Has anyone bought their own heat lamp for gel nails?

[ShirleyPhallus]

I’m looking in to it as they’re only about £50. Has anyone done this? Is the finish as nice as in salon?

Yep brought one a couple of years ago. Would highly recommend, as if you're like me and end up damaging one, you can just redo that one yourself. Worth buying the slightly more expensive polishes though (there's lots of knock offs on eBay that just aren't worth it!).

Thanks Ski.

What are the best brand of gel polishes? Do you need the standard polish then also base and top coats?

How do you get the gels off?

Yes! Lasts about two weeks for me. I tend to use Belen or Bluesky, much cheaper than Sensationail and just as good.

They have them in Natura at the moment. Very cheap so maybe not great quality.

Yup, only lasted one and a half weeks for me. I'd go for one that could last for at least two weeks.

Mine aren't lasting at all. Easy to do.

Absolutely! I love my shellac. I got a lamp from amazon and I get my CND shellac from ebay. Careful of fakes on there! I have tried bluesky but I find it lifts and doesn't last the fortnight. The CND is much better quality.

I am planning red with glitter for Xmas tonight or tomorrow.

At £25/£35 every two weeks in the salon the equipment more than pays for itself. A new colour is about £12 on ebay and of course you can use it over and over and I got plastic clamps to hold on the cotton wool for removal on my finger tips so I am not using loads of tin foil.

I just bought Oxblood CND - to a great name but I love the deep red colour.

Go for it!

Oxblood - I meant not a great name.

I'd go for one that could last for at least two weeks.

How do you know what lasts how long? Does the heat lamp make a difference to that?

I’ve seen ones which are about £30 from China which I think the local salons seem to use - are they fine or worth spending more?

shellac should last two weeks provided you don't go picking at things with your nails. Make sure you seal your tip edge well and let the top coat cure for 3 mins. You tube has great tutorials

I have a sensationail lamp, does anyone know if I can buy blue sky or other gels? I've stuck with the sebsationail brand so far.

OP they are great, I find it's not just the cost but the benefit of being able to do my nails anytime as I always forget to book my appointments!

There's a nail kit for £25 in Lidl at the moment.

M+S are selling good paints to use with a lamp, I’ve got the sensationail lamp and they’ve worked really well with them.

minicooper as a sensationail lamp owner that’s useful info, thanks

Go on groupon they have a kit ATM. It's good

I've been doing my own gel nails at home for about 2 years. First with uv lamp, now led. Led cost about 25, quicker, smaller, no worries on uv damage or bulbs smashing. I use bluesky colours (about a fiver each) and get up to 10 days out of them which works for me personally. Love it

Piehunter, I think my sensationail lamp is UV not LED as it’s quite old and has the bulbs and harsh light. Is that bad for you? Is LED better/safer?