Did gel removal and reapplication in 3.5 hours….how can I improve my time?

[u/birknsocks]

[u/Emotional_Base_9021]

3.5 hours with nail art and thorough nail prep is pretty average for me. I’ve been doing gel for about 10 years, structured gel with rubber base on my natural nails for 2 years. It usually takes me between an hour and hour and a half to file the previous set and do nail prep, hour and a half for polish and a little extra for art. I always do 2 coats rubber base, at least 2 coats color then topcoat. If I don’t have a lot of time, I’ll do minimal reshaping and solid color and can get it down to 2 hours but without thorough prep my retention isn’t as good.

Edit to add: this is a gorgeous set, great color and literally perfect application!

[u/UnusualBet8331]

LOVE the color on the middle and ring finger, would you mind sharing the color and/or product? Gorgeous again OP!

[u/birknsocks → u/UnusualBet8331]

Thank you!!!! It’s Bioseaweed Gel Cotton Angel :) it’s quite sheer so I use a bead to float 2 thin coats on

[u/schmoozers → u/birknsocks]

Saaaame!!!i love the base color!! My skin tone is similar to yours but I’ve always had a tough time finding a nude-ish color that looks good.

I haven’t done much gel polish previously… I might have to finally attempt it though!

[u/oaklandbabushka → u/birknsocks]

That is my absolute favorite color gel - I’ve been religiously using cotton angel for years!

[u/luna_moonsoon → u/UnusualBet8331]

yess, literally in love with the middle finger one came to the comments to find this

[u/Collosal_Moron]

Idk but this is the cleanest gel application I’ve ever seen omg

[u/kainani_s]

Sometimes I find that removing my polish the night before really helps break things up for me!! I’d wait until I’m sitting down to paint my nails, to actually do the prepping, but filing off the previous set the night before helps a lot for me personally!!

[u/Fit_Lemons]

Honestly that’s a good timing for doing your own nails. I feel like anyone who can do it in under 2 hours is a nail savant 🤣

[u/birknsocks → u/Fit_Lemons]

I know…I’ve heard of people doing their own nails in 90 minutes…

[u/Fit_Lemons → u/birknsocks]

I wish I was that fast 😫😂

[u/meringuedragon]

Your nails look lovely :)

[u/Master-Use-2061]

these look sooo clean😍

[u/Strawberry__Jello]

I can’t speak to time since I can’t do my own nails lol but I seriously love what you’ve done. It’s so perfect and clean, have you had training or self taught? I love these.

[u/birknsocks → u/Strawberry__Jello]

Aw thank you :) self taught! I watch a LOT of nail reels 😅

[u/briarw]

They look nice! Where do you find you get hung up time wise? Prep, applications, etc?

[u/birknsocks → u/briarw]

Thank you!! I would say application….it can take me a few minutes to apply one coat of colour polish on one nail (especially with Bioseaweed gel) because I find it tough to work with 😩

[u/briarw → u/birknsocks]

Is it thicker than you'd like, or is it runny? I've never ised Bioseaweed, so I don't know 😅

[u/birknsocks → u/briarw]

It’s a bit runny. I find that BSG gels are also fairly sheer so it takes at least 3 coats to reach the opacity I like!

[u/sl33pytesla]

Your appointment walks in at the 2.5 hour mark.

[u/Famous-Upstairs998]

I love them! Sorry I have no advice on time because no matter how long I spend mine are always so messy anyway. But I have to ask, what is that blue?? I love blue nails and that color is perfection.

[u/birknsocks → u/Famous-Upstairs998]

Thank you!!! The blue is Bioseaweed Gel’s Shipwreck! You need 3 coats to get this opacity

[u/Famous-Upstairs998 → u/birknsocks]

Thank youuuuu! ❤️

[u/Dippy-M]

These look amazing. Well done.

[u/CommercialAwareness8]

I do my basic cuticle prep the day before I polish my nails . Once my nails grew out, I just push them up. I also used a peel-off base gel to help with nail removal since I have eczema prone skin and I think that helped shorten my time.
The peel off base doesn’t damage my nails since I apply oil before removing.

I hope this helps !

[u/purplevines → u/CommercialAwareness8]

How do you keep a peel off base from peeling off before you want it too?

[u/CommercialAwareness8 → u/purplevines]

Just make sure you have a good prep and don’t let it touch your cuticles or skin! Just like anything else, It will lift if you make it touch your cuticles /skin area. I hope this helps! ❤️

[u/purplevines → u/CommercialAwareness8]

And then oil to help peel it off? I’ve only ever had it peel off unwanted so I don’t know what is supposed to happen haha

[u/CommercialAwareness8 → u/purplevines]

Yes! That’s what I use. I’ve seen others just rip it off, but I’m too scared to do that lol.

[u/purplevines → u/CommercialAwareness8]

Thanks! Will give it a try

[u/andyvl0393]

I think it’s a record breaking time, no notes.

[u/purplelephant]

How do you get your cuticles so beautiful and perfect!?!!!

[u/birknsocks → u/purplelephant]

Thank you! I use a glass cuticle pusher to push the cuticles back and prep cuticles. I only use nippers to trim hangnails and occasionally if eponychium is suuuper thick and easy to see. Also I use a bit of oil on my cuticles every time I wash my hands so I don’t go picking at them!!

[u/Hot-Ad7703]

3.5 hours and your nails look like this?!?? Girl I need all the tips because even with 12 hours I couldn’t get mine to look this good!!

[u/HiddenTurtles]

It takes me about 4 hours. I have been doing my nails off and on for about 4 years. Covid hobby.

[u/wine-plants-thrift]

These are so subtle and cute!

[u/AlarmedLuck4895]

So cute! What’s a “bead?”

[u/birknsocks → u/AlarmedLuck4895]

A bead is the drop of gel you have on your brush! It helps you get a more even application.

[u/Constant_Method7236]

Honestly, practice will make you faster. These are so cute too!!

[u/SoyChai9]

I wonder the same 😭 nailsbyaran does full sets with art in an hour… insane

[u/n_cab24]

love 💙

[u/No_College2419]

Tbh it takes me just as long.

[u/KancerFox]

You could consider getting an electric file to help the removal process.

[u/Mimikota]

These are the most perfect little things! I love the shape and seeing short nails. Thank you for the inspiration. And that time frame sounds very good.

[u/evergreen793]

Wow, I loooove these. So cute!

[u/white-lotus-s]

That’s pretty good time!

[u/NoJudge1453]

WOW 🤩

[u/LongjumpingHat4645]

Using peel off base really speeds up removal and prep for me. If I’m just doing something simple like base, 1-2 layers of something, top, I can be done in just over an hour. I usually do cat eye, though, which is closer to 2 if I’m being picky. Anything with builder or art pushes it to 3 and beyond.

I also get antsy the day before and tend to push my proximal fold back with my fingers while watching tv. Just fidgeting, really, but I find it helps too.

[u/zestybi]

Idk but OMG SO CUTE!!! I love the tiny hearts! 💙

[u/fenty_czar]

3.5 hours for removal, prep, art and color is great timing! I guess more practice would help. But these look great

[u/flanface87]

I wish I was that quick!

[u/BlueMtBrownieEdges]

Absolutely beautiful.

[u/ashkervon]

I do gel builder every 2 weeks on my natural nails. It usually takes me an hour to remove and do a fresh coat. Use a gel remover and don’t soak in acetone, it’s much faster. I also like to do my gel builder the day before then apply regular polish the next day to break it up.

[u/jessesgirlstaciesmom]

This is beautiful work. As a cosmetologist all I can say about timing is PRACTICE. You get quicker with practice.

[u/PlasticAd373]

Idk how to improve your time but I’m here to say those are so cute and I’m totally going to copy them when I do mine this evening!