How to dry gel polish without a lamp at home? We will talk about this in detail in our article. Currently, not every girl and woman can take advantage of the opportunity to apply gel polish in beauty salons. In this case, it becomes necessary to take care of your nails yourself.
Gel polish, another name for shellac, is the most famous and recognizable coating today. This varnish is dried under a special ultraviolet lamp. However, not everyone has it, or maybe it’s broken, what should you do in this case? Is it possible to dry gel polish without a lamp? It can be done. How to dry gel polish without a lamp? Now let's find out.
Gel polishes
But first, let's look at the types of varnishes. There are a large number of them. Popular types of gel polishes:
- Not sensitive to light - it dries completely naturally, but under one condition. A rapidly polymerizing monomeric cyanoacrylate composition is required - this is a liquid gel. If you want to cover your nails with shellac at home, then in this case it is better to use a creamy monomer. Because it is easier to apply and lasts longer. First you need to make sure that it is not affected by light. This will give you an understanding of the feasibility of using it.
- Photosensitivity - drying at home is difficult, but still possible. And if you do buy it, how long does it take for gel polish to dry without a lamp? 25-40 minutes, while the nails should be placed under direct ultraviolet rays.
- Water: It will dry perfectly if you soak your fingers in cold or ice water for 20 minutes after application.
- Brigitte Bottier: Excellent application, you can dry the gel polish without a lamp.
- Biogel is a medicinal varnish that accelerates nail growth. It also prevents splitting and thickens the nail plate. You can dry gel polish without a lamp at home. It has healing properties due to the fact that it contains natural oils and plant acids.
Process: capricious brush
The manufacturer promises up to 14 days of bright color and shine. The prospect is tempting. I paint my nails with pink polish. It doesn't fit very well, but maybe you still need to get used to it. The brush is wide and flat, but due to the uneven edges it is difficult to evenly paint the area near the cuticle; it does not turn out very neatly.
The instructions do not say anything about any base - they suggest applying the varnish to clean, dry nails. After I've painted my nails with two coats of color, I apply topcoat. The varnish streaked a lot, but the top coat evened out the structure of the varnish a little.
- Result : nails with a dense color coating and a glossy shine. It does not dry reactively quickly - it took a few minutes to dry. Although some netizens write that even after drying the polish for almost half an hour, they went to bed and discovered damage to the manicure the next morning. I was luckier in this sense.
Drying light insensitive coating
How to dry gel polish without a lamp? If you bought an insensitive gel polish, then be sure to buy a monomer, activator or catalyst. When covering with water, cold filtered water is required. You need to prepare oil in advance to soften the cuticle, nippers or thin scissors, and a glass file. There are three types of catalysts for this application, which are available as an ointment, gel or spray. To dry this composition, a catalyst must be added. Just one drop is enough. The most important thing is that the catalyst is applied evenly in the plane of the nail plate, otherwise the fixation of the gel polish will be uneven. The catalyst must be applied 1-2 minutes after application.
Before applying gel polish, you must first prepare the nail plate. To do this, you need to steam your fingers, push back and cut the cuticle. Shape your nails, file, and then buff the surface of the nail with a buff. Next, start applying varnish. Easy to apply thanks to the wide brush. Carry out the procedure in the same way as when applying regular varnish. After using it once, look at the result. If there are no stains or cracks, a second coat is not required.
If a non-photosensitive varnish is applied, then in this case it is necessary to take and drop a drop of monomer or activator onto each nail. You can also rub creamy catalysts into your nails.
Water and ice
How else can you dry gel polish without a lamp? After applying it, you need to dip your fingers in ice water for a quarter of an hour. This is enough to completely fix the gel polish. This coating method is considered as harmless as possible due to its unique composition. However, you can use ice. For a quick drying effect, add ice cubes to the water and the gel polish will dry within 10 minutes.
Blue lamp
To dry light-sensitive gel polish, you can use a medical blue lamp, which is sometimes used for heating. The only thing is that it will take much longer than when drying using a special method. While the first applied layer is drying, you need to think about its thickness. Sometimes it may seem that the varnish is translucent. In this case, it is worth reapplying. In this case, it should be dried in the same way as the first layer of gel polish. Then you should let the coating dry for 20-30 minutes. Next, lubricate the cuticle with special oil and rub a little near the nail fold. Rubbing will help the natural ingredients absorb into the skin while softening it.
Advice
If you are new to this business, then it is better to start with creamy ones. Thus, you will use the product quite economically, and it is also safer.
There is another subtype of gel polish, it is not known to many people due to the fact that it appeared not so long ago. However, its drying is even easier than the previous varnish, all because it does not require any auxiliary materials. When you apply the polish to your nails, you should soak your fingers in cold water for 10 minutes, this way the polish will set on your nails.
You should learn how to identify non-photosensitive polish so that you can be sure whether your gel polish can actually be used without other aids. To do this, you need to pay attention to the jar itself - there will be an o. If you nevertheless applied varnish that needs to be dried with a lamp, then do not worry.
Drying it naturally is quite possible, but it can take quite a long time. You just need to dry your nails with the help of the sun. Place your fingers under direct rays and wait for the coating to dry. Not long ago, gel polishes appeared that do not require a lamp or other auxiliary means.
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These products have a gel coating effect and have several significant advantages:
- The color is rich, has good shine, and has increased durability.
- It must be applied to nails like regular polish.
- Dries without auxiliary materials.
- Can be removed using regular nail polish remover.
One of the representatives of this varnish is Brigitte Bottier. It does not require a lamp, but at the same time it creates the perfect watery gloss on your nails. It has a professional brush, with which you can apply nail polish much more conveniently and quickly. Bio-gel nails from El Corazon are quite popular. This is because in addition to the various advantages that all gel polishes have, it also has a healing effect.
It contains many natural, herbal ingredients, all of which help improve microcirculation in the nail plate. If you use this varnish constantly, your nails will become noticeably stronger and denser; you also don’t need a lamp to dry it, but such varnish is quite difficult to find; on average, it will last on your nails for about a week.
Recommendations
Now you know how to dry gel polish without a lamp. Remember that drying time depends on the specific varnish. Before applying the coating, carefully read the instructions and read the recommendations. After all, when using a lamp, gel polish dries faster, but without this device it takes longer than usual.
When using water-based gel polishes, use purified drinking water. However, you definitely need to add ice cubes for a quick reaction. It takes about two minutes for gel polish with monomer to dry. To simplify the process, topcoat varnish can be applied on top, but this action will cause cracks and dullness. You should buy gel polish in specialized stores and those companies that have good recommendations; do not buy them in the market or in underground passages.
Gel polishes cannot be applied endlessly; it is necessary to give the nails a period of rest. Do this at least once every 2 months. At this time, absolutely do not cover while biogel or another restoration method is used.
It is recommended to wear gloves while working; This is important when washing floors or dishes so that the gel polish does not crack.
Biogel dries without any activators, monomers, ice water and UV lamps. Therefore, it is easy to use at home. If you want a matte finish after drying, you must additionally purchase a matte topcoat that is not sensitive to light. It is applied after some time, when the base has dried, it is necessary to dry it directly.
Long-lasting nail polishes without a lamp: a review of popular companies
There are a lot of long-lasting nail polishes without a lamp on the market from popular companies and little-known ones (Sally Hansen, Laimoni, Pupa and others), their cost varies, but low does not at all symbolize low quality.
Sally Hansen
This company's line includes only 6 bright shades, but they are enough to create an original manicure. The gel polish contains an oligomer and a photoinitiator, which polymerize when exposed to sunlight. This decorative coating is applied without prior degreasing of the nail plate and without applying a base; the brightness and integrity of the varnish is maintained for 5-7 days.
The cost of Sally Hansen gel polish, which dries without a lamp, is no more than 500 rubles. It is sold together with a top coat, which provides a glossy shine to the manicure.
Limoni
The varnishes from this manufacturer apply in an absolutely even layer and dry very quickly - 10 minutes is enough to get a durable coating with a glossy shine. Gel polish can be removed with regular liquid and acetone. The composition of the varnish is unknown because the manufacturer chose to keep it secret. Therefore, experts recommend making sure there are no allergies before performing a manicure.
The price of gel polish from Limoni ranges from 600 rubles.
Pupa
It features a wide range of color shades, dries in 15 minutes and provides a glossy color finish without the use of a hardener. The gel polish itself has a thick texture, so it lies on the nail plates without smudges or any unevenness. After the coating has completely dried, it resembles a glass mosaic and when exposed to sunlight, it “plays” with multi-colored highlights.
The price of the bottle is only 200-230 rubles; women note the comfortable and moderately hard brush, which is able to work on all hard-to-reach areas of the nails due to its easy gliding.
Vivienne Sabo
This manufacturer has launched a gel polish on the market that applies to nails without bubbles or roughness and without drying in a lamp. The bottle contains a convenient brush, which is quite soft and paints a large area of the nail plate in one “pass”. The line has all possible color shades.
The cost of gel polish does not exceed 210 rubles per bottle.
CND
This brand has been operating in the nail industry market for a long time, its products are distinguished by impeccable quality characteristics. Gel polish, which does not require drying in a lamp, is applied evenly, does not form bubbles or roughness, and applies well even in two layers. The range of colors is sufficient to create any manicure.
The cost of the bottle is about 600 rubles, but this price is justified: the composition of the gel polish is safe for health, rarely causes allergies, and the coating retains its shade and integrity for 10 days.
El Corazon
The gel polishes from this manufacturer contain both natural and artificial ingredients, together they have a restorative, healing effect on the nail plate, although weakly expressed. But the manufacturer does not hide the fact that he included formaldehyde in the gel polish - a component that ensures quick drying of the decorative coating without a lamp.
The cost of gel polish ranges from 500 rubles.
Belor Design
This is a brand from Belarus that has launched gel polishes on the market with minimal drying time without a lamp and in a wide variety of color shades. Such varnishes are distinguished by their resistance to water and even external physical influences - if you exclude chips from impacts, abrasion of your fingertips after working without gloves, then you will need to do a new manicure no earlier than in 2 weeks.
Nail polish Belor Design Podium Gel Effect
The price of Belarusian gel polishes is quite affordable - about 300 rubles per bottle.
Evelin
The well-known brand has launched high-quality gel polishes on the market, without containing dangerous, toxic substances. The coating dries quickly and lies flat on the nail plate without bubbles or smudges. The durability of the gel polish is stated by the manufacturer to be 7 days, but experts still recommend following the rules of carefully “wearing” a manicure.
The price of the bottle is about 700-800 rubles, many experts consider it slightly overpriced.
Lumene
The low cost of gel polishes from this manufacturer does not mean low quality at all - the coating has clear advantages:
- does not contain harmful components;
- dries in just 15 minutes;
- lays down evenly.
But there is also a distinct drawback of gel polishes from Lumene - they contain natural plant-based ingredients, which can provoke a fairly strong allergic reaction.
The price of a bottle of gel polish that does not require drying in a lamp is about 400 rubles.
Avon
The price of gel polishes is low, the quality is not the highest, but quite tolerable - the coating can withstand a wear time of 5-7 days. It is necessary to take into account that the coating may lie unevenly and with bubbles, and to prevent this from happening, experts still recommend degreasing the nail plate.
The price of the bottle does not exceed 200 rubles; the variety of colors is dominated by pastel shades.
Weekly gel polish effect
Gel polishes with a weekly effect are decorative coatings that dry under the influence of light waves. The longer you wear this manicure, the harder and more stable it will become. The varnishes are positioned as a “manicure for a week”, and this fully corresponds to the stated characteristics, but only if the coating is applied to absolutely healthy nails and the application technique is followed.
The most famous varnish gels with a weekly effect are Solaris and Binary; they have the following features:
- applied in two layers;
- require the use of a top coat or any fixing varnish;
- no need to pre-apply base;
- if the nails are damaged or weakened, it is recommended to renew the coating every 2-3 days;
- The brush allows you to apply the gel polish evenly, without streaks or smudges.
Long lasting varnish from Binary
How to do a manicure without a lamp?
Drying gel polish without a lamp is very easy. It is necessary to thoroughly wash your hands and nails and first apply a strengthening base coat, which will dry within 30 seconds. Then the nails should be covered with a thin layer of gel polish. This is done in a couple of seconds, since the brush of these gel polishes is wide, so the coating is applied evenly. Dries in just three minutes, for greater durability it can be applied one more time. The top layer—fixer (protective layer)—dries in 3 minutes. An excellent manicure is ready, and it will last about 10 days.
The applied coating can be removed with nail polish remover. It is not necessary to have special foil, additional mixtures and solutions to properly remove gel polish from nails.
Can regular varnish dry under a UV lamp?
Regular varnish does not dry under a UV lamp because it contains:
- pigments – provide color to the coating;
- polymers - make the top layer shiny;
- plasticizers - make the coating durable and elastic at the same time;
- solvents.
The latter are needed to harden the layer - the solvent evaporates in the air, which makes the decorative coating resistant to abrasion.
Small fan-dryer for manicure
Reviews
How to dry gel polish without a lamp? We already found out. What do women think about these methods? Girls who have tried the methods described in our article say that they really work. But still, many women advise using a lamp to dry gel polish. But as a last resort, you can choose one of the described methods for yourself. The easiest and cheapest way, as the ladies say, is to use cold water and ice.
What else?
In branded nail salons, masters use special professional methods and means of drying gel polish without a lamp; they can also be purchased for home use in cosmetic stores and on online shopping sites.
Let's note some of them:
- a special spray - usually a bottle of oily liquid. A fresh manicure must be completely sprayed with this composition and wait 5-10 minutes;
- special oil for drying. Sold in a bottle with a dropper. It is enough to apply a drop of oil to the nail plate, spread it over the entire surface, after 5 minutes the coating will harden;
- fan drying. This is a drying option with a special small fan, inside which fingers with “No Light gel” varnish are placed and air is blown through them;
- drying with clear varnish. Regular varnish is applied two minutes after applying colored gel polish. After 5 minutes the coating will harden; this method increases the durability of the manicure.
