Learn the Art of Gel Nail Application in Beauty School or Nail College

Gel nails are often seen as the next generation of nail extensions. Many women have replaced their acrylic extensions with gel nails because they offer thinness, flexibility, and a more natural feel. Gel nails take a little longer to apply than acrylic nails, and they don't allow for as wide a range of colors and design; however, they are a favorite of many nail salon customers everywhere. There are some key fundamentals taught in beauty school courses about the art of applying gel nails.

Nail Gel Contents and Curing

Like acrylic nails, gel nails are made of a monomer and a polymer. Nail colleges and beauty schools teach students about the chemicals that interact to form the gel. The consistency of the pre-cured gel is similar to acrylic. When the nail sets, though, it is much thinner and more flexible. Gel nails can be cured in one of two ways:

Light-cured: uses UV light to bake the gel in place
Water-cured: nails are dipped in water to cure

Customers Find Advantages to Gel Nails

Customers enjoy manicures with gel nail applications for several reasons. They have become a popular choice over acrylic because gel nails:

Resist lifting from the nail bed.
Have no odor.
Are very lightweight.
Dry extremely clear.

Nail College Lesson: Applying Gel Nails

Many nail colleges and specialized nail courses teach students to follow a preferred process in applying gel nails:

Perform standard safety and communication procedures, as with any cosmetology appointment.
Remove dust and oil from the fingernail.
Take off the nail's shine with a buffer, giving traction to the gel and allowing it to stick to the nail better.
Apply nail tips, if required.
Apply primer to the nail and the nail tip, if present.
Apply the first coat of gel and cure it.
Apply a second coat of gel, carefully forming arches, and then cure.
Slowly add a third coat of gel.
Check the gel for thin spots and add more gel where needed.
Clean, shape, and contour the nail, and polish if the client desires.

Nail course instructors show you the techniques to use so the gel does not touch the skin during application. If it does touch skin, the nail will lift later on. Nail colleges and classes also discuss the rarely experienced adverse effects caused by gel nails. These include burning sensations or pain and redness of the cuticles. These are often the result of individual sensitivities to either the primer or the gel being used. Fortunately, the majority of clients do not experience complications, and enjoy their natural-looking gel nails for a long time.