Both certified masters and home craftsmen who do gel manicures only for themselves sometimes just give up. Everything seems to be fine: expensive equipment and high-quality materials have been bought, the technology has been thoroughly studied. But the question arises as to why the gel polish does not dry in the lamp. All efforts, all careful work go to waste, as the coating either immediately or after a few hours bubbles up.
Perhaps you should just quit what you love? Our answer is no! We need to look for the causes of the problem and fix them.
Terms of Use
Modern craftsmen usually use hybrid lamps that contain both UV and LED light bulbs. A few years ago, UF lamps were predominantly used, with an average drying time of 2 minutes. LED technology can significantly reduce the polymerization time, while obtaininggood result.
Modern equipment and materials for nail service, as a rule, require a short drying time, which ranges from 30 to 60 seconds.
But there are also emergency situations when the question arises of why the gel polish does not dry in the lamp. There may be several reasons.
Dispersion layer
This information will be useful only for beginners. If you are using gel coatings for the first time, after drying, you may encounter the following problem: the surface of varnished nails is sticky, even seemingly soft. Looks like the polish hasn't dried at all…
Toward emotion! As the reviews of eminent masters say, most likely, this is not about poor drying, but about residual stickiness. About the dispersion layer, speaking the language of a pro. This is normal, nothing to worry about at all. Just cover the nail with a layer of top coat and dry it in the lamp.
By the way, most tops also have a dispersion layer. It just needs to be removed with a lint-free cloth soaked in a special liquid.
Too thick coat
Masters know, but beginners may not realize that it is better to apply 2-3 thin layers than one thick one.
If you cover your nails with an impressive layer of varnish, it may not dry well. There is no reason to be upset: remove the cover and get ready for meticulous work. Apply thin layers, dry each one. Most likely, the problem will resolve itself.
Termexpiry date
When buying any material for nail art, pay attention to the expiration date. It happens that the period has expired, but the varnish has not lost its characteristics. But as a rule, over time, indicators change. If the expiration date has passed or is even nearing the end, the polish may take longer to cure.
Storage conditions
As you know, not only lamps, but also the sun have UF radiation. But why doesn't gel polish dry without a lamp?
If there are few rays, the material will remain unchanged. If there are too many of them, gel polish can also be dried in a well-lit place without a lamp. But if the rays are present in a small amount, but shine on the bottle, the varnish is likely to simply deteriorate.
Instructions on the bottle
Let's take a simple example. Reviews of American-made My Nail gel polishes are diametrically opposed. Some do not spare enthusiastic epithets, praising good wear and excellent pigmentation, due to which even one coat of coating is enough. And for some, this material seems simply disgusting, because it swells up with bubbles and quickly moves away from the nail plate. Why such a difference?
The answer can be found on the label: My Nail polish needs to dry in an LED lamp for at least 2 minutes. This is not a disadvantage, just a highly pigmented coating takes longer. The usual 30 seconds is not enough for him.
This is just one example. There are plenty of such materials in various price segments, from the budget Bluesky to the premium Luxio.
Trust the manufacturer. Read the instructions and follow them. Then the question of why gel polish dries in a lamp for a long time will not bother you. You'll just know that this particular material requires a longer drying time.
Acrylic Powder
This material has a wide range of applications. Mix the powder with the base - and get a great material for strengthening nails. Gently fluff the powder over the nail covered with wet top - and you will get a velvety surface. Powder monograms to make them velor and play on the contrast of textures. Highlight some parts of the design by adding powder to the sticky layer of the top for a frosty effect… In the hands of a true enthusiast, powder can do a lot of practical and design tasks.
But do not forget about the technological features. Why doesn't gel polish dry in a lamp if acrylic powder was used in the design? The answer is simple: this material always doubles the drying time. If you use it, increase the drying time to 2 minutes.
The same rule applies to other acrylic sprinkles. For example, granulated sugar.
Design Materials
Foil, "glass", kamifubuki, sliders and many other materials for design require compliance with technology. But some craftsmen try to apply them on a wet layer of colored varnish.
The material for the design creates a natural barrier to the passage of rays. Therefore, polymerization cannot proceed quickly.
Better designon the base or top coat (dry or wet, depending on the specifics), and not directly on the colored polish.
Problem in the lamp
But it also happens that all the subtleties are observed, the materials are of high quality, but the question of why the gel polish does not dry in the lamp remains open.
Perhaps you should pay attention to the lamp itself? There may be two reasons why the gel material does not cure well.
First, pay attention to the power. No serious manufacturer produces lamps with a power of less than 24 watts. But there are plenty of copies with a power of 12, 9 and even 6 watts on Asian sites. They also have the right to exist, moreover, they can be the best choice for the masters "on their own". However, you should not expect the same results from them as from professional and semi-professional lamps. Always increase the time if using a low wattage lamp.
Secondly, even the best lamp has an expiration date. Any piece of equipment is subject to wear and tear. If a professional craftsman works on a stream, the lamp may become unusable within a few months after purchase. Change light bulbs in time, monitor the he alth of the power supply. If the equipment is “tired”, the gel materials may not dry in the time that was previously sufficient.
