To ask if you do your own gel nails

[lillymunster]

I'm really trying to cut back on costs and I don't want to keep paying to have my nails done in a salon.
Can anyone tell me if they do gel nails themselves at home and if so, which range is the best and do you use a lamp?
What I was getting in the salon was lasting about 3 weeks - do the home kits last the same amount of time or need doing a bit more often?

Thank you!

Mine lasts about 2 weeks but then I get bored quickly. I got the sensationail kit and have had it about 4yrs - still going strong! The blue sky gel varnishes are about a fiver on amazon so I have loads.

I've got a mylee gel kit and it's really good.
Im a bit clumsy though so it's taken a bit of practice. Results are good but generally last 2 weeks. I think as I get better at application it should last 3. The key is not to rush as I end up doing it unevenly if i do (too thick or thin, or missing bits) and this affects the longevity of the result.

So I'd say allow plenty of time, about 1 hour 15 mins and go steady. Also carefully prepare your nails and push back/ trim cuticles, cut off any jaggy bits of nail etc.

I've still not got the hang of removing them smoothly myself. I'm too impatient! I often end up peeling them off and that is really bad for your nails. If anyone has any tips I'd be grateful!

No, I don't even know what a gel nail is.

That's a helpful response 😂

Yes I do, I bought and Led lamp on amazo for not much money and it's very easy

Thank you everyone! I'm determined to do them myself to save a lot of money, I'm sure it will take a lot of practice

Have you tried the Essie ten day polish? It’s a good alternative to gel nails if you want to do them at home.

I've used the Sensationail range, they sell a starter kit in larger Boots & it's often half price. It contains everything you need to get started & the lamp's excellent. Extra cilours are about a tenner. I find replacing the top coat etc fairly expensive as you use quite a bit but it does work out cheaper than going to a salon.

To stop them peeling you have to push back your cuticles and file any ridges from the nail. And use several coats. Builder gel lasts longest, as its thicker and stronger.

I’m a beauty therapist. The key to long lasting gel nails is the prep. Poor prep will mean poor nails.

Not gel but after having sculptured acrylic nails on for years I paid attention and watched, then bought the kit and now do them myself at home. Probably save around £400 per year when I work it out.

I have a Sensationail kit and, while I can't do it quite as well as the salon (hence I don't do red nail varnish, otherwise the mistakes are too obvious!), it is reasonably good. I would say that it doesn't last quite as long as the salon, but maybe if you kept your nails moisturised with almond oil or something it might last a bit longer. I am a terrible picker with gel nails though, which is very bad! Resist the temptation and remove them properly (Sensationail also do a remover kit). The outlay may not initially save you money, but in the long term it would, especially if you have a steady-handed friend to help paint your dominant hand! It's hard to do French nails though. I am pretty sporadic with grooming, so I don't think it saves me much money, but I like being able to do my nails with gel on the spur of the moment.

Forgot to mention, there aren't many colours for Sensationail, but they do a mixer thing that you can add to your favourite nail varnish. I'm not sure whether it's any good though, as haven't tried it myself.

I use sensationail but I haven’t yet worked out how to stop flooding my cuticles. It doesn’t help that my fingers and nails are really small

Yes. I like them but watch out, don't get a cheap UV lamp. The first one I had went bang with my hand in it. I would be inclined to get one from maybe Argos or somewhere bonified , rather than a set from eBay /Amazon ( cheap Chinese copies have the CE mark , but when you look in to it, it means China enhanced or some such )

Mine last about two weeks , but good preparation is key , as others have said , but it is for a fraction of the cost, so you can change them , if you get bored.

I’ve been doing my own gel nails at home for 4 years. I use a Mylee kit but I use different brands of polish. Mine will last 3 weeks but I get bored after 2 and my nails grow quite fast so there’s a lot of regrowth. I basically copied what had been done to me when I’d gone to salons eg prepping the nail properly and watching their polish technique. I have quite a steady hand including the non-dominant hand so I am pleased with the finish I get - yes the sidewalls etc might be a bit neater sometimes from a salon but not always, and everyone thinks mine are salon-done. I enjoy doing mine and take it relatively slowly and carefully (although I have found a couple of brands / colours that I can be a bit more bish-bash-bosh with because I just get on with them) but I am always careful not to get product on the skin (if I get a bit on I wipe it straight off). I love trying different colours and glitters.

Yes have been doing my own gel nails for about 18 months now. I have learned a lot and can now get the finish I want when I want and also make any repairs as needed.

Get a LED lamp that can cure all gels both UV and LED. The SUN UV ones are very good and not expensive.

I like to buy good quality base and top coat products but have found that cheaper colours can be just as good as the pricey ones as long as you have prepped properly and used your good base and top coats with them.

I use builder gel to strengthen my nails as naturally I have brittle nails which is why I started having gel nails in the first place. Again, I use a pro quality product and buy once. It's not cheap but a bottle is less than the cost of one salon appointment so I think it is worth it.

A set of cheap brushes and a little glass dappen dish from eBay is useful for correcting mistakes and neatening edges especially when you are learning.

I like to use good quality files. The Edge Atlantic shaped ones are my favourite. A rough one for filing off top coat and colour and then a softer sponge buffer for smoothing and refining.

I don't soak off my nails at all, I file and infill every 2-3 weeks as I have found this is much better for my nails than exposing them to acetone.

I don’t use gel now but I used to do my own. Started out with a Mylee kit because it had all the basics with it to start me off and built up from there. Have loads of colours and tools for nail art that I built up over time. If you are careful remember to use several thin coats it’s fine and actually easier to correct mistakes than normal nail polish because it doesn’t dry until you cure it.

I did my own for about 3 years but I am now sick of it and don’t bother
When you have to wait 2 weeks for your next appt you put up with chips - when you have your own kit you find yourself constantly fixing chips and breaks.
Also the cheap varnishes end up a waste of time. Even blue sky is a bastard for peeling off