Gel Nails at Home?

[Ronnie27]

I seem to be spending so much money and faff on gel nail appointments now my regular beauty lady is on maternity.

Does anybody do their own at home and if so how easy is it and what sort of kit would I need to start me off? Could anyone recommend? Many thanks!

I'm thinking of doing this but what puts me off is removing them at home because I'm not sure I could get strong enough acetone remover. I think it takes a while if you mean gel extensions to get the knack.

I'm just thinking of doing the polish on natural nails under a light though, and then build up to extensions if and when I feel like it.

I don't have the time to spend in the salon or the money.

You can remove at home with the right remover bought online. Normal accetone is usually fine also.

I do my own gel polish over gel extensions which I get professionally done. I too thought after years of watching them being done, that given the materials I'd be fine doing the extensions myself. I paid for all the kit, even a professional electric nail file tool.

It's really hard to do them well on yourself for a start. It's not as easy as they make it look. And it's really, really easy to get it wrong. I don't know how but I ended up with an infected nail, it look ages to heal and now I stick to the people who know what they're doing.

I bought a little light (like a mini torch) and a couple of shellac kits - cost me about £30 in total and I have about 20 colours.
I also bought remover online.
I find I don't do as good a job as a salon - but polish still lasts about 2 weeks.
As it's not as expensive as a salon, I take it off sooner, and give my nails time to 'breathe' - so they don't go soft and thin as they seem to do after salon nails. Also, if you get a chip, you can fix it yourself very quickly!

I can remove them fine. Acetone is easily purchased even from home bargains. But yourself those little foile fingers online and a buffer and boom.
Im on amazon this min buying my own lamp having got my nails "professionally" done 3 days ago and one has peeled.
My sis and sis in law do their own and they've no bother. If they lived nearer I'd have them do mine too 😂

Sorry yes just the polish I meant, I don’t usually have extensions, I’m definitely not up to anything technical!

So pretty much a lamp, some acetone and the finger foils as well as colours? I might have a little look at Amazon for a kit and see how I get on, thanks everybody!