Do It Yourself gel nails: Guide to beginners

Follow these instructions for a perfect gel manicure:

1. File the edge and surface of your nail. Use our Prep Pads or our Nail Cleanser ‘Le Clean’ and wipe away the dust and oils.

2. Apply a VERY thin (barely there) layer of gel polish.

3. Cure in the LED lamp for 30 seconds.

4. Apply a second layer of gel polish, and cure again.

5. Do this process for each one of your nails and that's it - you're done!

Tips to do your gel nails

We’ve talked application tips before, but here are a few tips and tricks you may not know, that will have you painting perfect, long-lasting gel manicures like a pro. Ready to love gel polish as much as we do?

Shake, Shake, Shake

Gel polish has a much thicker texture than regular nail polish, so it’s important to shake gel polish before each use. This will help even out the texture for an easier, more even application.

Prep Your Nails

Say it with us: Prep is the most important step! (It even rhymes so you can’t forget it.) Having a great foundation before you paint your nails can make or break your manicure. After you’ve pushed back your cuticles and filed your nails and nail surface, clean off dust and oils with a non-acetone polish remover. Do not, we repeat DO NOT, touch ANYTHING (not your face, your hair, your phone, nothing!) after you have cleaned off the dust and oils. Gel polish needs a clean, dehydrated surface for best, long-lasting results.

Paint A Thin First Layer

The first coat must be an ultra-thin one! In order to apply this first thin layer, we like to remove all excess gel from the brush by swiping it along the neck of the bottle until it’s almost transparent (enough that you can see the bristles). The second layer can be a bit thicker and while most of our gels only require 2 coats for full coverage it’s always better to paint 3 thin coats than 2 thick coats.

Avoid Retraction

Due to its texture, it’s normal for gel polish to retract sometimes. To help avoid this, don’t let the gel polish get too much air. A good rule to follow: If the brush is not on the nail, the nail should be in the lamp. Remember to paint your nails one by one (with Le Maxi lamp paint two by two). Also, painting your entire nail, all the way to the tip and capping the edge, helps with retraction.

Correct Mistakes Before You Cure

Mani mistakes happen, but be sure to clean imperfections before you cure. Gel polish cures dry under the LED lamp, so if you get polish on your skin/cuticles and cure it, it won’t come off. Use the opposite end of the cuticle stick or our Le Round brush dipped in acetone to clean any polish off your cuticles BEFORE you cure.

Bonus Tip!

Our most important tip is practice & patience. Gel polish like most new things has a learning curve. The more you do it, the better you’ll get. You may even learn more tips and tricks along the way. Give yourself time, practice, and patience to get it just right and you’ll be painting perfect gel manis in no time!

Steps for Gel Application with our LED Mini Lamp:

1. File the edge and surface of your nail. Use our Prep Pads or our Nail Cleanser ‘Le Clean’ and wipe away the dust and oils.

2. Apply a VERY thin (barely there) layer of gel polish.

3. Cure in the LED lamp for 30 seconds.

4. Apply a second layer of gel polish, and cure again.

5. Do this process for each one of your nails and that's it - you're done!

Steps for Gel Application with our LED Maxi Lamp:

1. File the edge and surface of your nail. Use our Prep Pads or our Nail Cleanser ‘Le Clean’ and wipe away the dust and oils.

2. Apply a VERY thin (barely there) layer of gel polish to 4 nails of the same hand.

3. Cure in the LED lamp for 60 seconds.

4. Apply a second layer of gel polish, and cure again.

5. Do this process for the 4 nails of the other hand and lastly paint the 2 thumbs.That's it - you're done!

FAQS

How long gel nails last?