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If yous like the durability of a gel manicure simply desire the range of colors you can get with regular blast polish, you may take wondered if you tin mix both types of polish together. Fortunately, if you lot're careful and patient, you tin can! For a simple combined manicure, employ your regular polish and then add together a gel topcoat in one case information technology'southward dry. For a fiddling extra durability, make a "gelly sandwich" by layering regular polish betwixt 2 gel coats.

  1. i

    Apply your regular shine as yous normally would. Polish your nails with regular nail smooth in the colour of your choice. To help the polish adhere better, buff and clean your nails get-go. Y'all can too prep your nails with a regular (not-gel) base of operations glaze if yous wish.[1]

    • For a more intense or opaque color, add multiple layers of polish. However, try not to brand them as well thick, or the gel topcoat may not hold as well.
    • Apply the smoothen up to the ends of your nails, but don't cap the complimentary border.

  2. 2

    Let your polish to dry completely. This is a crucial step to making the polish and gel combo piece of work! Before applying the gel topcoat, give your smash shine several hours to dry. Brand certain the polish has dried completely earlier you lot go along.[2]

    • Give the polish at least 4-vi hours to dry. Ideally, you should let it cure for a total 24 hours.
    • Y'all may need more drying time if y'all've applied multiple layers of smoothen.
    • If the polish doesn't dry out completely, the topcoat may peel off. The polish might also wrinkle or crack nether the gel topcoat after you cure the gel.[3]

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  3. three

    Brush on the gel topcoat. In one case your nails are dry, apply a layer of gel topcoat. Brush from the base of each smash to the tip.[four] Swipe a little topcoat on the complimentary edge of the nail to cap it off.[5]

    • If you lot get any gel on your skin or cuticle, wipe it off before yous cure the gel. Otherwise, information technology will be very difficult to take off!

  4. iv

    Cure the topcoat under an LED or UV lamp. Identify your mitt in an LED or UV nail curing lamp to dry the gel. Leave your nails under the lamp for the recommended corporeality of time.[6]

    • Look at the label on your topcoat to determine the right curing fourth dimension. Typically, y'all volition need to cure for xxx seconds under an LED lamp, or 2 minutes under a UV lamp.[8]
    • You can purchase a gel boom drying lamp online, in a department store, or from a beauty supply shop.

    Alert: Using UV or LED curing lamps can expose your skin to high levels of UV radiation, leading to skin harm over time. If you get frequent gel manicures, protect your hands with a layer of broad-spectrum sunscreen or a pair of protective UV-shielding manicure gloves.[7]

  5. 5

    Wipe away the tacky layer with an alcohol wipe. After you cure the gel topcoat, there will be a sticky layer on elevation of your nails. To remove this layer, pour some 91% isopropyl alcohol onto a lint-free wipe and wipe each smash. If you adopt, you lot tin can as well use disposable booze wipes.[ix]

    • Avoid using cotton balls, since these tin can leave lint on your nails.
    • If possible, use a separate wipe for each boom. Using the aforementioned wipe on multiple nails can dull your topcoat.
    • If your cuticles experience dry, give the alcohol 1-ii minutes to dry and then wipe on a little cuticle oil.[ten]

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  1. one

    Buff your nails to remove any smoothen. Before you apply the gel base glaze, you'll need to slightly roughen the surface of your nails. This volition let the gel to adhere meliorate. Gently get over your nail with a buffer or file with a grit of 220 or higher.[11] Swipe the buffer over each nail 6 to eight times in an X shape, using shine strokes.[12]

    • Take intendance not to over-buff your nails, since this can cause damage.
    • If y'all choose to buff your nails with a file rather than a buffing block, use 1 with a very fine dust. Swipe information technology very lightly over your nail in just a few strokes. Otherwise, you may damage your nails.

  2. two

    Use an alcohol wipe to clean off the grit. Wipe your buffed nails clean with a lint-gratuitous wipe soaked in 91% isopropyl alcohol. This will both clean your nails and dehydrate them slightly, which will allow the gel foundation to adhere improve.[xiii]

    • If you lot prefer, you tin employ disposable alcohol wipes, like the kind you'd observe in a first aid kit.
    • Don't use a cotton ball, since this might go out fibers behind on your nails.

  3. 3

    Brush on a layer of gel polish foundation. Apply a thin coat of gel polish foundation to each nail, brushing from base of operations to tip. This will human action as the base coat for your manicure. Afterward brushing the foundation over your smash, swipe a little along the free border of your nail to cap the tip.[14]

    • Take care not to become the gel on your cuticle, since this will cause the base of operations coat to peel off more easily.[15]

  4. 4

    Cure the foundation nether an LED or UV lamp. Cure your nails under an LED or UV drying lamp for the recommended amount of time. Typically, this will have 30 seconds under an LED lamp, or 1 minute under a UV lamp.[16]

    • If you're concerned about UV exposure, protect your hands with a layer of sunscreen or protective manicure gloves.

  5. five

    Wipe the surface of each smash with alcohol to remove the tacky layer. Once your foundation coat is cured, there will be a sticky "inhibition layer" on your nails. To accept information technology off, wipe each of your nails with a lint-gratuitous wipe soaked in 91% isopropyl alcohol.[17]

    • You can also use disposable alcohol wipes for this.

  6. 6

    Utilise 1 or two thin coats of regular nail polish. Take the regular polish of your choice and wipe the brush on the edge of the canteen to remove whatsoever excess smooth. Apply an fifty-fifty, thin layer of the polish to each boom. Give it 5 minutes to dry, so castor on a 2nd coat if you lot wish.[18]

    • If y'all make the shine too thick, the gel topcoat won't adhere properly.
    • Take the smoothen up to the border of your nails, but don't cap off the tips. This will assistance prevent chipping.[19]

  7. seven

    Let the smooth to dry completely. To keep the shine from wrinkling or cracking underneath the gel topcoat, yous must give the regular polish time to dry. Ideally, you should wait several hours or even a total solar day before adding the topcoat.[xx]

    • If yous're using a quick-drying smoothen, you may be able to get away with applying the topcoat after 15-20 minutes.[21]

  8. viii

    Add together a layer of gel topcoat. One time you're sure the polish is completely dry out, castor on your gel topcoat. Utilise it in an even layer, avoiding your cuticle, and then cap off the tip of your blast.[22]

    • Capping off the edge of your boom will help seal in the regular shine and prevent chipping.

  9. ix

    Cure the topcoat under the lamp for the recommended time. Place your nails within your LED or UV nail lamp to cure the topcoat. Check the label on the bottle to decide how long you demand to cure your nails.[23]

    • Typically, this will accept xxx seconds under an LED lamp, and 2 minutes under a UV lamp.

  10. x

    Wipe off the tacky layer with an booze wipe. When you're done, wipe off the tacky layer with 91% isopropyl alcohol on a lint-free wipe. You should now take a cute and durable gelly sandwich manicure![24]

    • Add a little cuticle oil for extra moisture if you want. Wait at to the lowest degree a minute after removing the tacky layer then you don't dull your topcoat.[25]

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Add together New Question

  • Question

    How does the gel peak coat bond to the regular boom shine, given that surfaces need to be tacky or not shiny for the gel to attach properly?

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    This respond was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated information technology for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    Staff Answer

  • Question

    How practice I apply regular blast polish to nail gel without it peeling off?

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    This respond was written by one of our trained squad of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    Staff Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this staff-researched answer.

    If yous want to combine regular nail polish with gel, it's all-time to seal in the polish with a gel topcoat rather than putting the smooth on meridian of the gel. You can either use a layer of polish with a topcoat over it, or apply a gel basecoat, layer on the polish, and seal information technology all in with a gel topcoat.

  • Question

    Can I add together a layer of color when I have cured the top glaze?

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    This respond was written by i of our trained team of researchers who validated information technology for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    Staff Respond

  • Question

    Can you use a gel nail polish and gel summit coat without UV?

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated information technology for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    Staff Respond

  • Question

    When using a gel base coat, exercise yous have to remove the tacky inhibition layer earlier putting regular nail polish on? Tin can you paint RNP over the tacky layer of the gel base coat that has been cured?

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    This answer was written past one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    Staff Answer

  • Question

    Every one time in a while, when I take the tacky off with alcohol, I observe a dull finish. What causes it?

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    This answer was written by ane of our trained squad of researchers who validated it for accurateness and comprehensiveness.

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    wikiHow Staff Editor

    Staff Respond

  • Question

    Would a gel base of operations coat offer more durability? Besides, can regular polish be cured under my UV lamp?

    Cecilia Flores

    Cecilia Flores

    Top Answerer

    Only gel polish tin be cured under a UV lamp. Regular polish dries on its own, while gel smooth requires a lamp and won't cure unless it's sat under the lamp. Use a gel base glaze, cure it, utilise regular polish and wait for it to dry completely, then use a gel superlative coat and cure it. This helps the mani to concluding longer and you won't have to buy a gel color.

  • Question

    Will using a gel base instead of regular base work improve?

    Community Answer

    In my experience, yes, a gel base is meliorate.

  • Question

    How practice I know which type of UV low-cal I take?

    Community Answer

    Look at the instructions for the unit you have. UV light volition require a infinitesimal and a half to two minutes to cure, whereas a LED low-cal unit volition take near thirty seconds.

  • Question

    Can I utilize these gel polishes without exposing my nails in UV lamps?

    Community Answer

    They have gel polish with which you don't need to employ the UV lamp.

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Things You'll Need

  • Nail buffer
  • Lint-gratis cosmetic wipes
  • 91% isopropyl alcohol
  • Gel foundation
  • Regular nail polish
  • Gel topcoat
  • UV or LED curing lamp

  • Earlier applying any nail polish, trim and file your nails to the desired length and shape. If yous endeavor to shape your nails after applying the polish, you lot'll damage your manicure.

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    Florica Damoc

    Jun 21, 2016

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