Effective options for replacing gel nail polish

Beautiful nails are a necessary element of any look. Today, women are increasingly choosing shellac to cover their nail plates. This is the name for gel polish, with which you can create a long-lasting manicure. Carrying out the application procedure at home requires certain knowledge and experience.

Beautiful manicure

But the innovative composition is not suitable for all girls. What can replace gel nail polish in this case? There are many options; to make the right choice, you need to consider several factors.

Benefits of shellac

This coating is characterized by stability. A manicure done with gel polish will last for 2 weeks. The pedicure, in turn, lasts for a month. At first the number of shades was limited, but later the coverage options became much larger.

Passionate burgundy manicure

The procedure for applying shellac involves a massage. It is necessary to relieve tension in the hands. The master does it after the gel polish has hardened. At the same time, he uses moisturizer and nourishing oil. The latter is placed on the base of the nail plate. If everything is done correctly, then in the next 14 days you will not have to worry about manicure at all.

Allergy to gel polish

Attempt No. 2: complete failure

I repeated the experiment with darker varnish - burgundy. The result turned out to be much sadder - after three days the varnish looked really bad. Perhaps because I was in a hurry when applying it, and did not do everything very carefully, or perhaps because on dark all the damage is visible to the human eye much more clearly than on light. This is a burgundy polish on the fourth day after application. I couldn't stand it any longer and washed it off.

The remover is perhaps the biggest plus of this product - unlike traditional gel polishes, which have to be removed by actually soaking your nails in acetone, these polishes come off like regular ones. Probably because they have nothing in common with gel polishes. At the same time, the “salon series” varnishes of this brand, although they do not have the fashionable word “gel” in the name, last up to a week!

How to apply gel polish

This composition is used even if the nails have become dull and brittle. Such a procedure will not only improve their appearance, but also promote recovery. Shellac is applied as follows:

The surface of the nail is cleaned with an antibacterial composition.
Using a file, give the nail plate the desired shape. If the nail peels off, its edge is cleaned with a special brush.
Apply the base.
Direct the ultraviolet lamp onto the treated surface. Irradiation duration is 10 s.
Carefully apply the base layer of gel polish. To eliminate defects, use a correction pencil.
Polymerization is carried out. In this case, its duration is at least 2 minutes.
Make a fastening layer. After this, ultraviolet light is used again. At the final stage, you need to hold your hand under the lamp for 2 minutes.

Applying varnish

Afterwards, all that remains is to treat the painted nail with a special sponge.

Nail coatings: powder, acrygel and other replacements for gel polish

Now in every salon you can get a manicure with gel polish.

What other options are there? We dealt with Ksenia Nikolaeva, a manicurist at the Special Opinion salon.

Ksenia Nikolaeva

What types of nail coatings are there besides gel polish?

Photo: @nikki_makeup
There was a time when a manicure meant one thing: simple polish, secured with a shiny top coat. Today, manicurists are surprised when a client asks for just a manicure without coating.

Long gone are the days of the simple manicure, which is of course still possible, but now you can also try powder, acrylic, gel and many other finishes for your nails.

Vinylux coating 

This is a polish created by CND (a brand of Creative Nail Design polishes) that has a self-adhesive color coating that provides long-lasting wear, can be removed with nail polish remover, and lasts up to a week without chipping. This is a hypoallergenic varnish, which is ideal for those who do not like long-lasting coatings like gel, are worried about the condition of their nails and want to change the color of their manicure more often.

Photo: @feduasalons

Soft and hard nail gels

The main difference between the two products has to do with how they are removed. Soft gel nails are known as "absorbent gels" because the nail polish can be removed with acetone. Hard gel is used to increase the length of nails as opposed to soft gel which is only used as a polish. Gel nails are also best for nail art.

Photo: Instagram / @ma.and.mi

Gel powder

Gel powder is a material that was made to strengthen and extend nails and is also used as an alternative to gel polish.

A manicure with this coating is done as follows:

Thick gel glue is applied to the nails.
Then you dip your fingers into a very fine gel powder.
After this coating is done 2-3 times.
Then several layers of gel powder are applied, which harden and dry thanks to a liquid activator.

Gel powder is very easy to apply at home and does not require special skills. Thanks to the non-porous material, nails are less sensitive to external influences. Gel powder can be removed with nail polish remover, lasts up to two weeks, does not fade or turn yellow during this time.

Photo: @moskvichkabbb

Acrigel

A combined system of gel and acrylic with the best properties of these components. Very high viscosity, does not spread and is easy to work with. It cuts well, is more stable than gels and more flexible than acrylic. It is pressed and suitable for any length and shape of the nail plate, is stable in storage, does not change its properties during long-term storage up to 50 degrees.

Acrigel does not have a strong chemical odor, therefore it is harmless for allergy sufferers and asthmatics, as well as for pregnant and lactating women.

In addition, acrygel, unlike regular gel, protects the nail and strengthens it, preventing it from breaking and peeling.

Eco-varnishes Fedua

Fedua does not use harmful substances in its varnishes (toluene, formaldehyde, camphor, formaldehyde resins and dibutyl phthalates), and, in fact, are herbal products that are absolutely safe for your nails.

Photo: Instagram / @feduarussia

The varnishes have an ideal semi-gel consistency, thanks to which they apply smoothly, even if you apply one layer, and the coating is durable and shiny - so forget about cracks and chips. Your manicure will be in perfect condition for up to four weeks. At Fedua you can also find a nourishing base with algae extracts and minerals that disguises minor unevenness and is ideal for protecting the nail plate.

What safe nail coatings are there?

Photo: @ma.and.mi
Traditional nail polish has gotten a bad reputation, largely due to its chemical ingredients and strong odor. Besides irritating your senses with a pungent odor, nail polishes contain solvents and some ingredients that can potentially cause health problems and irritation if inhaled in large quantities. Nowadays, manufacturers are doing everything possible to use safe materials for production.

What new types of varnishes are used for manicure now? How to replace gel if the nail plate is too thin?

Photo: @hungvanngo
One way to strengthen the nail plate is to use acrylic powder. It saves brittle and overly soft nails. Porous in structure, it will protect thin nails from mechanical damage, frost, ultraviolet radiation and aggressive household chemicals. To strengthen the nail plate, transparent or nude acrylic powder is most often used.

Reasons for refusing gel polish

Unfortunately, shellac is not for everyone. There are several reasons to replace gel polish with another material, including:

Risk of an allergic reaction. It is characterized by unpleasant symptoms. These include urticaria, itching, peeling of the nail plates, and swelling. Anaphylactic shock is considered the most dangerous phenomenon. Signs of an allergy to gel polish occur in both clients and artists.
Weak nails. They are a consequence of vitamin deficiency. To achieve recovery, you need to restore the balance of nutrients in the body.
Professional activity. Those women who work in conditions of high humidity may not count on the stability of shellac. The same applies to clients who often use a keyboard.

If there is at least one provoking factor, you should choose a different nail coating!

Detachment of gel polish

How are gel polish and biogel similar?

Both coatings have similar application technologies , which require the same tools and removal products.
Both types of coating do not cure without UV radiation . The polymerization time depends on the power of the UV lamp.

They can last up to 20 days and are long lasting.
These coatings are removed using a special liquid and are not cut off.
The products do not fade , shine in the sun and have a rich color.
The coatings do not chip , the nail plate underneath is protected from damage and external influences.

It’s fashionable to walk without gel polish: what advantages have I found for myself?

I have been doing manicures with gel polish non-stop for years. My nail technician does a great job and I have never had any problems with my nails. It was with gel polish that I managed to grow the desired length; for some time I wore long ones, then I started to become a fan of short and neat ones. At first I wanted a design, although I never had nails a la Valery Leontyev’s concert costume, after all, something so expensive and rich is not for me. I quickly switched to a single-color manicure, having played around with the design for 2-3 months.

I love monochromatic coverage, what about you?

But over time, I began to make more and more light, almost transparent coverage, and I fell in love with the camouflage base. Of course, sometimes I wore my favorite red manicure, but most often there was something completely inconspicuous on my nails. I started to think that I wanted to go without any covering at all. But every time I continued to do it, for some reason I was somehow scared to give up.

Quarantine, or rather the self-isolation regime, helped, I removed my own gel polish (oh, with the reinforced concrete coating of my master Maria, it was quite a test) and realized that I really liked the look of bare nails. Just a blast! I have been without gel polish for almost 2 months now and I know for sure that I will definitely give myself such months without coating, I have found so many advantages.

Save time

Began! - you say. At first, everyone talked about saving time with gel polish, saying that I did it once 3-4 weeks and forgot. Yes it is. But it is logical that walking without any covering at all is even more economical. Previously, it was necessary to set aside a whole half day for this, and as luck would have it, the week when the manicure needs correction is the busiest. The law of meanness in its glory. I wasted time on the road, because after moving I didn’t want to change the specialist, plus time on the procedure itself.

Now I don’t even have to think about how to squeeze a manicure into my schedule. I just file my nails between times, and with good nutrition, the cuticle easily moves back. Well, in general, after opening manicure salons, I just want to go for a manicure without coating.

Saving money

I haven’t had my nails done for only 2 months and haven’t had time to get rich yet; in total I saved about 4 trips to the nail technician, considering that I couldn’t decide to take them off for a long time. But if you do the math, it turns out pretty good. The average price tag in my city for a one-color manicure is 1000-1500 rubles, for 4 trips it costs 4000-6000 rubles.

But then I remembered a life joke about how if you quit smoking, you can save a lot in a year and spend this money on a great vacation by the sea. I don't smoke, where is my sea?

No growing edge

My nails grow at an average speed, but after 2 weeks they grew a lot and I didn’t like them anymore. I need everything to be as neat and well-groomed as possible; I have a whole thing on my mind about growing nails. Better no gel polish than terribly grown-out polish. Many of my friends can easily walk for 4 weeks, but I am categorical on this issue. Raise your hand, who is like me)

It’s expensive to get a manicure every 2 weeks, of course, I lasted up to 3, but over the last week I’ve wanted to look at my nails less and less.

Varnishes that make your nails feel like your own, but only better

A little about fashion. The trend towards naturalness is doing its job; more and more fashionistas are simply starting to refuse gel manicures and are not shy about wearing natural nails. In general, this is a completely logical trend; for many years, gel polish ruled the roost and simply became boring.

Do you do gel polish or prefer natural? Or maybe you paint with regular varnish, share in the comments!

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Elena Kruptsova

Chief Editor ,

Manicurist with many years of experience. All my clients ask me to share their ideas on the Internet. With me you will have the brightest nails and new ideas for inspiration.