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Gorgeous gorgeous girls learn how to do their own nails at home. For years I’ve been painting my own nails at home using regular nail polish. The ease of removing regular nail polish and changing up my nails every week was what I loved the most. What I stopped loving about regular polish was:
- The top coat looking dull after a few days
- Chipping polish
- Not being able to do intricate designs due to how long regular polish takes to dry
So recently, I decided to up my game and invest in some gel polish. The main concern was how to remove the gel polish without damaging my nails. I went on a journey of buying a few different removal options and I finally have a complete starter kit to share with you if you would like to also do your own gel nails at home.
Note: I am not a professional. These products and tips are simply based off my personal experience from doing my nails for years and watching a bunch of videos on social media!
Why gel polish
Why did I want to start doing gel nails at home? The gel nails look fresh and shiny the whole time. The gel polish does not chip and if proper prep and care are done prior to applying the gel, you also won’t experience any lifting or peeling. The biggest reason to switch to gel is all the different designs you can do since you cure the gel between each layer.
How long will my nails last
There are a few factors that go into this answer:
- How fast do your nails grow?
- How often do you want to change up your color or design?
For me, I typically switch up my gel polish between 11 – 14 days.
What do I need to get started
I did some research on Amazon to find the best starter kit. I wanted my kit to include a good UV lamp, a few polishes, some nail tools and the base and top coat. I also didn’t want it to break the bank. I ended up finding this kit, which I’ve been loving. It was the perfect way to test out some neutrals.
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Nail colors
Once I got comfortable with the starter kit, I found myself wanting more colors and sparkles! After some Amazon research and some influencing on TikTok, I then purchased these color sets on Amazon:
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Look at how beautiful this reflective sparkle gel polish is! It looks completely different between direct sunlight vs. no sunlight.
Nail Designs
A benefit of getting in to gel nails is being able to do some designs. Since each layer of gel is cured, if you mess up you can fix a part of your design without completely starting over! These double ended nail brush / dotting tool are key! It is what I have used for the last 3 sets of nails I have done. Whether it’s using them to create designs or cleaning up the cuticles prior to curing, they’ve been my most used tool.
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Here are a few designs I did using this double ended tool!
How to remove the gel nails
This is the reason why I’ve waited a few months to share this post with you. Gel removal is just as important as applying your gel polish. I’ve destroyed my nails in the past due to improper removal. The key is patience!
- Use a nail file or nail drill to remove the first few layers of your gel polish
- Use the acetone soaking containers (linked below) to soak your nails. With these containers, you add warm water to the base and acetone to the top where you soak your nails
- Now – this is where patience is needed. You will need to soak your nails in the acetone until the gel polish is basically flaking off and its not a struggle to scrape the polish off your nails. Depending on how many layers I filed off, this takes me anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. I use the looped metal tool that comes with the containers to gently pull loose gel from.
I also have been applying gel to my toes, and for toe gel polish removal, I recommend the individual clips that hold soaked cotton balls to.
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