Applying gel polish is fun. The best way to get a beautiful gel manicure is to visit a nail salon. But, do you know that you can have an exceedingly beautiful gel manicure at home if you follow the principles correctly? This article discusses the gel manicure application in detail.
You can practice at home and become a master within no time. But, we recommend that you use high-quality products like OPI gel polish. It ensures the best gel manicure in town.
The Right Things to Do When Having a Gel Manicure
Remove traces of old gel polish
It is always best to begin your manicure on a clean slate. So, this implies you should remove all traces of existing nail polish from your nails. Ideally, we advise using cotton swabs dipped in acetone for the proper removal procedure. It ensures the complete removal of nail polish from your nails. Finally, you file the residual layers off the nail and start with a clean nail.
Prepping the nail is critical for any manicure
Once you have removed the existing polish layers, you can proceed with cutting and shaping your nails properly. It is advisable to decide beforehand how long you want your nails to be. Then, cut the nails accordingly and shape them well using a sterilized nail file. Please ensure to smooth the edges. Otherwise, they can cause injuries. Besides, the sharp edges can get caught in your dress fibers or handbags and damage them. Finally, it can also damage the manicure by causing the gel polish layers to lift.
Take care of your cuticles and ensure they are not in the way of your manicure. We advise using a good quality orangewood cuticle pusher to push them gently into their sockets. Trimming the cuticles is not a good idea because it can be painful. In addition, it can cause injuries that can take time to heal.
Finally, you buff the nail surface to rough it up, allowing the base coat to stick to the nail surface. Next, use alcohol wipes to clean the nail surface. It removes the debris and disinfects the nail surface. Now, your nails are ready to get the gel manicure. The following steps should help you get the best OPI nail gel.
Apply the base coat
Use high-quality products and apply the base coat using straight lines. We advise not to overlap initially as the layer can become thick. It is better to leave a clear gap between the base coat and the cuticles. Avoiding the cuticles is crucial because it ensures a high-quality manicure that lasts long. Do not forget to cap the edges.
Cure the base coat layer under the UV lamp for 30 to 45 seconds. The curing process is compulsory at every stage of the gel manicure.
Apply the gel polish
On curing, the nail surface gets ready for the gel coat. Choose your favorite color and shake the gel polish bottle well. It is better to use a mechanical shaker because it shakes the contents vigorously and ensures it mixes properly. Otherwise, you can shake it using your hands. The idea is to combine the contents well.
Use a clean brush to apply the gel color unidirectionally. Cap the edges to ensure that the polish layer does not lift. Please ensure that the gel polish does not drip because it will not stick properly.
You can cure the gel polish layer under the UV lamp for 45 to 60 seconds.
Tap your nails to check if the gel polish layer has dried. Then, you can add more layers of the same color or try different colors according to your preferences. However, you must cure each layer of gel polish before proceeding to the next one.
File the nail edges properly and cap them using the same gel colors. Please cure the nails for 30 seconds to allow the capped edges to dry.
The top coat layer is the final step
Use quality products for your manicure to make them last longer. The top coat application is the final step in the gel manicure. The best feature of gel polish is that it shines its way through. So, a glossy finish is the best for any gel manicure.
Apply a top coat layer carefully over the gel polish. Allow the nails to cure under the UV lamp for 30 to 45 seconds. You can have multiple top coat layers to enhance its glossiness. However, every layer requires curing under a UV lamp.
Tap your nails with your fingers. You will get a clicking sound to indicate that your manicure is perfect. It will be a bit tacky initially. But, the gel polish will eventually dry and become beautiful. Next, massage your nails with cuticle oil to make the manicure look glossier.
Wrap it Up
Now, you have become a master at having a gel manicure. So keep it up and have the best nails to display on social media.