Gel polish degreaser: what is it and what can it be replaced with?
The modern rhythm of life does not leave much time for maintaining beauty. Useful inventions in the beauty industry come to the rescue of the beautiful half of humanity. One of them is gel polish, the manicure with which is stored in perfect form for up to three weeks.
Why do you need to degrease nails
For those who want to save not only time, but also money, an excellent way out is self-applying gel polish. But the result does not always live up to expectations. This is often due to improper preparation of the nails before coating. The main reason for poor-quality varnish is insufficient or improper degreasing of nails. To make a manicure in high quality, you can not do without a degreaser for gel polish.
The tool is sold in a specialized store. Its purpose is to remove excess fat and moisture from the natural surface of nails. Fat secreted by the body or getting on the nails with creams and oils for the hands must be removed before applying shellac. After that, it is not recommended to touch the plates with your hands. Degreasing is valid for an hour, so the procedure must be carried out during this period. If this does not happen, the nails will have to be processed again.
What is a nail degreaser?
A professional solution with a degreasing effect is needed for better adhesion of the base for gel polish to the surface of the nail. Basic coating treatment with a degreasing agent also contributes to:
- cleaning the nail plate of dirt particles;
- leveling and drying the surface;
- matting and disinfection of the nail.
Untreated nails are a guarantee of a short-lived manicure. Basically, such a mistake is made at home, especially with an improperly selected product containing oily substances
. Masters in salons use only proven specialized compounds and strictly follow the procedure in the work process.
Composition and use of the product
A high-quality degreaser should have a certain composition:
- distilled water;
- n-propanol (solvent);
- isopropanol (alcohol substance, degreasing base);
- flavors to soften the pungent odor.
But even when degreasing the surface of the nails with a product with the correct composition, there is a chance to fail. The gel polish will begin to peel and crack if the nails were not wiped thoroughly with an unsuitable material.
In order to successfully cover the nails with gel polish to the maximum, it is important to follow the recommendations for preliminary preparation of their surface.
- Do not use nourishing and moisturizing agents. Otherwise, the color will not lie evenly and the base will not fully fix on the nails.
- Do not use degreasing agent with cosmetic cotton pads or regular cotton wool. Microvilli that have fallen on the surface will interfere with gel polish and cause subsequent detachment.
- Use only a suitable degreaser based on the fact that not all products are suitable for this.
It is better to use a universal specialized composition for preparing nails for shellac. Because not every composition is suitable for this purpose. There are specialized degreasers for gel, biogel and acrylic extensions.
Manufacturers who cherish the reputation and the growing number of customers enrich the funds with useful additives. For example, vitamins for the cuticle or nutrition of the nail plate. This is a competent approach to the sale of goods. A harmless composition enriched with vitamins is always bought more willingly.
Before buying, it is important to familiarize yourself with the composition and instructions for use to make sure that this particular product is the most suitable. And only then buy a bottle with a degreaser.
What else is used for degreasing nails
Primer
A standard degreaser that successfully copes with the task and is affordable. It not only dries and cleans the natural surface, but also loosens it, so that the gel polish lays even. With such a primer, the coating will perfectly fix on the nail.
The disadvantage of the primer is the acid in its composition. The regular use of such a tool can harm the nail plate. Acidic degreasers are only needed for the build-up procedure. It is better to choose a more gentle means for gel polish, preferably supplemented with vitamins.
Dehydrator
It copes with cleaning and drying the nail plate. But the effect of exposure is short-term, since it contains a rapidly volatile substance - butyl acetate. It does not penetrate into the depths of tissues and the natural pH is restored in a short time. It is advisable to use a dehydrator if it is planned to do a manicure immediately after cleaning and disinfecting the nails.
Clinser
Liquid composition to remove the sticky layer. Often used to clean a natural surface. A universal tool allows you to easily drain and degrease the nails. Flavored, which leaves after use an exceptionally pleasant and unobtrusive smell. Like a dehydrator, clinser is inexpensive.
When and how is it applied?
The degreasing procedure does not require much time.It is carried out after shaping the nails and filing the surface. The degreaser is applied with a brush or a special lint-free cloth. Typically, the product is sold in a bottle with a brush.
During the coating process, do not allow nail fluids to get on the skin. The tool can provoke irritation and trauma to the dermis. In order to avoid traumatic consequences, the product must be applied, departing from the cuticle of 2 mm and as much from the side rollers. If you still get the skin, the product should be removed immediately.
After applying the degreaser to the plate correctly, wait 20-30 seconds to dry completely. After that, you can apply the base or shellac. A good result is obtained when using the means of one brand. They are perfectly combined and guarantee durability and durability to a covering.
How to replace a special tool?
Anyone who rarely makes a manicure with gel polish and does not want to spend money on a professional degreaser can save. Before applying varnish on the nails, they can be degreased with various improvised means. The main thing is to understand what is most suitable and what is not worth even trying.
Liquid nail polish remover
In extreme cases, this method of preparing a natural surface for coating is also suitable. But because of the acetone content, it is better not to use such a liquid often. The solvent in its composition destroys the nail. It is likely that the product contains a small amount of oil. And this already casts doubt on the result of degreasing the natural surface. It is recommended that you carefully read the composition before use.
Alcohol
It is possible to degrease and disinfect nails as efficiently as possible with a pharmacy alcohol solution. Ethyl alcohol is the most suitable means among non-professional analogues of a dehydrator.
It easily removes natural fat from the surface, which is produced by the skin and a greasy film on nails from cosmetics. In addition, the nails thoroughly cleaned of all sorts of contaminants. This will favorably affect the quality of the coating. Many alcohol solutions are suitable, the main thing is to make sure that they do not contain fat. Oils are a completely unnecessary component for the quality preparation of marigolds. Gel polish lays evenly and adheres perfectly to nails if the product is selected correctly.
Boric acid
If you did not find simple alcohol in the medicine cabinet or in the nearest pharmacy, an alcoholic solution of boric acid is suitable. Effective medical cleaner for a cheap price.
It is worth remembering that vodka will not replace alcohol in any way. There are also oils in vodka and there will be no benefit from processing it. Rather, a negative result will follow when applying the coating and its socks in the future.
Citric Acid (Lemon Juice)
Of course, lemon juice is healthy and many people think that it is great in degreasing it. But this does not apply to nails. The citrus fruit also contains a proportion of oily substances, which will lead to detachment of the coating after drying under the lamp.
Soap and water
In an extreme case, if there is no possibility or desire to go to the store for a degreasing agent, it will be replaced by hand washing. Only very thorough, followed by wiping them dry with a towel without lint. Ideally, wipe your hands with a paper towel. It is important that the nails are completely dry. Then the varnish applied to them after drying does not crack and does not exfoliate from the nail.
Reviews
According to masters who use professional tools for degreasing nails, one bottle is enough for a long time. They are sure that they are not fully replaced by any household counterparts. Lovers of home manicure have enough of a ready-made degreaser at all. So that it is even spent on cleaning brushes from gel polishes and removing stickiness from the top layer of the coating.
Alcohol-containing drugs attract home nail design masters with their low cost and versatility. Such a tool certainly does not lie idle with a chance to deteriorate. Regular alcohol copes with all the tasks that a specialized degreaser is designed to solve. Therefore, every shellac fan decides on her own where and how to prepare her nails for painting.
See how to degrease nails before applying gel polish in the next video.