At home gel nails

[LyraSilvertongueBelacqua]

I have a Red Carpet Manicure set with the lamp. To be honest it seems a bit naff. Both with the Red Carpet manicure colours and a blue sky I tried.

I've paid to have them done at the salon again and love them.

Now I'm wondering if I should try a different brand of polish and lamp? Or shall I keep the lamp and just try a different brand of polish?

Or give up completely and admit defeat!

Hmm I have a gel nails kit as well but find it never looks as good as having it done professionally!

I think it's more to do with the skill than the products... Do you trim your cuticles etc? I find this makes it look more professional!

I do mine at home with a cheapo lamp and gels from amazon. I found using a dehydrator on the buffed nail beds, super thin base, colour and top coats, and prep & polish wipe over when finished have helped mine. They last 2 to 3 weeks now.

Naio nails have a website, their gel polishes are brilliant and they'll sell them to non professionals too. They last well and soak off easily, you'll be shocked at the difference between naio and blue sky or other Chinese brands.

I don’t think the gels you can buy for home use have as high a gel content as the ones you can buy for professional use. I tried to buy a professional brand once but failed at being able to prove I actually was a nail technician (because I’m not 😂).

That being said, if I take my time, prep my nails properly, and cap the tip effectively then my at home gels last long enough. They just don’t have that thick, raised feel of a salon gel.

I buy Gelish on eBay from American sellers because it's hard to buy in the UK if you're not a professional nail person. It usually takes a couple of weeks to arrive but it's proper professional gel polish. I use it with Gelish foundation and top coat.

I only buy blue sky nail gel as I find it last longer than say Sensationail stuff

I do paint on false nails and I think that's what makes it look good, nails all being same shape and cuticles well prepped. I've been doing it at home for about 3 years and I surprised myself with how well I can do them now (I am a really shoddy lazy person).

Sometimes I even use nail powders and nail
Transfers bought for pennies off Amazon.

I think it's skill and experience really, sorry

I get BlueSky stuff. Most of it is okay.

I use the Sensationail lamp.

If you want a really good brand of gel colour, try Ugly Duckling. Expensive but gorgeous 🤩🤩🤩

Oh and the woman who does Nail Career Education videos says you should really keep all products together. So use an Ugly Duckling lamp with Ugly Duckling gel polishes because they all have different cure times according to their own brand.

I have a mixture of shellac and blue sky (the expensive ones in the two or three colours I wear a lot) and do them at home every few weeks. Yes, they don't look quite as neat as a professional job, but really pretty good. And they last.

Thank you all.

If I got some decent polish do you think I'd be ok with the lamp I have or should I get a different one?

I got a cheap lamp from Amazon and it works fine with Gelish (I couldn't afford the official Gelish lamp) and it works fine. Try your lamp and see, I guess they're all the same thing!