tips and trends
How to do gel nails at home with Essie Gel Couture
There’s nothing worse than chipping your polish right after a manicure! The solution? Gel nail colour gives you perfectly glossy, smooth-as-glass nails that are virtually chip-proof.
When you want long-lasting nail colour but don’t have the time or patience to sit in a salon, why not try a long-wearing gel manicure at home? In this guide, we’ll tell you how to do gel nails at home with flawless results, in 2 easy steps.
What is a gel nail manicure?
The difference between traditional polish and gel polish is, in practice, how long each formula lasts. While a regular manicure can last for up to a week, gel nail colours keep their look for two weeks and beyond. Normally, gel polishes are dried using UV or LED light for fast curing, compared to the lengthy air-drying required by regular nail polishes.
Essie’s Longwear Gel Couture collection gives that instant gel-like shine at home in just two steps. And it doesn’t require a UV lamp! Made with patent-pending flex.e gel technology, the polish bonds and moves along with your nails to stand up to everyday tasks. That means matte or mirror-like shine that lasts for 15 days.
Which gel nail polish is best for your nails?
Essie’s gel nail polish collection includes fun, flattering colours for every season and skin tone. For perfectly polished yet natural gel nails, explore the latest nude polishes and sheer gel colours in shades of barely-there pink, taupe, and beige.
Looking for colours that pop? Get creative with classic shades of red or cool-toned blue gel nails. Switch it up by the season, opting for light pastels in the spring, cheerful bright in the summer, and a darker palette leading into autumn and winter.
While these shades are designed to be universally flattering, you can often narrow down your choices according to your skin tone. Lighter skin tones can look beautiful next to shades with pink or blush undertones and cooler notes. Bright poppy reds and shades of grey look fabulous on medium skin tones. Have a darker skin tone? Look at creamy colours that have purple, burgundy, and mauve undertones.
With an ever-expanding range, choosing a colour can be a tough task. Give essie’s Virtual Try-On Tool a look to see which gel nail colour suits your style!
How to apply gel nail polish at home
Once you’ve chosen the right colour, the hard work is done. It couldn’t be easier to do a gel manicure at home with the Gel Couture system. creating a strong base for nail polish will help your color go on extra smooth and extend the wear of your polish. start by pushing back and trimming your cuticles, and lightly buff over the nail to smooth ridges. then, file your preferred nail shape and get ready to polish!
