Happy Sunday (eve)! I hope all of our gorgeous followers had an amazing weekend. Mine consisted of some much needed R & R as well as lots and lots of family time. I also managed to squeeze in some time do re-do my gel nails, so I figured that is what I will share with y'all today.
I have been doing my own nails for the past couple of years, because it saves so much money. Don't get me wrong, I love being pampered just as much as (if not more than) the next girl. However, I also love saving money so I am able to spend it on other things. The savings are crazy. From the nail salons I have been, I will usually spend $20-40 on a gel manicure, depending on the place and location.
I bought my UV lamp from Sally's for about $70 and they always have deals on gel nail polish. I use the gelish mini base coat and top coat, as well as the base color. I have tried tons of other brands too, but the gelish minis are my favorite.
The Method:
(1) File and shape nails & then file the tops of the nail to rough them up just a little bit
(2) Push back cuticles with a tool or just using your finger nails
(3) Clean nails with rubbing alcohol to make sure there aren't any excess oils
(4) Paint one very thin coat of the base coat on the nails and cure each hand under the light for 60 sec
(5) Paint one very thin coat of color on and cure for 60 sec & repeat for second color coat
(6) Paint one very thin layer of top coat and cure for 120 sec on each hand
(7) Take a cotton ball or pad with rubbing alcohol and clean off sticky residue on nails
(8) Voila! Gorgeous, shiny gel nails for a fraction of the cost. :)
Tips for Success:
*Really make the coats thin. If you make them too thick, the polish will lift up in a few days and the entire polish on that nail will peel off. Trust me, I know from experience!
*Make sure after each coat the gel polish isn't on the skin around your fingers, this will also not make the polish last as long. You wan the polish to be only on your nails.
The color I have on my fingers is called "Gossip Girl" and it will last me just as long as the salon, 2-3 weeks or whenever I feel like changing the color. :) Have you ever tried doing your own gel nails? If not you should start!
xoxo
Morgan
You've got me thinking about investing in one of the lamps for myself now! It would pay for itself quickly!
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