In these pandemic times, it is not advisable to go out for non-essential activities. One such job is getting your nail manicure. Before you start jumping to conclusions, we clarify that you can very well get your gel manicure done in the safety of your homes. It is not worth the risk of going to the nail salon and expose yourself to the COVID threat. All you need is expertise and a high-quality kit like the OPI gel nail starter kit.

Let us see how to get the best Insta-worthy manicure using the OPI nails kit.

Before we discuss the intricacies of the manicure, let us understand what your starter kit contains.

Gel Starter Kit – Look for These Ingredients

Besides your basecoat and topcoat applications, your gel nail starter kit should contain these constituents to help you get a perfect manicure.

Nail file – A sterilized nail file is crucial because you need it for prepping your nails before the manicure. It helps to get your nails and shape and smooth out the rough edges that affect your manicure.

Nail buff – A nail buff can help prepare your nail surface to accept the basecoat better. One should understand that the gel polish sticks to the basecoat and not to the nail. Hence, you should ensure the basecoat adheres to the nail surface properly.

Cuticle pusher – While your nails get their embellishment, you cannot afford to ignore the cuticles. It is critical to keep the cuticles out of the way as they can affect your nail manicure. The cuticle pusher helps push the cuticles into their grooves before you start your manicure.

Cotton wipes – However efficient you might be, there are always chances of nail polish spilling over the skin. These smudges could look unpleasant. Hence, every OPI starter kit comes with its share of lint-free cotton wipes to help you with the manicure.

Set of brushes – It is always better to use a fresh set of clean brushes for every manicure. It ensures there is no color mixing that could affect your OPI nails. However, you should clean your nail polish brushes with acetone to remove any nail polish residue after every manicure.

Besides the above ingredients, your gel nail starter kit comes with optional accessories. For example, it includes the UV lamp, one of the essential components to ensure a perfect gel manicure. These are optional accessories because the UV lamp can be expensive and does not need frequent replacement.

While ensuring to have the best OPI gel nail starter kit ready when sitting for a manicure, you should know how to get the DIY gel manicure at home. It will help you get the best out of your kit.

The Gel Manicure Process

Before you begin your manicure, you should have all the ingredients ready on hand. You cannot go about searching for a crucial accessory amid a gel manicure. The process begins with prepping your nails using the nail file and nail buff included in the kit. These ingredients help you shape your nails depending on your preference. It is essential to smooth out the edges because sharp edges can cause your nail polish layer to lift.

The cuticle treatment is the next step in the procedure. Pushing the cuticles back into their grooves prevents the nail polish from spreading over to the cuticles, causing the polish to lift and affecting your manicure. While doing so, one should be gentle not to injure the cuticles.

Buffing the nail surface is crucial as it creates the ideal environment for the basecoat to adhere to the surface. After buffing your nails, one should clean the surface with a cotton swab dipped in a solution containing 90% alcohol. It helps remove the oils and sanitize your nails.

Now, you can proceed with your basecoat application in thin layers from the base to the edges. While using the basecoat, one should cure it under the UV lamp before applying the polish layer.

The gel polish application is the next part of your OPI gel nail polish manicure. Again, you have an exciting choice from the hundreds of shades available on our website. Curing the gel polish layers is essential as it prevents the polish layers from smudging and ruining your manicure. If the gel polish spills over to your skin, you can use a cotton swab dipped in acetone to wipe it off gently.

Finally, the topcoat application can make the difference between a matte and glossy finish. A single layer or two can end up as a matte finish, whereas multiple topcoat layers can lend a glossy feel to your nails. However, you should ensure to cure each layer under the UV lamp before proceeding further.

Now, your Insta gel manicure is ready for showing off on your social media platforms.