What is gel polish?

Gel polish is a colored material that can be applied to your own nails with a brush and binds under UV/LED light. It is much healthier and can be made faster than traditional artificial nails, essentially made according to the traditional polishing process. However, it is much more durable than traditional nail polish, with the proper technique and care. It can last nicely on your nails for up to 3-4 weeks.

What is reinforced gel polish?
How to make a reinforced gel polish?

Gel polish is basically more durable than the traditional polish. The exact time interval of this durability depends on the quality of your nails, your lifestyle and environmental effects.

The reinforcement is practically a primer, which perfectly combines your natural nails with the colored gel polish, making your nails more resistant and the polish more durable.

What does hybrid gel polish mean?

The term hybrid gel polish refers to the special quality of the gel polish: it combines the properties of the traditional nail polish with the durability of gel polish / gel artificial nails.

What is the difference between gel polish and lacquer gel?

The gel polish is applied according to the traditional polishing process. After the primer layers a thicker, more flexible, colored, gel-like coat is applied to the nails, solidified by UV/LED light in a few minutes,  then sealed with a top coat.

What is the difference between gel polish and artificial nails?

As I explained in previous questions, gel polish is a stronger and more durable polish painted on your own nails, while artificial nail is a built-in layer that can be shaped and painted after construction. The essential difference is that the gel polish is located directly on the nail, while the artificial nail is built on your nail. So that the length and shape of your nail can also be changed by it.

What do I need for the gel polish? What should I apply under the gel polish? How to make gel polish?

Gel polish is basically not complicated to prepare, but there is a lot of attention to be paid to it. Especially during the preparation phase, which is why it is better to entrust it to a nail artist.

What does the gel polish set contain?

There are pre-assembled packages in which you can purchase the basic tools needed for gel polish. However, I suggest that you put together this package yourself, since this way you can choose the tools that are more handy for you, that you can work with more easily, that are reliable.

Where can you buy gel polish in a store?

Larger brands that sell gel polishes have their own brandstore in almost every city, where next to their own tools, you can buy gel polish and polishes needed to make gel polish. I work with OPI and BRILLBIRD polishes in my salon. These are all reliable, high quality polishes, so I highly recommend them.

How can gel polish be durable? How do I take care of gel polish?

Gel polish is basically a strengthening, long-lasting layer on the nail, which is flexible. So with a little care it does not break, does not peel off, it can last nicely for up to 3-4 weeks. However, to achieve this durability, there are a few things to keep in mind:

What damages / dissolves gel polish? Why does gel polish come off?

Gel polish is fundamentally flexible, however it can chip off or break under increased impact or continuous loading. In addition, since acetone dissolves the substance, there are various chemicals that can be found. For example in domestic detergents, which may damage the substance.

Why does gel polish chip off / peel off? Why does gel polish crack / bubble?

As I explained in the previous point, gel polish needs attention if you want it to last perfectly for up to 3-4 weeks.

There may be numerous reasons for the geel to peel or bubble. The most common being that the nail was not properly prepared before applying the polish layers, so it does not adhere properly to the nail, which in the worst case can even be a medium for infections.

Cracking, chipping, most often occur when continuous bumps hit the nails ( eg. typing, manual, even lighter physical work).

What should I do if I do not like my gel polish? How to remove gel polish at home?

If you do not like the color of the gel polish, or the shape of your nails, unfortunately you have to remove the polish completely. And if it is peeled then you also have to remove the strengthening material and start over the whole process. Never file the already finished gel polish, as it may peel/crack prematurely.

What should I put under the gel polish if I’m allergic?

If after applying the gel polish, you notice a deterioration in the quality of your nails, skin rashes, or breathing difficulties , you may be allergic to the ingredients of the gel polish.

In this case, I suggest that you take a break from gel nail polish. Do not put any polish, enhancer on your nails for a while, so that they can regenerate. If you have the opportunity, it is worth applying calendula cream to your already cleansed nails.

If it is essential to still have gel polish on your nails, make sure it is made by a nail professional and with high quality materials and tools.

How to remove gel polish from your nails? How does gel polish come off?

If you have the opportunity to do so, I definitely suggest that you consult a professional if you want to remove the gel polish from your nails.

Gel polish is basically dissolved by acetone, but there are also colorless layers  (base and top coat) below and above the gel polish, which require careful removal to avoid damaging the nail surface.

First file the nails to remove the top shine gel, then dissolve the colored gel polish. Dissolving can also be replaced with the help of a polishing machine, but it is definitely suggested asking a specialist for help!

If we do not want a new gel polish, we can also remove the lowest colorless layer, very carefully. However, if a new gel polish is the goal then it is worth leaving the bottom colorless layer and only matting the top.

Why doesn’t gel polish come off?

In order to remove the gel polish, you must complete the steps mentioned above. If you still can not remove the gel polish, after completing all these steps, you may have used a wrong file or did not leave the gel polish remover on long enough. In this case, repeat the processes very carefully, taking care not to thin your nails.

If necessary, be sure to consult a professional!

Gel polish – Questions and Answers

Why does gel polish wrinkle?

There are two possible reasons for this: either you applied the polish in a too thick layer or it stayed under the lamp too long. In this case, unfortunately, you have to start over the process on that nail.

Why won’t gel polish bind? Why does the gel polish fail?

If you feel like you have done everything yet the gel polish does not bind, do not get bitter! Here are my tips: 

• You may be using a poor quality, old lamp.
• You may have left your hands inside the lamp too short – each lamp requires a different length of time to perfectly bond the gel polish.
• You may have applied the polish too thick.
• You may have used non-professional, not high-quality materials or perhaps ones that were already old, stored in light.

Why doesn’t the gel polish shine?

To seal the gel polish, a top coat is applied to the colored polish in each case, which is usually a high-gloss top coat (light gel). If you feel that it isn’t shining enough, it is probably not a perfect quality light gel on your nails, or you have used a non-fixative-free material, you have probably not fixed it with the right wipe.