I'm also a gel newbie and I see a lot of gel polish starter kits that have a bevy of stuff you "have" to use to prep your nails for gel...can anyone give insight on what is actually necessary to use? I'd rather spend the extra money on more colors than buying a kit with stuff I don't really need
The sticky thread SOG for Beginners will answer a lot of your questions -
http://forum.purseblog.com/nail-care...rs-729204.html. Layering gel base and top coat over regular nail polish (rnp) is called a "Gelly Sandwich" and some people are successful with it. It won't last as long as a gel polish mani, but it often is better than rnp alone. Just make sure you let the rnp dry thoroughly, even overnight before applying the top coat.
Gel polishes really are a system, which is one reason why layering them with regular nail polish tends to have mixed results. In general, it is best to start with
everything that the system requires, perfect your technique, and then eliminate what doesn't work or is unnecessary. Prep is very important with gel polish, so don't cut corners there. And although generic products often work fine, try the products for your system first and then branch out. Although I use OPI, Gelish, Just Gel, I swear by CND ScrubFresh which I used when I started with Shellac. And OPI Expert Touch works better than acetone on OPI Gel Color and doesn't leave the white dryness of pure acetone.
Many of the gel polish lines, and certainly all of the consumer oriented ones like Red Carpet Manicure, GelShine or Gelish Mini, have starter kits that have everything you need. That is probably the lowest cost way to get into gel polish. And of course, a really good lamp is essential. Gel polish is a lot of fun and lets you have great nails for less money, especially as a DIYer. But it is an investment, so don't go cheap. Spending less and getting a less than satisfying result is a waste of your time and money.
