Isla Bennett
Gel nail refills, also known as retouching, are a great way to maintain your manicure without damaging your nails. This process involves removing the existing gel polish, preparing the nail, and applying a new gel coat. You can do this at home or opt for a professional service. The frequency of refills depends on your nail growth and desired aesthetic, with 3-4 weeks being the average recommended time frame. The process includes several steps, from filing and buffing to dehydration and gel application, all of which contribute to a long-lasting and stylish manicure.
How to do a refill on gel nails
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First Step | File the nail with a coarse file to remove the shine from the gel. |
| Filing Technique | Only file the gel and not the natural nail. |
| Filing Tools | Use an electric nail file or a hand file. |
| Shaping the Nail | Use a softer file to gently go over the natural nail and remove any product. |
| Prepping the Nails | Ensure there is no lifting of the gel, and that the cuticles are clean and free of dead skin. |
| Dehydrating the Nails | Apply a dehydrator and primer to the natural part of the nail to aid bonding. |
| Applying the Gel | Depending on the gel system, apply a base gel and then a builder gel, carefully placing it on the nail from the cuticle area to the tip. |
| Curing the Gel | Cure the gel under a light for 45 seconds to a minute. |
| Number of Layers | Apply as many layers as desired for strength and thickness, curing each layer. |
| Cleansing the Nails | After curing the final coat, cleanse with a disinfectant to remove the tacky layer, then wash hands. |
| Finishing | Apply a base coat and polish to finish. |
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What You'll Learn
Filing down existing gel polish
To begin the process of refilling gel nails, you must first file down the existing gel polish. This is an important step to ensure the new gel polish adheres properly. The aim is to remove around 90% of the gel polish, including the shiny top layer and most of the base gel. Use a coarse file (180-grit) and file back and forth with a gentle touch, being careful not to damage your natural nail or surrounding skin. An electric nail file can be used for this initial stage, followed by a hand file for more precision.
When filing, focus only on the gel, and ensure you do not file your natural nail. You do not need to remove all the product, just the top coat and some of the bulk. Once the shine is removed, move on to a softer file to gently go over your natural nail and remove any remaining product. Pay particular attention to the area where the gel meets the new natural nail, as this is where lifting often occurs. Create a seamless transition from the natural nail to the gel.
Buffing is another crucial step in the process. Buffing the nail plate gives the gel something to grip onto, ensuring your manicure lasts longer. Use a buffer block and create a rough texture with back-and-forth motions. Take care not to over-buff your natural nails, as this can cause damage or thinning. Once you've finished buffing, use a lint-free nail wipe to remove any dust, followed by a nail prep solution to ensure the nail surface is clean and ready for the new gel application.
After filing and buffing, your nails should be free of any remaining gel polish, creating a neat surface for the next steps. It is important to prepare your nails correctly to ensure the gel polish adheres properly and lasts longer. Once the filing and buffing are complete, you can move on to cuticle care and preparation before applying the new gel polish.
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Cuticle care and prep
Cuticle care is essential when it comes to gel nail refills. Without proper cuticle care, your gel nails may start to lift and peel. After a few weeks of wearing gel nails, your cuticles will likely have grown back, which can cause your nails to look messy and lead to the polish lifting and peeling. Therefore, before you start the refill process, you should ensure your cuticles are clean and any dead skin is removed.
To begin the cuticle care and prep process, you should first remove any previous gel polish. You can do this by filing down your existing gel polish. It is recommended to use a 100-grit nail file and file in a back-and-forth motion, applying enough pressure to remove the gel without damaging your natural nail. You should aim to remove around 90% of the gel, including the shiny top layer and most of the base gel, to give you a neat surface to work with.
Once you are satisfied that most of the gel has been filed down, you can move on to cuticle care. Use a cuticle pusher to gently push back your cuticles. You can then use cuticle nippers or a similar tool to carefully remove any dead skin. It is important to be gentle during this process to avoid damaging your cuticles and the surrounding skin.
After cuticle care, you should ensure your nails are clean and free of any dust or debris. You can use a lint-free nail wipe to remove any dust and wipe down the nail plate. It is also recommended to use a nail prep product to remove any remaining dirt and oils before applying the gel. This will help ensure that your gel nails adhere properly and do not lift.
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Applying the gel
Now that your nails are prepped, it's time to apply the gel. The first step is to apply a dehydrator to your natural nail, followed by a primer. This will help the gel bond to your natural nail. Depending on your gel system, you may need to apply a base gel first and then a builder gel. Starting at the cuticle area, carefully place the gel on your nail and drag it up to the tip. Once the nail is covered, add a little more gel to the centre of your nail to build up the apex and add structure. This will support the length of your nail extension. Turn your nail upside down for a few seconds to use gravity to your advantage and gain more height in your apex.
Once you're happy with the amount of gel, cure your nails under an LED lamp for 60 seconds or a UV lamp for 120 seconds. You can then sculpt your nails using a nail file to your desired shape, ensuring you sweep away any dust. After curing your nails, you can paint your nails with your chosen gel polish, remembering to cure between each coat and always finishing with a top coat to seal in your manicure.
The time between gel infills varies depending on your nail growth time, but it is generally recommended to infill your gel nails after 3-4 weeks. This is to avoid the "stress point" and the bead of the extended nail becoming excessively projected toward the tip of the nail, which can cause cracks and loosening.
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Curing the gel
Once you are happy with your gel nail infill, it's time to cure your nails. Cure your nails underneath a lamp. You can use a Mylee LED lamp for 60 seconds or a UV lamp for 120 seconds.
After curing your nails, you can paint your nails with your chosen gel polish. Remember to cure between each coat of gel polish and always finish with a top coat to seal in your manicure.
The time taken for a retouching or refill is generally about 1 hour and a half for a skilled nail technician. Typically, people tend to infill their gels around once every 3 weeks. However, this varies from person to person, as well as their nail growth times.
If you are doing back-to-back gel manicures, it is recommended to wait a few days in between to let your nails recover.
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Painting the nails
Painting your nails is the fun part of the process! You can choose any colour you like and create whatever nail look you desire. You can even modify the shape of your nails. If you want to change the colour, you'll need to remove the previous gel colour. This can be done by filing your nails or, if you're switching salons, some places may offer removal for free.
When you have your chosen colour to hand, it's time to start painting. Apply a base gel first and then a builder gel. Starting at the cuticle area, carefully place your gel on the nail and drag it up to the tip. Once the whole nail is covered, add a little more gel to the centre of your nail to build up the apex and add structure. This will support the length of your extension. Turn your nail upside down for a few seconds before curing to allow gravity to give you more height.
Cure your nails underneath an LED lamp for 60 seconds or a UV lamp for 120 seconds. Remember to cure between each coat of gel polish and always finish with a top coat to seal in your mani. Typically, people tend to infill their gels around every three weeks. However, this will vary depending on your nail growth time.
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Frequently asked questions
You will know when your gel nails need to be refilled when the gels have moved forward, and your natural nail is exposed at the cuticle. This usually happens after about 3-4 weeks.
Before applying your gel, you need to dehydrate your nail surface. You can use a dehydrator and apply it to your natural nail. Then, do the same with the primer. This will help with the bonding of your gel to the natural nail. Make sure there is no lifting of the gel, your cuticles are clean and any dead skin is removed.
Take your gel and apply a base gel first and then a builder gel. Starting at the cuticle area, place your gel carefully on the nail and drag it up to the tip. Once the whole nail is covered, apply more gel to the centre of your nail to build up the apex and add structure. Cure your nails under an LED lamp for 60 seconds or a UV lamp for 120 seconds.
