Redoing your nails every month at the salon is not only time consuming but also expensive. Hence, you can do a nail extension session at home anytime you want with these products.

While some women are blessed with strong and beautiful nails, others have to pay a lot of attention and money in attaining the perfect manicure. Acrylic nails have been a go-to for women who wish to have pretty nails that last at least a month. However, redoing your nails every month at the salon is not only time consuming but also expensive. Hence, you can do a nail extension session at home anytime you want with these products. 

It is a process that involves hard gel built on a natural nail and cured with UV light. The manicurist uses a nail form, which is basically a sticker that goes under the free edge (the tip) of the nail, to extend the length of the nail. 

Here we have a few easy steps to help you attain the perfect nail extension. 

Start off by removing any old polish or gel polish from your nails. Enriched with vitamin E, this nail polish remover strengthens the nails and prevents excessive drying around the nails. 

2. File with an electric filer 

Use an electric filer and gently file down the areas of the nails near the cuticles. You can also do this with a regular nail file instead, but the e-file is super efficient and really gets into the perfect angle. This electric filer is gentle on natural nails yet strong enough for acrylics.  

Gently buff over the entire top of each nail. You are essentially removing all the shine from your natural nail and creating a more textured surface for the nail glue to adhere to. This step is SUPER important, especially when applying the extensions/nail tips, so really get into all edges and corners and make sure they look completely matte everywhere.

Gently push back cuticles using this metal cuticle pusher tool. You can either cut your cuticles off, or clean up any loose bits here and there if needed. This cuticle pusher gives you a dual advantage with one side with a sharp edge to cut or scrape away dead skin or cuticles and; the other side to gently sweep back cuticles without hurting your sensitive skin.

Go through all the different nail extension sizes and select which one fits best for each nail. When sizing, you want to make sure the nail tip covers the full surface of your nail from side to side. Once you have all your nail sizes selected and set apart, start filing and sizing each one to best fit your nails. You don’t want the nail extensions to touch any part of your skin on either side of your natural nail. Use the electric filer to buff out the inside of each nail extension. Again, this is creating a more textured surface for the nail glue to adhere to. 

Take the nail glue and apply a thin layer to the inside of the nail extension. You can also apply a thin layer directly onto your natural nail for extra hold. Do this one nail at a time because after each application, you need to cure the glue under the small UV lamp. This glue provides a long-lasting hold and does not leave a sticky cast. 

7. Place it under the UV lamp 

Place the extension onto the nail and use your other hand to hold it in place under the UV lamp for around 20 seconds. After 20 seconds you can let go of the nail and leave it to finish curing under the lamp for the remaining time. The light will turn off automatically, then you can move on to the next nail. This UV lamp contains 24 strategically placed LEDs to give a faster and more accurate nail gel drying experience. 

Once the extensions are in place, wait for a few minutes before you apply a thick coat of your favourite nail polish. Apply at least 2 coats of your nail polish based on how dark or light the colour is. This nail polish has a quick-drying and long-lasting finish and is available in a number of other colours. Place your hands under the UV lamp once again. 

Finally, finish the procedure by applying a transparent top coat that will make your polish last longer and will also give it a glossy finish. After applying the top coat, place your hands once again, one after the other, under the UV lamp. 

Once you are done with this nail extension procedure, you will attain the perfect salon-like gel nail extensions. They will look just like acrylic nails and your dream of having long nails will finally come true. This gel polish will last for at least 3 weeks before it wears off. 

Disclaimer: The article contains sponsored links. The content is created by Pinkvilla.

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