I decided to give at home gel manicures a try and it ended up being the best at home manicure option for me – I could always get them to look salon quality, it takes me less than 30 minutes to do, and it lasts me a full 2 weeks. I also found a product that helps me remove the gel polish easily without soaking and without damage! I am saving a lot of money by doing it myself! In this post I’ll share exactly what products I bought to get me started, but first, here’s a at home gel manicure tutorial I made to share with you!
How to Do Gel Nails at Home
At Home Gel Manicure Supplies
– 100% Acetone – Rubbing Alcohol – Gel Manicure Kit – Gel Color Polish – LED Lamp – Small angled eyeliner brush – Gel polish Magic Remover – will talk more about this later but it’s been so nice to have this product on hand! Scroll down to the bottom of the post to hear my thoughts on this stuff.
At Home Gel Manicure Supplies
Gel Nails at Home Steps
1. Start with Prepped Nails + Prep Your Space
Make sure your nails are cleaned, filed, dried, and free of any residue/lotion/oils. Buff and shape the nails before starting. Wipe clean with rubbing alcohol or acetone. Prep your workspace by laying down a towel and having a paper towel on hand. Pour a small amount of acetone into the cap of the bottle or into a small dish. Set out your polishes in the order you’ll use them and get your nail lamp plugged in and ready to go.
2. Apply PH Bond (or Dehydrator)
You’ll first start with the PH Bond from the Gelish kit to further dehydrate and prep the nail. Let that sit for about 30 seconds to a minute.
3. Apply Base Coat
Apply the Foundation (base coat) from the Gelish kit. Cure twice. (Note: my LED lamp only takes 30 seconds to cure. UV lamps take longer. Check the type of lamp you have and follow the instructions for curing time.)
4. Apply 2-3 Coats of the Gel Color Polish
Apply 2-3 thin coats of the color gel nail polish. Before curing, take the small angled brush and dip it into the acetone you have set aside. Wipe onto the paper towel and clean up the edges of your nails and around the cuticle line. Not only does this help the manicure look absolutely perfect, it prevents the polish from lifting as it grows out. If you have any polish build up on the edges, it will lift and it’s annoying! Cure each coat of color polish.
5. Apply Top Coat
Apply a thin layer of the Top it Off top coat from the Gelish nail kit. Clean up the cuticles and edges with your small brush dipped in acetone. You definitely want to clean up the edges even on the top coat because that can lift, too. Cure twice.
6. Wipe off Sticky Residue & Apply Cuticle Oil
Your nails will feel sticky to the touch when all of these steps are complete, but a simple wipe with your rubbing alcohol and paper towel (I prefer that over cotton balls to avoid the fibers) will remove that residue. Your manicure is finished! Apply a little cuticle oil to rehydrate and you’re good to go. No waiting for anything to dry.
How to Remove Gel Nail Polish Easily without Acetone
I saw this Facebook ad on my timeline over and over again with this “magic remover” basically bubbling up the gel polish and scraping off in no time flat. I ordered it straight off that ad and awaited the magic. I tried it on a gel manicure and I really like it! But, there are a few things you have to be aware of. It does not magically bubble up and fall off your nails, nor does it only take 2 minutes. The ads are really confusing because that does not happen at all. I’m pretty sure that ad used regular nail polish and sped the video footage up by 100x. Haha.
To get this stuff to work properly, I buff off the shiny top coat with a buffer block or nail file. I make sure to buff as much as I can before applying the remover. I then apply a good amount to each nail and let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. Sometimes I’ll apply a second layer. I find this method easier than soaking because my hands are not getting dried out by harsh acetone and I have more freedom to do things around the house when this stuff is on my nails. It easily scrapes off! So, while it does not magically remove your gel polish in 2 minutes, it is the simplest and easiest way I’ve found. I highly recommend buying some of it but please have those realistic expectations going in.