Women look forward to a long-lasting manicure every time they have one. Yes, acrylic nails can last long, but they are fake nails, anyway. The dip powder manicure is a good alternative, but it can get messy with powder flying all over the place. Therefore, the best option is a gel soak-off polish procedure.
If you wish to learn how to have perfect gel polish, here is the step-by-step procedure. This process is easy to master, whereby you can have the best gel manicure in the privacy of your homes.
Get your kit ready
Before you sit down for a gel manicure, you should keep your kit items handy. The kit includes your UV lamp, nail cutters, nail buffs, the best gel nail polish colors, cuticle pushers, sterilized brushes, cuticle oil, nail files, basecoat & topcoat applications, nail wipes, etc.
The idea behind having everything sorted out in advance is that you do not go searching for your nail supplies amid the manicure process. Unfortunately, it can damage the procedure and result in an imperfect finish.
The nail prepping job
Prepping your nails for the manicure is the most crucial exercise. First, you can use a sterilized nail clipper to cut your nails into shape. Your manicure could last for nearly three to four weeks. After that, it would not be possible to cut your nails in between. Hence, it is better to have them cut short before you begin the gel soak off polish manicure.
Once you cut your nails, you should proceed with the filing procedure. The filing ensures that the nail edges remain blunt and does not scrape into your clothes or handbag interiors to damage the nail polish.
Pushing the cuticles into their grooves is critical. Applying gel polish over the cuticles can cause the lifting of the polish and result in damaging the manicure. Instead, you can use the sterilized orangewood cuticles to push them back into their grooves gently.
Finally, buff the nail surface using a nail buff. It helps to rough up the nail bed, allowing the basecoat to stick to your nail surface easily. Next, use cotton wipes dipped in alcohol to cleanse the nail surface and remove the debris. Alcohol acts as a super disinfecting agent by cleaning the nail surface of all bacteria and microorganisms and preparing it for the manicure.
The gel soak off polish procedure
Once you have prepared your nails, you can proceed with the basecoat application. The key to an excellent gel polish manicure is applying the base in as thin a layer as possible. Secondly, every layer of polish in a gel soak-off polish manicure requires curing under the UV lamp.
You should ensure to dry the nail completely before applying the next layer. Secondly, you should cap the free edges to get a chip-free resistant nail polish manicure. Besides, capping the edge should be done on each layer to strengthen the manicure.
Choose your favorite color from the best nail gel polish colors available. Next, shake the gel polish bottle well to mix the ingredients well. The trick is in applying thin coats of each layer starting from the base and extending it towards the edges. Meanwhile, the gel polish should not spill over to the skin. You should use a cotton ball dipped in acetone to remove it if it does. Otherwise, the gel polish can harden on curing and make it challenging to remove.
Experts advise you to have a minimum of two coats of gel paint. However, applying more than two coats is desirable, making the manicure opaque. You should ensure to cure each layer of paint under the UV lamp before proceeding further.
Finally, the topcoat application is critical as it helps seal the color and delivers the characteristic shine to your nails. You should cover the entire nail with a top coat and cap the edges. Besides, every layer of the topcoat requires curing under the UV/LED lamp. The paint must dry completely before proceeding with the subsequent layer. It ensures that the layers do not smudge and damage the manicure.
Many people advise using LED lamps over UV because it helps reduce exposure to ultraviolet rays. However, LED lamps have a higher concentration of UV radiation. But, the exposure time to LED lamps is considerably less than UV lamps. Nevertheless, the curing process is compulsory as UV radiation helps to harden the gel and ensure a long-lasting shine.
The key to an excellent manicure lies in managing your manicure well. It requires you to massage your nails frequently with cuticle oil. It helps to rehydrate the nails and strengthen the manicure considerably.
As you notice, the soak-off gel polish manicure is easy to master.