Gel polish coating of nails: step by step instructions with photos

With the help of which not only maintains a well-groomed appearance of their hands, but also shows individuality. Unfortunately, the coating on the nails lasts no more than a week, in addition, it can be smeared before it dries. Therefore, it is necessary to update the manicure very often, which is quite tiring. Gel polish helps solve the problem. The photo below shows how the nails look after such a procedure.

Applying gel polish is easy, and since a UV lamp is used for drying, you don’t have to worry that the coating will smear. In addition, gel polish forms a strong base for nails, which protects them from damage and makes it possible to grow faster. Decorative gel polish coating retains its appearance for a long time, does not fade over time, scratches do not form on it. The technology for applying gel polish is simple, the main thing is to take into account some important points.

What is gel polish?

Gel polish has a peculiar structure, due to drying under an ultraviolet lamp, it turns into a durable coating that is not subject to damage and abrasion. Currently, many companies produce gel polishes, the difference between which is polymerization time, viscosity, amount of color pigment, etc.

Durability, strength, simple application technology are the reason why such a type of manicure as gel polish is becoming more and more popular among women. The photo shows that the color range of such varnishes is quite diverse, from traditional to extraordinary tones.

The coating applied to the nails dries under the influence of ultraviolet rays in a lamp for two to four minutes. The drying time depends on the consistency of the product and the power of the lamp.

Advantages

Among the advantages of such a coating, one can note its durability compared to conventional varnishes, ease of application (if you have special tools, a manicure can be done at home), a strong texture, which helps to strengthen the nail plate. The gel polish remains shiny and, when properly applied, does not crack or chip, so there is no need for additional touch-ups. Nails after applying gel polish look natural. In addition, the use of gel polish is not harmful to health, safe for pregnant and lactating women, it does not penetrate into the pores of the nail and does not affect the condition of the nail plate.

Of the minuses, one can note the complicated procedure for removing the coating, as well as the relative high cost of such a manicure. But still, there are much more advantages, which is why many women choose gel polish.

What should be purchased?

In order to be able to do such a manicure at home, you need to purchase a special set that consists of gel polishes (transparent and colored), an ultraviolet lamp, a degreaser, a bond, a primer, a top coat, a nail file and a polishing buff, an orange stick, lint-free napkins. A gel polish kit can be found in a specialized store.

When choosing gel polish, keep in mind that an inexpensive product may be of poor quality and, with constant use, can damage your nails. Therefore, it is advisable to give preference to branded devices.

Without an ultraviolet lamp, it is impossible to cover nails with gel polish. The photo shows what such a lamp looks like.

Its power must be at least 36 W so that the nail coating is securely fixed. Otherwise, your manicure may turn out to be faded and sloppy. A special lamp for gel manicure has a timer with which it is convenient to note the time.

Degreaser wipe the nail plate. To save money, you can use ordinary medical alcohol for this purpose. The bond is needed to dry the nails. The primer provides better adhesion of the coating to the nail.

Manicure technique

The procedure consists of several stages. Let's consider each of them in detail.

1. Nail preparation

Covering nails with gel polish begins with their preparation. First of all, with the help of a nail file, it is necessary to give the nails the desired shape. For thin nails, the short length will be the most optimal, which will keep the manicure longer. Before the session, you can make a relaxing hand bath with the addition of essential oils. The nails should be allowed to dry well, as the soaked manicure will not last long.

Then you need to push back the cuticle using an orange stick. All nails are filed to the required length. With a fine-grained polishing buff, we remove the natural gloss from the nails so that the surface becomes matte. Peels must be removed very carefully, otherwise the coating will begin to chip off along with them. Particular attention should be paid to the edge of the nail plate, removing all cracks and exfoliated parts. Then, using a brush, you need to brush off the dust that has formed in the process.

After that, the nails are degreased, trying not to touch them until the end of the procedure in order to avoid chipping off the coating in the future. A thin layer of transparent bond is applied to the nail plate, and then a primer. This procedure allows you to keep the manicure longer.

2. Applying gel polish

Coating with gel polish is a simple procedure, but some rules must be followed. First, the nails are covered with a base transparent varnish and placed in a UV lamp for 30-60 seconds. Do not touch the nails, so as not to contaminate the surface, this may affect the quality of the manicure.

Then a thin layer of colored varnish is applied. It is important that it does not get on the skin around the nail, otherwise it will not last long. All excess can be easily removed before polymerization. The nails are placed in a lamp for two minutes, if desired, you can repeat the procedure two or three times, then the color will be brighter. Do not apply varnish too thickly, tubercles and peeling may appear.

3. Topcoat application

If desired, any patterns or decorations can be applied under the top layer. Polymerization lasts 2-3 minutes. When applying the coating, do not forget to seal the end of the nail, which will give durability to the manicure and keep it longer. At the end of the polymerization, it is necessary to moisten a lint-free cloth in a degreaser and wipe the nails to remove the top sticky layer. To maintain gloss, change the tissue every 3 nails.

Then a nourishing oil is applied to the cuticle to moisturize. This completes the gel nail polish. The photo shows how the nails look after such a procedure.

Now you can do the usual things, without fear of spoiling the manicure.

How to remove gel polish?

After two or three weeks, the coating must be removed, since during this time the nail grows significantly, and this spoils the entire manicure. Gel polish is not so easy to remove and an incorrectly performed procedure can significantly worsen the condition of the nails. The best option would be to contact the salon, where it will be done professionally. In no case should you tear off or remove the coating like a film, since the top layer of the nail can also be torn off along with the varnish.

To carry out such a procedure at home, it is necessary to prepare foil, cotton pads, a special coating remover or a conventional acetone-based product, an orange stick.

First you need to wash your hands. Then a cotton pad is applied to the nail, which is pre-moistened in nail polish remover, wrapped with foil on top to avoid evaporation of the solvent. After 10-15 minutes, the varnish softens. After massaging the nail plate, remove the cotton wool and foil along with the coating.

The remaining gel polish can be cleaned off with an orange stick. If not all of the coating can be removed, you must repeat the procedure. Do not peel off the remnants of varnish, this injures the nail plate.

Possible problems

It is not uncommon to hear complaints that the gel polish coating turned out to be unstable, lasting no more than a week, or began to chip off after a few days. If all the points were taken into account and the procedure was performed correctly, the reason may be in the individual characteristics of the nails. You can try using a gel polish from another company or switch to more expensive products.

For women who do not have enough free time to do manicures often, but at the same time want to have well-groomed hands, gel nail polish will be a real find and will delight for a long time, while maintaining an attractive appearance. In addition, for those who have brittle and weak nails, this method will help grow them to the required length.