Gel Nail Polish Guide - All You Need to Know

Now we all love gel polish here, and it’s undoubtedly the most popular types of nail polish out there. But what exactly is this mysterious, magical gel we all hear so much about?

Well, we are here to explain it all! At Mylee, we’re experts in all things gel nails, and we’ve got the answers to some of your most asked questions, including how to use gel nail polish, what it is, and a whole lot more.

So whether you’re a newbie to gel nails, an experienced user looking for more info or just want to learn about the basics of this magical product, read on!

What exactly is gel nail polish, you ask? Well, gel polish is made up of a mix of monomers and oligomers (chemistry jargon) which bond together and ‘cure’ when exposed to a UV or LED light.

Gel polish is so versatile it can be applied to your natural nail, on top of nail tips, extensions, acrylics and Magic Extender Gel.

Gel polish has the ability to last for up to 3 weeks with no chipping, smudges or dents. I mean, what more could you want from a polish? Strengthen your nails, you say? Well, it actually does that too.

How much time do we have? There are several differences between gel and regular polish, but we’ll cover the main ones.

Gel polish is a thicker consistency to nail polish which allows for a smoother application.

When applying nail polish, you need to act fast as it air dries and could cause the polish to become lumpy if not applied quickly.

Gel polish does not air dry, so there’s no rush in painting, you can take your time to get the most luscious streak-free application.

Gel polish is also very durable, so you won’t have any chipping or denting in the polish.

Gel polish needs a UV or LED light to dry (cure) it, so once you’ve applied your top coat, you're ready to go (minus the tacky wipe-off layer), whereas nail polish dries in the air and can take up to 2 hours to be completely dent-resistant and dry.

Nail polish lasts for up to 7 days maximum, whereas your Mylee mani will last up to 3 weeks.

Yes! Gel polish was designed for the natural nail – as long as you apply a base coat (or Builder Gel) underneath the polish colour, your natural nails will benefit greatly from gel polish.

Gel polish is also great for painting on top of extensions and acrylics, so you can create beautifully long gel nails, too.

To perfectly apply gel nail polish, follow our steps below:

This is a really common question that’s asked time and time again, but the answer is no – gel nail polish is not bad for your nails.

Wearing gel polish can actually benefit your natural nail underneath by allowing them to grow freely and protecting them from everyday elements. It can help to strengthen your nail bed, encouraging long and healthy natural nails.

Most of the damage that comes from gel polish is in the removal. Incorrect or poor removal of the gels can cause damage to the nail plate, but this won’t be an issue if you follow the right steps.

We have got some fantastic video tutorials on how to correctly and safely remove your gel polish using our gel removal products, so we really recommend checking those out.

Our blog post on how to remove gel polish at home also details the different methods you can remove your polish, so there’s a wealth of tips and tricks for you to take advantage of.

No, you cannot use gel polish without curing it under a curing lamp. Gel polish needs to be cured under a light for the formula to set and harden. Otherwise, you won’t be able to build up layers, and your mani won’t last those 3 weeks.

Once cured, you will be left with a tacky layer that will need to be removed before completing your mani.

Unlike regular nail polish, gel polish cannot dry naturally in the air. But once you’ve added and cured your No Wipe Top Coat, your nails are ready to go. No pesky drying time or wandering around the house waving your hands frantically waiting for the polish to dry!

Never! Because our nails don’t ‘breathe’, they don’t necessarily need a break from gel polish. If the nail bed is prepped and the polish applied correctly, there’ll be no damage to your natural nail at all.

However, it is recommended that you remove gel polish every 2-3 weeks as this will allow you to maintain your cuticle care and refresh your polish.

If you don’t want to remove your gel polish, infilling is a great alternative. So, yes, you can infill gel polish, if you base your mani with Magic Extender Gel or Builder Gel.

Infilling is exactly as it sounds – you’re ‘filling in’ the growth of your polish. When your natural nail grows underneath, the gel will grow with them. You can fill in this growth with the same colour you originally had on your nails, so your mani looks just as perfect as it did when you first applied it.

This will allow you to keep the length and strength of your nails by refreshing your mani without having to remove any of the base you created.

To infill your Magic Extender Gel or Builder Gel, follow these steps:

We hope this article explained all you need to know about gel nail polish – what it is, how you can use it and why it’s the best choice for salon-quality manis at home.

We have a beautiful collection of over 190 gel polishes for creating salon-worthy nails right at home, so make sure you explore our range of colours and polishes to get started on your own perfect mani.

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