How to Do Gel Nails at Home: DIY Gel Manicure Guide

 

Gel nails are a great option for anyone looking for a long-lasting, easy manicure. Here’s your guide to giving yourself a DIY gel manicure with our gel polish strips

​​Get the perfect at-home manicure in minutes with Smitten Tips gel nail polish strips! Made with real gel nail polish, our nail strips feature a semi-cure formulation for better fit and durability that lasts up to 14 days! 

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Gel Nail Polish Strips vs. Traditional Gel Manicures

First, let’s talk about why using our gel polish strips is so much easier than going the traditional gel polish manicure route. Without our gel polish strips, you’ll be stuck spending lots of time applying several layers of base coats, gel nail polish, and topcoats. You’ll also spend more time curing each layer. 

If you’re busy and want an easy DIY manicure that lasts, our gel nail polish strips are definitely the way to go. 

How to Apply Our Gel Nail Polish Strips 

 

Step 1: Prep

This is one of the most important steps in the DIY gel manicure process. You need to prep your nails by cleaning them with soap, water, and isopropyl alcohol. This will ensure the gel polish has a clean foundation to stick to, which will make it last as long as possible. Don’t want to make an extra trip to the store for prep supplies? We’ve got you covered with our easy Nail Prep Wipes! 

You may also want to go ahead and trim and moisturize your cuticles at this stage to help the nail polish strips adhere to the nail bed properly. It’s important that your nails are completely clean and dry before you start the application of our gel nail polish strips. 

 

Optional: Apply a Base Coat

Applying a base coat ensures your nails are prepped for your gel manicure and extends the overall wear time of your manicure. Our Prep & Protect Nail Base Coat nourishes your nails and cuticles, strengthens potentially weak and brittle tips, and promotes healthy nail growth.

 

Step 2: Press

Here’s the fun part! All you have to do is select the size of our gel nail polish strips that fits your nail. Then, remove the protective film, peel away the polish strip, and press it on your nail after lining it up properly with your cuticle. It’s that easy! 

We offer twelve size options with our products, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding the strips that fit your nails just right. If you’re in between gel polish strip sizes, we recommend selecting the smaller size. Make sure that you leave a little bit of room between your cuticle and the gel polish strip, as the strip may start lifting if it comes in contact with your skin. The strips should fit pretty snugly, which is good because your nails come into contact with everything you touch. 

We also suggest using either your finger or a wooden manicure stick to smooth the edges of your gel polish strip out once you press it on. This works best if you start along the edges of your nail and work your way in. 

 

Step 3: Trim

Everyone’s nails are shaped and sized differently, so you’ll want to trim our gel polish strips to fit your nails perfectly. This step is as simple as trimming the excess material from the strips as needed, folding over the excess, and filing the nail at a 90-degree angle for a clean finish. 

 

Step 4: Cure 

Once you’ve applied and trimmed our gel nail polish strips, simply cure them under a UV light for 60 seconds and you’re good to go. 

 glass top coat

Optional: Apply a Top Coat 

If you want to increase the staying power of your gel manicure, we suggest finishing things off with our Glass Top Coat or our Matte Top Coat. Simply apply the top coat after curing the polish strips then cure one more time for a professional and durable finish. 

 

Step 5: Remove 

After 14 days, or whenever you’re ready to change up your manicure, soak your nails in warm soapy water for around 15 minutes. The strips will loosen naturally, so you don’t need to worry about peeling them off and damaging your natural nails. 

If you want to make the removal process even easier, try our signature Remove & Hydrate. This formula gently clears away polish strips and leaves the natural nails healthy and moisturized. 



remove hydrate nail

Try Smitten Tips Gel Nail Polish Strips!

Smitten Tips gel nail polish strips make it easy to get the perfect at-home manicure in minutes. Made with real nail polish, our nail strips feature a semi-cure formulation for better fit and durability that lasts up to 14 days!

 

Key Features

  • Semi-Cured. Our semi-cured formulation provides superior durability and a better fit. Get the salon look without all the chemicals.
  • Length? Yes! Our nail strips are designed to beautifully elongate your hands.
  • Small Batch. Small batch production ensures the highest level of quality.
  • Size Options. Our products come with 12 size options so you can get the best fit every time.
  • Multiple Applications. Each set comes with 30 strips for up to 2 applications.
  • Mirror Salon Finish. Get a professional nail salon look from your own home, in minutes!

Exclusive Designs. Stand out in style with our exclusive, limited-edition collections.

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