All about gel powder and its use in manicure, review of brands • NAILS Magazine

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any product, gel powder has its advantages and disadvantages. Before choosing a product, you need to understand the pros and cons of the product.

Advantages:

The relative speed of the procedure using the product. You can create a custom manicure in just 30 minutes;
No ultraviolet exposure to nails and skin of the hands - the product composition does not require drying in a UV lamp;
The coating stays on the nails for about a month without cracking or fading;
Products intended for coating do not have the chemical smell inherent in many products in the nail industry;
In addition to the aesthetic function, it has the property of strengthening the nail plate;
In beauty salons, the speed of the procedure allows the master to increase the number of clients;
The organic composition eliminates the possibility of allergic reactions that manicurists often encounter;

Flaws:

To achieve maximum effect, you will have to purchase products from one manufacturer. When working with gel polishes, for example, it is allowed to use top and base from different companies and the result will not suffer from this;
The products dry out quickly, so to get a high-quality manicure you will have to first master the technique.

Preparation for the procedure

Before you start strengthening your natural nails with acrylic for gel polish, you should properly prepare your nails. First of all, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and dry them thoroughly.

If you have polish or any other coating on your nails, it should be removed using a special solution. By the way, acetone and similar liquids should be chosen that contain vitamins.

Then the nails should be trimmed with a buff or file and treated with a special disinfectant. This is necessary to prevent the development of fungal diseases and other problems. The cuticle must be carefully pushed back using a pusher or a wooden stick, and then a keratolytic agent must be applied to it. Next you will need a sanding file. Try to choose a tool that will not damage your nails.

There is always a thin film of fat on the plates, which prevents good adhesion of the natural surface to the artificial material. It needs to be removed. To do this, you will need a degreaser - treat your nails with it and wait until it dries completely.

Now everything is ready for the main procedure. So you can get started.

Coating technology

To create a manicure with perfect coverage you will need:

Primer;
Base;
Powder;
Siller;
Top;
Lint-free wipes for treating nails with primer;
Buff;
File for shaping the nail;
Brush.

Step-by-step instructions for working with the gel powder system:

Remove the top glossy layer from the nail. This step cannot be skipped - with a glossy surface the adhesion is much worse;
Treat the nail surface with primer. The product degreases and disinfects the nail plate;
Apply a thin layer of base product as evenly as possible;
Without waiting for the base to dry, dip your nail into a jar of powder. Brush off excess with a brush.
After the layer has dried a little, apply a second layer of base and dip the nail into the powder again;
The next layer is applied sealer. It is this that will combine the previous layers and give the coating strength;
After the activator has completely hardened, the nails are given the desired shape. All application unevenness and excess are cut off.
The final step is to apply the top. The fixative will make your nails glossy and hide any roughness caused by cuts.

After the procedure and all layers have completely dried, moisturizing oil can be applied to the cuticle to give the hands a healthy look and moisturize the skin.

Building up

In addition to the standard coating, using gel powder you can carry out extensions on tips.

Nail extension with tips: materials, step-by-step instructions and nuances

For nail extensions with gel powder you will need:

Primer;
Base coat;
Powder;
Siller;
Top;
File;
Buff;
Tips;
Gel glue;
Base for extension;
Brush.

Instructions for nail extensions using gel powder step by step:

Shape the nail using a file;
Cut off the lipid layer with a buff;
Treat the plate with primer;
Apply a thin layer of base for extensions;
Place the tip on half of the natural nail. Secure with special glue;
Give the tips the desired shape;
Apply a thin layer of base under the powder;
Without waiting for it to dry, dip your nail into the powder and remove excess with a brush;
Repeat application of the base layer;
Dip the nail into the container with powder again;
Wait a couple of minutes and cover the nail plate with sealer;
Correct the shape with a file, file away any irregularities with a buff;
Cover with topcoat and wait until completely dry.

Depending on the manufacturer, the application technology may include additional steps. Before use, read the instructions.

Acrylic powder in nail design: examples of manicure

White powder looks very beautiful on brightly colored nails. A wide variety of patterns can be drawn. If you don't know how to use a brush and create designs by hand, use stencils that you can buy at a store that sells nail art supplies. For example, it is easiest to draw uniform scales or diamonds using a ready-made template.

If you don't want your manicure to look tacky, highlight only one nail on each hand with powder. Most often this is done by the ring fingers. You can also add rhinestones to make the design even more original. Experiment with colors, shapes, patterns and textures of your manicure to find your own unique style.

Removing the coating

Sooner or later, the perfect coating will require removal. Gel powder, like other coating products, requires a competent approach.

How to remove the coating:

Cut off the top layer to about half its thickness. It is important to get rid of top and sealer as much as possible, which create a dense coating;
Moisten a lint-free cloth or cotton pad with gel powder remover;
Wrap the nail and secure with a piece of foil;
Leave the remover on for 10-20 minutes and remove any remaining coating with light pulling movements.

Possible errors during removal:

The required time was not maintained, and the remover simply did not have time to act;
Preliminary cutting was carried out superficially;
Incorrect removal agent selected.

Rules for use in salons and nail salons

Design example

Low cost, speed of application and relative safety make gel powder attractive for beauty salons. All the advantages of the master have already been appreciated, but in pursuit of increasing the average daily check, you should not neglect two tips.

A jar of powder is a potential home for bacteria.
Every day, dozens of people pass through the master, each of whom dips his finger into the container. From a sanitation point of view, this process can hardly be called safe, therefore, in order to avoid unpleasant situations, you should not neglect the simple rule: For each client - a separate container.

In addition to the sanitary side of the issue, it is necessary to clearly explain to clients that the removal of the coating should only be done by a professional. Independence will lead to thinning of the plate and deformation of the nail shape.

Manufacturers

Despite the simplicity of the procedure using gel powder and its economic benefits, not all manufacturers have decided to launch their own line of products.

Mart

The Russian brand Mart offers a wide selection of powders, necessary coatings, as well as related products. The company’s online store also offers several options for starter kits, which allow you to immediately acquire everything you need for coverage.

The price of the kit depends on its contents. The minimum set will cost a little more than 6 thousand rubles, and for the maximum set you will have to pay about 19 thousand rubles. Regardless of the set, a gel powder remover is purchased separately.

One jar of Mart colored powder costs around 900 rubles.

There are significantly more positive product reviews than negative ones. The main disadvantage is the high cost.

RobyNails

Immersion system made in Italy. Products for the gel system are sold both individually and in a starter kit. In addition to all the necessary materials for gel-powder coating, there is also a special bath for immersion.

Peculiarities:

The products in the system are odorless;
A palette of 36 shades of colored powder - from red to green-blue;
The base layer contains vitamins A and E and calcium. The components care for the nail, strengthening and moisturizing it.

The cost of the starter kit is about 7,500 rubles. Russian craftsmen who have already tried the products of the Italian brand give mostly positive reviews.

SNS

A representative of an American manufacturer, focused exclusively on gulp powder and related products. The starter kit here will cost 9 thousand, and the extended kit will cost almost 25 thousand. Gel powder in one shade will cost 1,200 rubles.

The company offers a wide selection of shades - currently there are more than 350 of them. The products contain calcium and vitamins, which allows you not only to create a beautiful coating, but also to saturate the vitamins with useful substances.

Cuccio

Like previous brands, Cuccio offers several options for starter kits, but finding them on sale is quite problematic. The cost of an average set is 6 thousand rubles.

The cost of one jar of gel powder fluctuates around 1000 rubles, so buying a kit in this case is clearly justified.

Low price and good quality were the main reasons why Western manicurists liked the products of this brand. But the Finnish manufacturer has not yet established itself in our country.

NE'LAK

A relatively new manufacturer offers mineral-based gel powder. Titanium dioxide, a fine mineral powder of organic origin, is used as an active component. The powder also contains benzoyl peroxide and acrylic polymer.

In addition to the powder itself, the coating will require Safe Bond - a preparatory agent to improve adhesion, Basic Gel - a base layer, L-sealer - a polymerizing agent, Fixing Top - a finishing coat. The manufacturer regularly conducts training on working with its materials and has its own application method, which ensures a high-quality and beautiful coating.

The brand has a fairly extensive palette of colored powders - there are more than 70 different shades of powder in the catalog, from classic options for a French jacket to bright and rich ones. At the start, it is more profitable to purchase boxes - there is a special set for French manicure, MINI, MIDDLE and MAXI. The cost of the sets is from 6,600 rubles, but there are promotions and discounts.

UNIDIP

The name UNIDIP is not yet widespread, since the UNIQUE brand only recently decided to change the name, so if you see these names somewhere, know that they are one and the same. The system, like all previously described brands - preparatory product, base gel, activator, top.

There are not many shades - about 20, but the manufacturer suggests connecting your inner artist and playing with mixing different colors of powder to get new, unique colors. There are separately sold gels and powders and sets. The cost of sets starts from 5,500 rubles.

Choosing the right material

The choice of acrylic powder to strengthen natural nails depends on what specific result you want to get in the end.

If you want to smooth the surface of your nails and fill in existing unevenness, give preference to a powder with a camouflage effect. In this case, its shade should match the color of your plates. Nude colors with pink undertones are what you need.
Which acrylic is best for strengthening nails? If you need to adjust the shape of a free edge or simply strengthen your nails, arm yourself with a transparent powder. It is perfect for creating a classic French manicure.
Are you planning to create a colorful design? Glitter powder or colored powder is perfect for this. In this case, manicure is limited only by your imagination.