Since ancient times, taking care of our manicure was one of the most important ways for women to express their femininity and grace. For example, in ancient Egypt, thousands of years ago, women used to paint their nails with henna ink. Today, we have so many ways, products, and techniques to make our nails gorgeous, because as the ancient women of Egypt we desire a well-cared-for manicure as it is one of the strengths of a well-groomed lady!
Every one of us wants a beautiful manicure every day, with long nails and intact varnish, but not everybody has strong and beautiful nails naturally. One way to solve the issue is by trying a very popular technique – gel nails.
They are very low maintenance, offer maximum comfort, super durability, and a gorgeous look 24/7. You don’t even need to go to the salon or spend a lot of money to do it. You can simply do it yourself at home with a few easy to find tools or kits.
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What to do to have a durable gel manicure?
The first thing to keep in mind for achieving a beautiful and lasting manicure, especially when you’re doing it yourself at home, is to follow the application procedure closely.
Why is this important? Because it won’t just help you have a long-lasting manicure, but it will also save you the frustration of having to remove a lot of stickiness and gel residue when you’re done.
Tips for following a correct procedure from beginning to end
The secret of resistant gel nails is preparation before applying the products. Before the transparent base layer that protects the natural nails, you must clean all previous nail polish residue as well as take care of the cuticles using tools intended exactly for that like scissors, files, and brushes.
If you don’t want to remove your cuticles altogether out of fear of cuts and scratches, but they look too uncared for to leave alone, you can use the special stick-like tool that just pushes them towards the base of your nail. Afterward, don’t forget to use a cuticle oil for shine and moisture.
After you achieve the desired shape, you must use a nail file with a higher adhesion on the whole surface in order to prepare it for the gel application.
Now, that your nails are prepared for the gel, you must not forget about the base coat. Make certain you apply it to keep them safe from any damage. There are many types of base coats, so depending on your nails’ needs you can choose one that helps with strengthening or that prevents yellowing, 2 things that tend to happen to everybody that chooses this type of manicure.
Also, another great tip is that you must not forget to dry every layer of gel with the UV lamp for a few minutes each time. If you get impatient and don’t respect the amount of time needed, your nails will spoil very quickly.
It’s important to put a thin layer of product every time to make certain your nails won’t have a bulky appearance. Make sure you only brush the nail 1 time every time as well to avoid clumps and stickiness.
The last step of the procedure – the degreaser
Every part of the application is important but doing the finishings correctly is the outmost secret to stay away from damage as well as the sticky residue left behind.
As you already know, the colored gel sheets have a sticky consistency that is not only annoying but prevents shinning. To diminish that, you must ensure you leave every layer dry within the UV lamp for a few minutes for proper drying. If you follow this important step during the entire procedure, you will find degreasing the nails – the last step in the finishing procedure – very easy and enjoyable. Before you go on with it, you should also make sure that you take a couple of minutes for the gel to cool off after drying.
In order to eliminate any sticky and uncomfortable residue in just a few seconds, you must use a special product – the degreaser. You will find degreasers in every gel kit, and you could use it for cleaning your instruments as well because its formula is ideal for removing absolutely any excess gel. It also provides the extra shine you need after drying.
It’s good to know that left on gel residue is harmful to the skin and can easily provoke irritations due to its chemical composition. Therefore, using the cleanser at the end will keep you free from any stickiness and pain that the gel could provoke.
Any type or brand of such a product is perfect for a flawless and healthy gel manicure. It contains a lot of vitamins and minerals that have antifungal and antibacterial properties. Make sure your gel nails kit contains a degreaser. Your nails and fingers will thank you!
Last tips and thoughts
Every lady deserves a super manicure to feel as beautiful and confident as possible. If like many of us you lack the time to go to the salon regularly, you can choose to do gel nails straight from the comfort of your home. The way to achieving beautiful, long-lasting manicure is to stick to every step as closely as possible, paying attention to what you’re doing from beginning to end.
Finally, apply a deep moisturizer for your hands and a skin oil all-around to ensure healthy hands with a magical glow.
It is better to entrust this work to your manicure master. But the advice on the degreaser account is unexpected!
I love gel coating. It is a pity that after it the nail plates need treatment, although much less than as if after acrylic one.
I just file them off with a nail file. I didn’t even think there are such cool ways. In Ohio salons, it’s better not to do this at all …
This magic remover is really magical, shellac peels off very quickly.
I am surprised how difficult it is to keep your hand straight in the UV lamp. Because the varnish slides to one side of the nail and dries in an uneven layer …
reading the comments … God, girls, how can you file varnish! It hurts your nails so much!