First gel manicure

Yesterday i tried giving myself a gel manicure for the first time, and i would say that it was a success!. I used a sensationail kit that i received for Christmas. As far as i know you can get kits from boots, in a range of different sizes. The kit i got came with a mini LED lamp (with plug) big enough to do 4 fingers at once, 2 different coloured gel polishes, 1 base and top coat gel polish, 1 bottle of nail cleanser, 1 bottle of nail primer, 1 nail file and buffer, 1 manicure stick, 2 packets of cleansing cloths, 2 tubes of glitter (gold and silver), and 1 removal tool.

the first step that i took was to file my nails, clean my cuticles, and lightly buff the surface of the nail. this makes the gel adhere to the nail more securely. i then use the nail cleanser and the lint free cleansing cloths to remove any dust or dirt on the nail. i apply the first, thin coat of the gel base and top coat to my thumb before curing in the lamp for 30 seconds. i repeated with the rest of my hand. i cured my thumb first to stop the gel leaking to the skin around my nails whilst i paint the other nails. if gel does get on your skin use the wooden manicure stick to remove it. after that i applied the colour gel polish and cured for 60 seconds between each coat. the box suggests using 2 coats of the colour polish but i ended up using 3 thin coats. the top of the nail will be sticky after curing. it is important to not clean this residue off, as it helps each coat stick. this residue is a good reason why you should paint your nails at a clean table as lint and dust can and will stick to the nails. i finished each nail with a thicker coat of base and top coat. i finally cleaned the nail with the cleanser and cloths.

to apply the metal stud on the middle finger nail i first tried to apply it when applying the final coat of base and top coat but i found it difficult to get it straight, and to keep it still in the gel. i then tried applying it with nail glue. it was a lot smoother to go on and it was a lot easier to work with.

the appearance of the gel is shiny and hard though i found on some of the nails the gel is bubbly. this might be due to application or how the gel is stored, or the age of it. i will see how long the nails last!. i will be using this set again and are looking into getting some new colours. i definitely recommend this, as its very easy to do, its quick, and it is supposed to last at least 2 weeks which is good for those whom don’t have time to do their nails all the time, and cannot afford to get them done in salons.