5.5 Intro to gel application

By now you should have a good understanding of how to create the desired nail structure with your apex and C-curve. These properties are exactly the same when applying gel products to the nail. In the below video tutorial, we will demonstrate how to create the perfect nail structure using gel products.

While we are aiming to achieve exactly the same structure with gel products, the application varies considerably compared to acrylic products. You might recall the below image from an earlier lesson:

What this demonstrates is the difference in viscosity, or thickness, of the two products. While acrylic forms a large bead on the tip of your brush, builder gel more ‘coats’ the brush, forming a smaller bead. This is one of the reasons that multiple coats of builder gel are applied and individually cured to achieve the end result. Another reason, as discussed in an earlier lesson, is to ensure the UV/LED light can penetrate the entire layer, which may not occur if applied too thick. And finally, applying gel product in thin layers also acts to reduce the risk of an exothermic reaction causing a heat spike, as the thicker the layer the more intense the reaction.

When building structure with builder gel, we will also demonstrate a ‘tail’ or ‘ribbon’ technique, which involves working with the sticky gel product to position ‘ribbons’ of gel where we want them to achieve volume. This will make much more sense once viewed in the below video.

In the below video tutorial, we will also introduce how to shape the structure (apex and C-curve) of a cured gel nail using an appropriate grit nail file, before finishing the nail service by applying gel polish and a topcoat.

It will likely take you time to perfect the skills in the below video, so be patient and use as many practise tips as necessary until you perfect this technique. Practice the application of numerous coats to achieve your desired nail structure, but only apply each coat after the one before has been cured under your UV light.

Watch the below video tutorial and then move onto the practical exercise detailed at the end of this lesson:

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Practical Exercise

• It’s now time to commence your gel application training. Once you have watched the above video tutorial, setup your workspace and carry out the activities demonstrated in this video. Prepare your practice finger and apply the various gel products in the same sequence as demonstrated.
• Continue practicing your gel application for the next few days. Once you feel confident in your technique, it is time to tackle your first assessment of the course!