Gel nails - recommendations

[Pitapotamus]

Couldn’t find an appropriate topic for this do excuse me posting in chat.

I like getting gel nail manicures but it’s too expensive to do regularly. I’m looking into getting a kit with a proper lamp so I can do it myself at home. Any recommendations as to good ones?

Oh, sounds interesting. Does gel damage your nails? I'd love to try it, but it's too expensive for me. At home would be nice.

Maybe look at Amazon?

There seem to be loads of options on amazon with varying price tags. I’m just not sure which ones are any good. I don’t want to spend a fortune but equally don’t want something that doesn’t do a good job! That’s why I wanted a recommendation!

Apparently gel doesn’t damage your nails at all provided you remove it properly when you need them redone. It’s about £30 a go though and it only lasts 10 days or so so it would be pretty expensive to have all the time!

I have this one. It’s fine, does the job nicely. The lamp is quite small but I just hold it over my nails and it works fine.

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DJ52S8Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xaU9CbGHA58GB?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Have you check the price of the varnishes etc, not sure how easy it is to do your own. Mine last about 3 weeks btw and cost £18 a time

I have gel on my nails at the salon. I go every 3 weeks, have the old gel filed down/off and a new colour put on. It costs £15 so not too expensive.

Groupon have there mylee gel polish kit for so cheap at the minute. I bought this kit from amazon full price a year and half ago and swear but it

This

I’ve just bought the Sensationail kit and LOVE it. Going to buy some blue skies polishes too as they work with the kit.

I have the Mylee one and it's great but it takes 90 seconds to cure. I wish I had bought one that does it in 30 seconds, seems to take an age to do my nails but is fine for toes.

Sounds like I’ve been over paying at the salon!!

@lorribella Does the mylee kit give similar results to what you get in the salon?

I have the Mylee one from Groupon, bought it about 2 years ago. I was planning on using it for hands and feet but I always struggle doing my fingers and they end up looking messy. I get my gel manicure at a salon, it's £30 so quite expensive for me but it does last 2-3 weeks.

I do my toes maybe every 2-3 months at home. The machine is good although it does take longer to cure than the salon machines but it was a good price. I think I got it for about £45 with 8 polishes; top coat, bottom coat and 6 colour. I've bought a few more colours, not the same brand but they work well. It came with the remover solution and prep solution in big bottles and they've lasted me ages.

I usually stick to a couple colours on my toes so haven't bought a lot of colours but I do have a few thermal colour changing ones which I can never find in salons.

It does take me a while to do my toes as you have to wait for them to cure but it's definitely worth saving the £40 it costs having them done in the salon each time!

Look for one that is 48w. This will ensure that it will cure whatever gel polish, polygel/hybrid gel you may end up using. You can get them for around 30 quid or so. I find LED lamps are better as they cure quicker so it takes much less time than a UV lamp to do a full set. Make sure you follow the correct steps and use all the right products. Push back cutlicles, remove any dead skin, buff natural nail plate just to remove the surface shine, dehydrate (using a dehydrator) prime (Using a primer) base coat, cure, don't remove the tacky layer, add colour, cure, and second coat if necessary, cure, add top coat, cure. Wipe off sticky layer if it isn't a non wipe top coat. And make sure you leave a small gap by the cuticle area and side walls. If you get any gel on your skin remove before curing or you will end up getting lifting. Sorry for long post but to ensure you have gel manicures that will last you must do all these steps. And if you have long nails you will need to make sure you are the right thickness in certain places (scuplting)
I'm sure you probably know a lot of this from getting them done in the salon. But in case there are any beginners who don't know. Good luck and have fun!

Oh and I hear the sun 5 is a good lamp. Sorry I went off on a tangent lol.

As said the mylee one is fantastic. You get better at your own nails each time and obviously if you can't paint your own nails normally then it won't work as some people just aren't good at painting their own nails.

It's salon quality and yes the curing takes maybe 60 seconds a longer than a salon but it cures the nail the same way. It takes me 15 minutes to do my hands and 5-10 for toes. Still less time than getting into the car and driving to a salon to sit and wait to be seen then driving home.

I can watch tv and drink tea in my pyjamas whilst doing my nails. I'm actually doing them later so will post pictures to show you

Cant remember if its LED or Mylee you need.

Getting gel nails became an expensive hobby for me so I bought a kit. I didn't go to a brilliant gel nail technician so honestly I find I can do almost as good a job.

But I dont have the range of colours, glitters etc etc. I am building up a collection now and that is expensive!!

Think I bought a kit on Amazon or Groupon. I cant remember which is best LED or UV. I think the UV ones are linked to skin cancer (like a tanning bed)

I bought a sensationail kit. Although the lamp was good and set the gel nicely the sensationail polishes I found were poor. Chipped and didn’t last long at all. I never tried a different brand gel polish I just went back to getting my nails done at a salon.

I have my nails done and it’s £15-18 per time. My nails grow stupidly quickly and need doing every 2.5 weeks or they look awful. I only ever have mine done for 4/5 months over the summer and I’m extra careful with looking after them with nail oils etc so they don’t damage as much.

I have a sensationail kit for my toes as I hate my feet being touched...it lasts a good 6-8 weeks. I find the colours choice isn’t as good.

Most definitely the Mylee one. I looked at YouTube reviews. Sensationail is small so you have to do thumb separately. The mylee kit on amazon has everything you need to get started except files, cuticle trimmer etc. And cuticle oil. I wish I could show you a pic of my nails. I'm a complete amateur and only had them done at the salon for my wedding. You just need a steady hand. I find it minimal time and effort once you've practiced a few times.

Thanks everyone. I think I will probably go for the mylee one given everyone on here has recommended it. It seems there is a UV version and an LED version and the LED version takes less time to cure the nails so I’ll go for that!

Mine is the Mylee one :)
I got mine in January this year and think it's super easy to do and will overall save me money from all the salon costs. This kit came with everything i needed bar a few cheap accessories like a nail file/ cuticle tool.
www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Professional-Including-Bluesky-Colours/dp/B075LGT8G3/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?psc=1&s=beauty&keywords=mylee+gel+lamp&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1560111950&sr=1-2-spons