UV lamp for nails: what are the features, how to choose and how to use?

In recent years, an ultraviolet lamp for drying nails is no longer associated with professional salon equipment. Many women who prefer to make a persistent manicure with shellac at home already have a small device. The device can be ordered at a local specialty store or online. The price varies depending on many characteristics. How to choose the best device for yourself is described below.

The UV lamp for nails is a plastic case with buttons and a control panel, inside which an ultraviolet lamp (or several) is built-in. It is used to dry a special shellac coating, which was invented not so long ago. It is popular due to its beautiful appearance, the ability to create a diverse design and great durability. Such gel polishes do not dry in the air, like a familiar coating. For their hardening, a UV lamp is also needed.

For home manicure, the most inexpensive Chinese-made options are most often used. They have 1 or 2 lamps of 9 watts. The cost of such devices does not exceed 120-150 US dollars. They are in great demand because of the low price, compactness and versatility. In professional manicure studios, lamps of higher power are used, which allow you to make a more durable coating in just a couple of minutes.Often they have additional options, such as a fan or a timer.

Modern devices look very attractive and have a wide range of colors for every taste: from a silver or pink palette to a leopard print. Fashionable lamp design will decorate any dressing table.

Drying apparatuses differ in shape and size, power, additional functionality. The most compact mini-lamp fits easily in any handbag. It is quite cheap, the cost starts from 700 rubles. Such a device is popular with beginners. Even if something does not work out or the results of the manicure disappoint, you won’t have to regret too much about the money spent.

For home use, they recommend a small device with a capacity of 18 watts. It is universal in use, it works quite high quality. With infrequent use (1-2 times a month), the bulbs are enough without replacement for about a year. It will take a little longer to dry the coating than in a beauty salon. Some buy 27-watt UV lamps.

Professionals buy for work manicure lamps of 36 watts and 54 watts. They are able to qualitatively polarize any kind of coating with the most dense texture. Dry one layer, usually in 2-3 minutes. These lamps are much larger in size, they can dry immediately 2 hands, which further reduces the time to work. Also in this apparatus you can dry the nails on the toes. But usually the craftsmen have a separate lamp for this.

More recently, a brand new LED lamp has appeared in the world of nail design. They have their advantages over the usual ultraviolet, but also have a number of disadvantages. This LED lamp is considered to be a more advanced device of a new generation.

Here are some criteria that distinguish UV lamps from LED ones.

• Sizes. Newer appliances are more compact than ultraviolet lamps. For someone, this is a significant plus. But to dry simultaneously 2 hands and especially the manicure on the feet in such a device will not work. But the LED lamp has an interesting design and unusual shape.
• Life time. By the durability of the use of lamps, LEDs are many times superior to UV lamps. If with active use in the cabin gas lamps have to be replaced every 2-3 months, the life of the LEDs is measured in tens of thousands of hours. In addition, over time, UV lamps begin to shine worse, gradually lose power. With LED devices this does not happen. They shine equally well both at the beginning and at the end of the service life.

• Maintainability. If something is broken in the ultraviolet lamp, then finding replacement elements is usually not a problem. Light bulbs change very simply. If the LED lamp breaks, it will be difficult to find individual LEDs. And repair at a cost will be almost comparable to buying a new device.
• Functional. This is one of the serious advantages of the old type lamps over the new ones. Ultraviolet lamps polarize a variety of coatings: acrylic, gel, shellac of any density and texture. LED lamp does not guarantee complete drying of some types of coating. Some of the most dense species do not succumb to it at all. Will have to act experimentally. Or choose those varnishes that are specifically designed for polarization under the influence of LEDs. And this greatly reduces the choice.
• Quality and speed of drying. But LEDs cope with their task faster, especially on coatings with a liquid texture. Drying one layer takes a maximum of 30 seconds, while in a UV lamp one layer cures for a minimum of 180 seconds. Speed ​​and time saving play a big role for professional craftsmen.

• Cost. The price of different types of lamps differs significantly. If a cheap version of an ultraviolet device can be purchased for 1000 rubles, then the cost of LED simple devices starts from 2500 rubles. For this money, you can buy a powerful UV device for semi-professional use, while a device of the same level with LEDs will cost 7000-8000 rubles.

Thus, the main advantages of LED-lamps in their compactness, long service life and quick drying. They allow you to save 4 times more electricity. And their light is less harmful than ultraviolet, as some girls have an allergic reaction to the skin of their hands when using UV lamps.

This question arises for girls who are going to make a manicure with gel polish for the first time, as well as for those who use a UV lamp all the time. It is difficult to get a burn with such a device. But due to the use of devices with high power, it is often felt that the lamp is burning. If the light bakes strongly, exerting a thermal effect, it is worth choosing a device with a lower radiation power. Accordingly, the thermal effect will be less. If the lamp bakes, then the manicurists turn on the fan built into the device, for greater comfort of the procedure. For professional high-power devices of 36 and 58 watts, this option is usually available.

It is believed that bright light can adversely affect vision. As well as ultraviolet radiation can cause aging of the skin of the hands and in general negatively affect its condition. It is worth noting, however, that such a risk is several times less than when visiting a tanning bed or sunbathing. A manicure lamp can be harmful if you have a rare reaction to ultraviolet light.

Allergies appear in a small number of women, but it is better to warn the master in advance. It is usually manifested by reddening of the skin and rashes on the surface in the sunny season. The UV lamp does not harm the nail plate, since the nail is covered with several layers of varnish. If you are allergic to ultraviolet, it is better to purchase an LED lamp.

To choose a manicure lamp, you should consider many factors. The main one will be your individual tolerance of ultraviolet rays. Therefore, first of all, it is worth checking the body's response to ultraviolet light. If it is, then you should definitely buy an LED lamp, although it costs an order of magnitude more expensive. It will also have to pick up gel varnishes with a special suitable texture.

The next factor is financial capabilities and purpose of use. If you don’t want to spend too much, and the lamp will be needed only for personal home use, then you can buy the most budgetary UV lamp with a power of 18 watts. If possible, you can buy an LED device, it is more compact and will last longer. And its higher cost will pay off with a long service life and energy saving. For professional use, it is better to buy a hybrid that combines the advantages of both drying devices.

It is important to consider whether you will only do manicure or decorate the marigolds on the legs too. In the latter case, you will need to purchase a larger device. The right option would be a medium power UV lamp. For home use, the defining characteristics are often cost, size and durability.For professionals, the wide functionality and the ability to quickly dry, as well as the reliability of the device, are important. Although the choice here is individual. Those who love gel polish also get good appliances for home with powerful lamps in the middle price range.

According to the reviews of professional masters, several of the most popular models can be distinguished. All of them are of high quality. Different professionals choose lamps to fit their needs. They can differ in size and additional options important for salon use.

The device is multifunctional and can be used for both manicure and pedicure. The lamp power is sufficient for high-quality drying of various types of coating. On the case there is a display showing the power used (it can be changed) and the countdown in the reverse order. The device is convenient for transportation. Professionals note an ergonomic removable pallet.

The device has 4 lamps of 9 watts, it turns out quite powerful drying. The device is quite simple, made in Russia. It is especially popular with novice masters due to the optimal ratio of price and quality. Of the additional options there is a countdown timer for 2 and 3 minutes. This is very convenient, according to most reviews, since it is this time that is used most often for polymerization.

A powerful lamp from a well-known manufacturer will delight professionals. Reviews about her are usually the best. Inside there are 32 powerful LEDs of excellent quality. In addition, there is a mirror diffuser of a special configuration, which distinguishes the lamp from a number of similar ones. The strong case is made of metal. Touch control in the device - as in the most top-end models of modern technology. Coatings are dried in a very short time, only 10-30 seconds, which is very important for professional craftsmen.

The device has become a favorite of professional craftsmen. This is a typical example of a hybrid unit. It has powerful LEDs and 1 ultraviolet lamp. You can dry your nails in record time and with any coating. Compact sizes are an advantage for some, but a disadvantage for others. Controversial reviews has a timer. A useful option, but only if you make nails, like a master in the salon. The device is not intended for independent use, since the timer panel is located on its rear side.

To obtain a stable coating, it is important to use the device correctly. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the instructions before work. Lamps are used only for those types of coatings that are specified by the manufacturer, otherwise a manicure may have unpredictable results. For UV lamps before direct drying, it is recommended that you turn on and warm the lamp for 5 minutes.

Familiar varnish can theoretically be dried under an ultraviolet lamp. The effect will be similar to the sun.However, this is not recommended, as the appliance heats up and the coating may simply leak. If you need to dry the nails faster, it is better to purchase a quick-drying varnish that completely hardens on the nails in a minute.

Drying ordinary varnish under LED lamps will not give any effect. They are not designed to dry the surface, but to polymerize under the action of a stream of light particles of the special components of gel polish. There are no such substances in ordinary varnish, therefore, the necessary acceleration of the process will not work.

Replacement depends on the intensity of use of the device. LEDs are not replaceable. But installing new ultraviolet lamps is not difficult. If you do manicure only for yourself or a couple of friends, then high-quality lamps may be enough for a year. In nail salons, they are changed approximately every 3 months, as old devices gradually lose their power, and the master’s working time increases due to longer drying. The need to change the lamp will indicate a decrease in brightness by 40% or more or darkening of individual sections of the light element.

Luminescent elements in a manicure lamp quickly deteriorate not only as a result of long work. From frequent on and off, they also fail, in addition, because they consume more electricity. It is optimal for the lamp to work continuously for 2-3 hours with a break of at least 1 hour.

On how to choose the right UV lamp for nails, see the next video.