Not depending on having to go to the nail salon every two weeks has been a game-changer. Especially during quarantine season, and at times when you’re so busy that I you don’t even have two hours to spare! I like planning my DIY French gel manicure for the end of the day, while sipping a glass of wine after dinner and watching my favorite 1 hour show. It is the perfect way to relax, wind down and give yourself a little beauty treat for the productive day that just went by!
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a beautiful, impressive French-gel manicure at home all by yourself. Click here to also see a step-by-step video tutorial.
Total time: 40min
What you will need:
1. UVA lamp
2. Nail polish remover
3. Small bowl
4. Two cotton pads
5. Wide nail file
6. Cuticle tool with two ends (cuticle pusher & triangle cuticle peeler)
7. Gel primer
8. Gel base coat
9. Creamy White gel polish
10. Transparent white gel polish
11. Top coat gel polish
12. Hand cream
13. A towel
Lets get started:
Phase 1: Preparing your nails for the gel
- Removing the previous gel polish: Pure some nail polish remover in a small glass bowl and soak your nails for 5-10min. After that, the gel should have started peeling off. Take your wide cuticle pusher and start scraping off the old gel. Be extra gentle, so you avoid peeling off the actual nail. Scrape off as much as you can without hurting your nails.
- Wipe off with some cotton dipped in nail polish remover and then use a wide nail file to file off any remaining gel.
- Dip your hand in the bowl again, this time filled with warm water, letting your cuticles soak for 5 minutes. Take them out, dry them off with a towel, and use your wide cuticle pusher again, this time pushing back the cuticles.
- Use the other triangle cuticle peeler tip of your tool to scrape off the excess cuticles and wipe everything off really meticulously with a cotton dipped in nail polish remover. You want to make sure there are no traces of cuticles left. Let your nails dry.
- Take your Gel primer and go over your nails. Let it dry.
Phase 2: Creating the French-look
- Apply a thin, even layer of the gel base. Place your nails under the UV light for 60sec.
- Apply a thin layer of the creamy white nail polish or gel polish (you can also use light pink or beige creamy color depending on what look you prefer). If you are using gel polish for this step, leave it under the lamp for 60sec. If you are using nail polish, let it dry for 5 minutes and then put it under the lamp for 60sec.
- With the very tip of the brush of the Milky-white gel polish, apply a thin line of gel, following the natural tip line of your nails. It helps if you just add a little nail polish on the tip of the brush and then in slow movements on the tip of your nail from left to right until the whole nature tip line fills out (watch the video to see how easy it is). Let your nails dry under the lamp for 60sec.
- If you like your French manicure to look more transparent, then you are ready for your top coat. If you like it more creamy, then repeat step 2 one more time.
- Apply a generous layer of Gel top coat and leave your hand under the UV light for 2 min. Certain Gel top coats need to cleaning off with some nail polish remover after the UV light is applied. The ones that say ‘No wipe off’ on the bottle don’t need that, and they are much easier and preferable to use.
- Show your hands some love by applying a natural plant-based hand cream and massaging them gently, focusing on the fingertips around the nail area. And you’re good to go…
Watch my Step-by-Step video for more insight
Some useful tips:
- When applying the Gel polish it helps if there’s a small amount of gel on the tip of your brush. Apply a sizeable chunk of it to the middle of the nail surface, and then spread it slowly and carefully from there, covering the whole nail.
- Avoid touching the skin as much as you can, because it might create air-gaps that will make the gel prone to peeling off.
- After each coat application, go around the nail area with the triangle peeler tool to clean off any excess gel that might touch the skin.
- Shake the gel polish well before you apply because sometimes the oily part of the product sits on the top.
- I find it hard to find the exact creamy white color I like when shopping for gel polishes, so sometimes I use regular nail polish. You can use any good quality regular nail polish instead of a gel polish for the creamy white coat of your French manicure, as long as you use a gel base below it, and a gel top coat above it. That seals the nail polish and gives it a long lasting result.
Products that I recommend for your French-Gel manicure:
Curing Lamps:
Cuticle tool:
Nail polish remover:
Nail Files:
Gel base:
Gel top coat:
Creamy-White Nail Polish:
Milky-White Gel for tip:
Great advise thank you!
Author
You are welcome gorgeous! Enjoy!
Author
So glad you enjoyed it! Happy creating 💕
Love it thank you!
Author
Yay, have fun with it girl 💕
Author
🧡🧡♥️♥️💙🧚♀️
I’m going to try it thank you for sharing
Author
You’re welcome girl, enjoy 💕
Author
Hope you had fun 💚
That’s great, super helpful thank you!
Author
Yay, have fun with it girl 💕
Author
You’re welcome 🧡
It doesn’t look too hard, I’ll try it ♥️
Author
Enjoy beautiful 💕
Author
Wonderful, let me know how it went 💚
Oh wow this doesn’t look too hard, thank you for sharing!
Author
Amazing, let me know how it goes
How long did it take you to get it this perfect?
Author
After a couple of times, you will be a pro! But the first time, they looked super nice too 😉
Author
After a couple of times you’ll be a pro! But the first time they will look pretty good too 😉
It looks easy, I’ll try it thank you for sharing!
Author
Enjoy beautiul ❤️
I wish I could do it! I’m going to give it a shot
Author
Yesss, its so easy! Let me know if you have any questions! Happy Monday ❤️
Author
It’s so fun! And easy! Enjoy gorgeous, let me know if you have any questions.
Author
Practice makes perfect, my first couple of times were not as flawless 😉
Can you do it with any color?
Author
Yes, absolutely!
Author
Yes! Absolutely any color 💙🧡♥️💚
I didn’t know it was this simple haha, I’ll order some stuff and try it out. Thank you!
Author
Yesss so simple and easy 🥰 enjoy girl