Gel polish manicures started to become popular in the past 4-5 years as an alternative to regular nail polish manicures. Whereas nail polish requires 20-30 minutes of air drying time (and can still be smudged or dented in the hours after application), gel polish contains a special polymer that must be “cured” under an LED or UV light – allowing it to harden during the curing cycle and become instantly dry. Gel polish is much easier to control as it doesn’t air dry (it only dries when it’s curated under the LED light), that’s why you can take all your time to perfect your application. It’s also much thicker than regular nail polish.

Traditionally, gel polish manicures needed to be done at a salon by a professional nail technician using professional equipment. The cost of a gel manicure would be higher than a regular nail polish manicure as well, but the results and benefits were worth it:

• Brilliant, glossy shine (shinier than regular nail polish).
• Chip-free results (gel won’t chip off like regular nail polish – which can start to chip within 2-3 days – even with activities like dishwashing or excessive typing).
• Up to 7-10 days lasting (salon or professional 3-step gel manicures).

The removal process for gel is also different, as it requires a “soak-off” method vs. acetone "wipe off" removal.

If you are a new user of gel polish, please give yourself 2-3 manicures (tries) to get used to how to apply gel polish.

There are many tips and tricks to applying gel polish that make the difference between a good application and an application that is too thick or doesn’t last long enough (i.e. chips easily). Often, new users of gel polish make small mistakes during the application process and then think that any chipping is due to the formula of the gel.

We have tested our gel polish countless times and it truly is an amazing 1-step formula. You won’t find a better 1-step formula on the market (really!)…so please be patient, read our application instructions carefully, and take your time to familiarize yourself with LMM gel!

Once you get used to the application process, you will find that this is a fantastic gel that will give you a shiny, colorful, and chip-free manicure for work, play, and travel!

• As you begin your nail preparation, gently push back your cuticles using the cuticle pusher in our kits. If there are any loose skin or snags, you may trim them with the cuticle nipper. However, this step is optional. Regular use of cuticle oil and hand cream, combined with occasional pushing back of the cuticles, will keep them well-groomed.

• File the edge and the surface of each nail. Filing the surface allows the gel to adhere better and filing the edges helps keep the gel from chipping. File in one direction using light strokes. You don’t want to file nail in a back-and-forth motion as this wears it down quickly and it’s easy to get an uneven shape.

• Make sure the first coat of gel polish is VERY thin (with barely any gel in the brush). Do NOT lob on a bunch of polish the way you would do with regular nail polish. This is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to ensure that the base layer is not too thick, which will affect the gel's lasting power. You can remove excess gel polish from the brush (before applying) by wiping it along the opening of the bottle. This will help in ensuring a VERY thin first layer.

• If you get it on your skin, use the cuticle stick or your thumbnail on the other hand to remove the excess before curing the nail with LED Lamp.

• If you smear it BEFORE you cure it in the lamp, wipe off the entire nail with the remover + a cotton pad and repaint it.

• Cure the nail as soon as the gel is applied. It’s important to cure each nail immediately to minimize the amount of time the gel is exposed to air, as this will negatively affect the result. The mini LED lamp is a 30-second cycle, and the maxi lamp (larger lamp) is a 60-second cycle.

• Apply a second layer of gel polish and cure again. The 2nd coat should be slightly thicker applied with even strokes of gel polish. This will create a nice, smooth top layer, which can help the polish to last longer.

• Cap the tip of every nail by running the brush along the edge. This will also protect from chipping by providing a thicker layer of gel along the nail edge.

• Let the lamp rest for 30-60 seconds between applications on your left and right hands. This will allow the lamp to cool down.

• Close the bottle of gel polish when not in use, and while you are waiting for each curing cycle. (Or, at least set the cap over the bottle while you are curing to minimize the amount of air and light that enters the bottle). This will prevent the gel from drying out, as gel reacts to both LED light and also natural light. Avoid having the LED lamp shine directly on an open bottle of gel as this will also dry out the gel.

• Shake the bottle well before applying to thoroughly mix the formula. As our gel polish is a 3-in-1 gel (base coat, color, and top coat all in one formula), the top coat can separate, so shake well to mix the formula.

• For new users, when you’re drying the nail under the LED light, it’s possible to accidentally move the nail (if you’re not paying attention). It’s important to keep the finger still so that the light dries all around the entire surface (including the edges of your nail). You can always cure your nail for an additional 5-10 seconds to ensure that you have completely dried the nail before moving on to the next one. This will make sure that even the edges are fully cured. If you have problems with chipping, we recommend curing for an extra 5-10 seconds.

• Don't apply hand lotion or cuticle oil BEFORE or DURING the gel application process. This will cause the gel to slip and not adhere well.

• Don't buff your nails after filing them. Filing creates a rough surface, allowing the gel to adhere better. Buffing reverses this effect by making the surface smooth again (which will cause the result not to last very long).

• Don't apply the gel on or too close to the skin. If you get gel on your skin, use the cuticle stick to remove it before curing. Curing gel on your skin will affect how long the polish lasts (easier for the gel to come off).

• Don't apply gel polish in direct sunlight (outdoors or in a sunny room) as this can cause the gel to harden (similar to what happens when you cure with the LED light). Work in a cool, dark space with interior light. (The same goes for storage of your gel polishes).

All of our nail care items dry with air. There is no need to use the LED lamp to dry. Just apply 1 or 2 coats to bare nails and let them air dry.

Our nail care line is designed to be used to rebuild your nails between gel manicures. It is not recommended to be used under gel polish as this will affect the lasting of your gel manicure and cause chipping. You can, however, use our nail care line as a base for regular, air-dry nail polish. Our cuticle oil can be used to nourish and moisturize cuticles after your gel manicure is cured and complete. This can also be used between gel manicures or over regular nail polish manicures.

Our LMM products are safe to use during pregnancy, but we understand that some women like to limit the amount of beauty products that they use (in general) while pregnant. It is up to each woman to decide. If you feel comfortable using regular nail polish products, then you can feel comfortable to use gel products, which contain little to no fumes and no harmful chemicals. Unlike UV lamps (which contain UV light), our LMM lamps use LED light – the same kind of light you get from inside an office building – which is safe to be exposed to on a daily basis.

If you have followed all the basic tips on the application do’s, and you are still facing chipping issues, it may be because of the natural oils in your nails. In fact, 20% of women have naturally oilier nails just due to body chemistry.

We recommend that you wipe your nails before you apply gel polish. You can use regular nail polish remover to quickly wipe each nail after filing the surface. This will remove the dust from filing and create a non-oily surface to start your application.