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Applying gel polish, what’s the best way to do it?

Applying gel polish can take some time, but with the right steps and supplies, you can enjoy a beautiful manicure for longer. This guide will help you apply gel polish to your own nails or someone else's, step by step. Make sure you have all the necessary materials on hand before you begin. Let's get LAKKIE!

What do you need?

- UV/LED nail lamp

- Base coat

- Gel polish color

- Top coat

- Nail file

- Cuticle pusher

- Degreaser/acetone

- Nail wipes

- Cuticle oil 

Step 1: File your nails into the desired shape. Read more about different nail shapes here.

Step 2: Push back your cuticles using a cuticle pusher.

Step 3: Gently roughen the surface of your nails with a coarse nail file. You do this so the gel polish adheres better to your nail and lasts longer. Now, clean your nails with a degreaser. Put a little degreaser or acetone on a nail wipe and thoroughly clean the edges as well. Make sure the nails are completely free of dust and lint.

Step 4: If you want even better adhesion, apply nail prep to your nails first. Let this air dry for 30 seconds. (Nail prep is optional)

Start with a base coat. This can be a regular base coat, a rubber base coat, a covering rubber base coat, or possibly a BIAB application. Apply a thin layer and be sure to keep about 1 mm away from your cuticles. If you want the layer to fit more precisely around the cuticles, use a thin brush, but ensure the gel polish does not come into contact with your skin. While applying the base coat (and subsequent layers), make sure to cover the free edge as well. This is what we call "sealing" the nail. It prevents air from getting under the gel polish, helping it stay on much better. An important step! Finally, let this layer cure under the UV/LED lamp.

Step 5: Now apply a thin layer of the gel polish color of your choice. Again, keep the distance from the cuticles in mind. If necessary, use a thin brush to make the gel polish fit nicely around the cuticles. Ensure that the gel polish does not come into contact with the skin.

Make sure to seal the free edge well with every layer. Then, let this layer cure under the nail lamp. Repeat this step until you have the perfect coverage. Be careful to apply very thin layers instead of thick ones. Thick layers of gel polish often look messy quickly and can even wrinkle—a waste of all your hard work.

Step 6: Are you happy with the result? Then apply the no-wipe top coat and let this layer of gel polish cure under the UV/LED lamp. This can be a glossy top coat, of course, but also a matte top coat.

Step 7: Finally, nourish your cuticles with some cuticle oil. You can easily go around the nail with the brush to apply the oil. After applying it to every finger, massage the oil in well so it absorbs properly. It is best to apply cuticle oil twice a day.

Not so bad, right? And remember, practice makes perfect!

Removing gel polish, what is the best way to do it?

Removing gel polish from your nails is always a tedious chore, but be sure to take your time and do it carefully. If you are too rough or do not take enough time, there is a high chance that your nails will be damaged, resulting in thin, brittle, and easily breaking nails. Read the following steps carefully before you remove the gel polish from your nails.

Step 1 of removing gel polish is to file off the top coat with a coarse nail file. This is an important step, because it allows the acetone to penetrate the gel polish better.

Once you have filed off the top coat, it is important to protect your cuticles. The acetone will dry them out quickly, so use some cuticle oil before wrapping your fingers. No cuticle oil at home? Then apply some Vaseline to your cuticles.

To remove gel polish, it is important to use acetone or gel polish remover. Regular nail polish remover is not strong enough to remove gel polish. Soak a cotton pad or a nail wipe completely with acetone. Then place it on your nail and wrap your finger with aluminum foil. Apply this step to every nail. Let this soak for at least 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, remove the foils with a twisting motion. You will see that the gel polish is starting to loosen.

Now you can gently push the gel polish off the nail with a cuticle pusher. Be careful with this step to prevent damage to your nails! Are you unable to remove it easily? Do not use force to remove the gel polish, but repeat the previous steps. Soak another cotton pad or nail wipe with acetone and place it on your nail. Then wrap your nail with aluminum foil again and let it soak for 15 minutes.

When everything is removed, you can trim/file your nails to the desired length and shape. Don't feel like a new color yet? You can also choose to use a layer of (covering) rubber base to reduce the chance of your nails breaking or tearing.

And finally, don't forget to nourish your nails with cuticle oil. Using acetone dries out your cuticles. By massaging your cuticles with oil, you ensure proper hydration and they will recover quickly.

All Gel Polish colors are HEMA and TPO free.

Ingredients: Acrylated aliphatic urethane, Acrylates Copolymer, [bis(4-methylphenyl)phosphinyl](2,4,6-trimethylphenyl), Dimethicone, Microcrystalline wax, CI 77499, CI 77891, CI 14700

Do I need to use a base coat under gel polish?
Yes, always. Otherwise, the gel polish color will not adhere to your nails.

How long does gel polish last?
On average, gel polish stays looking good for 2 weeks, depending on your nail growth, how you treat them, and the condition of your nails.

Do I need a nail prep for gel polish?
That depends on your nail type. For oilier nails, it is recommended to use a nail prep for extra adhesion.

What should you pay attention to with gel polish?

It is important that you do not apply your nail polish in direct sunlight (not even near a window), as this can cause the gel polish to cure, including the contents of the bottle. Also, close the bottle or keep it away when you are curing your nails under the UV/LED lamp. This can also cause the contents of your bottle/brush to cure, making the product unusable.

Can you use gel polish without a nail lamp?

No, the gel products from LAKKIE all need to be cured under a UV/LED nail lamp.