Apply cuticle oil and hand cream afterwards. If you are using a new base coat, you can skip this step. Glaze will stay fresh for 12 months after being opened! First, I recommend filing your nails with a medium grit nail file. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Try sizing down! If youre new to at-home manicures, it may be easier to do each hand separately so theres less chance of your nails getting smudged. Tested. We recommend applying our Apply our Red Therapy Rich Nail Serum as an overnight nail mask. Why does my nail polish crack after a few days? Think of it this way: using base coats as a topcoat is like using a cotton pillow to protect you against pins. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. UV lamps take 2-3 minutes to cure nails and they do use UV rays. If you can still see the color of your nail through the polish, it needs an additional coat. It sounds like the gel-polish is not fully cured. If you dont want to apply your gel manicure in 3 steps and would like to make your manicure process shorter and easier theres a solution for that. Our dip powder can last from 3-5 weeks, or up to 3 weeks longer than gel polish! Use a Regular Nail Lacquer with A Gel Base You can click here to read my article on Nail Primers Vs Base Coat. Generally Can you use Polygel without basecoat? Now that you know why base coats should not be used as topcoats, here are some reasons why you should not do it vice versa as well: As mentioned earlier, a base coat has a tackier formula compared to topcoats. Tip: Gently brush a nail against your bottom lip to test if its dry yetif the nail feels smooth and hard, its done. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Shape the nails and push back cuticles. Dont be shy. It also protects your nails from damage caused by hasty removal. If you do not have a gel base coat and you need to polish your nails for one day, you can use a gel top coat as a base coat. Can You Dry Gel Nail Polish with a Hair Dryer. Although there are some base coats with gloss, they will not last long compared to topcoats. Most top coats need 5 minutes to fully dry, but always check the instructions on your specific product to see what is recommended.