After a stronger, longer-lasting gel manicure? Enter Builder Gel. The powerful polish loved by thousands that boosts the longevity of your manicure and promotes nail growth all in one go. Read on to learn the ins and outs of how to use Gelous Builder Gel, as we walk you through each step and share our top tips for a flawless application.
What is Builder Gel?
Builder Gel is your secret weapon for bringing strength to your stunning gel manicures. Unlike regular Gel Nail Polishes, Builder Gel boasts a thicker consistency and harder finish, offering your nails the ultimate protection against bending or breaking. This mighty polish not only extends the life of your manicures but also promotes the natural strength and growth of your nails — it’s a total win-win. If your gel manicures aren’t lasting as long as you’d like due to your nail tips bending, snapping, or breaking, then Builder Gel is for you!
How do you use Gelous Builder Gel?
How to apply Builder Gel
Builder Gel finds its place in your nail routine after applying Base Coat, creating a strong, sleek layer before adding your Colour Coat and Top Coat. With its thick consistency, it’s best to swipe your brush against the bottle’s rim first, then go for 1-2 thin coats, curing after each coat just as you would with your regular Gel Nail Polish. Pay close attention when applying Builder Gel near your cuticle to leave a small gap, this will prevent any flooding of the nail bed. If you find your Builder Gel is looking a bit bulky or uneven on the nail tip after curing, not to worry — simply moisten a Lint Free Wipe with Nail Polish Remover, wipe the nail and file it down for a perfectly smooth finish. If nail art is next on your agenda, you should also wipe down the nail in the same fashion. This step eliminates the sticky inhibition layer, providing you with a smooth, flawless canvas to paint on.
How to remove Builder Gel
When it’s time to say goodbye to your gel mani, it’s important to note you don’t have to fully remove Builder Gel unless you notice it’s lifting. Builder Gel is thicker and more resilient than other Gel Nail Polishes, so it often won’t come off entirely during regular removal. Once you’ve successfully removed all your coloured Gel Nail Polish, you can gently use the fine side of the Gelous Nail File to smooth out any leftover Builder Gel. If you prefer to remove your Builder Gel completely, you will likely need to soak your nails for an additional 10 minutes or so after removing your coloured polish, or paint an extra layer of Express Gel Nail Polish Remover. This extra soaking time will help to loosen up the Builder Gel for easier removal.
How to infill Builder Gel
When you’re ready for reapplication, begin with your usual nail preparation, then apply Base Coat and cure. It’s then time to infill your Builder Gel. Start close to the cuticle area, gently pushing the Builder towards the cuticle while leaving a small gap to prevent any overflow. Continue by pulling strokes up to the tip of your nail, cap the free edge, and leave uncured — this creates a ‘slip layer’ which acts as a guide for the subsequent layer. Next, apply a small bead of Builder Gel onto your nail and gently guide it toward the cuticle area. With a left-to-right motion, work the Builder Gel up the nail, thinning towards the tip, and cap the free edge. It’s a good idea to use a Thin Nail Art Brush to pull some bulk towards the tip, this will tidy the application and remove any lumps or bumps. Finish by flipping your hand upside down to help create a natural apex on the nail, cure for 60 seconds, and continue with your mani as usual.
LOOKING FOR A TUTORIAL?
Watch our step-by-step YouTube tutorial on How to Backfill Builder Gel & Create an Apex.Does Gelous Builder Gel help nails grow?
Builder Gel is an amazing tool for nurturing nail growth. Its strength and rigidity prevent your nails from bending and breaking, promoting not only the growth of your natural nails but also boosting the longevity of your manicure. Plus, since there’s no need to remove Builder Gel entirely, this protective layer remains, keeping your nails strong and less prone to breakage between gel manicures. Pair it with Gelous Rubber Base Coat for ultimate strength!
Is Gelous Builder Gel good?
Absolutely, Builder Gel is a game-changing addition to your gel manicure. It brings a whole new level of strength, thickness and longevity to your mani to totally transform it. But don’t just take our word for it, read the glowing reviews for our Builder Gel and let the results speak for themselves!
“I have very thin and weak nails, and have never had a manicure last for longer than 1-2 weeks due to chipping and nail breakage (including from a nail salon). This is my first time using this product and it’s almost been a MONTH since I applied it, and all nails are still going strong. I can confidently say my nails have never been able to grow this long without breaking. People with weak nails NEED THIS.”
- Emma
“This has made my manicure last 4 weeks with no chips and has strengthened my nails so much. No more flaking, chipping or cracking and it is a lovely natural colour.”
- Bianca
“I just finished my first bottle of builder gel and now I can’t do my nails without it! I find my nails no longer chip or peel at all and I haven’t had a broken nail since I started using it. The pink is also a really nice colour as a base if I want to do small details on the nail or just do the tips.”
- Vanessa
“I’ve been using the builder gel for about 2 months and my nails have never been longer. It’s an amazing product and has really exceeded my expectations.”
- Alyia
"Wow! This Builder is fantastic! As an ex nail tech it is one I can highly recommend. I have been using it on myself and clients and can’t fault it. One client is a cleaner - her hands are in and out gloves, water and cleaning products. They have always chipped after a couple of days and with Builder Gel they have done the test of toughness and lasted a couple weeks without chipping. My nails personally have not been this long in years! I am very rough on my hands and they are just standing the test of workouts, cleaning and my busy life."
- Dana
