DIY Gel Nails

Has any one tried doing their own gel manicure at home? interested to get started... but worried bout all the steps and products that i need to prepare. any recommendations?

I've seen starter kits advertised at Sally's, CVS, and saw some on Ebay. From what I have read, the biggest part of the whole thing is making sure you have the right wattage lamp. I have seen sample type color kits on ebay too. I would love to do gel or shellac nails but it's a bit pricey to start and sadly, I don't have the money.

Deleted per Terms of Service Hey gals. Ive been doing my own gel nails for over a year and it's definitely worth the investment. I would recommend finding a good kit that includes all the tools, products and the lamp to get you started. Then you can buy different brand polishes if you want as long as they are compatible with your light. I made a video a year ago talking about what i do.

So can you use different polishes or are you restricted to the Gel colors?  

Originally Posted by jilleans /img/forum/go_quote.gif

So can you use different polishes or are you restricted to the Gel colors?  

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You really need to use the whole set.  The gel colors are nothing like polishes as they will not dry on their own without a lamp.  I think that I have seen some led/uv reactive top coats that you can use on top of regular polishes with regular base coats, but that's possibly something different altogether.

I got a Gelish starter set a while back when they launched at Sally's, and it's tricky to learn to apply them correctly.  You have to use ultra thin coats, and it takes a while because you have to dry each layer with the lamp between steps. Of course, once you're done, you're done and don't have to worry about ruining the manicure by touching something.  I rarely use it anymore because I started botching the job after spending nearly an hour applying everything.  I would probably use it more often if I had a better lamp since only being able to "cure" 1/3 of your hands with a cheap, tiny $15 UV light for each layer takes forever.  I just don't see myself investing in one, though because I'm also too invested in regular polishes to make the full switch over.  Also, if I'm going somewhere on vacation, I usually just get them done professionally with the thicker, sturdier OPI Axxium because it lasts longer.  Then again, even that suffers application problems and I've had times where it's peeled off early due to layers that were too thick.

If I can find some better, faster, led lamps for a good price, I'll consider doing this for long work weeks because the durability is good.

Side note, you can apply normal polish on top of your gel polish if you want and it lasts a bit longer than if it were on its own.  I've done that before when I've gotten bored of the color I was wearing.  I wipe it off and so long as you don't let it linger, it doesn't seem to damage the gel underneath.

The red carpet LED light is $50 and seems to get good reviews.  It's a steep investment to make if you're just starting, but at this point the gel stuff I do have is pretty much worthless without a better light.

Anyone who knows of good LED polish curing lights that are $50 or less, I'd love to be informed.

I've seen complete starter kits at Walmart for $49 and change.

There is a starter kit on sale at CVS this week, which ends today! They have the individual polishes on sale too.

Hello,

I'm a huge fan of Sephoras Opi Gelshine system... go to Youtube and type in Sephora Gelshine System or look under my name pianomountainapple...i did an entire review on it.

Andrea

Here is a review I did on the Sephora website- I LOVE my nail system by sephora- really amazing!! I'm addicted to buying colors now!!

Tyari, I think you and I are talking about the same system. It is sold at CVS and Wal-mart both. It's by Nailene and I looked it up on Make up Alley and on the Wal-Mart site and the reviews are amazing. This kit uses the LED light instead of UV, which is better for your skin. When I get the money I will be buying one of these systems. I almost won one on Listia last night but got sniped at the last second. I wish I could remember the name. I also read that if you get tired of the gel color you are wearing that you can just put some of your regular polish over it with a top coat and it will wear better than usual. I suppose that's because of the smooth surface. I polished over my shellac nails once. Sensationail by Nailene. Look it up and read the reviews!

I have the sensationail gel kis from walmart and it is amazing!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't be happier I even use my regular nail polish colors and once those have dried completely I top it with the clear gel top coat and cure it with the lamp and your nails look amazing and the shine is incredible! If you use regular nail polish it must be completely dried if it isn't then toping it with the gel wont allow the nail polish to dry and then you will see ripples. The actual gel polishes are great and last super long, getting it off your nails is a pain but worth the time if you have it. Follow me on Pintrest(Sheila Manry) I have a board called nails by sheila and it is all my manicures topped with the gel top coat. This is one  e

I use gel polishes too but the opposite way sheila does. I have the clear gel bottom and top coats on and then I put my regular nail polish on top of that. That way I keep my nails strong and can switch out my polishes easily. As a beauty blogger, I change my nails too often to use the gel polish colors.
 

I actually ended up spending a fortune and getting the whole kit with the light and everything a couple years ago...

I only used it like 3 times..... It was too complicated and took too long and it hurt with the curing of the gel...

I have no decided to just stick with normal nail polish and those acrylic gel top coats to give it that gel nail hardness /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

thank you for the updates ladies.  I'm still on the fence as to if I'll buy a gel kit or not. 

If you are in Australia there is an online business that sells complete gel kits BMNE Direct  The kits seem to have everything you need.  From what I read on their website they can't post the kits internationally because some of the liquids in the kits are dangerous goods and you can't post them.

Use google search there are a lot of topics about making gel nails at home. I found some good advice here how to do gel nails at home. I dont remember if that was the article where they suggest right products but be careful when choosing the right. It depends on what type of lamp you have.

I have read on another gel nail site that you can mix Gel Top coat with RNP. Use 2x RNP to 1 Gel Top Coat ( I use drops to measure) cure between coats just as doing reg gel nails. Read this gel polish mis last as long as any gel color.

foundation/base  coat

cure

polish mix, as many coats as needed

cure between each coat

Top Coat 1 or 2 what ever you normally do

cure between coats

done

HTH

Sharon in KY

"one can never have too many dogs"

SharoninKY said:

I have read on another gel nail site that you can mix Gel Top coat with RNP. Use 2x RNP to 1 Gel Top Coat ( I use drops to measure) cure between coats just as doing reg gel nails. Read this gel polish mis last as long as any gel color.

foundation/base  coat

cure

polish mix, as many coats as needed

cure between each coat

Top Coat 1 or 2 what ever you normally do

cure between coats

done

HTH

Sharon in KY

"one can never have too many dogs"

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Interesting. I hadn't heard of doing this, and certainly haven't tried it. There is an actual product now on the market specifically intended for mixing in this way though (I have to go find the name, yes: GELibility - http://www.chickettes.com/gelibility-turn-regular-nail-polish-into-gel-polish/) - it's not regular gel top coat.

To make my regular nail polish last well, I just apply the gel polish beneath it. My regular thing is:

- apply Gelish Foundation (gel base coat), cure

- apply a gel polish (2-3 coats as needed, with cures after each)

- apply Gelish Top It Off (gel top coat), cure

- wear for a few days and get bored,

- *** apply regular nail polish (rnp) and top coat

- do nail art with rnp or acrylics

- top with quick-dry top coat (this is really helpful in extending the life of a mani)

- wear; later remove with non-acetone remover

- repeat from *** a few times over three/four weeks

- remove gel and start again

I suppose if this strategy didn't work for me, I might try the mixing; but it seems like a whole lot of extra work for each mani. If you try it (with regular gel top coat or otherwise), let me know how it works!

I've been doing my own gel nail for a few years now. It's soooo easy, just like painting your nails. I purchased my lamp on Amazon for $34 and it's still working great.

The brand was U Spicy, the polish you need is (anybrand) base coat, color and topcoat. I like gelish and the base and top coats will last a long time, color too but I like to change color from time to time.

Watch a few youtube tutorials and you're good to go!