BIAB. Is it easy to do at home?

[EarthwormKim]

Do you need a UV light?

I've started to grow my nails out and want to protect them a little but don't want to start dealing with acrylics and spending £££ at nail salons.

Is this a good DIY choice?

Or is there any other way to strengthen my natural nails as they grow?

Yes, you need a UV light to cure the gel. I don't think it looks easy at all and it has to be professionally removed after 2-3 weeks as it starts to lift.

I just bung on a strengthening product like Sally Hanson

I don’t think BIAB is an ideal beginner choice for home application. It can be quite thick, much harder to remove without an electric file and seems to be a potential allergy trigger.

I had BIAB once through a nail technician and I’d never have it again. It left my nails with little pits in for months as it is so thick and the removal wasn’t done well enough.

I use the green flash set by Manicurist. It’s really gentle on nails and doesn’t have the big time outlay for removal that normal gel does. I get at least a week out of a set. Usually around 10 days.

It's ideal for me as my natural nails have ridges but I'd never attempt it myself.

I have it in the salon and I don't find it thick at all!! It's way thinner than acrylic. Never chips or breaks, less obvious regrowth. I go 4 weeks between appointments.

I pay £25 every 3 weeks for my BIAB (in salon) so it isn’t very expensive. It would be hard to get right at home.

That's expensive to me! I wouldn't want to spend that on my nails each month.

It's expensive to me too. Which is why I have only recently started having it done now my kids are adult and I have less outgoings.

I do my own, but I have spent a long time practicing and have watched a lot of video tutorials. Also joined a good Facebook group for support

It definitely saves me money, but it does not save me time as I make sure I'm quite slow and precise as you do have to be careful with it. It takes me around 2 hours to remove it, prep the nails, then reapply and apply a colour. I file it all off every time and prep my nails properly, it has never lifted or peeled and I usually remove around 3 weeks later as by that point I want to change the colour

Also, BIAB is a trademarked product by a company called The Gel Bottle and they only sell to salons/professionals. You want to look for things called builder gel or hard gel. I use Mylee

It’s worth it to me after 30 years of boring my nails

Did my first biab 5 days ago at home and they’re holding!
just use really thin layers

My response is pretty much everything Pogggle has said!

Is the Mylee any good? Their lamps look reasonably priced. I’m tired of paying £38 every three weeks for biab. It’s not just that, it’s having another commitment/appointment