Many women’s idea of pampering involves having their nails done. There is something soothing and comforting about having your hands taken care of while also adding a splash of color to your life. Nail painting has a long and illustrious history: some very fashionable historical figures, like Cleopatra, had their nails painted to showcase their beauty and power. In ancient times, nail polishes were made from natural dyes such as kohl or henna. Over the centuries, these ancient techniques have evolved into more sophisticated gel polishes. At the moment, gel nail polishes and nail powders are all the rage. Whether you choose to go for a pampering trip to the nail salon or you have the time for some at-home beauty rituals, getting or giving yourself a manicure will help you boost your confidence and add an edge to your look. To really treat yourself, you can organize a manicure spa day for you and your girlfriends at your place. All you need is a gel nail polish kit and loads of imagination. Here are some tips for choosing the best gel nail polish and how to use it. You can also have a look at this tutorial, to follow the steps of correctly applying gel nail polish at home.
Remember to let your natural nail breathe
If you already had your nails done with gel nail polish, it is important to let your natural nail breathe before applying a fresh coat. As the rest of your body, your nails need to be hydrated. If removing the previous nail polish gel has involved a particularly abrasive substance or if your nails were filed too aggressively, you need to let them breathe for a few days. This rule also applies when your nails have an unhealthy yellow look. Keep them hydrated by applying cuticle oil and moisturizing hand creams.
Pay attention to ingredients in your gel nail polish
Gel nail polishes are usually made of polymers, solvents, and dyes. The solvents dry under UV light, which will also give the nails their lacquered appearance and resistance. This process, through which the nail polish dries and hardens under UV light is called curing, and it’s absolutely necessary for getting a gel polish mani. The gel nail polish needs to be applied twice: first, the base coat, followed by the topcoat. Each layer needs to cure under UV light for about 30 seconds. Opt for healthy gel nail polishes, free of carcinogens such as Formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate, and toluene.
Take care of your new gel mani
If you take care of it, a good gel nail polish should last up to three weeks. You can help it last longer by avoiding the external factors that could damage it. First of all, you should avoid getting your hands soaked in hot water. Try not to take long showers or baths and always remember to wear rubber gloves when doing the dishes. Likewise, wear rubber gloves if you handle cleaning products that contain solvents. If the color is starting to fade, resist the temptation to peel your nails, which makes them more fragile and brittle. Lastly, keep your nails moisturized by applying periodically cuticle oil and hand cream.
Gel nail polish colors
With gel nail polishes the colour choices are infinite. This is your chance to apply true TLC to your hands and indulge your taste for color by experimenting with art nail. The variety is even larger in the case of the UV gel nail polish. You can apply multiple layers of gel nail polish that will produce spectacular chromatic results. You can see this effect at its best in the case of color changing gel nail polishes. These gel polishes combine a ‘cold’ and a ‘warm color’. When you wear this type of gel nail polish, the color of your nails will change to reflect the temperature of your body. Because they change color with temperature, these gel nail polishes are sometimes called mood color changing gel polishes. Let’s think of a mani that you might get for a romantic date. For this occasion, you can try a color changing nail polish in which you apply two different colors on your nail in two successive coats. Apply first the ‘warm color’ such as a nuance of red pink. Cure it under the UV light and follow that with a second ‘warm’ coat in a nude color. Cure again under the UV light. The results will be spectacular. When your body temperature is in balance, neither too warm nor too cold, the nail will be half nude-half red pink, with a lovely ombre effect between them. But as soon as your body will warm up in the presence of your date, the warm color will prevail and your nails will turn red.
Getting your nails done is for many of us the ultimate indulgence. The gel nail polish mani gives you the pleasure of some affordable TLC. Pamper your hands and feel beautiful with this simple treat that will make your nails look great and help you boost your confidence.
