We've all been there: apply nail polish, accidentally catch your nails against something while they're drying and that's it - ruined nails!
But when gel nail polish entered the market, it changed the game. No more waiting for nails to dry, no chipping or cracking, and a longer-lasting manicure that we don't need to worry about for a couple of weeks or more.
For those who are new to gels, the whole process might be a little confusing. What exactly is this magic, fast-drying gel nail polish, and what are the differences between gel and normal nail polish?
So today, in this article I will introduce gel nail polish to you and make a comparison between gel nail polish and normal nail polish.
An Introduction to Gel Nail Polish
Gel nail polish is a long-lasting variety of nail polish made up of a type of methacrylate polymer. It is painted on the nail similar to traditional nail polish but does not dry. Instead, it is cured under an ultraviolet lamp or ultraviolet LED.
And gel nail polishes grasp the nail tighter than traditional lacquers and are strong enough to stand up to daily wear and tear without chipping. While regular nail polish formulas typically last two to seven days without chipping, gel nail polish can last as long as two weeks with proper application and home care. Gel nail polish can be more difficult to remove than regular nail polish. It is usually removed by soaking the nails in pure acetone (the solvent used in most nail polish removers) for five to fifteen minutes, depending on the formula.
11 Easy Steps of DIY Manicure with Gel Nail Polish
1. Trim the shape of the nails, and smooth the edges of the trimmed nails with a sanding ruler.
2. Push the dead skin: Use a softener on your nails to soften cuticles, then use the dead skin fader to scrape away dead skin.
3. Cut off dead skin: Use a dry towel to dry off the water after scraping off the dead skin. Use dead skin pliers to trim off the thorns around the nail.
4. Polish the nail surface with a sponge: When polishing, the rear edge of the nail and the front part of the nail should be polished neatly.
If the nail surface is not smooth, nail polish comes off easily.
5. Clean the nail surface.
6. Apply gel base coat. Apply evenly, avoid too thin or too thick.
7. Light therapy lamp for 1 minute (LED light for 30 seconds).
The protein binding agent lighting time should not be less than 1 minute. Do not dry for less than 1 minute, and easy to fall off. If the lighting time is too long, it will dry the floating glue on the surface. Surface floating glue can enhance adhesion with colored nail polish.
8. Apply gel nail polish.
Before smearing, wrap the edges and sweep the brush on the bottle mouth before smearing.
Then thinly wrap around the front edge of the nail.
Apply the nail polish thinly and evenly on the nail surface, nail polish should be thin and even when applied, too thick will wrinkle.
9. Phototherapy light for 2 minutes (LED light for 1 minute).
For the first time, the nail polish must be illuminated for 2 minutes. If the time is not enough, it will not be fully cured. It is easy to tear the whole piece or the edge is easy to warp.
And the first pass did not dry easily with the second pass color.
Apply a second coat of nail polish, the method of applying the second coat of nail polish is the same as the first.
10. Apply the first coat of sealant.
Light therapy lamp 1 minute (LED light for 30 seconds),
Apply a second coat of sealant, and light therapy lamp for 2 minutes (LED light for 1 minute).
11. Cleaning fluid to clean surfaces. Wash the surface with a cleaning solution after the seal has been exposed for 2 minutes.
Avoid using other cleaning fluids, the poor effect of other cleaning solutions in cleaning the floating glue will affect the gloss of the sealing layer.
6 Steps to Remove a Gel Nail Polish
Common household items you need
Before you start, gather these supplies:
1. A nail file (180 grit)
2. A cuticle pusher (cuticle stick)
3. Cotton balls or cotton pads (lint-free)
4. 100% pure acetone
5. A nail buffer
6. Aluminum foil
7. Cuticle oil
Step 1: Protect your surfaces
Before diving into any actual removal, you need to protect your surfaces. Gel remover will strip varnish or coatings off surfaces so be wary of this. Therefore, use an old mat with a towel and some paper towels on top. And even if you spill and make a mess, your beloved coffee or dining table won't be ruined forever.
Step 2: Buff
This first stage is crucial to efficient removal. Grab your nail file with a 180 grit and begin filing off the top coat of your gels, making sure to remove all of the shine. This breaks the gel seal so that the acetone can get to work breaking down the cured paint. However, if you skip this stage you'll find removal a nightmare. And some gel nail polish top coats are so hardwearing, if you don't buff or file it beforehand, it won't budge.
Step 3: Protect your skin and cuticles
Now, this still isn't crucial for removal but helps a lot with any drying that occurs from the acetone. Apply cuticle oil to the skin surrounding the nail to help with dehydration. It doesn't stop or inhibit the removal, and it just helps to make the removal less drying as pure acetone can be harsh. Looking at your "gels ruin my nails" crew — are you missing this step?
Step 4: Soak them off
The next stage is the actual soaking off. Saturate a square of cotton (either a round cut to size or ball) in acetone, place it on the nail, and then wrap the foil around as tightly as possible. And then leave this for around 10 minutes.
Completely saturating the cotton round is important as sometimes it can dry out. This can be tricky to do on all 10 fingers at once, so to make your life easier, just do five at a time.
Step 5: Watch the gel flake off
Once you've unwrapped the foil, it should look like your gel is flaking off. Gently push off any gel that's come loose using your orange wood stick or cuticle pusher. You shouldn't have to apply much pressure. But you can re-wrap if necessary and repeat if parts of the gel have not come off — never force any product off the nail plate as this will cause damage.
Step 6: Rehydrate
"Once you've removed all the gel, gently buff your nails with a soft buffer (220 grit ideally) and apply plenty of cuticle oil.
This process will probably take approximately 30-45 minutes to do yourself one hand at a time, so get your favorite Netflix show going that way you won't be tempted to unwrap early and force gel off your nail plate.
If you follow these steps then you'll be able to remove your gel nail polish at home with no damage. It just takes patience and care. At no point should you force or peel any gel away from the nail plate as this can lead to damage.
Gel nail polish VS Regular Nail Polish
Due to the rapid development of the manicure industry, most people are very confused about the commonly used nail polish and the prevailing gel nail polish, and they almost don't know the difference between the two. Let us see the differences between gel nail polish and nail polish!
First, differ from the composition.
The main components of nail polish are 70%-80% volatile solvent, about 15% nitrocellulose, a small amount of oily solvent, camphor, titanium dioxide, and oil-soluble pigment. While gel nail polish is usually a poly nail, its main components are natural resin and some color materials.
Second, pros and cons.
Advantages of gel nail polish
1. No Flavor
The main ingredients are natural resin and some color materials, so there is almost no flavor. Reduce the harm to the human body.
2. Maintain a Longer Time
Armor glue needs to be coated with a layer of ultraviolet light and another hardening can be coated with a layer. As a result, the hardness and glossiness of nail polish are much better than normal nail polish, and it will last longer, up to 28 days, while varnish can only last up to seven days.
3. Dry Fast
Nail polish usually takes about 10 minutes to dry, but the gel nail polish lamp only takes a minute to dry, saving a lot of time. However, compared with nail polish, gel nail polish is healthier and more durable, and the damage is much less. A lot of patterns can be done above after armor glue is solidified, such as various blooming gel nail polishes.
Disadvantages of nail polish
1. It smells awful.
It contains chemical solvents that will make people feel uncomfortable when they evaporate, and long-term inhalation will more or less affect human health.
2. Long-term use will cause damage to nails.
Nail polish is a result of osmotic strong reasons, the people who are relatively fragile to fingernails may cause a few bad consequences.
3. Maintenance time is too short and easy to fall.
Since nail polish usually stays on the nail for only five or six days, frequent manicures, which increase the number of repeated manicures, also increase the accumulation of nail damage. The pattern is relatively simple, mostly nude gel nail polish.
All in all, gel nail polish and nail polish in the composition, the impact on human health, and the practice are very different. You can choose according to your own preferences and will, and finally make beautiful, shiny nails.
Combine Gel Nail Polish with Regular Nail Polish
One of the questions facing people who have plenty of their favorite regular nail polishes at home is whether they can use them with the new gel nail polish products.
Regular nail polish and gel nail polish can be used together on nails as long as the regular nail polish is completely dry before the gel nail polish is applied and the gel nail polish must be fully cured before the regular nail polish is applied.
What Are the Pros and Cons When You Combine Gel nail polish With Regular nail polish
Pros:
· The combination can be more durable than regular nail polish.
· The color will be more intense and shiny.
· The polish will last longer.
· Can give nails a high level of shine
Cons:
· It requires more maintenance than regular nail polish
· It is more expensive than regular nail polish.
· There is the potential for the two polishes to chip or peel if not applied correctly.
Conclusion
Whether you decide to use a combination of regular and gel nail polish or just one type, it is important to take care of your nails to keep them looking healthy and polished. Regular nail polish usually lasts about five days before it starts to chip, while gel nail polish can last up to two weeks. However, if you are not careful about applying and removing polish, it can easily chip or flake. To make the most of your nails, follow all steps correctly.