Tuesday, December 11, 2012

At-Home Gel Manicure

I've been itching for a perfect and shiny shellac manicure for a couple weeks, but let's be honest, homegirl can't afford to spend $30 on a manicure right now. With Christmas right around the corner, wedding expenses, and my regular bills, my wallet is feeling a little empty these days.

So of course, I took to my best friend, Google, to find myself a low cost, at-home gel manicure system. I've seen the gel manicure kits that you can buy at drugstores, but even those are a little too pricey for my current budget. But no worries, Google never lets me down. It took me right to one of my new favorite blogs The Sweetest Thing. I may or may not have read post upon post this weekend. The girl behind this blog, Emily, posted detailed step-by-step instructions on how to achieve the perfect at-home gel manicure. Score!

Reasons why I knew I needed to try this:
1) I only needed to buy one product in order to get the perfect gel manicure.
2) I could use regular nail polish that I already had -- no need to splurge on special gel nail color!
3) She recommended my all time favorite top coat! Girl after my own heart...

All you need for this at-home gel manicure is Gelous Advance Nail Gel Coat ($5.99 at Sally's Beauty Supply), any nail color of your choice, a clear top coat ( I use Out The Door Top Coat, which you can find at Sally's Beauty Supply), and a nail buffer.


First things first, remove any nail polish from your nails for a clean canvas. Use a file to shape your nails and clean up any rough edges. Next, buff your nails until they are smooth using a nail buffer. Then remove any nail dust, dirt, or oil from your nail by swiping a cotton ball soaked in acetone (or any nail polish remover) over your nails. Now you're ready to apply your gel manicure. Follow these simple steps:

1) Apply two thin layers of the Gelous Nail Gel to your nails, allowing a couple minutes in between to dry a little bit. After applying your second coat, allow the gel to set. I waited about 3 minutes.
2) Next, apply a layer of your nail color and allow to dry (about 5 minutes)
3) Apply another layer of Gelous Nail Gel on top of your nail color and allow it to set for about 2 minutes so that it's semi-dry. Make sure that the ends of your nails are sealed by swiping the brush over top. This will ensure you won't see a single chip for the entire duration of your gel manicure.
4) Apply a second layer of nail color.
5) Finish it off with your choice of top coat. Stick with a fast drying top coat with high shine for the best results.


TA-DA! A gel manicure for the fraction of the cost! Since I had every product but the Gelous Nail Gel Coat already, I only spent $5.99 for this at-home gel manicure. Can you beat that?

I'm in love with this process. It was so easy, so cheap, and so far, it's holding up really well! I put my gel manicure through the test of all tests....peeling tape off of my desk. This annoying task would be a death sentence for any manicure, but my gel manicure got the job done without a single chip or break!

Try it out! I know you won't be disappointed!

Happy Tuesday!!!

144 comments:

Ashley @ Lets Get Bananas said...

I want to do a gel manicure at home too! I'll definitely have to try this - thanks for the instructions!

Blue Dog Belle said...

Okay... I need to try this. Will you let us know how the removal process goes? That's what I'm most weary of...

Amy Lynn Wentz said...

Love love love!! I'm going to have to try this... also - thanks for sharing about your new favorite blog! It's fun to find new blogs, especially when you find bloggers who are from your homestate! :)

Kalie said...

So simple! I think I might be stopping at Sally's on my way home tonight. I have been considering getting a Shellac manicure, but this homegirl doesn't want to spend the money on nails either!

Carolyn said...

Oh man! I'm going to need an update to see how long this lasts!! :) Thanks for the tip!

Melissa said...

OMG you've got to be kidding! I get shellac manicures every 3 weeks and this seems so much more fiscally responsible! Hmmm..you'll have to let us know how long it lasts!! :)

Kristin said...

so great to know!! thank you for sharing!!

The Sweetest Thing said...

Ah! I love a shoutout - this just made me day! Thanks so much!!

The Sweetest Thing said...

PS - when I'm ready to change it - I just peel it off!

Dash Interiors said...

Hey girl newest follower!! YAY so excited to have met you excited to follow your blog.
Come say hi when you get a chance
XO
Ash
http://abpetite.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Ive been doing this too, keeping it clear but instead of out the door, I found that In a Hurry by the same company as Gelous works better for me. Leslie

Anonymous said...

OK sounds great...but what about the removal??? Thats always the worst part.

amylynn said...

the original blogger said she just peels hers off when she want to change it. no hassle in that.
tho it cant be good for your nails lol

Anonymous said...

Just did this!! Now I just need to wait and see how long it lasts. I do hair for a living, so my nails always chip very quickly. Hoping this works!

Anonymous said...

I love this but what if you need to apply more than one coat of nail color? Would you put another coat of the Gelous Nail Gel? Or would you just put another coat of nail color on?

Anonymous said...

As a manicurist I can tell you this will not hold up as well as a typical Shellac gel manicure. I have a bottle of Gelous base coat (I actually use it as a top coat because its so shiny! Dry time is horrible though.)The reason a gel manicure lasts like it does is because you are curing each layer under a UV or LED light, which gives off photoinitiator particles which cause the molecules in the gel to harden and stick together. You can not achieve this sort of chemical reaction with a base coat. I think whoever recommended this got caught up in the word "gel" and thought it would work. It may help your polish stay on longer because you put a layer of base coat in between your two coats of color, but I highly doubt it. If anything it will make your polish thicker (and Gelous is pretty thick compared to most base coats anyways), which causes peeling and excessive chipping. In my time as a nail tech I have found nothing close to a typical hard or polish gel manicure, simply because you can not create the chemical reaction. The closest thing I've found is using polish and nail glue (base of nail glue, layer of polish, base of nail glue, layer of polish, top coat) which hardens your nail similar to a gel manicure, but absolutely destroys your nails! If you go to an experienced nail tech, she can give you and excellent gel manicure that will not damage your nails.

Jenna said...

I've had my fair share of gel manicures so I understand that this process is not the same and does not last as long. I'm simply sharing it as an affordable alternative. This system lasted a week on my nails without a single chip. I know gel manicures last 2 weeks at least. I found the gelous made my manicure thicker and shinier, resembling a salon gel manicure. It also helped to keep my manicure last longer than it normally would. I'm not claiming this system is the same as a salon gel manicure, as I know it is not. Just sharing with my readers a system that works for me and it more cost effective. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

Jenna said...

You actually apply two coats of nail color with this system with a coat of gelous in between. If you need more coats of nail color, just apply another coat of gelous!

Jenna said...

I use straight acetone and it comes off just as normal nail polish comes off with nail polish remover.

Michelle (Reading Lark) said...

What color is that? I love it!

Unknown said...

Wow def. goin to try this I use to use the sallys gel top that you have, all the time but no matter what it ALWAYS chipped but I'm goin to try it in the order you do it in.

Lauren said...

I used this system on my nails on Sunday morning and it is Friday night and I don't have any chips! My nails ALWAYS chip within two day with regular polish. It seriously is so much like gel polish to me but way cheaper! I probably won't pay for a gel manicure again :)

Unknown said...

How would you do a french tip manicure with this? When I do my french tips I do 2 coats of my base color first then 2 coats of my tip color and finish with a shiny top coat. Would I just paint a layer of Gelous between each coat? That seems like quite a it of paint. I'm trying to figure out how to make my polish last through my wedding and honeymoon, we will be swimming a lot on our honeymoon and water is always a quick way for my polish to lift and peel.

ddebanks said...

Totally going to try this.

cstewart29 said...

Does this damage your nails in any way?

TabithaLuster said...

Wow, thank so much! :) Trying this out ASAP!

Jenna said...

As long as you don't peel the polish off, it won't damage your nails. To remove, I just use pure acetone instead of regular nail polish remover and it works great. Just make sure you wash your hands and put some hand cream on afterwards; acetone is extremely drying.

Jenna said...

I've never done a French manicure with the system. I agree that doing a layer of gelous between each coat would take forever and would get too thick! Try doing two coats of your base, a layer of gelous, and then two coats of the french tip. Let me know how that works!

Samantha M. said...

Gelous is excellent for smoothing out thirsty glitters, i.e. the ones that eat top coat like it's their job. So if you don't like a gritty texture, put a coat of Gelous over your last coat of glitter, let it dry (and it will take a while, must let it dry thoroughly!) then a quick dry top coat like Seche Vite. Feels like glass. I've found that in general using a clear base coat over textured or gritty polish before putting on my top coat helps make a barrier so the top coat doesn't sink in.

Search for Loodie Loodie Loodie's blog post about mixing glycerin and pure acetone to help make it more moisturizing without losing the removal qualities. It's like Zoya's Remove+ without the cost.

Anonymous said...

Love this! Seriously, who doesn't want to save money? Going for a gel mani every two weeks just isn't an option...sorry nail girls.

Missi said...

It is not strong like the gel in salons so it comes right off. You can tell that is thicker than regular polish. I love it!

Anonymous said...

my sister owns a salon, thats where i get my shellac manicures. buuut i cant drive 2 hours to get to her as often as i would like. soooo thanks for posting an alternate way of keeping my nails looking fabulous in the meanwhile.

Unknown said...

Just tried it and it looks great! I'll check back in and let everyone know what I think in a few days!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for this! i love to cook (and unfortunately have to wash a lot of dishes) so my nail polish never lasts more than three days but those gel manicure are just way too expensive! This worked perfectly it's been over a week now and they still look great

Anonymous said...

I have had a Gel nails x2 before and it lasted not even a week and it still not good for your nails. I have used this gel product and have it on my nails LOVE LOVE LOVE it !!!! works for about a week but does the job well and I fill it dries pretty good. When I remove my nail polish I do the foil treatment that people have probably seen on pinterest works GREAT !!

Anonymous said...

I wanted to try this method. I headed down to Sally Beauty. I could not find the product so I asked the clerk. She hands me a bottle different then the one you have in your picture and says its about $18. I said I was sure I looked on line and the one I was looking for was $5.99, She was a bit rude and said there was no such product that sold for under $15. I came home looked again and there it was. Not impressed with the sales clerk. I will try again another time. The store is at the other end of the city so not somewhere I go often.

Anonymous said...

I used to get gel manicures all the time and I know from my nail technician that peeling it off is not a good idea. It can also remove a very thin top layer of your own nail...thus weakening the natural nail. Gel manicures should come off with acetone.

Unknown said...

I really like this technique....I have tried this several times and it works like a charm for me. Like you said you have had your fair share of gel manicures as well as I have too. This is definitely a more affordable way to that gel look.....Thanks again

Anonymous said...

For a wedding and honeymoon, I would go salon.

Anonymous said...

I did this last Friday, and my nail still looked awesome one week later! Polish came off easily with nail polish remover too! Doing it again this week with a new color :) new favorite way to do my nails, thanks so much for this!

Unknown said...

It lasted about a week and a half, and even then, no chips, just worn a bit on the edges. Came off easily with acetone nail remover. Great pin and thanks for the info!

Anonymous said...

Just bought everything at Sally's for under $25.00. Looking forward to saving $35.00 every 2-3 weeks. Will let you know…

Anonymous said...

I headed over to Sally's yesterday to by the polishes and then my sister and I sat down last night and tried this out. So far it looks great. I'm looking forward to see how long it lasts!

HotPinkThread said...

Sally's also sells an item called French wrap, which might work in conjunction with this format. The French Wrap are little thin tips of white, that you glue onto your own nail to make an easy French manicure. For $14 it comes with base, top coat and the glue too. Combined with the Gel polish, it may work!!!

Anonymous said...

I saw a few comments about gel nails being damaging and I wanted to correct that. Gel nails are not the same thing as a soak off gel. Totally different product. Shellac, Gelish, etc are all soak off gels. Some cu with UV, some with LED, many cure with both. No one should be using a drill on your natural nail. If a power tool is being used on your nail plate, run away. That is what cheap salons do and removes too much of the nail no matter what they say, weakening them until they grow out. All that is needed before a soak off gel is for the shine to quickly be knocked off the nail with a light buffing. This mostly removes dirt and oil sitting in grooves of your nail that would cause lifting. The dust should be removed and wiped down before application, otherwise lifting will happen. If the gel touches the sidewall (skin, cuticle) at all, premature lifting will happen. Removal should be filing the surface of the gel (no damage, you're filing the gel not the nail) to break the "seal" and allow the acetone soaked cotton ball (held on with tinfoil) to soften it over about 5-10 minutes then easily be pushed off with spoon style cuticle pusher. No force is necessary, just soak longer. Moisturize after, it is drying but so are household cleaner, hair styling products and pool water.

Gelous is a great base coat. The gelous between each polish coat will give you that thick soak off gel look but it isn't really necessary to keep it on longer. For many nails this thick of an application without 100% drying time in between, and even then, will cause it to peel off. A bit more expensive, but wait for a drugstore dot com sale and get a Sally Hansen, Kiss, Red Carpet Nail, or Sensationail kit on sale for about $30. Just apply the base then top coat (base, topcoat, then base, topcoat if you want it thicker) as the instructions will tell you and it will last two weeks and you can use your regular polish over it with no chipping! You can change polish with non acetone remover too! It will take month to run out of base and topcoat and the solution you use to remove the sticky induction layer? It is just alcohol!

Anonymous said...

I was excited to find your recommendation. The only product I was missing was the Gelous so I picked this up at Sally's. Even better they had it on sale, $3.99! I have had Shellac, Gellish and OPI Soak off Gel manicures and while I LOVE them and they do last on me 2 weeks I prefer to do the gels on special occasions, vacations, holidays as I get bored with the colors and I don't want to spend $60 monthly on gel manis. I have about 100 bottles of polish so this seems like a great alternative. I will try later today and report back on how many days I go without a chip, my typical is 2 days... :(
Jenna - I too love Out the Door topcoat. I bought In a Hurry drying topcoat and it too is AWESOME! Also at Sallys.

Jakki said...

I did my nails this way for the first time last night. I have had gel manicures done in the past and just could not justify spending that kind of money. I got SO many compliments on my nails today and they held up very well. I'm a teacher and my job is very hard on my nails. Thanks so much for posting this great information!! Saved time and money...woo hoo!!

Anonymous said...

I agree with the nail tech above. I am also a nail tech and this just wont work. A true 'gel' needs to be cured with a light. and peeling it off as removal is by far the worst thing you can do, it will rip layers of your nail off with it. I do gel polish manicures every weekend and they are great, and I understand everyone wanting a cheaper alternative, but by reading these instructions this just wont work. :(

Anonymous said...

it lasted about a week and a half then i just took it off because i wanted a different color. very good job. thanks.

Ashley Forrest said...

I just tried this process tonight and so far so good..

I did alter it a little:
1. Orly nail primer
2. 2 coats OPI Nail Envy nail strengthener (I have SUPER brittle nails)
3. 2 coats Gelous (I am <3ing this!!)
4. One coat lacquer (tougher than polish)
5. 1 coat Gelous
6. 1 coat color
7. ROCK (UV activated top coat - stays super glossy and sets in sunlight!!)

I already like the look of my nails!! Thanks for you great insights and I think I have found my new nail routine!!

Liz said...

I just wanted to say thanks for sharing such an awesome alternative to the salon gel manicure! I'm a huge fan of painting my nails and I just did an intricate design including little rhinestones and my manicure lasted 2 weeks with only minor chips (and i work retail too)! This is now my go to method for painting my nails! Thanks for sharing your discovery!!!

Anonymous said...

I live in Canada and the Sally's beauty supplies did not have the gelous product. Does anyone know of any other place to purchase it?
Georgina

Anonymous said...

Or you can go to sallys and get a remover specifically designed to remove gel. Acetone, over time, can be very drying and do damage as well.

The Beauty and The Business said...

I actually use this as the top coat. Then put a fast drying clear coat over that to speed up drying time since that takes forever.

Unknown said...

Could you "cure" the gel with a LED flashlight or do your nails outdoors because the sun emits UV rays?

CupcakeCreator said...

For some reason I have a harder time believing someone who gets paid to do nails than people who have actually tried it. And the author specifically states that this is not the same nor is it going to last as long, but it is a good alternative for those who just want something that lasts a little longer. Before I form my opinion, I'm trying it.

Unknown said...

That happened to me aswell. she probably showed you gelish top coat instead of gelous!

janessadawn said...

I have been DIY-ing Shellac manicures ever since Shellac first came out. I'm not licensed so I can't buy the polishes in person (although I did once buy Gelish at Sally w/o incident), but the internet is marvelous for buying things that are allegedly only sold to special groups. I haven't tried this method, but as an aside, I was able to buy a cheap UV light on eBay and it has worked great at doing at-home Shellac manis and pedis. The up front cost is higher than this of course, but if you're trying to avoid the salon and still want the same thing, this might be an option. My pedis last MONTHS, and I'm not exaggerating.

Kari said...

I did this last night, and so far not impressed! This morning I did some light household chores and looked down to see that my middle finger was naked, all the polish was GONE. Then, I was getting myself ready for the day and my thumb color just fell off. Looking at my fingers now, I see where the very side of another nail is starting to go (on the opposite hand).

Sophia said...

where did you get rock

Unknown said...

Love Gelous been using it for 8yrs! Have turned many admirers on to it..Thanks for adding a colorful addition to my high shine..lol

SaysSyd said...

Hey! I have had these nails painted for a day now and so far no chips! With track and school and playing the violin for an hour I usually see many chips by now, but os far none. It took me about an hour this time with the intricate designs I do it usually takes 40 mins but the time is no matter if they stay this nice I am IN LOVE!! SHHHH best kept secret I'll ever have. Thanks!!! Keep you updated. I'm sold

Unknown said...

I read the review of the gel on the Sally website and the product is highly recommended. Based on the comments they said make sure the nails are clean and oil free (use your nail polish remover first), do (2) thin coats of the gel, apply your nail color, and apply (1) layer of the gel as a top coat and to make sure to cover the free edge of your nail.

Unknown said...

I was wondering the same thing as I do my own french manicure and by doing my own I mean slathering on the white and then removing it with a q-tip dipped in acetone to make the line....that would remove the gel, I assume? But would love to try it!

Unknown said...

Is it possible to get the gel polish in store anywhere? Shipping is a pain and it's just 209348 times easier.

Unknown said...

I got mine at Sally's just a few days ago was on sale too! Think it was around $4.35

Unknown said...

I tried it!!!! I'm loving my mani. Of course the nail tech would not agree because if her customers knew this, she would be out of business. Thanks so much for sharing

Unknown said...

Professional Nail Techs are going to hate this just like hair stylists hate people dying their hair at home but they don't need to be poor sports about it! I tried it & I LOVE it! And I do my nails ALL the time so this will definitely be my new nail routine! With the economy the way it is people are going to be doing a lot more at home DIY projects and tasks they would otherwise spend a lot more money on. Thank you for the great post! Keep em coming! :)

Christine said...

Thank you Jenna for the great post! I followed your instructions to the letter on Saturday morning. I've been deliberately being rough on my nails and so far they still look fantastic. I normally would be completely chipped and ragged by now. My nails are so thin and damaged from years of acrylic nails and I haven't worn those for 10 years now and they are still a mess. I've been to chicken to get Shellac for fear of doing more damage. I am soooo happy I found your blog. Thank you again!!

Jenny said...

I have an at home gel kit (Haute) which includes the light. I love it, but their polishes are made for 15 year olds...very bad color choices. I wonder if this system would work with the light I already have?
I have had ZERO luck getting salon gel manicures - mine usually start peeling off within 2-3 days. Which is why I invested in an at home kit...so I could just redo it myself. The thing I love about the light & gel process is it is instantly dry & hard...no chance for messing them up.

nicole dasnoit said...

I am trying this tonight!! I wait tables for a living so every manicure I give myself last a day or two tops so I am excited to see how long this will stand up to my job! Thanks for the post!!

Sweeter Hours said...

In the process of doing it now. Love Gelous!

April Dawn Bell said...

I do something similar. I put a base coat of Rock Hard, two coats of lacquer, one to two coats of Gelous and a top coat of Seche Vite. Seche Vite dries much faster than Out the Door. I've had a manicure last a week with that technique.

JenMgriff said...

As a former nail tech, I know that the nail product market is expanding rapidly. If you find a product that works for you, use it! A base coat certainly isn't going to put nail techs out of business. How many people stray from gel manicures because it takes for-e-ver to take off and put back on? I know I do! If this is a good product that helps polish last longer while achieving a similar look to a real gel mani, techs can use it as an add-on for clients. Lets face it: there is a good bit of the population that having someone else do their nails for them - nail techs included! :)

Unknown said...

This really works!!! Try it!!!

meowmomma said...

I buy CND Shellac all the time on Amazon and am not licensed. I started out getting it on buynail.com when it first came out, but it's much more readily available on Amazon! Even the lights and replacement bulbs. I've gotten to the point where I check Amazon for just about anything I want to buy!

Anonymous said...

Question, since you are using the gel polish do you have to have a uv lamp to cure it?

Unknown said...

One of your followers just shared your article on Bellashoot.com
Feel free to share more of your advice anytime :)

melissa said...

It looked great on the first day, but DID NOT WORK anytime after that. Started to peel off day 2 or 3. Too bad, too good to be true.

Color Me Thin said...

I've been doing this for over a month now, with great results. I only change my nail polish because I WANT to now, not because I have to. I had breakfast at my mom's yesterday, and she was jealous because mine looked professional (and perfect) after 1.5 weeks and her shellac was chipped like crazy. The only thing I did was put another top coat about a week after, just to keep it sealed from where my nails had grown. I'm not paying $25 every two weeks when I can do this on my own!

Christine said...

Thought I'd update. The first time I tried this technique it held for a week without chipping. When I saw a comment on here about Rock, I thought I'd try that for the top coat instead of the Out The Door. I liked the idea of it curing in the sunlight for some reason. Unfortunately the Rock didn't hold has well for me. It chipped after about 2-3 days. I was blaming it on the technique thinking that first week was a fluke. I tried the Rock about 3 times before going back to Out The Door. So I"m on day 4 with Out The Door and I have no chips!!!! I'm thinking this is a better product. Sticking with the original program. It's so nice to be able to wear polish without it being such a hassle. Thanks again.

Dora said...

I just wanted to update as well. I did this and I found that it peeled within 2 days. I tried it again because I thought that maybe my nails hadn’t been 100% oil free. They peeled again within 2 days. That’s not the worst of it though. My entire nails peeled, almost to the cuticle. I wasn’t sure if the peeling was due to the Gelous or my top coat (Seche Vite) because both were new to me. After months or letting my nails grow out (they kept peeling), I’ve tried the Seche Vite again as a top coat and I can report that it wasn’t making my nails peel. So just a warning, Gelous isn’t for everyone.

June said...

Thank you for this post. I got eight days of wear without a chip. I only removed it (which was surprisingly easy) because I wanted to change colors and cover the new growth. Home manicures usually last about 1-2 days on me before chipping.

Unknown said...

I just got these polishes {the Gelous and the Out The Door Top Coat} for my birthday, and I just applied them! After reading all of these comments I was so excited. I was amazed at how quickly the top coat dries the polish, and it is DRY, not just to a degree that you can touch it, but so that you can even press on it and it won't move. I am already so impressed with the top coat that I hope the rest of it all works nicely. I just paired mine with a cheaper nail color for now to see how it holds. I will post again with my results!

Cynthia said...

I really wanted this to work... I painted my nails on Sunday. I did a ton of dishes Monday and it chipped and then the entire nailed peeled. I'm going to try it again and hope that it lasts longer!

LaNeshe said...

It takes a long time to dry, but it definitely lasts longer than usual polish, not as long as a real gel manicure, but longer than regular polish.

Jess and Josh said...

How about removal? That's my issue with gel!

Unknown said...

I'll definitely have to give this a try. I used to use Out The Door top coat until I found Nubar Diamont. BEST. TOP COAT. EVER. It dries sooooo quickly and makes the mani super shiny. You can find it on Amazon....give it a try, you wont be disappointed!!

Unknown said...

I'll definitely have to give this a try. I used to use Out The Door top coat until I found Nubar Diamont. BEST. TOP COAT. EVER. It dries sooooo quickly and makes the mani super shiny. You can find it on Amazon....give it a try, you wont be disappointed!!

Unknown said...

I'll definitely have to give this a try. I used to use Out The Door top coat until I found Nubar Diamont. BEST. TOP COAT. EVER. It dries sooooo quickly and makes the mani super shiny. You can find it on Amazon....give it a try, you wont be disappointed!!

Unknown said...

Love this! Even cheap Dollar Tree nail polish lasts FOREVER!

zen mommism said...

My salon gel manicures only last a week then the edges start peeling up. I bought the Gelish and a UV light for home to save money, but still it peels. How do I prevent the peeling?

Sam said...

I've been doing this method for about 7 months now and pure acetone has worked best for me in the removal process! I just put it on a cotton ball and put it over my nail, hold for a few seconds and wipe it off! You'll have to wipe several times before all the polish is off, but there is no need to peel it off! Make sure to use pure acetone enriched with vitamins!

Unknown said...

Same thing happened to me! I looked in the section where the nail strengthening polishes were.

Skermit said...

I love Gelish! It works great for me and I'm a nurse. My manis last me almost 2 weeks. I usually do a mani once a week though, because my nails grow so fast and I like to keep my nails on the shorter side, just past finger tips, but i can go 2 weeks if I need to. Here's my routine...

•clean nails with white vinegar (to remove dirt and oil)
•one coat Gelish
•one coat color polish
•one coat Gelish
•one coat color polish
•one coat top coat

Other than Gelish, all my polishes are Essie.

As I said I'm a nurse, so of course I wash my hands a lot. I also do all my dishes by hand and I'm very active. This is the only routine that has been able to keep up with me! I hope this helps. :)

Skermit said...

Also, I just remove it with regular non-acetone nail polish remover and a cotton pad.

Skermit said...

And I never buff my nails. It thins the nail and causes mine to break. Since I have stopped I rarely have a broken nail. It may be great for some, but I don't see the need for this step.

Skermit said...

*Gelous* not Gelish. Lol

Unknown said...

I use this every. time. I do my nails now. They never last less than a week, including three kids' worth of trouble, dishes, and working on a computer all day, pounding my nail tips against keys. A week is a perfect length for me too because I get bored easily. Fantastic tutorial, I will never go back to the old way!

Unknown said...

Two more quick points! 1. It works on toes too! and 2. Wrapping the tips of your nails with the polish is a VERY helpful step.

Unknown said...

FYI.. for an easy removal, use acetone, cotton ball and aluminum foil... Soak the cotton ball with acetone, place it on top of your nail, wrap it with aluminum foil and wait about 5-10 minutes. The gel color should come right off, easier that soaking all your fingers in acetone!!

Amanda Jean said...
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Amanda Jean said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amanda Jean said...

I can't thank you (and the original blogger) enough for posting this "at-home gel mani". For as long as I can remember I've been struggling with finding the perfect base and top coat combination to prevent chipping. I love color on my nails but was extremely discouraged with next day chipping - even after a salon manicure and I can't justify spending $30-$40 every 2 weeks on my nails for the shellac. While I'm not expecting the same results as the shellac, the extended life of a manicure that I can do myself has been incredible! It even survived a thorough cleaning of my apartment. Thank you SO MUCH!

Unknown said...

Hello.
I know this is an old post, but it's new to me! Lol.
Does it have to be the actual "Gelous" gel top coat, or will a different brand of gel top coat work just as well? Also... In the directions where you say to add the Gelous gel coat, can I apply one more coat of the gel coat then you say to in the directions? (I really hope you got all that because now reading It back to myself, it sounds confusing lol). The reason I'm asking about applying more gel layers is because I absolutely LOVE the "thicker nail" look you get from a salon and adding more layers of gel will achieve that look better. One more question...(sorry)... In videos I have seen online and blogs I've read about gel nails, they always warn people not to let the gel product to touch your cuticle or touch the skin around your nail. Yet, they never explain why... I'm hoping you may either know or find outthe answer to this.

Thanks :)
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Unknown said...

You should really consider having your home business with those ideas. :) Other than having an income insurance, being creative will help you out a lot.

Unknown said...

I use straight acetone and it comes off just as normal nail polish comes off with nail polish remover.
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thanks

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I didnt think id be able able to get this type of manicure at home, but I was wrong! I'm only on day 2 of this manicure but thus far it has worked well, and looks fab! I do alot of dishes being a mom of 4 and after 1 load of dishes my nails ALWAYS chip, but not this time :)
Thank you so much for sharing

Unknown said...

Check on amazon they have it

EclecticBlue said...

I loooove the idea of faux-gel (SAHM, so not a lot of time to dedicate to salons or reapplying) but when I tried this, my polish chipped within 12 hours! 24 hours later, half my tips were a chippy mess--which is par for the course for me. I used ORLY's Royal Navy for the color and Revlon's Extra Life No Chip Top Coat (950). Is it possible that I put the polish on too thick? The blue seemed to apply really watery (I didn't think two coats would provide coverage) so I did 2 coats Gelous, 2 coats ORLY, 1 coat Gelous, 1 coat ORLY, 1 coat topcoat. I'm still willing to chalk this up to user error...

Unknown said...

Good day, and thanks for sharing your inspirational manicure blog, love the color and it appears as carmine red and of course the tips.

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Travel Abroad Health Science Students said...

finishing up my first (prayerfully) of many at home gel manicures....excited to see how long this last!

Kdubb said...

I live in Canada and they have it at the Sally's beauty near me

Kdubb said...

I'm an esthetician and I have to say - this is genius! I use mostly OPI products and the selection they have in GelColor is so limited compared to the over 400 regular OPI nail laquers I have at the salon. So to be able to turn these polishes into a longer lasting formula is incredible! I have tried mixing the GelColor base and top coats with the natural nail polishes to create a longer lasting effect but it just makes them pucker. I tried your method but cured the Gelous coat under my OPI LED light and it worked wonderfully - I'll just have to wait and see how long it lasts!
Thank you! This is a total game changer! : )

Unknown said...

I love having pretty nails, but I am absolutely not the person who is mindful of using their nails to do hard tasks! I ALWAYS chip my nails within 24 hours of painting them, but with this method, they are perfect after 2 days still; I even used extremely cheap polish to put it to the ultimate test! It made the polish very smooth and I love how easy the process is. Thank you so much for sharing! Painting my nails will never be the same again.

Sabrina Webb, RD, LD said...

Great Post! Just finished this manicure and the nails look really pretty and have a nice shine on them. I went with a dark color - OPI We'll Always Have Paris. If they last even a couple of days this will be wonderful.
Funny little story - on my Sally's run to get the gelous, out the door topcoat and pure acetone from beauty secrets the girl at the check out said "oh my gosh! the woman in front you you just bought the exact same items!" I am very excited about these nails I'm sporting. I love having pretty nails but right now I have to watch my spending so anytime I can find a good alternative I'm interested.

desperatemotherinva said...

I would polish the base as usual and only use the Gelous on the tip /white part two times as stated above...usually a polish chips on the tip and not near the cuticle

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Ginny Moore said...

I finally got around to trying this and it worked great! After a week I removed it because I wanted a change, not because it was needed. I also used ROCK Top Coat and it truly looked and felt like a gel manicure. My nails are naturally thin and the Gelous and the ROCK made my nails thicker and stronger without making them brittle. And I was dating and did this worth an all glitter polish Mani! But I can day this is my new go to regimen for my manis. Thanks for posting this!

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Daffy said...

Let it dry for a really long time after the last coat. I just finished 30 minutes ago and I'm still catching it on things.

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Oh Hola I'm Ja:) said...

great ideas and I love the Gelous product. The same brand also makes a polish called Yellow Stopper that is so great! It makes your nail beds look really pink and clean and the white part look brighter too. I use it now with the Gelous and it is like a french manicure without any of the hassle. That gelous stuff is the only polish that I have ever tried that stays on my nails longer than a day without chipping. Great stuff! Thanks

Unknown said...

​I also have a bad reaction to nail polish remover! I just use as little as posible, make sure to wash my hand after, and then I use the Lady Soma Nail treatment after washing my hands. I didnt used to use a moisturizer after nail polish remover, but its a must, because it will leave your hands looking tired

Unknown said...

A Manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands performed at home or in a nail salon.

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Unknown said...

Ok so I read all the "professional" comments I'm sorry to disagree (not really) but this stuff really does work. I have been using it for years as my top coat. Never thought to use as base coat but will definitely do so from here on. It lasts for well over a week the way I've used it, comes off easily with polish remover and does not cost an arm and leg. That is usually all the time I need it for anyway as I get bored. Thanx for the tips. Always welcome!

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Gennie said...

It looks really good,.
I was searching for a perfect manicure at discount rate,.
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solarnailshub said...

Thanks for sharing amazing information the blog was absolutely fantastic! Lot of great information. Top Most-Creative Acrylic Nail Designs Shellac nails Vs Gel nails Beautiful Acrylic Nails tumblr ideas How To Remove Acrylic Nails With Common Household Items Return of the Nail Wrap Technique Solar Nails Hub

Delia said...

It didn't last weeks but at least 5 days. I used non-acetone polish remover.

Sanah Khan said...

A great nail treatment includes something other than filling your nails and covering them with nail paint. It is a detailed custom – simply the manner in which you deal with your face. What's more, who said that you have to pay to a nail expert to accomplish fantastic nails? You can do it without anyone else's help in the solace of your own home. Here's a straightforward guide that you can pursue to give yourself a nail treatment at home. Follow the below steps

Gather all the tools
Remove the nail polish
Clip and file your nails
Soak your nails
Apply cuticle cream
Apply hand moisturizer
Prepare your nails for polish
Apply thin coat
Apply top coat
Finish off with clear nail polish
Following these steps you can do your nails at your home or visit the salon near you

TheKeenHunter said...

Nail lamp is necessary for both gel setting and traditional polish. There are mainly two types of nail lamps, namely, LED nail lamps and UV nail lamps. The main difference between these both nail lamp is the type of light that they emit. Furthermore, UV nail lamps are known mainly to cure nail polish. However, with the rise of gel polish, the LED nail lamps came into the picture and have gained popularity.

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