Please can you advise me on nail lamps?

[Binglebong]

I've been trying gel wraps or gel nails but not had much luck, the gel doesn't seem 100% solid and they don't stick. Getting chipping on varnish too. I think it may be the lamp but to be honest i don't really know what I'm looking for. Can anyone advise? I've heard good things about sun uv but they have loads of different price points and I don't understand the differences. I would really appreciate any recommendations, particularly at a low price point!

This is the one I got which had good reviews but still isn't great. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0DQGV6SVK?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I'm just giving this a sneaky nudge...

You should go to a professional who has been trained in the chemistry of the products. Doing your own gel polish with random products and any old lamp is a fast track to a life long acrylate allergy. Sorry to be blunt, I'm a former nail tech and I've seen too many allergic reactions

I’ve just bought an LED lamp and green flash polish from the manicurist. I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing UV myself but this is foolproof and I’ve kept nail varnish on for a week now with no chips (normally lucky to get through a weekend).

Thank you both.

Just read up on that allergy, very interesting. I will be aware if it going forward.

LED lamps still emit UV rays; they’re just more targeted, whereas UV is a broader spectrum.

And ‘LED polishes’ still contain the ingredients that cause allergies.

Well yes, but not significant amounts of UV and less than a pure IV lamp. Most nail polish has allergy causing ingredients if you’re sensitive but OP didn’t ask that in her original post which is what I was answering.

Absolutely. But there is a larger risk of allergies from polishes that need to be cured. And those allergies have significant effects.

And there’s no difference between the LED application/curing and the ‘normal’ gel polish, apart from skin exposure to the larger amount of UV.

I have been doing my own nails since pre lockdown

When I first started with gels, I was having the same issues as yourself

Reason being I didn't have a bloody clue, bought some cheap old rubbish of the net and away I went

Doing your own gels is easy enough, as long as you get educated in how to use them

A few people I follow - Kirsty Meakin and Nailcareer education - both are really good at explaining every step and the why's and wherefores

Always use the lamp produced to the range of gels you intend to purchase

Try to find a professional range - Kirsty does one now although she used to work to Naio Nails - and they sell to the home user

Do educate yourself on the dangers of gels. You get an allergy through misuse, the allergy is for life and it can affect dental treatment and even hip replacements moving forward

You can also buy Hema free gel ranges which are better for you, less chance of an allergy but not promised to be of use after an allergy has arisen

nail tech here. Best advice is to not do them at home yourself, as you are not trained and don’t know what you’re doing which can cause lasting damage. Different brands of polish are compatible with different lamps, they have individual formulas and different settings. I know some nail techs will use more than one brand but they will have the lamp that corresponds to each brand.