Ever wanted salon quality nails but don't want to leave your own home? Well me too ! I've been wanting to try UV Gel polish for a while and the lovely people at Opallac sent me some to try.


The whole process its self is pretty simple and once you get the hang of it, you'll never have to get your nail professionally done again ! I've worn the polish on my toes a couple of times and have been able to get five to six weeks out of it which is incredible ! My favourite colours so far are Go Gaga, Fluro This, Candyman Can and Strawberries & Cream which is a really cool thermal polish.

To do your own gel mani you'll need:
- A UV lamp
- A nail buffer/file
- A UV base coat
- A UV polish in your chosen colour (Here I'm using Opallac Strawberries & Cream)
- A UV top coat
- Opallac Shine & Soak solution




Step 1:
Start with clean, unpolished nails. Using the buffer, lightly buff nails to remove any oils and dirt. This will help the polish to last longer and bond to the nail better. After buffing each nail, take care not to touch the nail as this will put oil on the nail and you'll have to buff it again.



Step 2:
Apply a thin layer of the base coat. Be careful not to get any polish on the skin as it will bond to the polish like superglue when you cure the polish under the UV lamp. It's best to use a tool or your nail to go around the edges of the nail to clean up any seepage.



Step 3:
Cure the base coat under the UV lamp for 60 seconds. Don't forget to cure your thumb too !




Step 6:
Cure the top coat for 90 seconds under the UV lamp.



Step 7:
Finally, use a small amount of the Opallac Shine & Soak solution and wipe over the nail with a tissue or cotton ball. This will remove any stickiness and make your mani really shine. Don't be alarmed if a small amount of colour comes off too.


And now you're done ! Your mani should last about two weeks and removal is pretty simple. You can pick up a Opallac starter kit off the Opallac website or from Priceline for $99.