Quarantine Quality Time: How To Do Gel Nails From Home

With all of us being stuck inside and unable to pamper ourselves the ways we normally would, I decided to treat myself in a unique way… I taught myself a new skill: salon worthy gel nails! Now I’m going to share what I learned with you all so if you decide you need a nail salon day you can throw one together in the comfort of your own home.

First off your gonna need supplies: UV light, cuticle pusher, nail clippers, buff nail file and 80-100 nail file (coarse ones that quickly help you shape a nail), cuticle oil and cuticle remover, brush to swipe away the left over dust, acetone to remove any polish, cotton pads, rubbing alcohol, a top coat and base coat as well as your color choices. And if you decide to add tips like I’ve done you’ll need nail tips and nail glue as well. Here’s a link for the basic set up kit I found online: ” target=”_blank”>Beetles Gel Kit

First off Apply you’ll want to apply the cuticle remover onto your cuticles and rub it on. Then use the steel cuticle remover and the scraper to push down cuticles and scrape them off your nail. Use the cuticle clipper to cut off any remains. The use your nail file to make sure you’d nail bed is clean and clear.

Second step: Clip your nails to the length you want, use the nail file to shape them and then use the buffer to take a little bit off the top layer of the nail. This will help the gel polish to adhere to your nail better. This is also the step where you’d want to adhere your nail tip to the nail bed.

Step three: wash your hands with water to get rid of the excess dust – no soap. Now your ready to start the polish process!

Step four: apply a light layer of the base coat, make sure it covers entire nail surface evenly and then let sit under UV light for 120 seconds.

Step Five: apply one coat of gel polish – now I want to add this layer should be as thin as possible! It is super easy with gel to make a mess, so not like regular polish, apply lightly and evenly and set for 120 seconds under the light. If you get polish on your skin use the acetone to swipe away before putting hand under the light. The key is to avoid getting polish on your cuticles because it causes the nail polish to lift quicker! Let the polish sit under the lamp for 120 seconds, then do another layer and sit for another 120 seconds. Some lighter polish needs a 3rd layer, and if so, do a 3rd layer of polish then sit for 120 seconds

Step Six is to apply the top coat and to let it sit for 120 seconds under the lamp.

Step Seven is where you’ll use the nail file to finish shaping your nail, you’ll then need to soak a cotton pad in rubbing alcohol and rub each nail well. You’re done! Your nails will be completely dry and you can touch anything. Just love gel nails!!

Two reminders before you go:

• You are not going to get perfect nails right away! Practice makes perfect. Be patient and let yourself learn by doing it multiple times.
• Your nails will probably peel quickly the first few times, you are not going to be perfect at this right from the start. With practice you will be an at home gel nail pro in no time.

Until next time Loves,

Kat XO

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