Gel nails at home

[VeganCatLover]

Do you need a big fancy kit or can you do it on a budget? Any recommendations?

I bought a lamp from Amazon for £15 and the base/top coats and gels for pretty cheap on Amazon too.

You can also buy UV resistant fingerless gloves to protect your hands from the UV damage caused by using the lamp regularly at home.

What do I need all together? Is it the lamp, base coat, too coat, varnish and accetone? I'm a complete novice and have never even had a salon manicure I just paint my own nails.

On amazon I bought the blue sky gel polish kit and it's fantastic and not too expensive. So easy to use and I've been doing mine at home for ages now

www.amazon.co.uk/Bluesky-UV-Gel-Starter-Kit/dp/B00A917VKM

Thanks, that kit looks perfect thank you

Yes that's what i have and it's brilliant. Only thing I've found is i meed to do my nails for 3 mins rather than 2.

basics you'll need are-
Lamp
base coat
whatever colour uv gel nail varnish you desire
top coat
lint free wipe
acetone, cotton wool and tin foil for removal

I use vodka to set the nail after I've finished all steps ect, instead of paying out for anything else!

get yourself a little paintbrush/ old thin make up brush for making sure you get all the gel off your skin before you set it with the lamp- I spent months with slightly dodgy nails because I'd set it on the skin a tiny bit and then it'd chip/peel off really easily.

That kit is good, but it’s a UV light, not LED

The difference is LED is much quicker... so you may want to invest in one of these instead.

If you do, make sure you can fit your whole hand in there, and there are lights down the side so you can do your thumb at the same time.

Can't do links sorry, but is this type of lamp better?

Also you can buy some nail clips on amazon which hold the remover soaked pads in place much better than foil.

I have the sensationail kit had it a good few years probably about 4 years, now I find that they don’t last as long but I think I may need a lamp upgrade. I sometimes get them done in a salon too and I don’t find they are any more special than I can do myself (unless I get nail art etc)
The kit has all you need and is oftentimes on offer around £40