, is ready.

See the video below for 3 ways to apply French manicure with gel polish.

Lovers of rhinestones and sparkles should definitely like quilted manicure . And the following master class will tell you how to do it yourself:

Prepare rhinestones, special super glue, light-colored gel polish, degreaser, base, fixative, lamp, manicure thread, file and buff.
Prepare your nails for coating using the same tools, as in the previous master class.
Apply a layer of base to your nails and place them in the lamp for 30 seconds to one minute.
Remove the sticky layer and lay out the manicure thread over the entire surface of the nails in the desired order.
Apply successively two layers of the selected gel polish to the entire surface of the nail. Drying each of them for two minutes or 30 seconds in a lamp.
We remove the threads from the nail and apply small drops of glue to its surface where we plan to apply the rhinestones.
Place the decorations on super glue, pressing them lightly.
Finally, apply the fixative and leave the nails to dry for another two minutes.

A beautiful iridescent quilted manicure is ready. You can apply glitter not to every nail, but only to a few. The same applies to applying a pattern using threads.

How to make a quilted manicure with gel polish, see the video below.

The so-called partial manicure is also very popular. It consists in the fact that 3-4 nails on the hand are painted with gel polish of the same tone, and the remaining ones are decorated according to at will- you can use stickers, you can create any pattern or borrow elements of a quilted manicure. This nail art is very easy to make.

Prepare a lamp, file, buffer, degreaser, fixative, base, primer, gel polish, stickers with patterns, disinfectant.
Prepare your nails for the procedure, as in the two previous cases.
After degreasing the nails, apply primer to them and place them in the lamp for 2 minutes. When performing this manicure, each layer of product should be dried for two minutes or 30 seconds in a lamp.
Apply gel polish base to all nails and dry.
Next, apply gel polish to all nails except the ring finger on one hand, as well as the little finger and middle finger on the other hand. Dry it in a lamp.
We glue the prepared stickers to the unpainted nails. They can be color, black and white, with images of flowers, and so on. It all depends on your taste. We cover all nails with a fixative and send them to the lamp.
Remove the sticky layer with a disinfectant.

Correct application of gel polish will make your manicure neat. The coating will last longer and your nails will remain in excellent condition for at least a couple of weeks. With this article you will learn how to apply gel polish at home.

With the advent of gel polish, the need for frequent nail painting has disappeared. This coating combines the ease of application of conventional varnish with the strength of gel. In addition, nails decorated with gel polish acquire strength and additional volume, look natural and do not cause any inconvenience.

Initially, gel polish was available only in specialized salons. Later, the opportunity to purchase all the necessary components at affordable prices made it possible to apply gel polish yourself. However, many girls do it wrong, making basic mistakes and shortcomings. To avoid this kind of misunderstanding, today we will consider in detail the question of how to apply gel polish at home correctly.

Is gel polish harmful?

Many people are interested in the question: how safe is this product? You can be sure that gel polishes are completely harmless. But they are harmless only if you use high-quality materials and follow the exact application sequence.

There is an opinion that gel polishes strengthen nails. This statement is wrong. The nail plates under the coating grow quite long, but due to the density of the alternating layers of gel polish, they can become fragile and brittle. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to use complexes of vitamins and strengthening elements after removing the gel polish. But this is a topic for another article.

How is gel polish different from regular polish?

No matter how expensive the polish is and no matter how carefully you take care of your nails, regular polish will not last longer than 4-5 days.

Gel polish appeared relatively recently. This is a kind of combination of traditional nail polish and gel. The creators wanted to get something in between and they did it perfectly. In terms of its main characteristics, gel polish is not much different from regular polish. It comes in a jar with a brush, which can be used to create various designs. This varnish can be coated with rhinestones, designs, foil and other decorations.

Of the differences between gel polish and regular varnish, we can highlight the fact that gel polish is always dried in an ultraviolet lamp. This is always worth remembering before purchasing material.

Also, gel polish is somewhat thinner than regular polish, which is why it can flow behind the cuticle and nail plate. Therefore, it is best to apply it separately to each nail and dry immediately. This will increase the procedure time to 1-1.5 hours.

What is the difference between gel polish and gel extensions?

The gel is used to increase the length and strength of nail plates. Gel polish is applied to the manicure and extends its service life. In addition, the application technology for both products is fundamentally different.

Photo: classic manicure with gel polish

Difficulties in applying gel polish at home

The price of gel polish in a salon greatly depends on the class of the establishment, the quality of the materials used and additional services. If you apply gel polish at home, the whole procedure will cost you several times less.

Possible difficulties when applying gel polish yourself:

The need for a one-time purchase of materials and tools for a tidy sum.
Long procedure period. While one hand is polymerizing, you cannot use the other at all. If you paint only 1 nail at a time, the time spent on the procedure will be quite decent. In this case, it is preferable to purchase not a UV lamp, but an Ice lamp (the polymerization time in a UV lamp is 3 minutes, in an LED lamp – 30 seconds).
Not everyone can apply the coating themselves.
Craftsmen in salons use various designs and decorative elements. Self-application is limited to 2-3 gel polish color options.
In the salon you can relax and unwind - the master will do everything himself. If the outcome is unsuccessful, he will accept the complaints and fix it himself.
Most purchased materials will dry out before you fully use them.

Materials and tools

Below is a list of materials and tools necessary for a high-quality manicure using gel polish:

nail file (preferably with a sharp tip);
buff – a block of solid porous material. It is necessary for polishing the nail plate;
nourishing vitaminized cuticle oil - used at the final stage after applying materials and drying;
lint-free wipes or small pieces soft fabric. It is best not to use cotton pads as they leave hairs behind;
orange sticks or pusher to push back cuticles;
nail degreaser. You can purchase a professional degreaser or use liquid boric acid;
acid-free primer (not always required, read the instructions for the gel polish);
base;
color coating;
top It is recommended to use base, finish and color from the same developer;
clinser - will be needed to remove stickiness at the final stage.
UV or LED lamp

Photo: materials for applying gel polish

How to apply gel polish at home - step-by-step instructions

The procedure for applying gel polish can be divided into 7 steps:

Preparatory work
Primer application
Applying the base layer
Adding Color
Adding decorative elements and designs
Applying top
Final procedures

Preparatory work

Initially, you need to do a regular manicure. Push back the cuticle and remove any excess. File down the top edge of the nail, giving it a neat shape.

After this, remove the top keratin layer of the nail using a buff. This is necessary so that the varnish adheres better to the nail plates. During filing, the tool must be moved strictly in one direction: this creates some roughness on the surface. If you move the buff in different directions, there is a risk that you will polish the nail. Then degrease the plates using a degreaser, alcohol or liquid boric acid.

Primer application

After polishing, the nails become thinner and softer. To seal them, apply a bonder/primer. Also, this product degreases, dehydrates and promotes better adhesion of the varnish to the plates. Modern developers produce bonders without adding methacrylic acid, so you don’t have to worry about it damaging your nails.

This step is not necessary and depends on the brand of gel polish you choose.

Applying the base layer

How to apply the base correctly? Take a small amount of product with a brush and apply to the nail, starting from its tip. Next, distribute it evenly over the plate. Make sure that it does not flow inside the cuticle from below and on the sides, otherwise the manicure will turn out unsightly. You need to finish the base at the top, going slightly into the inner surface of the plate: this way you will seal it.

Photo: applying base coat to nails

The drying time for the base layer depends on the type of lamp and the brand of product you choose, but usually it takes about 30 seconds in an Ice lamp, about 2-3 minutes in a UV lamp.

Adding Color

The next step is applying a color coating. It must be distributed over the plate as thinly as the base. Depending on the consistency of the varnish, use 2-3 layers, polymerize each of them separately.

Photo: applying color coating to nails

Based on how liquid the polish is, apply it to several nails at once or paint each one separately. After this, immediately put your nails under the lamp. When adding the first layer, refrain from painting all the nail plates evenly, especially if this is your first time. This can be done on the second and subsequent layers. The material will no longer be so fluid, it will be held in place by a sticky layer, and you will be able to make a neat coating. The sticky layer, by the way, cannot be touched or removed until the very end of the procedure.

Adding decorative elements and designs

After applying the color, try to make a basic design. While you have not yet mastered the technique of applying gel polish, it is better to refrain from complex compositions, but simple elements are quite within your power.

You can easily diversify the coating by gluing several rhinestones. Patterns made with dots also look beautiful: just place neat dots along a line, in segments or in waves. Drawings made from dots of various shades look original.

Another simple technique for decorating nails is sliders. They are a thin film with a ready-made pattern. To glue the slider, just put it in water for a couple of minutes, and then place the peeled film on the plate. This film slides easily, so you can easily correct its position if you initially placed it incorrectly.

Foil is a beautiful decorative element that will make your fingers look royally luxurious. To make such a design, it is enough to place pieces of special thin foil on the surface of the sticky layer. They will stick right away. You can purchase such foil in specialized stores for nail decoration.

The French design invariably remains a classic design option. To create it, apply a base to the surface, draw a “smile” along the line of the overgrown nail and secure with a top coat. If the colored varnish runs a little, it's okay. Using a brush dipped in degreaser, you can easily remove imperfections.

Applying top

The final stage is adding a finish or top. Apply it in a thin layer, starting from the top, then walk along the plate and finish with the top, slightly extending beyond the inner surface. This way you will “seal” the work, protecting it from premature delamination and erasing.

Caring procedures

Remove the sticky layer with a degreaser. Apply nourishing oil to the cuticles and lightly rub it into the skin.

Your manicure is ready, but there are still some nuances left. Do not wet your fingers for at least 2 hours, as the material is still in the “shrinkage” stage. Also refrain from going to the sauna or lying in a hot bath for 2 days.

If you still have questions, watch the following video.

How to apply gel polish at home and keep the coating for a long time?

Do not wet your fingers for at least 2 hours after applying the coating. Otherwise, it will begin to peel off after a few days.
The product can only be applied to healthy plates, without delamination and other “troubles”. The material will not last long on sore nails.
There are rare situations when the coating does not adhere to healthy nails; cracks and chips form on it. In this case, you just have to accept that this gel polish manufacturer is not for you.
Do not try to remove the material yourself, even if it begins to chip. Along with the coating, you will remove the top layer of the nail and completely ruin the plates.
To remove the coating, use only products specifically designed for this purpose. This is the only way to ensure that the plates remain healthy and ready for subsequent applications of gel polish.

As you can see, it’s not at all difficult to learn how to apply gel polish at home. Following the above step-by-step recommendations, you will decorate your nails no worse than they would do it in a salon. Of course, you have to spend a little money at first, but it's worth it!

Professional nail polish with gel polish step by step. Gel polish - application and coating technique