Gel nails and real nails

[ROBBOTOO]

If you have the soak off gel nails can you let me know if they have affected your real nails.

I’ve never had a manicure other than doing myself and only ever do my own nails with a normal good varnish.

These are my own nails so you can see what mine are like.

I just love the look of the gel shiny ones and some of the beautiful gel colours and the shine you just can’t seem to get even with good gel/type normal varnish, so I was considering getting my own gel kit with iv lamp. But I’m worried I may ruin my own nails by doing gels.

Can anyone advise or even suggest a good home kit?

[EssexSue]

Originally Posted by ROBBOTOO

If you have the soak off gel nails can you let me know if they have affected your real nails.

I’ve never had a manicure other than doing myself and only ever do my own nails with a normal good varnish.

These are my own nails so you can see what mine are like.

I just love the look of the gel shiny ones and some of the beautiful gel colours and the shine you just can’t seem to get even with good gel/type normal varnish, so I was considering getting my own gel kit with iv lamp. But I’m worried I may ruin my own nails by doing gels.

Can anyone advise or even suggest a good home kit?

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You have beautiful nails. You can buy a gel by Sally Hansen that you don't have to cure and can remove with normal remover.

[Bellasmummy]

I do my own using blue sky polishes and an led lamp that I bought from amazon. They last really well and I change maybe every 2 weeks just because I can, they don’t chip at all. I can get three weeks out of them but get annoyed by the regrowth gap.

I remove using acetone and it doesn’t damage my mails at all, although I do have strong nails so I guess that help. I’m naughty on occasion and peel/pick them off and still it doesn’t damage my nails so I guess I’m lucky that they’re naturally strong.

I used to use a large lamp but bought a handheld one this summer so that I could redo my nails on holiday and it works really well so I now only use the small lamp.

I’d recommend an led lamp over a uv one as I felt the uv ones were damaging to my skin and I needed to put on sunblock before using them, I don’t seem to have this issue with the led ones. The led ones also cure faster but you need to check that the polish you buy can be cured with led as a few are uv only.

[hideinpockets]

As long as you remove gel nails properly then they should not affect your real nails. When you pick or peel gel nails it removes some of your nail too so makes them weaker. So as long as you follow proper prep and removal you should be fine! I’d probably say get a few done by a professional to see if you like them!

[ROBBOTOO]

Originally Posted by EssexSue

You have beautiful nails. You can buy a gel by Sally Hansen that you don't have to cure and can remove with normal remover.

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Thank you.

I’ve got a few of the Sally Hansen miracle gel normal varnishes that you don’t have to cure and remove with normal varnish. They are good but it’s just the colours are limited and they’re not perhaps as shiny as real gel ones look.

[ASheppard]

Your nails are lovely. I’ve only ever had gels once and I wasn’t happy with the condition of my nails when I had them removed. I always use OPI infinite shine range - loads of colours and a lovely finish x

[ROBBOTOO]

Originally Posted by Bellasmummy

I do my own using blue sky polishes and an led lamp that I bought from amazon. They last really well and I change maybe every 2 weeks just because I can, they don’t chip at all. I can get three weeks out of them but get annoyed by the regrowth gap.

I remove using acetone and it doesn’t damage my mails at all, although I do have strong nails so I guess that help. I’m naughty on occasion and peel/pick them off and still it doesn’t damage my nails so I guess I’m lucky that they’re naturally strong.

I used to use a large lamp but bought a handheld one this summer so that I could redo my nails on holiday and it works really well so I now only use the small lamp.

I’d recommend an led lamp over a uv one as I felt the uv ones were damaging to my skin and I needed to put on sunblock before using them, I don’t seem to have this issue with the led ones. The led ones also cure faster but you need to check that the polish you buy can be cured with led as a few are uv only.

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Thank you. I think I’d prefer to look at the led ones too then, if I look at doing my own.

[ROBBOTOO]

Originally Posted by hideinpockets

As long as you remove gel nails properly then they should not affect your real nails. When you pick or peel gel nails it removes some of your nail too so makes them weaker. So as long as you follow proper prep and removal you should be fine! I’d probably say get a few done by a professional to see if you like them!

See more...

Thank you.

[ROBBOTOO]

Originally Posted by ASheppard

Your nails are lovely. I’ve only ever had gels once and I wasn’t happy with the condition of my nails when I had them removed. I always use OPI infinite shine range - loads of colours and a lovely finish x

See more...

Thank you.

That’s my worry, that my own nails could be in a worse condition even after the first time! My own nails have always been strong and grow well.

I’ll have a look at the OPI infinite shine normal varnish too.

[Guest]

I use sensationail polishes and lamp and my nails are fine .
Says you have to buff your nails first but I only do that lightly and make sure I soak my nails so the polish comes off easily .