Gel nails at home

[EmeraldRoulette]

Hello

Does anyone do their nails at home? I just use ordinary nail polish. I can't pay for regular nails to be done and it seems like a big faff.

If you have any recommendations for the lamp thingy and the gel polish, I'd love to hear them.

Thank you.

100% try the nail wraps. I like the NailOG ones from Amazon or the Holy Gels ones.
they cost about a tenner for a pack and I get at least 2 sets out of each pack and they last for about 10 days to 2 weeks.
any lamp will cure them.

@MiseryIn thanks but I'm not looking for nail wraps

very comfortable with polish - I just wanted some recommendations for machine and polish, or kits, etc

Mylee have some great starter kits (polish is sold online but also in Boots) but the key for good at home nails is in the prep and the maintenance. Watch some tutorials online, and also invest in the proper tools for removal!

It's not recommended that you do gels at home. Firstly you need to ensure that the polish is the same brand as the lamp or it doesn't cure properly. You've also got to be immaculate with the application as any Polish on your skin can cause an allergy, not just to nail polish but some medical procedures as they use the same item.

The polish and the lamp absolutely do not need to be the same brand

I do mine. I had had them done professionally for years but I decided to do my own. I bought a Mylee kit in a Black Friday deal and share gels with friends who do the same. I have watched YouTube and there has been a bit of trial and error but I find it quite therapeutic. Be prepared to practice a bit but it’s definitely a skill you can learn.

Be careful with home gel kits

https://www.bad.org.uk/dermatologists-reiterate-artificial-nails-warning-and-risk-of-at-home-kits

I really like the Mylee brand. It lasts really well, gives a good coverage, and tons of colours available. Also HEMA free so I don’t react to them like I do some of the cheaper polishes.

I used to gel mine at home. Save a fortune and easy enough. I also used Mylee. BUT I wrecked my nails. I now use nail wraps and a gel coat over the top and love them.

I do, but I only use gel base and top coats, the colour isn't gel, it's whatever brand I like, the gel top coat keeps it in place.
It lasts 2-3 weeks.

@LarryIsMyRomanEmpire Could you tell me more about this, please? That sounds good. Does it really cure like a lamp?

Otherwise, I'll buy a Mylee kit and I will be super careful applying it.

@isthesolution About ruining your nails, the few times I've had it done, I just remove it myself at home with acetone nail polish remover. My nails grow pretty quickly, but I would guess, if it lasts as long as a salon one, I would only need to do the removal once a fortnight maximum so hopefully that will be fine?

thanks everyone

Yes, it really cures like a gel as the top coat is gel, just make sure the ordinary nail varnish is completely dry before you put the top gel coat on.

@LarryIsMyRomanEmpire oh so you mean you're still using a lamp? But I could just buy any colour I like in terms of the colour selection?

sorry, I think I misunderstood that. I thought you'd found a magic curing gel topcoat that didn't need a lamp! 😳😂

I did mine at home for about a year, got lots of compliments etc., then suddenly I took a terrible allergic reaction, my nails and the surrounding skin were destroyed. It took about a year for them to recover. Don’t do it.

Ive just started using glaize gel nail wraps as im useless at doing both hands and they are amazing. Last ages and so easy to apply.

Ha, yes, I still use a lamp, but I mainly use Barry M nail varnish sandwiched in between gel base and top coat.

I use Mylee gel polish and the lamps. It’s really good. Doesn’t last as long as if I get a salon job, but is good for about 10 days and is inexpensive

Gels cure at different wavelengths. Using the incorrect wavelength can dry them so they feel cured, but they may not actually be cured all the way through, which increases the risk of allergy development. Brands generally ensure their lamps properly cure their own gels. You can use others and your nails will look finished but people generally don’t check for lamp wavelength against the gel they’re using to make sure it’s actually safe.

Do nail wraps wreck nails like gel?

No they don’t need to be the same brand at all. I got my DD a Mylee kit which she loves (it was about £100) and she buys sets of gel polish from Amazon.

Now I'm worried about allergies

And I've looked at nail wraps and I think it's too much faff

I'll have a ponder. Perhaps it was a better idea in theory than in practice.

Absolutely

I do mine Gels at home and have gone for about 10 years. I only use Mylee. Buff, wipe, dehydrator, base, colour and topcoat. All Mylee. My lamp was about 5 quid off Amazon. You absolutely do not need the same brand lamp as your gel/polish. Mine last about 2.5 - 3 weeks.

I use the Mylee lamp and polishes, they’re great. I don’t think you can easily tell it’s not professionally done.

Wavelength and brand are not the same thing.

A standard style UV lamp has a broad spectrum wavelength and will cure basically all polishes the same. As long as you don't get an LED one there's very few polishes a proper full spectrum lamp (which you can get on Amazon for like £30 it's not specialised equipment) won't cure. Some polishes will take longer under broad spectrum UV over LED but it still works. A lot of polishes don't specify actual wavelength anymore, just UV or LED.

Saying "the polish and the lamp have to be the same brand" is just wrong information.