DIY Nail Extension

If you've ever tried sculpting your own nails you know how time consuming and frustrating it can be. This product is a brush on gel that goes on like nail polish, but has the strength of builder gel. and it's odourless too. Follow along for an easy to follow step by step tutorial.

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You will need:

Quick builder gel
​Nail Forms
​Nail file
UV/LED Lamp

Before starting any nail application you need to prep your nails. If you're unsure what to do, check out my post here.

To apply the nail form, peel off the paper backing and tear along the perforated seam. 

Pinch the ends of the form together.

Use the leftover circle sticker to seal the end together so the form doesn't pop open.

Place the form underneath the nail. Make sure it fits flush to the underside of the nail with no gaps, and try and get it as straight as possible.  There should be no gaps between your nail and the form. Once you have it positioned, wrap the tabs around the finger to hold it in place. I recommend buying a practice finger so you can play around with the forms and gel before trying it on yourself. It really helps.

Apply a base coat to your natural nails and cure. ​Then, apply a thin layer of the quick gel on your nail and continue down the form until you reach your desired length. Use the lines in the form as a guide so every nail is the same length. It will save a lot of time filing later. Cure in an LED/UV lamp (60s for LED 2min for UV). Cure each nail as you go. This gel is kind of runny and you can't do all 5 nails and then cure. You'll have a huge mess.

One reason I love this gel so much is that there's no heat spikes like regular builder gel. A heat spike is when you're curing builder gels and all of a sudden gets crazy hot, like your entire nail bed is on fire. If you ever experience a heat spike, pull your hand out of the lamp until it cools down before placing it back in the lamp.

After two thin coats of the quick gel you can now carefully remove the nail form. Pinch the bottom of the form until it pulls away from the extension.  The structure is still breakable at this point so be careful. 

Don't worry about the scary shape when the form comes off. It is easily filed later. Add more quick gel to build up the nail and make it thicker and stronger curing after each coat. 

When you're happy with the thickness of the nail, cleanse the tacky layer with isopropyl alcohol and a lint free wipe. File the nail into your desired shape. Use light pressure when filing because the quick gel is very easy to file (another reason I love this gel!) Clean the dust off with alcohol and lint free wipe and you're done! A beautifully sculpted nail with no annoying tips to put on, no mess, and no harsh chemical smell. I am in love with this product. Now you're ready for some polish. Check out my leopard nail post for some nailspiration!