Uv gel is most commonly one of the first artificial nail types that a nail technician will learn how to apply when going through their advanced nail training.  Generally gel is easier to work with than acrylics and the consistency is much closer to polish in some cases.

Uv Gel Nail Preparation

The first step is to remove the shine from the surface of the nail plate using the buffer of your choice.  Then swipe with acetone to remove the dust oils and contaminates from the nail.  make sure to follow with a protein bond.

Now that our nail is prepped, lets get on to the gel application shall we?

Many uv gel nail kits may have different instructions and ingredients, but they will all be generally the same.  In this case we are giving instructions for a uv gel kit that has a base product and a sculpting uv gel.  Some may prefer to use a primer under the gel, but in this application we will just be using the uv base gel in its place.  Make sure to refer to the manufacturers instructions if any here are contradictory.

Apply a nice thin layer of uv gel base from the cuticle to free edge of the nail with your brush.  Do this the same way that you would apply any other nail polish, and make sure not to get any of the base gel on the skin.  Put the finger into the light for around 30 to 45 seconds.  While the nail is in the light, make sure to clean the excess uv gel off of the tip of your brush with a wet towel.

Next take a good amount of sculpting uv gel on the tip of your brush and apply it to the center of the nail.  Use the brush lightly to “float” the gel into the correct shape being extra careful to avoid contact with the skin around the nail.  You want to use the thicker viscosity of this gel to help you create the final shape or at least part of the final shape of your nail at this stage.  Make sure that the gel is not too thick, remember, you will be adding 1-3 more layers after this.  Once the uv gel nail is shaped, make sure to wipe your brush and use it to make the edges clean as they should be.  Place the nail into the uv light for 1-3 minutes if using clear gel, and at least 2-4 if using colored gel.

repeat the sculpting gel step 1-3 more times until the desired nail shape is achieved.  Finally file the nail into its final shape making sure to note that gel is easier to file than acrylic.  remove any dust and apply a finishing gloss, polish or gel.

UV Gel Nail French Manicure Tip

If you wish to achieve a uv gel nail that looks like a french manicure, make sure to pick up a clear and a white gel, and form a firm smile line with the clear gel hardened slightly before applying the white gel to the tip.  If you have ridges you can use a carefully placed coat of clear gel to smooth the nail out.