My Attempt at UV Gel Nails

Every now and again, I get the inspiration to complicate my life with a new DIY project.  This time, my obsession was my nails.  I had just moved to a new neighborhood and was having a horrible time finding a good salon.  Finally, I stumbled into a decent one.  While working on my acrylic tips and french manicure, the technician suggested UV gel nails instead of acrylic nails.

"How much for a full set?" I ask.

$45!  Up from $25 for an acrylic set.  Aw, hell nawl!

I thought, this has to be doable at home.  I had attempted and failed miserably at applying my own acrylic nails years ago, so I searched for how-to videos on applying gel nails.  See, it doesn't look so hard...

However, my experience was very different, at least for my fingernails.  A few things are needed to get this done well.

1.  The right supplies.  Because I couldn't imagine waiting 5 weeks for ebay gels from China, I found Red Carpet Manicure (RCM) at ULTA.  RCM gel polish probably has different properties than the Lina (ebay) gel in the video, so I set myself up for some frustration.  I wanted a gel that would simulate harder acrylics, and I'm not sure gel polish is meant to do that.

After failing to reach the desired hardness using my natural nails and gel polish, I decided to try using nail tips.  It would also be easier to get the french manicure look.  (Painting white tips proved to be impossible for me.)  Unfortunately, the nail tips I purchased from Sally's Beauty didn't fit my nails well.  I found them to be too narrow.

Though my fingernails were a continual challenge, I seemed to have the perfect supplies for a pedicure.  The best asset was RCM's amazing UV lamp.  If you apply the polish in thin coats, as directed, the UV light can dry a coat in 45 seconds!  Speed and convenience are my friends.

2.  Hand-eye coordination.  I don't have it.  Not such a big deal if you're painting your natural nail one color, as I did with my toes.  If you need to apply tips or want to paint a french manicure, this is a big problem.  Crooked lines all over the place.  Why is it so hard for me to apply nail tips centered and straight?

3.  Patience.  I cut too many corners for this to work out well.  Most people who like gel nails appreciate that it does less damage to your nail bed when compared to acrylics.  However, to achieve that result, you need to take about 20 minutes to soak the gel off.  You should not peel or file it off... which is exactly what I did.  Needless to say, my nail beds were not pleased.  They were raw and needed time to heal before I could fuss with them again.


Conclusions
When I finally threw my hands up in frustration and ran back to the nail salon, it was such a relief!  Am I completely happy with the salon?  Eh... I'm getting there.  If nothing else, it beats the frustration of spending time painting my own nails and still not being satisfied.  I'm sure I will try again one day, but I will take the time to order the exact type of gel and nail tips that I need.

The UV lamp is a keeper.  I'll probably use it to add extra protection to my acrylics, rather than pay the extra $5 for the salon to do a gel top coat. 

Though gel polish didn't work out well for my fingernails, it is amazing on my toes!  A month later, the polish was still shiny and looked like new.  The final coat dries under my UV lamp in 45 seconds, and I can immediately wear socks or shoes without smudging.  I can't wait to show off this summer.  No $40 pedicures for me!