Who doesn’t want another way to make press on nails last longer, right?!
Have you ever purchased full cover nail tips that you plan to sell, but when you receive them they are so flimsy you’re like what the heck am I gonna do with these? Well, I experienced the same thing at the beginning of my journey selling press on nails and here’s what I found that solves that problem and no it’s not acrylic.
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The problem with using acrylic to make your press on nails stronger and thus last longer is that the acrylic will affect the sizing of a press on nail. Yeah, acrylic will make the nail “rock hard”. But it will also change the size of the nail. Acrylic will make the press on a smaller size which means it won’t fit the customer and we definitely don’t want that.
Instead, try using a brush on builder gel. Builder gel is made of gel so it won’t affect the sizing of the nail. It will not only strengthen, but make the press on nails last longer.
Builder gel was originally made for extending a nail tip using nail forms on your natural nail. It’s kind of like acrylic but lighter. You can also use it to strengthen a flimsy press on nail. Because it’s a lighter consistency than acrylic it allows you to keep the size of your press on nail in tack.
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This post is about another great way to make press on nails last longer.
How To Use Builder Gel
Your builder gel will come with instructions but the instructions are for use on your natural nail using nail forms. Here’s the process I found that works best for a press on nail.
- Do your normal nail prep.
- Then apply and cure your nail polish color.
- Use one coat (or two curing in between) of builder gel on top. I’m assuming the number of coats will be determined by the quality of the builder gel you choose and how flimsy the press on nails are. Cure based on your bottle’s instructions…for me I cured for one minute.
- Apply a topcoat and your done.
With the brand I chose and the type of nails I needed to strengthen, I only needed one coat of builder gel. You may need two. Play around with it and see what works best for you.
The gel is of a sticky consistency so you will want to be careful how you put it on. A little goes a long way. To make sure your using just enough, wipe the excess of one side of the brush onto the edge of the bottle. Cure that before deciding if you need more.
Once you’re all done, try bending the nail slightly to check the strength of the nail alongside a flimsy nail and you will definitely notice a difference. If needed you can definitely apply another coat until you find the nail strength you’re looking for. Just make sure to top it off with a topcoat.
Where To Purchase
There are quite a few low-cost options on Amazon to choose from.
I chose IBD’s Building Gel in clear.
This post is about another great way to make press on nails last longer.
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