How to properly apply gel polish on nails step by step at home so that it lasts a long time

In recent years, the procedure of covering nails with gel polish has been at the peak of popularity. At first, enjoying a long-lasting manicure was expensive: the procedure was carried out only in a salon, and the cost was steep. A few years later, permanent gel nail coating moved into the homes of fashionistas. The market was filled with amateur lamps, and those wishing to purchase equipment and decorative products to suit their taste. However, not everything went smoothly: the girls noticed that the gel polish did not stick to the nails and began to peel off after a few days. We will tell you how to apply gel polish correctly so that it lasts a long time, and the problem of a thousand beauties will be solved.

How long does gel polish last?

Gel polish is a durable coating. According to the manufacturers, it stays on the nails for at least three weeks. This is only partly true. After 2 weeks, the nail plates grow back, causing a natural, unpainted stripe to appear at the base of the nail. Whether to go with such a manicure depends on an individual decision.

The period of time during which gel polish retains its shine without changing the quality composition on the nail plates depends on the quality and price of the varnish. In this industry, the statement is true: expensive varnish is the best varnish. The lower the price of a decorative coating, the worse its properties. On average, a cheap polish will last on your nails for two weeks, but will lose its attractiveness by the end of the first week.

There are times when expensive coverage lasts less than budget coverage. The reasons lie in improper use or the individual physical characteristics of the woman. We will look at them in the next paragraph.

Advantages and disadvantages of gel polish

Any nail coating has its advantages. Shellac is no exception. It's good because:

dries quickly under an ultraviolet lamp. Conventional varnishes dry under normal conditions. Drying time depends on the thickness of the coating;
Suitable even for short nails;
has a certain strength and durability. If your nails grow quickly, they may outgrow the coating before it chips. With minimal contact with hot water, the coating lasts up to 3 weeks;
the cost of applying shellac coating is affordable for any beauty;
Helps strengthen nail plates. When extensions are applied, artificial nails take a long time to wear, the plates underneath do not breathe and become thin and brittle. Gel polish is applied for two weeks, it significantly strengthens the nails and promotes their rapid growth.

The disadvantages of gel varnish coating are the following circumstances:

This type of manicure is salon in nature. For home use, you should purchase an expensive ultraviolet lamp and special products for removing gel polish without damaging your nails;
The procedure can be done if your nails are healthy. Otherwise, you should first treat and restore your nails with vitamins and special preparations, and then apply a manicure. The advice of a professional master will help here;
You can’t wear gel polish all the time. This is the peculiarity of shellac manicure. After 5 - 6 sessions, the nails should rest so that the recovery process takes place and an allergic reaction to the composition of the varnish does not occur.

Why the coating doesn't stick (video):

What to do if shellac doesn’t stick (video):

25 reasons for gel polish peeling (video):

Beautiful, strong nails are the key to health. A designer manicure based on gel polish will help decorate them. Proper application and careful handling will help the coating last a long time without chipping, cracking or delamination.

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Delamination of the coating due to the fault of the master

Often the reasons for the destruction of the gel coating lie in improper application to the nails. This happens when the manicurist has little experience or the human factor came into play and a mistake was made. A mistake in a long-lasting manicure is costly, because, despite the fact that the price of gel polish has decreased, it still has not become publicly available.

Let's look at the reasons for varnish delamination:

While giving the nail the correct shape, the master performed the filing process incorrectly: the nail plate, subjected to heavy sawdust, gets an internal hematoma. Due to the hematoma, proper application of gel polish is impossible.
The base layer is not completely dried under the lamp. There are incidents when the master, having forgotten, applies a decorative coating to a damp base. This application guarantees that the varnish will peel off after a few days.
Use of low-quality materials for manicure.
are not degreased first ; as a result, gel polish cannot create strong adhesion.
Insufficient drying of all layers.
Applying 3-4 layers of varnish: polymerization occurs unevenly , the decorative coating of the varnish begins to collapse after a few days. If the coating was made from low-quality materials, destruction will occur in the first two days.
Inaccurate application leads to the fact that the decorative product ends up on the periungual fold. If you do not remove the product from the skin in time, it will break down and pull the entire coating layer behind it.
The master does not warn about the correct culture of behavior after applying the varnish. The ban on hand washing for 2-3 hours after the procedure is violated immediately after leaving the salon. Despite the fact that the varnish has a chance to retain its layer structure when washing hands, it will definitely lose its shine and strength.
Before the procedure, the master does not warn about the consequences that result from natural physiological causes.

If you do your own gel coating at home, you equally need to learn the mistakes that lead to delamination of the decorative coating.

Reasons why gel polish does not stick well to nails

As always, in such cases, chipping and peeling of the varnish coating are due to non-compliance with technology. No matter how simple the application rules are, violating them is fraught with troubles in the form of tarnishing and sloppily peeling edges.

Even a regular manicure is trusted to be done only by a trusted master. What can we say about the gel coating? The reputation and experience of a specialist are a guarantee of long-lasting shine on your nails.

There are many reasons for coating delamination:

The nail is not properly processed: the nail plate is poorly dried, fat is not removed, poor-quality primer, and so on.
The nail is too heavily filed and the cuticle is damaged. In this case, a hematoma forms, which will not allow the varnish to be applied correctly.
The base layer was not dried or was left in too short a time.
In principle, insufficient drying leads to delamination of the coating.
An excessively thick layer of varnish polymerizes unevenly - “weak” areas appear in the coating, which are destroyed faster.
The product ended up on the periungual fold and was not removed in time. Since sebum is present here in much larger quantities, the gel polish will not be able to hold on, and at the same time it will damage the coating on the nail itself.
For the first 2–3 hours, do not wash your hands or moisturize them in any other way. The gel coating has not yet fully cured and may be damaged. Either way, the shine will decrease.

The video explains why gel polish does not stick to nails:

There are a number of other reasons related to the characteristics of the body, general health, and so on. The nail is a completely living part of the body and reacts to disturbances of endocrine or hormonal processes quite unambiguously:

Individual characteristics - nothing depends on the master here. It happens that the nail plate does not hold any coating due to unevenness.
Very specific diseases - diabetes, inflammation, requiring antibiotics, significantly affect metabolism. And he, in turn, changes the condition of the nails, making a manicure simply impossible.
The reason for refusal may be excessive sweating of the hands .
During menstruation and pregnancy, it is also better to avoid gel polish: the nail plate at this time becomes porous and does not hold any coating well.
The effects of household chemicals will quickly destroy your manicure . No wonder it is recommended to do all housework with gloves.

Whether gel nail polish is harmful or not can be understood by reading the contents of this article.
How you can dilute nail polish is indicated here in the article.
What is sally hansen salon manicure nail polish can be found in this article here: https://soinpeau.ru/kosmetika/dekorativnaya/lak/sally-hansen-dlya-nogtej.html

Physiological reasons

Physiological reasons should be taken into account first . When going to a nail salon, do not expect a good result if you have at least one of the following features:

Individual intolerance to chemical substances by the body.
Features of the structure of nails : uneven nail plates with pits will not allow the coating to lie flat, as a result of which delamination will occur.
Chronic and acquired diseases : diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases, influenza.
Pregnancy and lactation : hormonal changes in the body prevent chemicals from remaining on the nails for a long time.
Menstruation . The female process does not affect the wearing of the gel coating, however, if the procedure occurs on these days of the cycle, the gel is 100% likely to peel off.
Taking antibiotics does not have a beneficial effect on manicure. This relates both to the application procedure and, directly, to the wearing process.

How to paint so that the coating lasts longer

The ideal 2-3 weeks can only be achieved if certain rules are followed.

You need to prepare for the procedure in advance: for example, oil manicure, nail baths and other spa treatments of this kind should be abandoned a day before applying gel polish.
A classic manicure is wet and must be done 2-3 hours in advance so that the nails are sufficiently dry.

Some deficiencies require additional processing. So, “wet” nails are coated with a primer - a product that enhances the adhesion of the plate and varnish. Soft nails are pre-coated with a strengthening compound, which is then washed off.

You can find out how to properly use Loceryl nail polish here.

You need to use high-quality materials and use the services of a trusted specialist.

So, before application, the nail must be sanded, filed, even if it does not need to be shortened, and must be degreased. Moreover, both the nail plate and the cuticle are degreased.

The gel is applied in a very thin layer, and each layer is dried under a UV lamp for 60–120 s. The cut of the nail must be tinted - “sealed”.
Over the next 2-3 hours, do not allow your nails to come into contact with water in any form.
For 10–12 hours, you should avoid showers and baths, as well as any oil treatments.
You should not file your nails: this destroys the seal - the cut covered with varnish allows air or water to get under the gel layer, and the coating delaminates.

In the video, how to paint your nails so that the polish lasts a long time:

How to apply nail polish so it lasts a long time

To ensure that the polish lasts as long as possible, you need to follow the recommendations of experienced manicurists. We've summarized the information so you can read it in one place:

Do not apply gel coating immediately after a hygienic manicure. The ban is associated with soaking the nail plates: the time for complete drying in a natural environment is 2-3 hours. Be patient so that you don’t have to hastily change your manicure in the future.
No need for amateur performances : often, girls want to help the master and come to the reception with velvet hands. Oil masks, herbal lotions and other procedures are made to give beauty to nails and hands. Believe me, you will not be able to surprise the specialist with healthy skin, but you can ensure the fragility of the gel coating.
If you have weak and thin nail plates, remind the specialist to treat them before the decoration procedure. A special washable composition will solve the problem of brittle nails.
Use high-quality nail tools and products when doing your own manicure. If you get a manicure in a salon, check out the range of products used and look at the certificates of conformity.
Make sure to dry under a UV lamp for at least 60 seconds. Try not to move your fingers inside the device. Be sure to pay attention to whether the artist has sealed the free edge of the nail plate. If this is not done, air will penetrate between the layers of coating and destroy it within a few days.
Do not interact with water or wet objects for 3 hours after manicure.
Do not file your nails while wearing them as this will remove the seal from the sealed cover.

What can you do to extend the life of shellac?

This coating already stays on the nails much longer than regular polish, but you always want more, so many people wonder what to do for this?

Although it is believed that chemicals used in everyday life are not harmful to shellac, in order for shellac to last longer, it is advisable to do all housework, and especially washing dishes, with gloves. After all, household chemicals contain many substances that dry the skin and nails and also disrupt their structure. Therefore, the use of gloves is the key to the durability of the manicure.

Please note that how long shellac lasts on your nails depends on the originality of the materials used, including the base and top coat, and the professionalism of the artist to whom you entrust your fingers. Remember that original and high-quality coating cannot be cheap, do not chase short-term benefits. The fake coating will last you no more than three days. You should also pay attention to the freshness of the product - old and thickened ones will be applied in a thick layer, which will lead to the formation of air cavities and peeling of the coating.

Well, you should definitely follow the technology for applying this product. Degreasing, cutting the cuticles, applying foundation, drying each layer - none of these steps should be skipped or done incorrectly. Otherwise, in a couple of days you will see chips, unevenness and other unpleasant things on your new manicure.

In addition, you should take care of your nails. After all, on healthy and strong nails, any coating will look more advantageous. Treat the cuticle with special products or regular hand creams, and it will be best if the cream contains lanolin. And after 3-4 procedures of applying shellac, it is recommended to take a break for 1-3 weeks. During this period, it is worth applying medicated varnish to your nails and using cuticle oils containing vitamins A and E.

Rating of long-living gel polishes based on the results of 2016

We have compiled a rating of the best varnishes, based on reviews from residents of all corners of the country. Looking at it, you will certainly choose products to your liking and try them out for yourself.

1st place: Gelish

The best American varnish from the line of gel counterparts. In addition to excellent quality indicators, it has one of the widest color ranges. It features a little more than 100 shades and colors. The structure of Gelish resembles a regular non-permanent varnish, so it is easy to apply. The time for polymerization of each coating layer is 120 seconds. The coating lasts 3 weeks.

Review: Natalya, Rostov-on-Don, 33 years old, manicurist

Super! I rented a place in the salon, so I used the varnishes provided by the hostess. I can't say anything bad about their quality, but Gelish is a hundred times better! I bought it on the advice of a colleague at the salon: she has been using it at home for a long time. I didn’t regret the money spent: the varnish is worth it, private clients are happy. I’ve already collected 60 flowers and I’m not going to stop.

2nd place: Solomeya

Second place rightfully belongs to the London brand Solomeya. The successful texture allows you to carry out the varnish application procedure without any unpleasant incidents: bubbles and unpainted areas are a thing of the past. The varnish is sold at an affordable price that any home craftsman can afford.

Review: Lilia, Volgodonsk, 24 years old, private manicurist

I’ve only been doing nails for six months, on the occasion of going on maternity leave. Salome was recommended to me by my hairdresser: she always uses gel polish from this particular company. At first I was afraid to buy because the price was much higher than similar nail polishes, but then I decided - am I a professional or not? The varnish has a pleasant texture and is easy to apply to the nails, which is extremely important for me as a novice nail artist. I have never met a single client dissatisfied with Salome in the entire six months. I will buy more!

3rd place: Masura

Russian-made gel polish Masura received bronze. It is presented in a wide range of colors and is complemented by shiny collections that, when polymerized, give a magical effect. Women rated the durability of the varnish a little lower than in the two previous brands: on average, Masura lasts 2-2.5 weeks, after which it begins to fade.

Review: Inga Sergeevna, Vladikavkaz, 43 years old, accountant

My daughter gave me a nail lamp for my birthday. At first I didn’t know how to use it, but when I understood, I decided that I couldn’t live without it! I do my own nails and use Masura for manicure. I like it: the varnish is moderately liquid, goes on smoothly, without lumps. It lasts exactly 2.5 weeks, then you have to make a correction. If you follow all the recommendations from the Internet, your nails will not peel or fall off.

Choosing the right varnish and following the recommendations for the painting process will protect you from early destruction of the decorative coating. Thanks to the article, you learned how to properly apply gel polish so that it lasts longer, so you won’t have any difficulties supervising the work of a manicurist and applying it yourself.

Gel polish removal procedure

With the proper skill and experience, the entire procedure for removing such a manicure takes no more than 20 minutes. First, a product is applied to the gel to soften it. The longer the manicure is worn, the more time it takes to soften the gel polish. Increase the removal time if the nail was treated with a primer. When the gel polish has softened well, it should come off like a film. To make this process easier, you can use an orange stick.

Now you know how to apply gel polish correctly so that it lasts a long time. These tips will help you work professionally with these products and create a beautiful and long-lasting manicure.