Talk to me about gel nails please

[bendmeoverbackwards]

I’ve only ever done my nails at home with normal polish or had the occasional manicure. But I have a special occasion coming up and my nails are a bit of a mess. They’re varying lengths and a couple are quite short. I’m wondering whether to have gels as they seem longer lasting…?

How long do they last? What do they do about my very short nails? Does it chip like normal polish? I assume you have to go back to the salon to have them removed?

They look lovely @chelle0

I have gel polish on a base of builder gel - usually lasts 4 weeks but by then they are getting too long anyway
My nail tech only takes off the polish and then infills the builder gel so never goes down to the nail
I do use cuticle oils though

Mine grow really quickly. I get gelish done on them every 5-6 weeks as a french manicure. So neutral nail colour as a base, then they paint the tips white, then clear over the top. They last really well and because the base colour is very close to my own nails you don't notice the growth. Taking biotin supplements also helps with hair and nail growth and strength. I take viviscal twice a day.

Find somewhere that does shellac. It's gel nails but shellac are better for your nails and keep them in good condition. If you apply vitamin E or nut oil to your nails everyday it will make them last longer, and shellac can absorb the oil to keep nails healthy.

Ordinary gel nails are often removed with a tool which damages your nails, but shellac can be gently buffed off.

Gel nails are good generally and I find with fingernails you can generally get 3 weeks out of them. Don't do washing up with them, use washing up gloves, something in water can make them not last as long.

Pedicures can last for ages, 2-3 months.

Short nails it is fine on but I prefer them to be slightly longer.

I did have a strange experience with gels with a shimmery finish at Christmas last year - immediately started to chip at least on one nail and barely lasted 2 weeks - I was really annoyed as I could've gone back to the salon to have them touched up and did once but I didn't want to keep going back.

Get them soaked off at a salon. I did buy a kit which can do this but don't have the scraper they use to scrape gels off. Don't peel them off.

@lionheart678

Find somewhere that does shellac. It's gel nails but shellac are better for your nails and keep them in good condition. If you apply vitamin E or nut oil to your nails everyday it will make them last longer, and shellac can absorb the oil to keep nails healthy.

Ordinary gel nails are often removed with a tool which damages your nails, but shellac can be gently buffed off.

Depends what you like. I prefer gel to shellac personally even though shellac last longer.

www.difference101.com/shellac-vs-gel-nails/#:~:text=Gel%20nails%20last%20for%20approximately%20the%20same%20time%2C,a%20little%20quicker%20than%20gels%20under%20normal%20wear.

Quick question - does gel dry straight away? Can you put your shoes and socks on straight away afterwards?

They are cured rather than dried, you pur your hands under the UV lamp, but yes you can put socks, shoes and gloves on straight away.

Thanks @Redcrayons

When I got married, one on of my nails was much shorter than the others on my hand so they just put an extension on that one nail before applying the gel. I adore gel nails snd feel so much better when I've got them done.

I find the idea of having my hands under a UV lamp really off putting which is why I’ve never had these done!

I have a Shellac manicure every 2 weeks. It's gentle on your nails because it's not a gel, but a super hard-wearing varnish that is cured under a UV light. I have it on my natural nails which I have filed quite short and in a squoval shape. I really dislike long nails [shudders]

These are mine, just had them done today x

I can understand the hesitancy over uv lamps but many of the gel polishes can cure under led lamps