How to Apply Gum Gel

Gum gel, also known as polygel, is a relatively new innovation in the world of nails. It’s a thicker substance that you sculpt on to the nail kind of like putty or tacky glue. The advantage of using gum gel is that it’s much easier to control the thickness of your nails and it can be modified to create a matte or glossy finish. Gum gel can be kind of awkward to use, but you’ll quickly get used to working with it. Keep in mind, when you buy gum gel it should come with a bottle of adhesive base coat. You cannot apply the gum gel without using a gum gel adhesive designed specifically for that brand’s product.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Cleaning Your Nails

1. Remove any old nail polish or gel coats. You must apply the gum gel to a natural nail, so grab some polish remover, acetone, or rubbing alcohol and wipe your nails clean. If you have any press-on nails, soak them in hot water and peel them off. Thoroughly wipe each nail before washing your hands and letting them air dry.^[1]
   
   • Gum gel will generally last 2-4 weeks depending on how thick you apply it and how clean your nails are when you put it on. This is why cleaning your nails thoroughly is so important.
2. Clean and push your cuticles to remove the dead skin. Grab an orangewood stick or a cuticle tool and hold it like a pencil. Gently press against your cuticle to push it and expose any dead skin hiding near the base of your nail. Then, use an orangewood stick, flat scraper blade, or curette to gently scrape away any dead skin. Take 5-10 minutes to really clean all of your cuticles out.^[2]
   
3. Wipe your nails clean with a clean, dry brush to remove any dead skin. Thoroughly clean a makeup brush by washing it out and letting it air dry. Alternatively, grab a brand new brush. Wipe each nail by brushing back and forth along the tips of your fingers. Brush each individual finger 4-5 times to knock away any dirt, residue, or dead skin that’s hanging on your nails.^[3]
   
   • You can file your nails after doing this if you really want some strong adhesion, but it’s not mandatory.

[Edit]Adding the Adhesive Base Coat

1. Brush your nails with the gel gum base coat. Unscrew the cap on the gum gel base coat. Rub the bristles on the cap’s brush against the inside of the bottle to knock off any excess base coat fluid. Carefully apply the base coat to your nails using wide, straight strokes to cover the middle of the nail. Then, gently outline the back of your nail using a single circular stroke. Do your best to keep the base coat off of your skin.^[4]
   
   • Repeat this process for each of your nails.
   • You don’t need a thick layer of base coat, but you do need to cover each portion of the nail.
   • If you do get base coat on your skin, use a cleanser or wet wipe to rub away the adhesive fluid before it dries.
2. Cure the base coat under a UV lamp for 30 seconds. Turn a UV lamp on and slide your fingers underneath the light. Let your nails cure for 30 seconds to give the base coat time to stiffen and adhere to your nails. The base coat will still be tacky and sticky when you take your fingers out, so avoid touching your nails.^[5]
   
   • You can usually use an LED lamp for this adhesive as well, but check the label on your gum gel base coat just to make sure. Typically, you can hold your nails under an LED lamp for 15-20 seconds to cure the base coat.
   • Unfortunately, you cannot apply gum gel nails if you don’t have a UV or LED lamp.
3. Apply a second layer of the base coat if you want extra adhesion. It’s entirely optional, but adding an additional base coat will make your gum gel nails last even longer. If you don’t want to do your nails again after a few weeks, feel free to repeat this process and apply another layer of base coat to your nails. Cure them under the UV lamp the same way you cured the first coat.^[6]
   
   • Gum gel nails typically last 2-4 weeks, but they may last a little longer if you use a second base coat.

[Edit]Creating the Gum Gel Nails

1. Place a thick drop of gum gel in the middle of your first nail. Squeeze the tube firmly to slowly push out a pea-sized dollop of the gum gel. Place the gum gel on to the tip of an orangewood stick. Then, use the tip of your stick to carefully wipe the gem gel off of the stick and on to the middle of your first nail. Gently tap the gum gel down using the broad side of the stick to flatten it out a little.^[7]
   
   • This is where the oddity of gum gel will really become apparent. The gum gel itself is a thick, putty-like substance. It can be molded, shaped, and pushed around, but it’s kind of a weird substance to work with. Don’t worry—you’ll get better at working with it as you continue to get practice.
   • It’s kind of hard to figure out how much gum gel you need for each nail. Don’t worry if you get it wrong the first time. You can always add more gum gel to a nail or scoop some excess gel off.
   • This stuff is pretty dense, so it can take a bit of pressure to squeeze the gum gel out of the tube.
2. Dip a small nail brush into some cleanser or isopropyl alcohol. Take a clean nail brush and dip it into some liquid cleanser. Blot the brush on a paper towel to wipe the excess cleanser off. Get the brush damp, but not soaking wet. The cleanser will temporarily soften the gum gel and make it easier to work around, so reload your brush whenever the gum gel starts hardening.^[8]
   
3. Tap the gum gel down using the damp brush to spread it out. Hold the brush at a 10- to 20-degree angle and repeatedly tap the top of the gum gel. Continue doing this until the gum gel flattens out around the middle of the nail. Stop once the gum gel gets within of the skin on the sides of your finger.^[9]
   
   • This may be a little hard to do your first time working with gum gel, but try to keep the gum gel thicker in the middle of the nail and thinner around the edges of the nail.
4. Brush the gum gel around to shape it to your nail. Use the nail brush to sculpt the gel on your nail. You can hold the bristles perpendicular to the gel and move it from above to make minor adjustments, or push the gum gel around faster by spreading the gel with the brush at a 25- to 35-degree angle. Take your time to work the gel up through the tip of your nail and towards the back of the nail near you cuticle.^[10]
   
   • You may be tempted to use a stiffer tool to force the gum gel around, but this will make it harder to get an even texture. You’re much better off taking a little more time to spread it out evenly with the brush.
   • If you run out of gel, push out a small drop of gum on to your orangewood stick and rub it off on the area where you need more gum gel.
   • Reload your brush with cleanser or isopropyl alcohol as needed to keep it damp and make the gum gel easier to work with.
5. Touch up the edges of the nail and remove any gel that gets on your skin. Use the tip of your brush to push small amounts of the gel around the edge of your cuticle. Carefully spread the gel out around the edges of the nail and coat the underside of the free edge if you have one. If you get any gum gel on your skin, scrape the gel up with your orangewood stick or cuticle tool and wipe the area with a cleansing wipe.^[11]
   
   • The gum gel won’t start to dry until you cure it under a lamp, so you have plenty of time to spread it out, touch the sides of the nail up, or remove it from your skin.
6. Repeat this process to add the gel to the rest of your nails. Once you’ve finished your first nail, continue this process until you’ve covered each of your nails. Scoop up a small dollop of gum gel, apply it to the center of your nail, and spread it around with your brush. This may take you 20-30 minutes, but the finished product will look incredible!^[12]
   
   • One of the benefits of gum gel is that you have total control over the thickness of the nail. You can build your nails up for a thicker look, or use a thinner amount to create a smoother acrylic style.
7. Cure your nails under a UV lamp for 2 minutes. Once your nails are completely covered, slide them under a UV lamp for 2 minutes. This will cure the gum gel and adhere it to your nails. Your nails will still be a little sticky after they’ve cured, but this is entirely normal. Don’t cure them under the lamp for more than 2 minutes to get this stickiness off.^[13]
   
   • If the label on your gum gel notes that you can use an LED lamp, hold the nails under the lamp for 60 seconds.
8. Wipe your nails with a cleanser wipe to remove the sticky layer. To remove the sticky layer on the surface of the gum gel, grab a cleanser wipe. Gently rub the surface of each nail with the wipe to erode the tacky texture on the top of the gum gel. This will leave a beautiful matte look behind and leave your nails with a smooth finish.^[14]
   
   • When you’re done, you can leave the nails as they are for a matte finish. Alternatively, you can cover the nails in a standard clear coat to add some sheen and make them look glossy. It’s really up to you!
   • You can remove the gum gel at any time using a file and cuticle tool to scrape the gum gel off.

[Edit]Tips

• There aren’t a lot of companies that make gum gel products. If you can’t find it at a beauty supply store, look online. Most of the manufacturers are based in the United Kingdom and may ship internationally.

[Edit]Things You’ll Need

• Gum gel
• Gum gel base coat
• Orangewood stick
• Cuticle tool
• Liquid cleanser
• Cleanser wipe
• UV or LED lamp
• Isopropyl alcohol (optional)
• File (optional)

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/fashion-beauty/make-up-advice/a567220/how-to-remove-shellac-nail-polish-gel-manicure-at-home/
2. ↑ https://www.nailpro.com/cuticle-guide/
3. ↑ [v161381_b01]. 23 April 2020.
4. ↑ https://youtu.be/NwREbeolMGI?t=434
5. ↑ https://youtu.be/NwREbeolMGI?t=452
6. ↑ https://youtu.be/NwREbeolMGI?t=481
7. ↑ https://youtu.be/NwREbeolMGI?t=513
8. ↑ https://blueskycosmetics.co.uk/pages/bluesky-gum-gel-tutorial
9. ↑ https://youtu.be/NwREbeolMGI?t=528
10. ↑ https://youtu.be/NwREbeolMGI?t=548
11. ↑ https://youtu.be/NwREbeolMGI?t=636
12. ↑ https://youtu.be/NwREbeolMGI?t=649
13. ↑ https://youtu.be/MGBaMm181BM?t=242
14. ↑ https://blueskycosmetics.co.uk/pages/bluesky-gum-gel-tutorial