How long do polygel nails last? It is the question that many of you ask me lately since this new material to sculpt nails is hitting very hard.
Polygel is a material that is used to sculpt nails. It usually comes in tubes and is handled with a spatula and a brush. Furthermore, the polygel is molded with alcohol, cures in a lamp, and is easily filled.
How Long Do Polygel Nails Last
Hello everyone I am Kelly L. Ball and I have been doing my own nails for 1 year.
Before that, I used to go to nail Salon every month. In the beginning, I only used gel, which came out OK, but then I heard about the polygel. Using that from the nail salon.
But the problem is, some nails don’t even last 2 days, others 2 weeks. I will explain my procedure to you:
- First, remove cuticles, then buff, then dehydrator, wait a bit. Then comes the primer.
- On one side I heard better with a layer of build-up gel, I tested it (with and without).
- Then the polygel comes with Dual Tips. I don’t put too much polygel on it, so practically nothing will come out when I put it on my finger. Then under the lamp (UV and LED) for 120 seconds.
- Then sand, possibly paints, seal.
It just doesn’t hold up. I work in the office and “rarely” strain my fingers. I know I’m doing something wrong, but what? Actually I don’t know. Let’s know about it in detail.
What is polygel?
The Polygel , also called acrygel able to provide a stronger, flexible nail. The gels do not move until we begin to mold it with the brush, that is, until we cure it in a lamp, it will remain in the place we left it.
No strong odors, no dust, Applying the polygel is the easiest and most comfortable to use.
Types Of Polygel
Like other gel or acrylic, the polygel has different shades.
CLEAR: It is transparent polygel although it does not reach the level of transparency of the gel. It is ideal for building nails and painting on it in the color you like best.
DARK PINK: Dark pink polygel can be applied without the need for color painting. It is a very beautiful and elegant porcelain pink nude tone. It is ideal to make the Baby Boomer Yes! It can also be done with polygel.
SOFT PINK: A very nice and soft light pink tone, you can apply the pink tone without the need to paint colors, just by applying a transparent UV topcoat. In this way, we obtain a natural porcelain shine.
WHITE: It is a milky white tone.
How To Use Polygel Step By Step
Polygel Nail can be worked directly on the nail, sculpt in molds, or with the dual system forms.
Read carefully, because we are going to teach you how to use the polygel step by step with dual system forms. This system is the fastest and easiest to use.
First Step: Prepare The Nail
Do not forget to always sterilize your material and use the appropriate protections.
Before starting to use the poly gel we have to prepare the nail the same as for any other sculpting technique, so you probably already know the procedure.
- Disinfect the nails.
- Start with the little finger and from there to the thumb in both hands.
- File the natural nail with a polishing file. It must be filed very gently until the first shiny layer is removed, if we exceed the file we can damage the natural nail, so be careful.
- Never touch the nail with anything again so as not to impregnate it with grease.
- Push the cuticle with a stainless steel pusher.
- Gently file the cuticle with a strawberry and lathe (Russian manicure technique).
- Apply Acid-Free Primer from Nail Polish.
Second Step: Dual System Forms
Dual system molds are special reusable clear tips. They are used to mold the product and place it on the nail.
When we have it in place it cures in a lamp and then it is removed.
In the concave part (inside) of the tip dual system, we place a pearl of poly gel.
- With a brush and the help of the Slip liquid (or alcohol over 70 degrees) mold it to give it the shape of the tip, both near the cuticle and at the tip. The better the molded tip is, the less we will have to file.
- Place the tip with the product in contact with the natural nail and press lightly.
- Trick: My trick to keep it from falling out the sides is to place it a millimeter or two before the nail is born. In this way, we can slide it towards the base carefully and leave it perfectly adjusted and without the product coming out.
- With the brush and a bit of Slip liquid, clean the excess if the product has come out when pressing.
- Another Trick: If you don’t have a Slip liquid, some people replace it with alcohol over 70º or acetone.
Important: First measure the tip. Normally 10 different sizes come numbered from 1 to 10. One of them will fit the nail you want to do. Go one by one, never with all at once, because you have to make sure that there are no bubbles between the polygel and the nail. Hold the tip down for a few seconds until there are no bubbles.
Third Step: Cure In Lamp
You can use a UV or LED lamp to cure.
- Cure in a lamp; depending on the power, the type of light, time, or another. In a powerful LED lamp, we only need 30 seconds. In a less powerful led lamp, we recommend curing for at least one minute. In the UV lamp, we will need 2 minutes.
- To see the power of your lamp you can look in the product specifications, in the box, or on the lamp near the current outlet (it usually comes there).
- A 6W LED lamp is considered low power, a 24-48W lamp is a high power.
- We remove the mold by pressing gently and oscillating from left to right.
Fourth Step: Give The Perfect Finish
The final finish depends on the taste of each one. To finish we will need a file and a polisher.
- File the tip with the desired shape.
- Polish the surface of our nail with a polishing pad so that it is uniform and smooth.
Tips and Tricks To Apply Polygel
As you have seen, applying poly gel with dual system forms is very easy. However, you may have certain problems if you are a novice in this.
So we will give you some simple tips and tricks so that everything works out perfectly and your manicure is perfect for a long time.
- It is best to manipulate the polygel in a single pearl and that the amount is the perfect one for the nail. In this way, you will not add extra polygel to “cover” or make “patches”.
- Getting the right size of polygel pearl is a matter of practice. Some fingers need more product than others. The little finger will need a smaller proportion. The one for the ring, heart, and index fingers is the same and for the thumb, I recommend that you double the amount you have applied to these three.
- When you are going to dip the brush in the liquid for polygel or in alcohol make sure that there is not too much when you want to handle the product.
- The polygel layer should not be very thin or it will break as soon as your nails receive a sudden or even blow, maybe even opening a can of Coca-Cola.
- Allow the liquid to evaporate well after handling the polygel and before placing the tip on the nail. Never place the tip with the wet polygel coating or it will not grip well. Remember that the polygel cures in a lamp so it will not spoil by waiting for a little.
- Try not to let air get into the polygel tube and close it perfectly after each application.
Advantage of Polygel
Polygel is available in opaque and translucent shades and here are some of its benefits:
- Much lighter than acrylics or construction gels.
- Very resistant and flexible.
- Safe and healthy.
- The nails Polygel have a natural finish.
- Easy and fast to apply, unlimited time for molding.
- Perfect for both beginners and experts.
Disadvantage Of Polygel
There are several factors that can influence that your polygel does not adhere well or breaks. The first thing is that polygel is an excellent material to work with, not only at home but also used by professionals in salons.
- The first factor is the quality of the polygel, if it comes from China. It is very likely that the raw material is of very low quality and the final price is very cheap. You must choose a quality polygel.
- The second factor is that you have to prepare the nail as if you were going to do your gel nails. Filing the top layer and applying the primer that dehydrates the nail is essential.
- Finally, you have to apply a thick layer of polygel, it should not be too thin or it will break. It is the same as doing sculptured nails. Using cheap materials, not preparing the nail, or making a thin layer makes your manicure not work.
How To Remove Polygel Nails
Polygel, like any other nail technique/product, can be filled when growth is seen, just like acrylic or gel.
On the other hand, to remove the Polygel it must be done by filing, just like the gel. Polygel is a softer material than gel and its residue is less volatile. It is filed very easily with both a file and a lathe.
Can you use regular nail polish on Polygel?
Of course, you can use all kinds of nail polish (normal and permanent) on your polygel nails. We always recommend our permanent enamels that are very covering.
You just have to apply the layer of permanent nail polish you need so that the color stays alive and covers the nail perfectly. I always recommend putting two layers a minimum.
Finally, apply the Base & Top UV Twin Coat and remove the excess with the cleaner.
Difference Between Acrylic, AcriGel and Polygel Nails
Today all these names are used to name the same product. As we have explained above, formerly acrylic nails were applied by hand, Acrigel, and acrylic polymer in equal parts until achieving the desired finish, but that is a thing of the past.
Now inheriting the same name that was used before, they have created a new product in which this mixture of acrylic polymer and gel is already made.
This makes the job much easier and faster, avoiding having to alternate layers of one or the other product manually. These new formulas combining acrylic and gel are known by the three names mentioned: Acrigel, Polygel, and Acrygel.
The advantages are many and we have told you, they provide resistance, flexibility, lightness, and have a natural and professional finish.
We hope, you have already got your answer about “How Long Do Polygel Nails Last?” As well as you have now more knowledge about polyget nail. This idea will be very beneficial for your daily life.