Wipe off nail polish with acetone and a cotton pad. Wrap old gel nails in acetone-soaked cotton pads before scraping the gel off. Get rid of any old tips and leftover nail glue in an acetone soak.

You can use either a metal or plastic cuticle pusher or an orangewood stick to push back your cuticles. Trim off any hangnails with a cuticle trimmer if necessary. [2] X Research source Wait to apply cuticle oil until after you’ve finished your nails so the oil doesn’t prevent the polish from sticking properly. [3] X Expert Source Lindsay YoshitomiNail Artist Expert Interview. 12 July 2019.

By doing this, you’ll roughen up the smooth, shiny texture to help the gel adhere. [4] X Research source Gel won’t bond with a shiny nail surface so be sure to dull down the entire nail plate, including the sides and edges.

Dust and natural oils will interfere with the gel’s ability to bond to your natural nail, so it’s essential to cleanse your nails before applying any nail glue or gel.

Popular nail tip shapes include coffin, almond, stiletto, square, rounded or oval, and squoval. [7] X Research source These typically come in lengths of extra-short, short, medium, long, and extra-long. Avoid using white tips since these require much more preparation to get the gel to bond.

If you choose a set with more than 10 tips, you’ll have more sizes to choose from. This can be helpful if you’re not sure what widths you’ll need.

Make sure the entire well area overlaps with your natural nail for the most secure application. Use a rocking motion as you press on the nail tip to squeeze out any air bubbles from the glue.

While buffing the surface of the tip, you can also shape up the edges with the file as well, if desired. At this point, the entire surface of your natural nail and nail tip should be dulled down.

Start with 1 stroke in the center of your nail and then work parallel strokes on either side. Choose a primer gel from the same manufacturer of the gel you’ll be using for the best results. You can pick up a complete gel kit from a beauty supply store or online retailer. Look for one containing all the necessary materials, from the primer gel and brushes to the hard or soft gel, top coat, and drying lamp. [12] X Research source

An LED lamp will cure the gel more quickly than a UV lamp. For reference, you may need to wait around 2 minutes for the primer to cure under a UV lamp. Under an LED lamp the curing time may be closer to 30 seconds. [13] X Research source

You can use either hard gel or soft gel formula to build up the gel nail. [15] X Research source During gel application, be careful not to get any gel on your surrounding skin or else it will peel off. [16] X Research source

On the left and right sides of the nail shimmy the brush towards the side of your nail. Don’t press down on your nail with the brush as you apply the gel. Instead, think of the gel as a cushion between your nail and the brush; you’re just distributing it lightly with the brush.

For an LED lamp, cure the gel for at least 30 seconds. For a UV lamp, wait at least 3 minutes. [18] X Research source To avoid smudging the gel, complete the first coat on 1 hand then cure it under the lamp before moving onto the other hand.

Aim to build up a smooth, even arch across the center of your nail. Allow the second coat to cure for about 2 minutes under a UV lamp, or about 30 seconds under an LED lamp.

Keep wiping your nails until you remove all of the tackiness. You should be left with a smooth gel surface afterward.

Note that you shouldn’t try to re-shape the nail tip at this stage; that should be done prior to gel application. This step is just for finishing off the cured gel.

After curing the gel topcoat, feel free to add a coat of standard nail polish or nail art elements if you’d like. [23] X Research source