How to Do a UV Gel

Overworking UV gel creates bubbles in the gel.

UV curing gels have been used as nail applications for quite some time. These gels are easy to apply and are as durable as acrylic. When applying UV gels, perhaps the most important consideration is cleanliness. The nail beds must be cleaned and filed before receiving the gel. The second most important consideration is thickness. UV rays must penetrate the gel coating in order to cure it. Therefore, it is best to apply three or four thin coats of UV gel rather than one or two thick coats. Thick coats not only dry unevenly, they produce a considerable amount of heat and may damage or pull the nail beds.

Things You'll Need

• Soap
• Water
• Sanitizing solution
• Nail brush
• Hand sanitizer
• Nail file
• Soft nail file
• UV gel brush
• Orangewood stick
• UV gel lamp
• UV gel sealer
• Nail polish

Instructions

Prepare Your Nails and Your Work Area

1. Disinfect the table you will be working on. Wash all of your tools in soap and water, then immerse them in a sanitizing solution for at least 10 minutes.

2. Wash your hands and the hands you are working on with mild soap and warm water. Use a nailbrush or toothbrush to scrub the cuticles and under the nails.

3. Rub hand sanitizer on your hands and the hands you will be working on just before you begin.

4. File the nails. Shape the tip of the nail into a uniform shape. Use a 240 grit soft file to file the top of the nail in the direction of its growth to remove the shine.

5. Soak the nails in a warm water and soap solution for three minutes to soften the cuticles. Push back the cuticles, and remove any translucent excess skin that is adhered to the surface of the nails.

Apply the UV Gel

1. Scoop a small amount of the UV gel onto your brush. Wipe the back side of the bristles clean by wiping them on the edge of the gel's jar.

2. Brush a thin coat of gel over the entire nail plate of each nail on one hand. Lay the gel in the center of the nail bed, then use the brush to spread the gel out toward the cuticle. Leave a thin, gel-less border between the UV gel and the cuticle and side walls of each nail to make sure that no gel touches the skin. Use the same even strokes you would use to apply nail polish. Use as few strokes as possible when applying the gel. Overworked gel will develop air bubbles and cure unevenly. Do not press the brush so hard that the bristles fan outward. Create a smooth edge on the tip of the nail by wiping the brush across its edge.

3. Check the nails. Make sure that the layer of UV gel on each hand is applied thinly and evenly. Check the cuticles and sides of the nail bed to see if any gel is touching them. If there is, scrape it away with the tip of an orangewood stick.

4. Place the UV gelled nails under a UV light for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer (usually between one and three minutes).

5. Apply the desired amount of coats to one hand (cure the gel between each coat). Then apply the gel, in layers, to the other hand. Buff the nails smooth with your soft file. Then apply a sealer according to the manufacturer's instructions, and follow it with nail polish.

Tips & Warnings

• UV bulbs stop working efficiently after roughly six months of use. To keep your lamp working efficiently, change its bulb twice annually.

References

• Hooked on Nails: UV Gel Application

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish