Gel nails without extensions. Instruction step by step

Everything in a person should be perfect: the soul, thoughts, and even nails. A well-made manicure with a perfect coating serves as an adornment for every girl.

Strengthening natural nails with gel: a feature of the procedure

But what to do if nature has deprived a beautiful shape of nails, because of their fragility it is difficult to grow at least a small length, but you don’t want to do an extension? Gel nails without extensions will come to the rescue.

It will help to grow the desired length and, if necessary, slightly adjust the shape of the natural nail. Very often, girls confuse gel nail strengthening with helium extensions. However, in fact, they have only one similarity: both procedures help to make the nails beautiful and well-groomed.

The differences between them are significant:

  • for nail extensions there is an elongation of the nail bed and a change in the shape of the natural nail is possible, while with conventional strengthening it is impossible to increase the length of the nail;
  • gel nails without extension, a small amount of material is applied to the natural nail, which means that there is no thinning and weakening of one's own nails;
  • gel nail strengthening improves the condition of the nail, reduces its fragility and prevents the plate from delamination.

Strengthening gel nails is a great option for those who do not want to resort to extensions, but want to have long and beautiful nails.

Advantages and disadvantages of gel nails

The advantages of helium strengthening of nails include:


Despite all the advantages, this procedure has enough disadvantages:

  • The need for regular correction. When the nail grows, the border between the natural nail and the reinforced gel becomes noticeable. The frequency of correction depends on the speed of nail growth, on average it is 1 time in 2-3 weeks.
  • Duration of the procedure. When covering nails with gel in the salon at the manicure master, the procedure takes from 1 to 1.5 hours, with self-strengthening, the duration increases by at least 2 or more times.

What is better to use gel or biogel to strengthen nails

To determine what is best suited for strengthening nails, first you need to figure out how these two materials differ. The gel is a synthetic glass-like polymer that hardens when polymerized in a UV lamp.

Biogelit is a rubber based polymer, which is a very elastic material.

Coating type Advantages Flaws
Gel nail strengthening1. Gel nails, even without extensions, are very strong.

2. The gel allows you to build up any length.

3. Duration of wear is about 3 weeks.

4. Overgrown nails can be corrected by correction, without completely removing the old material

1. The use of the gel requires washing down the natural nail before coating.

2. The thickness of the artificial or reinforced nail is much greater than that of the one covered with biogel.

3. Nails lose their elasticity, as a result of which they are prone to chipping and cracking.

4. It is not soaked with special liquids, the removal of the material is carried out by sawing (the exception is gels with the soak-off formula).

Biogel nail coating1. Nails covered with biogel are much more elastic, bend easily and are less prone to chipping.

2. Positive effect on the natural nail plate.

3. Does not require washing down the natural nail before coating.

4. Easily removed by soaking in a special liquid.

5. Does not require a large layer thickness when applied.

1. Relatively short duration of wear (no more than 2 weeks).

2. The impossibility of correction without removing the old material.

3. It is necessary to prevent contact of nails reinforced with biogel with acetone-containing liquids and alcohols.

Thus, for those who do not want to lengthen the nail plate, but want to strengthen natural nails, biogel will be the ideal material. It will cause the least damage to the nails and give them a beautiful and well-groomed appearance.

Materials and tools needed to strengthen nails with gel

To cover the nails with gel you will need the following materials:


Gels are of several types: single-phase and three-phase. In the case of a single-phase gel, only one gel is needed, in the case of a three-phase gel, a base and top coat are also needed.

Be careful: when carrying out the procedure for coating nails with gel without building up in the salon, it is imperative to check that all the instruments that will be used for cutting manicure are sterilized, since there is a high risk of infection with a non-sterile instrument.

Gel nails without extensions: step by step instructions at home

Covering nails with gel without extensions at home is not so difficult. It is only necessary to follow the correct sequence of all actions and fill your hand a little in order to reduce the time for the procedure.


It's important to know: if the gel does not dry out, the lamps must be replaced. When using led gels, they can be dried in a led lamp, then the polymerization time will be reduced to 30 seconds.

  1. Gel application. The application rules are the same, each layer is dried in a lamp for 2 minutes.
  2. If you need any design, you need to remove the sticky layer from the gel and cover your nails with gel polish or decorate them with decorative elements.
  3. Application top cover.
  4. Removing the sticky layer. When using a top without a sticky layer, this is not necessary.

Gel Nail Design Ideas

One of the most common gel nail designs is the French manicure. This option is universal, it will suit any image and style. In addition, with the growth of a natural nail, the transition will not be noticeable much longer.

It will be interesting to look at a manicure made with plain gel polishes with some design on the nails of the ring fingers.

Recently, a variety of nail pigments and mirror polishes have begun to gain popularity, with which the nails look like they are covered with metal.

The ombre or gradient design does not lose demand, in which the nail is covered with two contrasting or, conversely, similar colors, and the border between them is shaded.

How long does gel nail polish last?

The resistance of the gel coating depends on what material was used for strengthening. If a simple gel, then such a coating will last at least 3 weeks, after which a correction will be needed. However, this is more likely due not to the fact that the coating will deteriorate, but to the fact that overgrown nails look very unaesthetic. When using biogel, the coating lasts about 2 weeks.

Note! In addition to the type used in the coating of the material, the following factors affect the durability of the gel coating:

  • insufficient quality preparation of the nail plate;
  • insufficient gel polymerization time in a UV lamp;
  • contact with chemicals, such as detergents and disinfectants, as well as liquids containing acetone without gloves.

In order for extended or gel-coated nails to retain their original appearance for as long as possible, it is recommended to do all housework with gloves.

Strengthening nails with gel: price in the salon

The cost of covering nails with gel without building up in salons is different, but if you take the average amount, then it will be about 1000 rubles or more. The final amount will depend on the selected coverage, the complexity and quantity of the design, as well as the popularity of a particular salon and manicurist.

It should be remembered that saving on such things is not necessary, since this can lead to the fact that a cheaper master will ruin the nails or introduce any infection by performing a manicure with an untreated instrument.

Useful tips from experts: how to perform high-quality gel nail strengthening

  1. In order to avoid breakouts, a few hours before applying the gel, do not use moisturizers or oils.
  2. To keep the coating as long as possible, manicure should be done dry, without soaking. If you need to steam your hands before a manicure, then it is best to make a coating the next day.
  3. In order for the nail plate to be perfectly flat, you can make additional alignment with a rubber base.
  4. For perfect coverage it is necessary to remove the pterygium from the surface of the nail as carefully as possible.
  5. Base leaks must not be allowed on the cuticle and side ridges, this will cause the gel to peel off.
  6. Be sure to seal the end of the nail at all stages of applying the material to avoid chipping.

Gel coating allows you to keep the nails in order, giving them an aesthetic appearance. At the same time, their strengthening can be done not only in the salon, but also at home, having previously stocked up with all the necessary materials.

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