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The first question is: What's the difference?
Here is a picture of a traditional UV lamp. It’s probably the most common that you’ll see especially if you’re just starting out or if you’re looking for a cheap type of lamp. This is the very original one. What a traditional UV lamp really is, is a CFL UV lamp CFL means compact fluorescent. And there is also CCFL which means cool cathode or cool compact. And the fluorescent bulbs in it are what makes it work. This fluorescent light bulb emits a portion of the spectrum of UV light. So with this, you can cure the gels. This lamp was usually used about ten years ago.
But now days, LED has completely taken over. It has a different type of light bulb inside. And LED stands for light emitting diode. You may find some of the LED bulbs have different colors, some are yellow some are transparent. That’s because they have different style of dome over the bulb to spread the light and also to protect the bulbs.
And what important is this is also UV lamp. So you can see the difference, CFL lamps and LED lamps are both UV lamps but with different bulbs. And they both cure gel polish.
So why are CFL lamps are replaced by LED lamps?
LED UV lamps are able to emit the full spectrum of light needed to cure both traditional gels and the newer LED formulas and so they can cure all the gels. So you don’t need to replace the bulbs to cure specific gels. And you can expect it to last five years or more and it almost never lose power.
You don’t need to replace the bulbs in LED lamps.
The bulbs in CFL lamps usually need to be changed after six months, because they lose their ability to cure. And LED lamps don’t have that problem.
3. LED lamps take less time to cure the gels.
How do we choose the right UV nail lamp:
In the past CFL lamps could take up to five minutes to cure traditional gels. But LED lamps with that focus very high penetrating type of light that’s going into the gel, they only need up to 1 minute to cure the gels. So LED lamps not only do faster but also better job.
But because LED lamps doesn’t glow as much as CFL lamps. It’s very focused. So you have to ensure that the number of LED bulbs to be more but also arranged properly, even on the sides.
what wattage led lamp do i need for gel nails?
About 36 watts.
the wattage of lamps is divided into 9 watts, 18 watts, 36 watts, 42 watts, the higher the wattage nail hardening speed is faster, but you need to check the relevant information before using.
The light of the nail lamp belongs to the long-wave ultraviolet light, generally does not produce serious damage to the skin, but it does make the skin tanned, aging.
Although it is harmless to take a short time to cure, you should always pay attention to the maintenance of your hands. It is best to apply sunscreen and then do your manicure
1: "Poly gel" also known as extension gel, or false nails. Even if your nails are short, you can make longer false nails with poly gel. On extension nails, you can do the same nail art style as on regular nails.
2:Acrylic nails are an extension on your natural nail. In order for them to be applied, your natural nail bed is filed down to create a rough surface for the glue to be able to adhere the nail extension. This will be shaped and buffed, and then painted with either regular or gel polish.
3:It sticks to your nails and hardens over time, lasting 3 to 4 weeks. It has the advantage of being suitable for people with fragile nails. However, at the same time, if it is not removed properly, it may harm the original nail.
Gel manicure are all the rage right now. Everybody loves gel nail polish, but you’re probably removing your gel nail polish the wrong way. So today we are going to learn the right way to do it. And you can do it yourself at home.
The first way to do it , you need to prepare the tools that you need to accomplish this task.
1: Cotton balls
2: Acetone
3: Nail groomer
4: Aluminum foil
Step 1: take 1 cotton ball, this is going to remove all of your gel polish from both hands. You can break it up to tiny pieces and what you’re going to make sure you do is you divide them into 10 separate little pieces for each nail. The cotton don’t need to be very thick beacuse you need to dip them into your acetone.
Step 2: once it’s completely saturated, put the saturated cotton ball onto the top of your nail bed and you want to make sure that you are not wrapping your entire finger with the cotton ball. This will dry out your cuticles and your nails, which is not good.
Step 3: take a small piece of aluminum foil and wrap the nail. This will create a heat conducting type of mechanism and help acetone completely goes through the gel polish. After five minutes, you can check if the gel are peeling. If your gel nails has only been on your nails for about a week, you need to wait little more longer, about ten minutes.
Step 4: after five to ten minutes, take off the aluminum foil. If you see the gel polish actually peeling up off of your nail,them you are ready for the next step. Take your nail groomer or a wooden stick, and start to push off the gel polish very very gently. Starting at your cuticle and ending at your tip. If you do it backwards and start at the tip, you will risk severely damaging your nail, which completely contradicts the whole purpose of removing your gel polish correctly
Step 5:after you remove all of your gel polish, you want to take one more cotton ball, and dip it in some acetone. Then swipe over your nail lightly to get rid of any excess polish that is left over. And finally, you may find your cuticles are a little bit dry. All you need is a bit of cuticle oil and even a moisturizer. Then your nails are good to go.
Now you know the right way to remove your gel manicure without sanding down your polish or peeling it off.
And sometimes, if the acetone doesn’t work very well, you need to start your process with buffing the gel polish. The more you can take off with the file the less time you are going to spend on soaking.
Make sure you don’t buff your natural nail, because that will cause serious damage to your nails.
Regarding the tools, you can improvise. You don't necessarily have to use aluminum foil, plastic wrap can work just as well.
If you do not want to spend too much time on this. You may also choose not to use cotton balls. Take some Acetone in a cup and sand the surface of your gel polish slightly. You can then dip five fingers into the acetone. This is very unfriendly to your cuticle and the skin of your fingers, but you can remove the nail polish very easily.
We recommend that you stock up some nail removal packs around the house. It is very convenient. All you need to do is peel off the package, cover the surface of your nails with the cotton side, and stick it on your finger. 5 to 10 minutes later, you can easily remove your nail polish.
Reinforced gel polish, also known as hardener ,as the name implies, is a kind of UV gel that increases the firmness. But this is just a simple literal understanding, hardener's function and use can be more than you think.
Reinforced gel polish has the role of preventing nail polish from warping and cracking, protecting the top coat and color gel from scratches ; Reinforced gel polish is a nail polish that is needed when doing manicure, because some people's nails are too thin, applying Reinforced gel polish can increase the thickness and hardness of the nail
A lot of girls like to do a beautiful manicure, but some girls nails are naturally thin and very soft, their manicure is easy to fall off or break very easy, and that's when the Reinforced gel polish will come in handy, reinforced gel polish as the name implies is used to strengthen the nail, it can increase the thickness and hardness of the nail, to avoid the nail too soft and nail polish gel warping, so even if your nails are thin and soft, with the reinforced gel polish used you will not be afraid of the nails breaking.
It is important to note that you don't need to wash the reinforced gel polish after you apply it, so you can put the color gel on directly after it is dried.
Different formulas of reinforcing gel will have different effects, some reinforced gel polish will be a little thinner, some will be a little thicker.
For the less viscous reinforced gel polish, its functions are:
1. leveling the nail surface
2. lighten the pen marks
3. make the pattern more transparent and vibrant.
4. For marble ink effect, Due to its low consistency, the color gel will spread easily on the uncured reinforced gel polish. This way you get the marble ink effect.
For the higher viscosity of the reinforced gel polish,its functions are:
1. strengthen the nail
2. to stick some small decorations
3. to fill in the nail surface.
If your nails are thin, you can choose a thicker reinforcing gel so that your nails are strong enough.
The right steps are:
first apply a base coat, then apply the reinforced gel polish on top of the base coat, and finally apply the color gel.
After applying the color gel, you can apply another layer of reinforced gel polish, which should not be cured, so you can fix some small decorations on the undried reinforced gel polish.
After adding some small decorations, the nail surface will be uneven, so you can choose to use a thinner reinforced gel polish to make the whole surface smoother. A less thick reinforced gel polish will have a good flow, so it will also lighten the brush marks left on the nail surface during the application of the color gel.
You can use a sanding strip to smooth the surface of the nail and apply the top coat at the end and done!
Reinforced gel polish is just another way of saying hardener, and we have a detailed article on unna hardener.
Why Gel Nail Polish is better than Regular Nail Polish?
Regular nail polish is always tried and true.
This is a necessity for middle school students to spend the night away, and a staple for the working woman’s outfit planning.
But what about gel nails? What can gel manicure give you that regular nail polish can't give you?
Gel manicure has still quickly become the main product of salons.
Nevertheless, for those who are not sure whether to try new gel polishes, we have collected their benefits for you:
Quick-drying
Gel nail polish is thicker than regular nail polish.
The main feature that distinguishes it from classic manicure is part of the curing application process
because gel nail polish does not dry naturally.
Curing refers to putting the nails under LED or ultraviolet light to activate the chemical process to dry each layer of nail polish.
Considering that the gel nail application has extra time to repair the nail polish,
you can immediately leave your appointment or home application to completely dry the nail.
2. Chip-free
Quick-drying, durable formula, gel polish is hardly broken.
Your gel manicure is very resistant to peeling or stains, and the color will be as bright and shiny as the first day.
3. Durable
Gel polish can be used for at least 2-3 weeks, while regular nail polish will not fall off for a week.
In the case of light application, your gel nails last at least twice as long as normal nail polishes,
but in fact, they can make your nails four to six times the standard.
Take the core ingredient color powder as an example:
when creating nail art, it is sometimes necessary to apply each color layer very thinly,
with a thin multi-layer color overlay that brings an exceptionally soft visual beauty.
The thickness of each layer is so thin that it can only be counted in microns after the color layer dries,
which requires the particles of the color powder to be very finely ground. unna selects German color powder,
processed by ultra-fine grinding process into nano-level color paste, super fine and smooth.
Friends who love manicure must know very well about nail polish, such as a variety of color choices, a variety of styles to choose from. However, how many friends know that they need to apply base coat before applying nail polish? Is the base coat the kind of clear nail polish?
What is the base coat in nail polish?
What does the base coat in nail polish do?
What are the steps to use nail polish?
The base coat is the first layer of nail polish applied during manicure. It is divided into three categories. One is to isolate colored nail polish and real nails to prevent pigmentation. One is to increase nail hardness to prevent breakage or delamination. Another is to prevent the nails from turning yellow.
Some friends think that the base coat is the transparent gel, but it is not. The base coat is used to protect the nails. It can not only protect the nails, but also show a lustrous luster. But clear nail polish cannot be used as a base coat, because it does not have the effect of preventing pigment penetration as a base coat.
What does the base coat in nail polish do?
Everyone can understand that the isolation cream used before makeup is used for isolation and protection. Without a primer before a manicure, your nails will quickly become brittle and yellow. Similarly, the base coat is different from the nail polish. The base coat can protect the nails, but it has no moisturizing effect on the nails.
Even if you just want a light coat of nail polish, you should apply a base coat first. The primer can protect the real nails from damage, prevent the nails from being stained by the nail polish, and at the same time improve the durability of the nail polish, you must remember to apply it before the manicure.
Shake the nail polish well. Shake the nail polish bottle gently before applying nail polish to make the color more even.
Apply primer. The role of the primer is to make the color last longer and prevent the nails from turning yellow or breaking.
Dip in nail polish. Dab a small amount of nail polish with the tip of the brush and sweep across the mouth of the bottle to remove excess.
Color the nails. First apply a stroke to the center of the nail, then apply the left and right sides, be careful to apply lightly, and then apply the second layer.
Repaint fingertips. After two coats of color, focus on the ends of the nails to make the color last longer.
Apply top coat. Finally, coat the nails with a clear top coat to give the nails a lustrous look.
UNNA developed a breakthrough system with 900 colors specially designed for all the nail artists to simplify color selection, with impressive and powerful visual effects. Besides, UNNA’s compound formula consisting of the medical photosensitive resin and cosmetic color paste makes its gel more outstanding.
Five nail removal tutorials that don't hurt your nails
Doing manicure is fashionable and beautiful, yet it is easy to apply it, but hard to remove it. If you are not careful, your nails will be thinned and become miserable. Next, we will explain how to remove nail polish, nail gel, Acrylic fake nail, builder gel, and acrylic powder nail.
Nail polish is made from a mixture of volatile chemical solvents and colorants, so it can be quickly broken down with alcohol, which are also solvents. You only need to use the alcohol nail removal pack to gently press and rub to quickly remove it. This is currently the quickest and simplest way to remove nail polish.
Nail polish is mainly a mixture of resin, photoinitiator and color powder. After being exposed to a specific UV light, it will harden quickly. The nail gel material will become strong after curing and will not dissolve easily with the solvent. The best way to remove the nail gel is to sand the surface of the top coat to reduce its thickness, then wrap the nail with a nail remover pack for 3 to 5 minutes and remove it. Just gently push and scrape with a steel pusher. If there is still a small amount of gel left, sand it down with a sanding strip.
Fake nails are thicker and harder than nail gel applied with a single color. Even if you use a nail removal kit directly, it will be very slow and hard. The best way is to use nail clippers to cut it short, then use a polisher to polish off a thin layer of the fake nail, then use a nail removal pack to soften the nail for 5 to 10 minutes. After the time is up, use a steel pusher to remove the residue. Remember, if there is still a large area of un-softened gel residue, do not use tools to push, you should continue to wrap it with the nail removal pack and wait for a period of time to remove it again.
Builder gel nail is the hardest and most difficult type of nail product to remove. If you use the incorrect method or forcefully peel it off, you will cause very serious damage to your own nails and a large area of damage overall. The correct way is to cut it short with a nail clipper first and use a sander to thin the gel as well. (Note: If you still need to do the extensions, you don't need to remove all the gel, just cover it and recreate it.) If you don't want to recreate it, just wrap it with a nail removal pack for 5 to 10 minutes and then use a steel pusher to remove it.
Due to the different material of Acrylic powder, the speed of fusion with nail removal pack is faster than builder gel. After you cut it short and polish it, you can remove it after 3 to 5 minutes by wrapping it with a nail removal pack. If there is any residue left after a light push with a steel pusher, just use a sponge to polish it untill it' s clean.
These five tips will help stop your gel nails from lifting and help them last longer in better condition. What is great about these tips is that they are simple things that can be done, it doesn’t take any extra time, but they can improve the experience you have with your gel nails.
Picking a gel nail off will not only ruin your manicure, but it causes a lot of damage to your nail bed. Your nail bed has many layers of skin cells, and picking your gel nail off takes the top protective layers off.
This will cause your natural nails to be a lot weaker and cause an uneven surface; an unhealthy surface will lead to your future manicure chip more.
So, even though we all get the urge to pick at our gel manicures, it is essential to resist the temptation; otherwise, it will damage our future manicures.
As we stated earlier, applying a top coat is very important as it seals the gel polish. Most people forget that you can apply thin layers of a topcoat after having your nails done, which ensures that the seal is strong and keeps your nails in the best condition possible for as long as possible.
Topping up on a topcoat means that you don’t need the strongest topcoat; a thin quick-dry topcoat will work just as well, as it is essential to remember that you are only using it to keep the seals tight, not to form the seals.
Preventing your nails from getting chipped is so much better than having to fix them. You can do so many simple things in your everyday life to prevent your nails from getting chipped, for example, wearing gloves when washing up or cleaning, not opening boxes using your nails, or the worst one, biting your nails.
These are such simple changes in your day that could cause your nails to be in better condition; they may seem like a bit of hassle, but once you get used to it and see how much it improves your manicure, they’ll instantly become part of your routine.
The recommended amount of time you should have gel nails on is two to three weeks, and although it can be tempting to leave them for longer if they don’t look outgrown or chipped, you should try to get them done within the recommended time.
If not, you do cause potential damage to your nail beds; again, it can weaken them. Another issue with leaving them too long is that any moisture that can get under the nail once the gel starts lifting can cause bacteria to grow, leading to infections.
This may not be a common thing to happen, but it is possible and something that we’d all like to avoid, so make sure you don’t leave it too long.
If you find it hard to get your nails redone regularly, giving your nails a break is also beneficial. Having back-to-back manicures will cause your nails to get dehydrated, so giving your nails a break every other manicure or so will help strengthen your nails.
Not only that, but it will make your future manicure better quality, so your nails will defiantly thank you and reward you for the much-needed break.