The desire to look beautiful is inherent in every woman. The desire to realize creative abilities and bring interesting ideas to life is also characteristic of many of the fair sex. Add to this the love of saving time and money - and you get a list of the most important reasons that make lovely ladies learn how to do their own manicure. Fortunately, manufacturers of materials and equipment have long begun to take into account not only the interests of professionals, but also the desires of ordinary lovers of beautiful nails who take care of their own hands at home.
We do not promise that our article will teach you all the existing techniques, give you a complete picture of modern materials and turn you into a virtuoso master. No, it can only become the first step on the path to mastery, and, of course, cannot be an alternative to a training course. But for those who decide to learn how to do gel nail polish, of course, you need to start somewhere. That's whylet's take a closer look at what is needed at the initial stage, how to choose the right materials, how to work with them. If you're in the mood for a good result, get ready for the fact that you will have to practice, work on mistakes, try different things to find the best.
A word about sterility
Some girls believe that if you do a manicure only to yourself, you can not be afraid of this. This question is very important, so we started with it. Of course, you can do without a professional dry heat and sterilizer, but the disinfection of all tools is necessary!
At home, once a month it is enough to boil a metal instrument in water for 20 minutes or keep the same time in a preheated oven. After work, do not forget to wipe it with alcohol or chlorhexidine.
Necessary equipment and tools
There are many electronic assistants that can greatly facilitate the life of a manicurist. Let's figure out what you need for gel polish.
The list is in any case headed by a polymerization lamp. For those who do not plan to turn this business into a business, it is not at all necessary to spend money on a powerful professional model. It is advisable to opt for a hybrid UV / LED lamp. This device works with different types of materials. By the way, it does not have to be massive and very powerful. One of the models from Chinese manufacturers SUN or COSCELIA can be an excellent choice. These are small compact lamps with a power of 6-12 W, which managed to fall in love with Russian consumers and collect a lot ofpositive feedback.
Take care of the regular lamp as well. The workplace should be well lit.
To facilitate the application of varnish, it is advisable to get a flat brush with a rounded tip. A hair brush will allow you to apply the coating as close to the cuticle as possible, and painting lovers simply cannot do without it.
For natural nails, files with a hardness of at least 180 grit are used. You can polish the nail with the help of a buff (average hardness is 400 grit). All tools with a score of 170 or less are for artificial nails.
Be sure to get lint-free wipes. Cotton pads are not good as they leave fibers that can ruin the whole job.
A lot of controversy causes the expediency of purchasing a special milling machine. With it, you can process the cuticle and side ridges, get rid of pterygium, polish the surface of the nail plate and even remove the old coating. But this is the case when in inept hands even the highest quality apparatus can turn into a weapon. It is not so easy to learn to work with him. Therefore, at the initial stage, a high-quality manicure set (for example, from a reliable manufacturer Staleks) can become a good alternative.
When planning purchases, add another useful purchase to the list - tips. They cost a little, but will greatly help in learning. Of course, it's better to practice on tips than on your own nails.
Materials forhome manicure
Gel polish is not the only tool you will need in your work. But the observance of technology is the key to a good result. It is pointless to save on any means or use materials for other purposes. Try not to experiment during training, use the materials according to the instructions.
Gel polish is applied using the following additional tools:
- Primer.
- Base.
- Decorative colored varnish or paint.
- Top.
Be sure to have in the arsenal of means for degreasing and removing the dispersion layer. There are both highly specialized options and universal 2 in 1. Reviews say that you can remove stickiness and degrease the surface even with ordinary alcohol, but some materials react with it, so you should not save.
How to choose the right options
When it comes to gel polish, price and quality are not always proportional. Of course, you should not expect good results from very cheap options, most likely, purchases will soon end up in the bin. But even professional materials with a high price tag in the hands of a beginner may not give the desired effect at all. By the way, they are not so easy to get: for example, the famous manufacturer Luxio sells products only to masters who have presented a diploma.
When choosing options with an average price tag, pay attention to the products of the following brands: Kodi, TNL, My Nail, Tertio. Varnishes from Chinese manufacturers receive excellent reviewsBluesky, Rosalind and Venalisa. The listed companies offer not only decorative coatings, but also bases and tops.
Having picked up the necessary materials and tools for gel nail polish, you can get to work. So where do you start?
First stage - hygiene preparation
Professionals do not recommend prolonged contact with water immediately before applying the gel coat. Therefore, you should not get too carried away with baths. Wash your hands thoroughly in warm water, this will suffice.
Carry out all hygiene procedures as you usually do: push back the cuticle, remove keratinized areas; remove dead skin from the side rollers; shape your nails and file the ends. A cuticle remover can be a good helper. It softens it, makes it more docile to handle, which reduces the likelihood of injury.
Buffing your nails with a buff is another important step that precedes gel polish. A walkthrough cannot do without a description of this step. Hold the buff perpendicular to the surface, move from the cuticle to the free edge, removing the natural shine.
Primer
Applying this product is considered an optional step. However, beginners are advised to use it. The primer is applied to fat-free nails with rubbing movements, gently distributed over the surface. It is advisable not to get on the skin. You just need to dry it in the air, it does not need polymerization.
Primer helps eliminate fatand excess moisture, disinfects the surface, improves the adhesion of the base to the nail. This is essentially a primer that needs to dry completely before the next step.
Base application
This tool is responsible for the wearing of manicure in general. There are several varieties of basic tools, a brief overview of which will supplement our lesson.
To cover with gel polish, you can use bases with different densities. There are thinner and thicker options. A thick rubber base can even out the surface of the nail, but it is almost impossible to do it with a liquid one.
The product is applied in a drop, which is distributed over the entire surface and does not reach the cuticle a little. Make sure that in the stress zone (where the free edge begins), the drop thickness is maximum. Turning the nail over helps to facilitate the task: this way you can make sure that the product is distributed correctly, and no sags and dips form anywhere. Masters recommend drying each nail at once for at least a few seconds so that the base “grabs” and does not spread where it is not needed.
Remember that most base products have a sticky layer. There is no single recommendation on whether it should be removed. If stickiness does not bother you, proceed to the next step. But if you notice that the gel polish “runs away” from the end and is difficult to apply, wipe the base coat with a special tool. This usually solves the problem.
Decorative coating
One-color gel polish is easier to make, so we recommend starting with it. Even if your chosen product is well pigmented, it is better to apply two thin coats rather than one thick one.
Place a drop 1 mm from the cuticle. With a flat brush, slightly pull it to the base of the nail, and then draw a line to the free edge, distributing the varnish. The next strokes are to the right and left of the middle one. And the final one should cover the entire surface of the nail. Don't forget to carefully paint over the butt when sealing it.
After drying the first layer, repeat the steps from the beginning. You can give a neat look to the nails with a thin brush: put a small drop of varnish on it and paint over the nail, pulling the cuticle with your finger.
It is not necessary to remove stickiness from the varnish after drying.
Easy design
Manicure with gel polish for beginners does not involve drawing monograms and making complex designs. But, if you want to revive a monochromatic manicure, you can use some materials that do not require much skill and expense. Sliders can be a great solution.
Cut them into pieces, spread them on a wet sponge. Apply a thin layer of base on the varnished nail and dry. Carefully lay out the slider, holding it with tweezers. It remains to cover the top.
Working with stamps, kamifubuki, broths, rhinestones, rubbing decorative sand and foil requires more experience. But it’s really possible for a beginner to master these techniques by training on tips. Don't be afraid to try new materials and techniques.
Final stage
After making a solid coat of gel polish and drying it, apply a top coat. It can be matte or glossy. Keep an eye on the evenness of the surface, because the top can even out some errors.
If your product leaves a sticky dispersion layer, remove it immediately after drying.
Top is responsible for the durability of the gel polish. Glossy options also add extra shine.
Be sure to apply a caring oil to the cuticles and skin around the nails and rub in.
Gel polish removal at home
Sooner or later, even the most resistant gel polish needs to be removed. It is believed that the average wear time is 2-3 weeks, but if the nails grow quickly, you may need to update the manicure more often.
There are 2 ways to remove the cover. The first involves the use of a special cone cutter, ceramic or carbide. Those who do not have a device can use the second method. It consists in prolonged soaking of the coating in a product with acetone.
To speed up the process, file the surface of your nails. Sanding off the top layer will make it easier for the solvent to penetrate into the next layers. Apply the product to a quarter of a cotton pad, press it against the nail and wrap it with foil. You can also use special latches.
After 15 minutes, you will need to remove the decorative layer with an orange stick.
Handcare
Even the most beautiful gel polish looks bad surrounded by overdriedcuticles. Do not forget to lubricate the skin of the hands with nourishing and moisturizing creams, remove hangnails in a timely manner. Do not let the skin freeze, use gloves in the cold season. Protect your hands with plastic gloves while doing household chores to limit nail contact with chemicals.
Well-groomed hands with a beautiful manicure, and even done by yourself, will become a real decoration and a source of pride for any woman.
