Gel nails at home

[Pusheenicorn]

I got an LED lamp, base and top coat and other bits for my birthday... yay!

Just away to order some colours now.

Does anybody else have one? Any hints and tips for a first timer at home?

Amazon have some good colours. Blue Sky is good.
Avoid Elite 99 - it's rubbish
Take your time - practise - watch TV, keep your phone with you, while you're doing it.

That's good to hear - the kit I got was bluesky so was just going to get the polishes as well since it was the only brand I knew

I can't wait to not have chips after a day or spend £30 every three weeks!

Keep it all in a bag / box easily accessible in living room - including nail file etc so it's easy to grab the whole kit and start.

It takes quite a while to do it properly so having everything to hand means I'm more likely to do it - if it was even a little bit of a faff I just wouldn't bother!

Practice makes perfect but taking it off is such an effort I went back to going to the salon.

And...get one of these for before you start, but also for trimming off any mistakes afterwards.

Don't want to pop your bubble but be careful. I have the same bluesky kit and have a tremendous contact dermatitis reaction - swollen, cracked fingers, pains to the elbow, nails lifting and dropping off. Apparently the home kits are weaker and take longer to cure the product, leaving it longer to get into your skin and set off a reaction to the acrylate. Hopefully it won't happen to you but watch out for a sensation of heat under your nails as you use the lamps and any itching, blisters or redness a few hours later. Sorry to be a party pooper!

Oh wow that's sounds sore... Will definitely keep an eye out for that, Thanks.