How to do nail design with gel?

Gel nail design is a widely used and popular treatment in nail care. This practice is ideal for fortifying the nails, ensuring a flawless appearance for a period of three to five weeks and is particularly suitable for clients who want nails that are always in good order, in particular, for those who suffer from onychophagia-related disorders.

During reconstruction, gel is applied to natural nails to change their shape and length as well as to make them more resistant to impact. This process is structured into several steps, including nail preparation, gel application, and polish application. So let’s find out how to do gel nail design to ensure long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing results.

1. Nail preparation

For a gel nail design, of paramount importance is to give proper attention to nail preparation. In fact, only a nail plate treated in the proper way guarantees a good quality and, above all, long-lasting result. The key moments of nail preparation are as follows:

• sanitation;
• manicure;
• dehydration of the nail plate

First, it is important to start the treatment with clean, polish-free nails. It is therefore necessary to remove any previous manicure residue and ensure that the client’s hands are completely dry.

The second step involves making the manicure. At this stage, it is necessary to proceed with cuticle care. More specifically, these are thin thickenings of the skin that play a vital role in protecting the growth area of the nails themselves, but they can become unattractive and, if neglected, can cause discomfort, pain, and even infection. Therefore, it is crucial to remove the cuticles before applying the gel.

Once the cuticle care is finished, we move on to choosing and making the shape, paying special attention to carefully smoothing and matting the nail surface with a buffer, so as to completely remove all the impurities that are normally deposited on the uppermost layer of the nail and ensure greater adherence to the products that are applied later.

In this regard, why not opt for a Japanese manicure as a preparation for gel reconstruction? This type of treatment is ideal as a base for reconstruction because water is not used and, as a result, allows the gel to adhere more easily to the nail without risk of blistering or lifting.

Once the manicure is complete, it is time to move on to the application of nail prep. Nail prep is a dehydrating product designed to be used before primer on natural nails. The process of removing moisture or oil on the nail is essential to ensure better and longer lasting adhesion of extension materials such as gel to the surface of the natural nail. Removing moisture and oils helps prevent the final treatment result from flaking off prematurely.

2. Nail reconstruction

Once the nail plate is properly prepared, you can move on to the actual nail reconstruction. At this stage it is necessary:

• apply tips or maps, to have a base on which to polymerize the gel;
• Apply a first layer of product and dry it with a UV/LED lamp;
• Give the desired shape and length to the nail and remove the map;
• Apply the gel, taking care to reinforce structurally weak points;
• Finish the shape and curvature of the nail.

For gel reconstruction, it is possible to operate in different ways: with the use of classic tips, dual-form tips, or maps. If you have very advanced manual dexterity and the client requires reconstruction without special lengthening, it is also possible to proceed freehand.

In general, employing tips results in the use of less gel than using a map and speeds up working time with an extremely natural result. On the other hand, nail enhancement with a file is particularly useful if you have to work on very short nails or nails with a narrow base of support.

After applying an initial layer of product, you can move on to modifying the shape and length achieved by gel application. There are many options, and they can be selected based on the client’s personal preferences or even in consideration of special events she wishes to attend. The decision should also take into account the length and shape best suited to the hand on which the gel treatment is to be performed, taking into consideration the client’s daily habits so as to achieve the ideal result according to her needs.

When you are rebuilding a nail, it is critically important to pay attention to reinforcing the nail plate along possible breakage points in order to ensure that your clientele receive a long-lasting, quality treatment. Once you are satisfied with the shape and length obtained, you can finish the work you have done, without forgetting to adjust the nail doming as well.

3. Gel application with LACTUBE™

After giving the desired shape to the nail with gel, it is time to turn to the application of polish. At this stage you can unleash your creativity with color combinations, patterns and designs.

With LACTUBE™ you are guaranteed a superior quality, user-friendly and eco-friendly product. LACTUBE™ is a semipermanent nail polish that can be applied with excellent results both on the natural nail and for gel extensions : its high-pigmentation formulation ensures uniform color, free of bubbles or wrinkles. In fact, the layer of polish settles evenly over the entire surface of the nail, covering every point of the nail plate.

The application of this gel polish is further facilitated by the product’s innovative ergonomic shape : designed as a writing instrument, a light pressure on the soft tube is enough to dispense a small amount of product from the applicator. This design avoids possible contamination from contact with external agents or previous applications through the use of the classic, flask and jar systems.

After applying LACTUBE™, it is time to finish the gel nail treatment with a finish. Depending on the client’s taste and preference, the work can be finished with a glossy finish, for a bright and shiny result, or a matte finish, for refined and elegant nails.