Nail salons are closed now and you think you can’t do gel nails at home? Think again!
If you’re one of those people who can’t go to the nail salon during quarantine for manicures and pedicures, then do your own gel nails at home. Not only does gel polish look glossier and prettier than a regular manicure, but it can also last up to 3 weeks without getting peeled or chipped off. Perfect for those who can’t go to the salon in this Corona time!
Check out this easy tutorial for that professional-looking perfect manicure.
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Get Salon-Perfect Gel Manicure Even at Home!
How to Do Gel Nails at Home
You might need some extra equipment but investing in a UV lamp can actually help you save a lot of bucks and time for your manicure. Getting your nails “cured” with the UV light right after applying them dries the polish up right away. You also don’t have to wait a long time for your new manicure to dry.
I invested in the Coscelia Gel Nail Polish Starter Kit. It comes complete with everything you need for perfectly manicured gel nails! I got mine from Amazon for $60.99.
What You’ll Need to Make Gel Nails at Home:
- Nail Dehydrator or Rubbing Alcohol
- Gelish Gel Base and Top Coat
- Acetone or Non-Acetone Nail Polish Remover
- UV or Led Lamp
- Nail File
- Cuticle Pusher
- Swatch Sticks
- Dotting Tools
- Nail Buffer
- Cuticle Oil and Hand Cream
Step 1: Clean Nails
First off, your nails need to be clean. To get salon-perfect gel nails at home, you need to push back your cuticles entirely to avoid the gel from lifting once your nails start to grow.
Use acetone or non-acetone nail polish remover to remove gel polish. You should also file and buff your nails to take away the shine. This will help the gel to stick on your nails better.
After buffing, just clean off the dust accumulated from your buffing and filing.
Step 2: Dehydrate Nails
Apply a dehydrating solution to your freshly buffed nails to take away moisture. If you don’t have the solution, you can use rubbing alcohol as an alternative.
On the other hand, you can also purchase the solution, as well as the gel base and top coat as a set, from Gelish here.
Step 3: Apply Base Coat
Now you’re ready to apply a base coat. Cover your nails with the coat completely but try to make it as thin as you can for a cleaner and more even effect. Do not forget to even out the tip to avoid gaps in the gel.
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Step 4: Cure Nails
Once you’ve finished your base coat, it’s time to cure your nails.
Curing is when you hasten the drying of the gel polish using a UV lamp. Unlike regular polish, the gel will instantly harden after being exposed to the UV light. It will significantly cut the time you have to spend trying to dry your nails!
After curing your base coat for 15 seconds, you can now move on to the next step to have your gel nails at home. Although they would still be a bit wet after curing, you don’t have to worry, because the gel has already infused with your nails by this time.
Step 5: Apply Nail Polish
Pick out the color you want to use on your nails. This tutorial used a Baby Pink from Madam Glam.
Use the swatch sticks to not spend hours just for nail color picking. Paint all the gel polish colors you have on these plastic sticks to see what they look like on your real nails. This is a smart way to make a decision of what color to wear without having to rely on your memory.
Remember you can choose whatever color you want to use for your gel nails at home and even design your own!
After picking out the shade you want, apply the gel polish on your fingernails. Cure it for 15 to 30 seconds.
Make sure to wipe off excess polish from your skin before curing as it will burn under the UV light.
Step 6: Cure Again
To achieve the solid color you want, coat your nails with the gel polish again. Moreover, try out the miracle usage of dotting tools to easily make your nail more fancy-salon-made.
Use the dotting tools in your nail polish kit or check out different sizes and shapes of them to create your own masterpiece like this trendy polka dot nail design.
When you have your desired opacity, cure your nails for a full 30 seconds.
Step 7: Apply Top Coat
When you’re satisfied with the color and decoration of your gel nails at home, you can now apply a top coat. This will keep your nails looking shiny and glossy.
Step 8: Dab Some Cuticle Oil on Your Gel Nails Made at Home
Since you had to dehydrate your nails before applying the base coat, the skin around your nails will end up dry. Dab on some cuticle oil after the entire process to rehydrate your skin. To be fully protected, apply some hand cream to counteract the drying effects of acetone.
Try making your own homemade cuticle oil by following this tutorial.
And you’re done!
Check out the tutorial from JauntyJuli below to have your very own gel nails at home!
Are you going to give this tutorial a try? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Share it on my Facebook page! Look for new designs from my Instagram as well!
UP NEXT:
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- Long Fingernails Hacks For People Having A Hard Time Doing Chores
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