All About Nail Gel Polish

In this review, we will tell you everything about gel nail polishes. Find out the history of these products. Also consider why gel polish is not removed and what to do in such cases. Here are detailed instructions for applying and removing gel formulations for nails.

History of creation

The idea of ​​creating such a product has been in the air since the beginning of the era of nail extensions. Masters had transparent, pink and white gels in their arsenal. Some inventors added paste from a ballpoint pen to a transparent composition, getting a new color. Industry reacted immediately: colored gels with the addition of pigments began to be produced. These products were not washed with nail polish remover. They had to be filed, as well as the constructing gel for building. Although acrylic painting was very popular, adding it to the gel did not work, as the material did not polymerize in the lamp. Then the avant-garde artists of nail salons tried to add nail polish to the constructing compound. This violated its structure and deprived of strength.

The next step was the creation of biogels. A name designed to inspire consumer confidence is nothing more than a commercial move. There are no biocomponents there - solid chemistry. But these gels could be dissolved. This has become a new word in the nail industry. OPI launches a line of soluble color gels in the Axxium system, which includes new products for nail extensions instead of Microbond. These colored formulations have the name Axxium soak-off on the jars, which means “soluble,” and gel-lacquer (gel polish) is written in small letters below .

Despite the name, it was a real gel. It could be applied to the nails without cutting. It was dissolved in a nail polish remover, only the exposure time was increased. The top top layer was violated with a few strokes of the file, without which it could not be removed. At that time, it was all about gel polishes.

CND launches Shellac, which immediately becomes a household name. There are many brands that declare the uniqueness of their product. What to do is the market! Finally, OPI launches Gelcolor - the only 6th generation gel so far that has left far behind its competitors. It does not have a varnish component, like all other products, so the nails do not deteriorate. Due to the fact that the varnish evaporates from the surface, microcracks form on the coating. They do not protect against solvents and the harmful effects of the environment. The company did not have a 5th generation product - a varnish and gel hybrid. Coating using an LED lamp takes 15 minutes, one coat dries for 30 seconds.

Thin, soft nails

Everything about gel polishes became known after the release of Shellac from CND. This product seemed like an ideal solution, but as time went on, and everything changed. It turned out that this innovation is not suitable for everyone. Thin, soft nails still needed to be strengthened, not wanting to wear a new coating. The plate at the free edge is flexible, bends when working at the keyboard and when washing dishes. The coating does not withstand and is chipped. Shellac from CND is technologically applied with a thin layer designed to extend the durability of the manicure, and not to strengthen the nails. Single-phase gel varnishes appeared, more rigid. That is why the coating often had chips on the free edge (it just came off, so it still did not work to strengthen the nails).

To understand in which direction to move on, you need to know everything about gel nail polishes. The adhesion to the plate is superficial. An acid-free primer is used here, otherwise the coating would not be removable. A new technology appears: the end of the nail is treated with an acid primer, and the gel polish at the tip of the free edge becomes insoluble. It was assumed that after 2 weeks the master simply sawed off the regrown length along with the insoluble coating and applied a new one.

But the flexible nails continued to bend. First, nets of small cracks formed on them, then the coating turned into a mosaic and lost its pieces one after another. The nail, exposed to acid and household solvents, penetrating through the cracks, quickly came to exhaustion and degeneration. He disconnected from the bed and was not a sight for the faint of heart. They talked about the dangers of such products. Masters tried to tell their clients all about gel nail polishes, but sometimes their knowledge and experience was not enough.

Removing gel polish: correct and barbaric

Shellac from CND is removed after the file breaks the integrity of the upper layer and wraps the fingers in foil with a sponge impregnated with an acetone-containing agent for 15-20 minutes. Then, the curled coating is peeled off with an orange stick. OPI Gelcolor can be removed without filing the top coat. It is not necessary to clean it from the nail, since everything flies off even in the wrapper. How do customers rent? Pulling on the detachment, they tear off the coating with the upper layer of the nail.

Sometimes, in manicure training courses, not everything is told about gel polishes. For beginners, only the tip of the iceberg is open. Secrets of the profession are left for the continuing education course. Material science is taught far from every course, leaving to be content with the brand on which training takes place. As a result, the masters remove the coating not with an orange stick, but with a metal pusher. Instead of movements on the nail plate from the side rollers to the center, the movement from the cuticle to the free edge is applied, making notches. Instead of an acid-free primer, an acid is applied to the entire nail, and the gel polish becomes insoluble. It can now be removed only by sawing. The market reacted immediately: a mill for gel polish is being produced. So progressive coverage is discredited.

Myths and Truth

Having decided to make a fashionable coating, many are trying to learn all about gel polishes, however, they do not always receive information from reliable sources. At international exhibitions, such as Intersharm, you can get the most useful information and choose a brand of gel polish. Instructors will show how to apply, how to remove, how and where to save money, and where not to. Coat the nail to test the quality of its wearing.

This is the only way to find out what is suitable in a particular case for a given person with his condition of nails. By choosing several brands, trial and error, you can learn all about gel polishes. Myths are sometimes born from improper adherence to technology or an illiterate selection of materials.

Myths:

1. Gel polish spoils nails.
2. After this coating, the plates should rest.
3. Nails do not breathe under gel polish.

True:

1. If you choose a low-quality product and do not follow the technology, you can really ruin your nails. Before coating, the plate is treated with a soft buff to remove the effusion and raise the scales. The buff has low grit (this is the amount of abrasive in a square centimeter), it can not be compared with a rough file (100 grit). But the self-taught boldly wields such a tool, arguing that this way gel polish holds better. Having cut off half the thickness of the nail, the unfortunate master applies an acid primer for the same reason. It burns the top layer of nail scales. The material is eaten tight. When the gel polish grows by half the nail, it is sawn off, but not quite, but to the base layer, then a new coating is applied. If the client finds himself in a regular salon working on certified materials, he will undergo a removal procedure, but to no avail. The case will end by cutting all layers, as a result of which the nail plate with a chemical burn is exposed. After that, the client will not go to the salon anymore, but will continue to record with the master at home - he does not see the nail bed in him, because he simply does not remove the coating to such an extent. In such cases, not only gel polish is discredited, but also a certified master, as well as a salon that meets all the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor.
2. The statement that the nails should rest after the varnish can be compared with the phrase - "the boots should rest after the cream." Well, let the boots rest, then instead of the cream, the salts of the reagents will settle on them, dry and destroy the structure. Everyone understands this and constantly rinses off the old layer of the composition and applies a new one. Why are nails not cherished, allowing unprotected plates to absorb detergents that dry them? No cream can save you if you constantly wash your hands and dishes. In fact, the coating, even a regular varnish, protects the nails from the environment. Gel polish does the same, you just need to monitor its integrity and seal chips in time.
3. Nails cannot breathe at all. Under artificial material they are protected from harmful chemical and mechanical influences.

That's all about gel polish. Myths really give a complete picture of these products.

Tips for young masters. UV or LED - what to choose?

Some gel polishes are designed for UV lamps, others for LED. In the first embodiment, LED gels are not polymerized, and vice versa. Those who are just starting their career in the profession would like to know everything about gel polishes, and how to use a UV lamp. If you do not intend to build, you can immediately buy an LED-device. On sale, you can find UV varnishes. To work with them, you should buy drops for polymerization in an LED lamp.

If, nevertheless, a decision was made to purchase a UV lamp, then the 36-watt tunnel device enjoys an obvious advantage. It is designed for 4 replaceable elements. Such devices are of two types, and they need lamps of different designs. The life of the replacement element is approximately six months, then it changes its properties, although it turns on and burns, but the gel polish ceases to dry. To avoid an unpleasant moment, it is better to always have 4 replaceable lamps in stock.

We recommend purchasing a starter kit from a small LED lamp and five single-phase gel polishes. Such kits are available in online stores. Application of single-phase products should begin with standard preparation of nails. Then, as a base, it is used very thinly, with rubbing movements, the applied gel polish. This layer is polymerized. Then carry out two more layers with polymerization. After the final application, the nails “cool”. Further, the polymerization process running in the lamp ends and a beautiful shine is acquired. Only then is oil applied. It's all about gel polish for LED lamps. Since not all brands of gel polishes can be freely bought in stores, two Chinese products are attracting attention: Cody and Bluesky.

Bluesky is a Chinese brand

Bluesky products are certified. It has 152 shades of color. To learn all about Bluesky gel polish, just familiarize yourself with the coating technology. It includes such stages:

1. Manicure. This is the standard preparation of nails for applying artificial coatings.
2. Application of the base, sealing of the ends, polymerization in a UV lamp for 1 minute, LED-device - 30 seconds.
3. Application of the first layer of color gel polish, sealing of the ends, polymerization in a UV lamp for 2 minutes, LED - 30 seconds for a light and 60 seconds for a dark shade.
4. Application of the second layer of color gel polish, sealing of the ends, polymerization in a UV lamp for 2 minutes, LED - 30 seconds for a light and 60 seconds for a dark shade.
5. Application of top coat, sealing of the ends, polymerization in a UV lamp 3 minutes, LED - 30 seconds.
6. Removing the dispersion layer, applying cuticle oil.

Coating time in a UV lamp is 30 minutes, LED - 15.

And finally, the process of removing the coating will tell you all about Bluesky gel polish. Manufacturers advise using the “varnish square” technique (before applying the base, the middle of the nail is covered with the usual base for varnish coating) and do not buff the nails before applying the coating.

1. A 180 grit file removes the top coat.
2. With a liquid for removing acrylic nails, we moisten a quarter of a cotton pad, apply it to the nail, wrap it in a foil the size of a candy wrapper. We put plastic gloves on our hands.
3. We stand for 15 minutes, wrapping a warm towel. Additional heat is a catalyst for the process. You can use a hot water heater.
4. Twisting the wrapper slightly, remove it from the nail. We process one finger. If the coating does not completely move away from the plate, gently stick the gel polish film with an orange stick towards the center of the nail.
5. After removing the remnants of the coating, we make a manicure and re-apply the composition.

In practice, you may encounter non-compliance with the technology of applying and removing gel polish. In general, Chinese products are not so easily removed from the nails. To facilitate the task, you can recommend the use of the base and top company OPI. In this case, the top layer should not be removed, since it is soluble in OPI. In conclusion, we can add that the manufacturer Bluesky exactly transferred the colors of the Shellac palette from CND to their materials.

Cody is an American brand

This product is certified. To learn all about the Codes gel polish, the palette of which has more than 400 shades, it is enough to conduct a test by analogy with Bluesky. For this, an LED lamp is used, the polymerization of which is 30 seconds.

Coating:

1. Manicure, standard preparation of nails for applying artificial coating.
2. Application of the base, sealing of the ends, polymerization.
3. Application of the 1st layer of color gel polish, sealing of the ends, polymerization.
4. Application of the 2nd layer of color gel polish, sealing of the ends, polymerization.
5. Top coating, end sealing, polymerization.
6. Dispersion removal, oil application.

Stripping:

1. We remove the top layer with a file.
2. Soak a quarter of a cotton pad with a special liquid from Cody, place it on the nail, wrapping it with a foil the size of a candy wrapper. We put plastic gloves on our hands.
3. We stand 10 minutes.
4. Remove the wrapper from the nail. We process one finger. The coating should be removed, like Shellac from CND, gradually cleansing the nail from it.
5. After removal, we do manicure and re-apply the composition.

It's all about starter gel polish. To fully utilize the potential of Cody, you should purchase a base, top and auxiliary equipment of the same line.

Mirror Manicure

The starter kit contains the minimum products required for the service. Most likely, a novice master, having seen the price list of a large nail company, will want to learn all about gel varnishes, and why do you need a top without a sticky layer. Some designs are made using this particular top. For example, mirror manicure. For its implementation, the following technology will be required:

1. Standard preparation of nails.
2. Gel Polish in 2 layers.
3. Top without sticky layer.
4. Rubbing mirror powder.
5. Top coverage.

The rubbing is carried out using a solid sponge in a circular motion. In the middle of the nail, you can help yourself with the pads of the thumbs. At the side rollers, the powder is laid with an orange stick.

Manicure "Cat's Eye"

Beginning masters want to know everything about gel polishes for manicure “Cat's Eye”. To create it, a special composition and magnet are required. The technology is as follows:

1. Standard preparation of nails.
2. Gel Polish in 2 layers.
3. Presentation of the magnet for 1 second, polymerization in the lamp.
4. Topcoat application.

To make the strip narrow and clear, the magnet is brought 1 mm to the surface of the gel polish, and if you need a strip with more blurred borders - 5 mm.

It is not necessary to buy all the magnetic gel polishes that the manufacturer offers. To create pastel designs, the first layer is made white, for bright - black. The second layer is color. Having three varnishes of color, black and white, you can create a rich palette. It can be blue, red and yellow shades. If the colors are clear enough, this is enough to have the entire rainbow palette in the arsenal.

Which company is better

When the masters meet, professional conversations begin - everything turns out about gel polishes. Which company is better? No one can argue that dental implants are the best type of prosthetics. Another question is how much does it cost? The conversations of masters working in salons on well-known brands will reveal the top 5 well-known respected brands:

1. OPI is an industry leader, a Hollywood brand.
2. CND is a popular American product that many craftsmen are dedicated to.
3. Formula Profi is a Russian brand with many fans.
4. Runail - domestic products of economy class.
5. Mozart House is an Austrian brand that overtakes competitors.

Non-professional conversations will reveal a completely different segment of the nail industry market. This will be Chinese products, sometimes bought in an online store or ordered on Ali-Express. Such a product does not have certification, so the responsibility for its use lies with the buyer.

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• Before applying another brand, you must either completely remove the previous coating, or go through the buff and start with the base of the new manufacturer.

Usually, American products are combined with each other, American and Chinese - not all are combined, the rest can give a surprise in the form of a wrinkled coating in the lamp, which has come off entirely due to lack of adhesion, detachments and poor removal of material.

In this review we reviewed all about gel polishes, however, new products continue to be released, the ideal formula that suits everyone is sought. With the advent of this coating, the era of nail design has come. Classics have changed colors: now it is not pale pink, but red tones. What else will gel polish prepare? Will wait.