Long-term coating for nails is called differently: both shellac and gel polish. There is only one meaning - the material is a hybrid of gel and varnish. It is applied easily, and lasts a very long time - up to 27 days. You can do gel manicure at home, but you must adhere to strict rules.
General information
Initially, a hybrid of gel and nail polish was called only Shellac. He first appeared at CND (an American brand) specializing in hand care products. This innovation was quickly picked up by other companies, which also began to actively produce gel varnishes. It is noteworthy that it is Shellac that lasts on nails for as long as 4 weeks. And apply it much easier than materials from other companies.
Nail preparation
Manicure (see the step-by-step procedure below) is performed in several actions. The first of these is preparation. A self-made manicure is no different from a salon. And you need to prepare the nails in the same way. The first thing to do is wash your hands with soap, and then wipe them with a soft towel. After that, it is recommended to disinfect your fingers with an antiseptic. For example, with ant or boric alcohol - these are very cheap products that can be purchased at a pharmacy. The free edge of the nails is filed with a soft file to give a certain uniform shape. The cuticle is also to be processed.
What to do with cuticle
It is not recommended to use the cut method to remove the cuticle. Firstly, there is a risk of injury with sharp tools. Secondly, when the material enters the cuticle treated in this way, an unpleasant burning sensation will be felt, since the skin is very delicate and sensitive after cutting. Manicure gel polish at home, and in the salon, too, involves the removal of dead areas using a special tool. The softener for the cuticle not only makes it more supple, but also contributes to its easy passage. In addition, you can remove excess skin with a special manicure device, if it is at hand.
What materials are needed
It is worthwhile to prepare in advance all the materials that will be required at work. There are not so many of them, but without them you can’t do it yourself with all your desire:
- top for gel polish;
- color gel polish;
- topcoat;
- cuticle oil ;
- gel polish remover (remover).
Agree, not the most extensive list. Before you make a manicure with gel polish, it is advisable to make sure that the products are suitable for each other. If they are all of the same company, then there should be no problems. It is worth remembering immediately that not all brands are compatible with each other. So, for example, if the top and color gel polish are from different companies, then the period for maintaining the integrity of the coating may be reduced. This is more an exception than a rule, but you need to consider everything in advance.
Manicure tools
The list of necessary tools is also not too long:
- file for natural nails;
- orange sticks or pusher (not metal);
- UV lamp (a small 9 Watt lamp is also suitable for the home);
- flat brush for gel.
The latter is required only if the gel polish has a too liquid or thick consistency. Applying it with a flat brush is easier, but the result is more accurate.
Simple gel polish technology
The advantage of shellacs is that they are easy to apply. After the nails are prepared, they are covered with a top. The layer is thin and transparent, like a substrate when building. It dries in a UV lamp for a few seconds. After that, a thin layer of color gel polish is applied. It is not necessary to make it thick for the saturation of the shade, otherwise the material will chip and bubble when dried. In the lamp, the nails must be held for a little longer than the top - about 60-90 seconds. If saturated color is required, the action is repeated. The final stage is the finishing gel polish. It covers not only the nail plates, but also the ends, so that the manicure does not peel off. It is not recommended to use the finishing agent for building, otherwise it will be very difficult to remove. The manicure described step by step above is as simple as possible.
Tricks
Manicure gel polish at home is often complicated by the fact that there is too little colored material. But there is a little trick, how to get a lot more from two shades. They just need to be mixed in a palette, like paint. If with a simple nail polish this option does not work, then with gel polishes it is quite possible. Firstly, the funds of one company are usually the same consistency. Secondly, they combine well with each other. In order not to acquire large palettes of gel polishes, it is enough to take the basic colors as a basis. Mixing them allows you to get many shades that will decorate a manicure.
Design with decorative elements.
The most daring can try to revive their nails with the help of an unusual design, for example, with rhinestones. First you need to perform a manicure with gel polish in accordance with all the rules, except for the final stage. When the color base dries in the UV lamp, it will be a little sticky (this is normal). Rhinestones are attached to this layer. You can hook them with a toothpick, then place them in the desired place. Only after this you need to apply the finish coating. A beautiful manicure (gel polish, photo No. 5 in the article) is obtained by mixing several designs: paintings and rhinestones. Or, for example, as a result of drawing and fine sand for nail art. It all depends on the imagination.
Beginner Tips
Those who make manicures for the first time with gel polish should remember that the rules for applying this coating are the same as for regular varnish. The material should not get on the cuticle or the skin around the nails. If this still happened, then you can remove the excess with a cotton swab dipped in a remover.
To properly put your hand to apply the product on your nails, you can first practice on a piece of paper. Gel manicure lessons teach the following: on a sheet with a pencil, a stencil is drawn for the size of the nail plates. It is filled with gel polish so that the material does not come out of the edges. It usually turns out on the second attempt. If severe difficulties arise, then you can use the gel brush - it is thin, narrow and plastic.
Recommendations
To learn how to perform manicure with shellac, you need to at least once try to do it on yourself or on the model. There is nothing difficult in applying a hybrid of gel and varnish to the nails. When choosing a product, it is worth relying not only on the advice of sellers or manufacturers, but also on what kind of consistency is the material chosen. So, for example, one is more convenient to work with liquid formulations, although they spread somewhat, which requires quick movements, while others are more familiar with thick ones that need to be stretched along the surface of the nail.
A manicure with gel polish at home is not much different from a salon procedure, except that the cost is much less. The material is removed very simply: a remover is applied to the cotton pads, then they are pressed to the nails and insulated (for example, with foil). After a while, which is indicated in the instructions for the tool, the discs are removed, and the gel polish is cleaned with an orange stick. You can’t remove it, otherwise the upper epithelium will be severely injured (this affects the health of the nails). If the material is not completely soft, then the removal procedure is repeated.