The Perfect Shade of Red

If you are trying to get fabulous nails that last a long time, your best bet is to get a manicure. However, there's a good chance that you don't have the money to shell out to go to a professional every week or so. As a result, you are going to need to do your nails at home. Luckily, there are many brands of nail polish that sell do-it-yourself gel nails kits. You can also check out sites like gel-nails.com. This will allow you to get the professional look that you crave without going above your budget. Here are some tips for applying gel nails at home.

1. Prep Your Nails

Always make sure that you are prepping your nails so that the gel has a clean, dry surface that it will be able to adhere to. This is critical because without this surface, it might not stick well at all and not last as long as you would like. First, file your nails so that they are the shape that you want. Buff your nails with a detail buffer in order to get rid of any shine that you might have on your nails. This will create a slightly more rough surface on which the gel will adhere better. Finally, use the primer that is included with the gel nail polishing kit.

2. Avoid Thick Layers

The first thing that you should do is avoid applying thick layers. This is important because if you apply thick layers, your gel nail polish will not look nearly as smooth as you would like. This can make your nails cure badly and not look good. Instead, use one to three thin layers, being sure to cure each time in between applications. This will allow you to easily apply the gel nail polish so that it looks smooth when you are done. If you think that you have applied too much, be sure that you remove the excess with a dry brush.

3. Don't Pick At Your Nails

Gel polish bonds more strongly with the nails, which is awesome for long-lasting nails. However, it means that if you start to pick at your nails without soaking them in acetone in order to loosen the gel first, you are going to end up pulling away layers of the nail itself, weakening it. Gel nail polish will not damage your nails unless you do this.

For more information, talk to a company that specializes in gel nail polish kits.