Gel nail varnish - what would I need?

Michala_B

Hi,

I'm seeking help and advice please!

I have super strong, quick growing nails which I used to have painted with Gellish polishes by a brilliant nail lady. Unfortunately she has now moved to Texas and it's a little bit too far for me to go for my nails doing!!

I have recently tried various salons and various types of gel polishes which they offer but I have found them all to not be very neat when applying the polish, some seem to miss loads of the nail and all have ended up with a gloopy thick effect which has then meant the polish has lifted after a few days and peeled off so it's not good value for money.

I'm getting a little bit fed up of paying for something which doesn't last that long and is poorly applied. So I'm thinking of biting the bullet and buying a kit to do my own gel polish at home. As well as the uv lamp and polishes what else would I need and are the home kits as good as some salons?

I won't mind so much if my own attempts aren't as neat as the original lady who did them for me as I'm hoping with practice I'd get better and it won't be costing me £15/£20 each time to not be happy!

Can anyone help me? Are there any nail technicians who can advise? Or any ladies who have bought home gel kits?

Thanks
Michala

sunfield91

Hi
Why not try one of the nail polishes currently on the market with a "gel like" finish , before you splash out on a kit.
Nails inc, Barry M and Avon do ranges


Hope this helps

Pleut

You'd need to make sure you get the base and top coat and I think there's something you use before you put anything on to 'prep' the surface of the nail. I know boots do a kit with everything in so you could have a look at that?

Here's a 'starter kit' http://www.boots.com/en/Sensationail-Starter-Kit-Raspberry_1407045/
And then there's a 'essentials' kit http://www.boots.com/en/Sensationail-Gel-Polish-Essentials-Kit_1389406/

They might be more than you want to spend but it gives you an idea?

Michala_B

sunfield91 wrote: »

Hi
Why not try one of the nail polishes currently on the market with a "gel like" finish , before you splash out on a kit.
Nails inc, Barry M and Avon do ranges


Hope this helps

I've tried a couple of these already and they are very good but don't really last much longer than normal non gel varnish. They are a good idea though.

Michala_B

Pleut wrote: »

You'd need to make sure you get the base and top coat and I think there's something you use before you put anything on to 'prep' the surface of the nail. I know boots do a kit with everything in so you could have a look at that?

Here's a 'starter kit' http://www.boots.com/en/Sensationail-Starter-Kit-Raspberry_1407045/
And then there's a 'essentials' kit http://www.boots.com/en/Sensationail-Gel-Polish-Essentials-Kit_1389406/

They might be more than you want to spend but it gives you an idea?

Thanks for this. I've seen these kits already but from what I've read vu lamps are better than the LED ones and are more compatible with different brands of gel polish. I have looked on good old eBay and I think I can make up a kit from there for less money which is always a good thing!

smileygill

I recommend the Sensationail range at Boots. I've used nothing else for nearly a year now and my weak nails are longer and stronger than ever before. It doesn't wear, lift or peel, and I've had literally couple of chips in that time - on nails that were damaged to start with. It takes about 10 minutes to fix a single damaged nail.

I change the colour about every 2 weeks, partly because of regrowth and also for the sake of a change. The dozen or so colours I have will last for many years!

I've saved money by buying foil removal wraps and wipes on ebay. Got some new wraps to try that have remover already in them, so more savings there.

HTH.

Michala_B

So Smileygill do you lightly buff your nails then use the oil remover to help prevent colour lifting, then base coat, two coats of colour and then top coat? All set under the lamp? From what I know and from You Tube's help that's the method which seems to be the recommended?

And does anyone know (possible daft question here!), can the gel polish brands be mixed? For example can one brand of colour be used with another brand top coat or do they have to match?

maddiemay

You may like to have a read back here:- https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4984256

lots of useful advice, things to avoid etc. i.e. not all gel systems are compatible and be very careful abrading the surface of the nail, some of the *bay stuff is fake and there is no way of knowing what you are using. HTH

Sorry - double post for some reason

maddiemay

You may like to have a read back here:- https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4984256

lots of useful advice, things to avoid etc. i.e. not all gel systems are compatible and be very careful abrading the surface of the nail, some of the *bay stuff is fake and there is no way of knowing what you are using. HTH

rainbowfairydust

Are you planning on trying the sensational kit? If so if you can wait a little longer i would wait until nearer xmas. Boots had a cracking offer for the lamp plus all other bits for £45.

idonails

As a nail technician, I wouldn't advise any home UV gel kits or anything bought from a certain auction site.

This isn't a ploy for nail techs to get your money but a genuine concern for the health of your nails and what unregulated products can do.

Buffing your natural nail, without knowing exactly what you're doing, can damage your nail plate and will certainly thin your nails and may cause long lasting damage.

Preparing your nail for the application of a gel polish is vital for the staying power of the product and using the wrong products can, again, damage your natural nails.

Using non professional products without knowing exactly what to do can lead to over exposure to a product, prompting an allergic reaction.

I can't comment on the work by the nail techs you've used since your usual tech moved but, different gel polishes will last differently on different people. I use CND Shellac (which I am fully qualified and insured to use) and not everyone gets two weeks out of it. Some, however, last up to 5 weeks!
I would suggest finding a nail technician who uses genuine Gelish (as this clearly lasts on you as you have been happy before) and properly vet them before they get your business. Ask for pictures of their work to check the tidiness of their application and ask to see their certificates to prove they're qualified and insured to use the product. I would be more than happy to provide all of this to clients if they wanted to see it.

Just a couple of other points to make... Mixing brands will almost certainly cause service breakdown. Some gel polish brands aren't modified for use with an LED lamp, therefore a UV lamp would be better. This isn't the case with all gel polishes.