If you like to have neat hands and give them a little color by painting your nails, you surely know how difficult it is to maintain them. Sometimes they don’t last two days! The cosmetics market is also aware of the problem and has taken pains to provide solutions. We tell you how to do semi-permanent nails step by step and achieve a beautiful and neat look for longer and without so much care.
In case you were unaware, the main characteristic of semi-permanent enamels is that they are long-lasting: they can last up to three weeks without spoiling. But not all that glitters is gold. Or yes: the disadvantage of this new proposal is precisely its price.
Getting semi-permanent nails is not cheap, and, at the same time, you have to respect the processes that the materials demand so that they last and the investment is amortized. This means that to do them at home, it is recommended to inform yourself and have the necessary elements to do it in the best way.
How To Do Semi-Permanent Nails Step By Step
What is semi-permanent or gel nail polish? It is a special polish that is applied in layers on the nails, and that needs UV lamps or LED lamps to dry, since, without them, it is impossible to achieve the perfect drying (no matter how long you wait, it will only reach the desired point with the items mentioned).
To find out how to do a semi-permanent nail polish at home, we share the experts’ tricks to solve it without depending on a manicure or a beauty center. The result will be long-lasting nails, lasting between two and three weeks, and hands that are beautiful like never before.
Prepare Your Nails And Cuticles
While it seems simple, this first step is important. Warm water, soap, a cuticle pusher, a file, and a nail polish block are what you will need. Disinfect and clean your nails. It is best to soak your hands for 5 minutes in a bowl with warm water and a little liquid soap.
Another option is to rub alcohol with a cotton ball gently. Then dry your hands, file your nails to your liking, and take care of the cuticles with a stainless steel pusher. Finally, with a polishing pad, scrape the nails’ surface to remove debris and make the polish adhere better.
Application Of Enamels
With dry and conditioned nails, we can start with the application of the enamels. We say it in the plural because there are three that you will have to apply, and you will have to do it by layer: base, colored enamel, and topcoat or final coat. You have to be neat and do not go over the edges since drying in the LED or UV lamp can sting you.
The colored nail polish can be applied in two layers to make it more intense. Between each layer’s application, you will have to expose the nails to the lamp to dry. The waiting time will depend on the type you have: LEDs take between 40 and 60 seconds and UVs, around 2 minutes.
Nail Decoration (Optional step)
If you want to have more original nails, you can decorate them when applying the colored polish, combining different shades and designs. You will need a set of ultra-fine brushes to make lines, flowers, or the drawing that you can think of, and two or more enamel colors.
How Are Semi-Permanent Nails Done Drying
An important moment in this process is drying your nails. As we said, you will need a UV or LED lamp because this type of enamel does not dry by itself. The question is which one to choose: LED or UV? Although both lamps are useful for drying enamels, professionals prefer LEDs because they dry faster (40 and 60 seconds versus 2 minutes for UV).
They are more durable, and they have less electricity consumption. We also recommend choosing a lamp with a timer, a handy tool when drying Depending on the budget you have, we recommend paying special attention to the power of each lamp. Starting at 24 watts, there are options at fairly affordable prices.
Remove Gel Polish
Gel nails last between 2 and 3 weeks, the time necessary to let them grow, and it is time to remove them. For this, you will need special products to remove gel polish since you will not be able to do it with a simple nail polish remover. There are wet wipes or clips to apply to each nail. You can also use pure acetone. The professionals recommend that you choose enamels of good composition and quality to remove them more easily.
Best Semi-Permanent Enamels
As we mentioned before, the first thing you have to consider when choosing gel polishes is that they have a good composition to remove them more easily. Here are some options to guide you:
- OPI gel polish: It is one of the most recognized nail polish brands in the world. OPI stands out for its vivid colors, quality, and durability. OPI’s semi-permanent enamels line is one of the most expensive, but it is one of the best.
- CND Shellac: The main advantage of this brand, in addition to its variety of colors, is that its formula is hypoallergenic. Also, it has excellent quality that will make your nails last longer and be perfect.
- Revlon Color Stay Gel Envy: More economical, the Revlon brand has polishes of good durability and quality products in everything that is a manicure. The main advantage of these enamels is that they do not need a lamp to dry, and neither does the base coat since its formula combines the best of gel and traditional enamels.
- Sally Hansen Miracle Gel: Like the previous one, this type of enamel has a special formula that combines the benefits of gel with traditional enamels. It has an anti-cracking technology that makes your nails last up to 2 weeks without damaging.
Both OPI, CND, and Sally Hansen have options for the first and last layer. You must apply both if you want your nails to last what these products promise. The final layer (top coat) can be achieved in either a matte or shiny color, depending on your taste.
Semi-Permanent Enamel Recommendations And Suggestions
Beyond all its benefits, we must review some suggestions when doing gel nails. First of all, we recommend applying high factor sunscreen on your hands since exposure to UV rays from lamps increases the probability of having spots on your hands.
On the other hand, there are times that certain types of nail fungus are generated by not letting them breathe for a long time. In case you see any stain or a different color in them, go to a dermatologist so that it does not progress. We also recommend leaving a “rest” period between enameling and enameling for the nails to grow and recover.
Also Read: Skincare With The Arrival Of Cold
