How much would you save if you were to do your manicures at home? My local nail salon charges $50 for one Gel Manicure. In one year, I would save $1,200 in manicures alone if I just did them myself at home.
I have been getting my nails done since I was a pre-teen, and tried every type of manicure and full set from acrylic with and with out a fake nail, silk, pink and white powder, and gel polish. My nails have always been brittle and polish would always chip in days, if not hours of getting a regular manicure. I have always liked a natural looking nail, so I found that gel polish looks the most natural, works the best for my active lifestyle, and doesn’t run the risk of ruining my nails. I found silk, acrylic, and other powders use harsh buffers, chemicals, and/or methods to take off a full set and destroys my already thin nails. The gel manicure uses a set of polishes that cures under a light, there is no drying time when all is done, and the polish lasts at least two weeks.
When the girl who usually does my nails left on vacation, I wasn’t very satisfied with the other nail technicians at the salon, so I looked into what it would take to get all of the equipment and what it would cost me. After many times of witnessing how to do a gel manicure from a professional and researching the products, I thought I would share a step by step process of everything you will need to know to do a gelicure at home with the same salon outcome.
Since these products aren’t usually sold in regular drug or beauty stores, I used trusty Ebay to buy everything. The brand name that I trust, because that is what is used at the salon, is Gelish. The following products are what I purchased: LED 18W curing light ($75), Gelish Ph Bond ($10), Foundation ($10), Polish (Color) ($9), Structure ($13), Nail Art Brush ($2), Top Coat ($10), Nail Surface Cleanse ($8), Cuticle Oil Pen ($12 from Sephora), and Soak Off Liquid ($8). Everything you will need will cost around $160.00, more of less. Everything will vary depending on which Ebay store you purchase from and the curing light you chose which can range from $30 up to $250, the higher end would be what they use in the salon. You could probably opt for a cheaper lamp. I chose an LED light in the middle price range, because I like the auto timer system and the fact that it turns on automatically with you put your fingers (or toes) in, but didn’t think I needed to buy a commercial grade light. UV lights are also something we should all stay away from.
After you do the norm of removing old polish, clipping, filing and lightly buffing your nails, cleaning- up, cutting, and pushing back your cuticles, and washing your hands so your nails are clean, you are ready to start painting. I do one hand at a time. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Paint with Ph Bond
2. Paint with Gelish Foundation and cure under light for 90 seconds
3. Add structure with nail art brush (this is optional, helps with strengthening nails so there’s no bending or chipping, but not necessary) and cure for 90 seconds
4. Paint Gelish Polish (color of your choice) and cure for 90 seconds after each coat. I usually do two solid coats and three if I want to add a coat of glitter
5. Paint with Top Coat and cure for 90 seconds
6. Use a cotton ball or tissue with Nail Surface Cleanse to remove any residue and your nails
7. Treat Cuticles with Cuticle Oil
In order to take of the gel polish after two weeks, you will need to soak a part of a cotton ball in the soak off liquid (just enough to cover your nail), lay the soaked cotton ball on your nails and wrap in foil (leave on for 10 minutes). The color will lift of, and you can use a cuticle tool to lightly scrape off all of the old polish. I do one hand at a time. In my opinion, soaking your fingers in nail polish remover can be extremely harsh so despite this liquid costing $8, it keeps your nails healthy.
Save your nails, save some money, and your pretty nails and wallet will thank you. With all the money you save, maybe you can use it towards a new wallet.
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