At Home Gel Manicure

For a long time I was spending money on getting my nails done. Not just the cheap $10 manicures with regular polish (though thats not so cheap once it starts adding up). I was going for gel manicures.

If you don't know what a gel manicure is, its a type of nail polish that is applied in layers and cured under a ultraviolet light. Most people rave about them, but for some people, it is not there cup of tea.

Gel Manicures are definitely my cup of tea. They strengthen my nail allowing them to grow, they dry instantly and they last for up to two weeks with no chipping. It all sounds great right? - except they were costing me close to $30 a pop!

If you actually went every two weeks thats $60 a month on your nails. Remember the post I did where I talked about how to save money? (Read it here) Yea, well this is not a way to save money.

INSTEAD, I invested in the at home kit! Best decision I could have made. I am able to get the exact same manicure at home all by myself. The kit was about $50 from the drug store, plus whatever polishes you get. Now there are a ton of different Ultraviolet Light Kits out there, and they all vary in price. This is just the one I chose (here). Over time I collected different color polishes from holidays, birthdays and other events.

Step 1 : Prep and Prime

File and trim your nails into your desired shape. Clean with an alcohol wipe and gently buff the surface. Apply one layer of gel primer (provided in my kit) to the nail and let air dry. 

Step 2: All About That Base

Apply a thin layer of the gel base/top coat. Be sure to stay within the nail bed to avoid the skin and cuticle. Cap the nail by running the brush along the tip. Cure in the LED Lamp for 30 seconds. 

Step 3: Lacquer Up

Apply a thin layer of your color of choice (I purchase all different brands, they all work the same). Be sure to stay within the nail bed to avoid the skin and cuticle. Cap the nail again, and cure for 60 seconds.  - REPEAT THIS STEP 

Now typically at this point you would move on to the top coat, but I wants to add a little something something to my nails by creating an accent nail on my ring fingers. 

Step 4: Add Some Jazz

Apply a thin layer of color (or design) to the nail of your choice. Cure for 60 seconds. 

Step 5: Lock It In Place

Apply a thin layer of the gel base/top coat. Be sure to stay within the nail bed to avoid the skin and cuticle. Cap the nail by running the brush along the tip. Cure in the LED Lamp for 30 seconds. 

Step 6: Finish It Off

At this point your nails are completely dry, but they may feel slightly sticky. Finish the look by removing the moisture layer using an alcoholic lint-free wipe.