DIY: Gel nail manicure

As much as I love having somebody else do my nails for me, when money is tight, you can save yourself a fortune by doing it yourself. My sister bought me a UV lamp for Christmas that means I can now do my own gel nails at home, and not have to think about doing them again for a week or two. I thought I’d put together a quick guide to show you how easy it is to do it yourself in a few easy steps.

Firstly, file your nails to the desired shape and length, and gently push back your cuticles. You should also buff your nails so that the polish adheres to them as much as possible.

Use a wipe soaked in a gel cleanser to remove any oils or dust on your nails.

Apply a thin layer of clear base coat and cure the polish under your LED/UV lamp for the applicable amount of time according to the polish you are using. This is usually 1-2 minutes.

Apply two coats of your chosen colour polish, curing your nails in between each coat.

Apply a thin layer of your top coat and cure for approximately 1-2 minutes, as needed. Finish by wiping each nail with your gel cleanser. It’s as easy as that.