I went to get my nails done for the first time with gel polish earlier this summer. I had given up on beautiful nails because my hands are always in either dirt, washing something, playing in water, or constructing some craft. Basically working kills my nails and polish would never stay on my fingernails but I would still paint my toenails a couple times a season.
Now I can shape my nails & trim them to the exact length I want & I bet the polish will last me a full month (we will see)! It’s easier to paint them then regular polish because the cure (dry time) is so quick (45 – 90 seconds) but you do need multiple coats to add strength to your nails & make your manicure look nice.
My nails grow longer with gel polish because it strengthens them but it’s also super hard to get the polish off. I tried the soaking method but I’m too impatient & it didn’t do a great job. So I bought an electric nail polisher. I’m not great with it but I’m learning & love it.
This is the gel base & top coat I am using. I like them so far but don’t have much to compare them to other than what the nail salon used (& I have no idea what brand that was). This base and top coat is strong, and shiny, and I’m a fan!
This is the light I use to cure my polish. It has an auto-sensor(which the salon didn’t even have that). I just put my hand or foot in, the light automatically turns on, & the countdown begins. A nice perk when you want 5+ coats of polish.
This is the color changing polish I used recently. The warm color is a silvery blue & the cold color is a pinky-purple. It’s like mermaid French tips
FYI the way the nail colors look is opposite of the Amazon picture.
This is the electric nail polisher / filer that I bought & it had everything I needed. It was only $5 more than it would cost me to go get my nails done. I turn the speed way down to slowly remove gel polish, then hand buff my nails smooth with the block that came with the kit.
Anyhow, I am loving having my nails done again and with polish so durable it survives my work, & hobbies! I’m sure I’ll get into more intricate nail art as I gain confidence and experience. As for now the polish can do all the tricks and am thinking glow in the dark next, it would be super cool for Halloween!
If you have any questions, ask away. I’ll do my best to answer. Below you will find a video of me trying to figure out how to work best with my non-dominant hand!
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