How to Apply Gel Nail Polish
See how to apply Gel Nail Polish at home for long-lasting, salon-quality results.
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Expert advice to prep, apply, and maintain your gel manicure for salon-quality results.
Use Gelous Base Coat, Colour Coat, Top Coat, and Gel Nail Lamp for guaranteed compatibility and best results.
Use Gelous Base Coat, Colour Coat, Top Coat, and Gel Nail Lamp for guaranteed compatibility and best results.
Push back cuticles, shape nails, and gently buff to create a dull, slightly rough surface. Dehydrate nails, then apply pH Bond and Nail Primer for ultimate adhesion.
Apply thin, even layers of polish, curing each for 60 seconds to ensure proper adhesion and durability.
Leave a small gap near cuticles and cap the free edge of every layer to prevent lifting and chipping.
Remove any Gel Nail Polish on your skin before curing to prevent reactions or allergies.
Use Rubber Base Coat or Builder Gel to protect and reinforce weak or flaky nails.
Wear gloves for cleaning and apply Cuticle Oil daily to keep nails hydrated and prevent peeling.
Everything you need to know about Gelous, from product information to application tips.
Gelous allows you to create DIY, salon quality gel manicures from the comfort of your own home. Our Gel Nail Polish offers benefits that go beyond colour, from lasting shine to added nail strength. Regular nail polish is quick to apply and remove, but doesn’t provide the same durability.
With Gelous, you can create salon-quality gel manicures from the comfort of your own home. Our Gel Nail Polish applies just like regular polish but after curing with our Gelous UV/LED Gel Nail Lamp it lasts two weeks or more without fading, peeling or chipping. You don’t have to worry about waiting for your nails to dry or smudging them afterwards—they are hard and perfectly dry once cured with the Gelous UV/LED Gel Nail Lamp.
Gel Nail Polish contains special ingredients, including photo initiators and monomers, that react to the UV light emitted by the UV/LED Gel Nail Lamp. This chemical reaction, known as curing, transforms the liquid gel into a durable coating in just 60 seconds.
After curing, some layers will feel slightly tacky, such as Base Coats, Builder Gels, and Colours Coats. This tacky surface is called the inhibition layer—a thin, sticky layer that helps the next coat of gel adhere properly. In contrast, our no-wipe Top Coat is designed to cure without leaving a sticky residue, giving your manicure a smooth, high-shine finish that’s dry to the touch.
To find out how to apply Gel Nail Polish, check out our Application Guide, and to learn how to remove it safely, read our Removal Guide.
When it comes to curing Gel Nail Polish, wattage isn’t everything. The most important factor is the wavelength your Gel Nail Lamp emits—not how many watts it uses.
While high wattage may sound impressive, it doesn’t necessarily mean better results. In fact, many brands exaggerate their wattage for marketing purposes. Anything above 24W can produce excess heat that may cause discomfort or damage to the skin.
What truly matters is that your lamp emits the correct curing wavelengths. For Gel Nail Polish to cure safely and effectively, it needs to be exposed to very specific UV light. That’s why the Gelous Gel Nail Lamp uses dual-wavelength technology (365+405nm)—two precise peaks that ensure your Gel Nail Polish cures evenly, thoroughly, and without heat spikes or under-cured patches.
Our Gel Nail Polish is formulated to cure perfectly under these wavelengths, working in complete harmony with the Gelous Gel Nail Lamp to deliver professional results while protecting your nails and skin.
Yes—gel polish and nail lamps aren’t one-size-fits-all. Using Gelous Base Coat, Colour Coat, Top Coat, and the Gelous Gel Nail Lamp together is essential for a long-lasting, salon-quality manicure. Our Gel Nail Polish is formulated to cure perfectly under the Gelous Gel Nail Lamp, which emits the precise 365+405nm wavelengths it’s designed for. While this dual-wavelength setup is standard, mixing brands, such as using another lamp with our Gel Polish or vice versa, can result in under-curing, poor wear, or even damage to your nails and skin.
Equally important is following the proper application process. Skipping steps like Base Coat or Top Coat, or attempting to air-dry Gel Polish, won’t just shorten your manicure’s wear time, it can also harm your natural nails.
Gelous Gel Nail Polish will last 18-24 months when stored correctly—read the 'Product Care' section on the product page for storage tips.
Each 10ml bottle provides roughly 66 manicures with one coat per manicure, 33 with two coats, or 22 with three coats, averaging about 40 manicures per bottle.
Whether a lamp is labelled UV, LED, or UV/LED, all Gel Nail Lamps emit UV light to cure Gel Nail Polish. This UV light triggers the chemical reaction that hardens Gelous Gel Nail Polish into a long-lasting, glossy finish.
Traditional UV lamps used UV bulbs that had to be replaced every six months and took around two minutes to cure each layer of Gel Polish. In contrast, modern UV/LED Lamps, such as the Gelous UV/LED Gel Nail Lamp, use LED bulbs that operate within the UV spectrum, providing quicker, more efficient curing. These LED bulbs have a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours and cure Gelous Gel Nail Polish in just 60 seconds.
LED bulbs are safer and faster than traditional UV bulbs. They emit less UV radiation and because of their efficiency, they significantly reduce exposure time.
Some brands omit ‘UV’ from their Gel Nail Lamp names to avoid negative connotations. However, we want our customers to be fully informed about the products they are purchasing. That’s why we clearly market our lamps as UV/LED Gel Nail Lamps.
Gel Nail Lamps predominantly emit Ultraviolet-A (UVA) rays. UVA is considered safer for humans than Ultraviolet-B (UVB). These minimal UV rays make the use of modern Gel Nail Lamps safe.
Rubber Base Coat is flexible and ideal for thin or bendy nails, helping prevent lifting and smooth imperfections. Builder Gel is strong and rigid, perfect for adding structure, supporting length, and preventing breakage. Read our full guide to find the right option for you.
When applied and removed correctly, Gel Nail Polish won’t damage your natural nails. To keep nails healthy, avoid painting Gel Polish on your skin and resist picking at your polish, as this can peel away layers of your natural nail.
To ensure safe, thorough curing, always use the complete Gelous system: Gelous Base Coat, Gelous Colour Coat, and Gelous Top Coat, each cured with the Gelous UV/LED Gel Nail Lamp.
For best results, follow our Application Guide and Removal Guide, and use our Builder Gel and Nail Care products for added strength and protection.
Stop using Gel Nail Polish immediately if you experience irritation. This can be caused by damaged nails, Gel Polish touching the skin, applying overly thick layers that under-cure, not curing for the full 60 seconds, or an allergy to certain ingredients.
If you experience mild sensitivity but your nails are otherwise healthy, try using the 99 Second Low Heat Mode on your Gel Nail Lamp instead of the regular 60 Second setting. This slower cure can reduce heat spikes and discomfort.
If your nails show signs of damage, over-filing, or frequent breakage, it’s important to take steps to restore their strength and resilience. While nails cannot repair themselves like skin, you can support healthy regrowth and protect the natural nail as it grows out.
Yes they are. Sunburn or skin damage would only occur after around 75 minutes of continuous exposure to your Gel Nail Lamp—far longer than the recommended use per manicure.
All Gel Nail Lamps—whether UV/LED, LED, or UV—emit Ultraviolet-A (UVA) light to cure gel polish. Our UV/LED Gel Nail Lamp use advanced LED bulbs that produce this UVA light in a safer, more efficient way than traditional UV bulbs. They last up to 50,000 hours and cure each coat in just 60 seconds.
If you’d like extra protection, apply sunscreen 15–30 minutes before use—just as you would before heading outdoors.
While Gelous Gel Nail Polish is 10-free and formulated to high safety and quality standards, a small number of people may develop an allergic reaction to certain ingredients—most commonly Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate (HEMA).
HEMA is one of the smallest monomers used in gel nail chemistry, which allows it to bond more effectively to the natural nail than many alternatives. This helps prevent lifting and peeling while still enabling Gel Polish to be applied in thin, smooth layers that cure evenly under a Gel Nail Lamp.
When applied correctly, HEMA is safe for most users. However, repeated exposure to uncured Gel Polish can sometimes lead to allergic reactions, for example, if Gel Nail Polish touches the skin, coats are applied too thickly, or curing is incomplete. This may not cause immediate problems, but over time, the body can become sensitised, increasing the risk of developing an allergy.
If you suspect an allergic reaction, stop using gel products immediately and allow the skin and nails to recover. Seek medical advice if symptoms persist or worsen.
We generally advise against giving children a gel manicure for several reasons:
While the ingredients in Gelous Gel Nail Polish are safe for pregnant women, it’s important to understand that all gel polish can cause reactions if it comes into contact with your skin. Because skin is often more sensitive during pregnancy, the risk of irritation can be slightly higher.
If you choose to use Gelous Gel Nail Polish during pregnancy, following these steps will help ensure a safe, comfortable, and long-lasting gel manicure.
To keep your Gelous manicure at its best for longer, follow these simple aftercare steps:
Take care to protect your manicure in day-to-day life. Small, mindful habits make a big difference in how long your gel manicure lasts and how healthy your nails stay.
If you’ve chipped one nail, you don’t need to redo your entire manicure.
Proper storage is essential to keep your UV-cured nail products in good condition and ensure they perform at their best.
If you are a new user of Gel Nail Polish, please don’t be disheartened if your first few manicures don’t last as long as expected. There are many tips and tricks to applying Gel Nail Polish that make the difference between a long-lasting application and an application that doesn’t last long enough (i.e. chips easily or peels). Often, new users of Gel Nail Polish make small mistakes during the application process that cause premature chipping or peeling. Once you've mastered your Gel Polish application, you'll enjoy flawless, long-lasting manicures time and time again. Practice really does make perfect!
Gel Nail Polish colours may appear differently on your screen than in person. While we strive to present colours as accurately as possible, exact replication on different digital displays is not possible. Variations occur due to differences in screen settings, lighting conditions, backgrounds, and skin tones.
Yes—your Base Coat and Colour Coat should remain a little sticky after curing. This tacky layer helps the next coat adhere properly. As long as you’re applying thin, even layers and curing for the full 60 seconds, both coats will be fully cured.
Your Top Coat, however should cure to a smooth, hard finish after 60 seconds under the Gelous UV/LED Gel Nail Lamp, leaving no stickiness behind.
It’s normal to feel some warmth during curing—this is caused by the chemical reaction as the Gel Nail Polish changes from liquid to solid.
If you have sensitive nails, the Gelous Gel Nail Lamp includes a Low Heat Mode. Press the 99S Low Heat Mode button to cure at 12W for 50 seconds, then 24W for 49 seconds, for a gentler curing process.
This usually occurs when your Gel Nail Polish is stored incorrectly, the rim/neck is not wiped after use, it is used in the sunlight, or it is used too close to your UV/LED Gel Nail Lamp when it was turned on.
To avoid this in future, make sure to follow the storage instructions outlined on the individual product page.
Gel Nail Polish is naturally thicker than regular nail polish—especially formulas like Glitter Gel Nail Polish, Builder Gel and Rubber Base Coat.
Yes. You can place an order as a guest with no obligation to create an account. We do recommend that you create an account, as this allows you to check your order history, save your payment details, save your address details, save your wishlist and save your shopping basket.
It’s quick and easy to create an account. Just click here and follow the instructions on-screen.
Scroll to the bottom of the checkout page and click ‘Check out as guest’. You’ll still be able to use your Gelous account, but you’ll have the option to choose a different payment method such as Afterpay, PayPal, Zip, POLi, and more.
This is automatically sent to your email address when you place an order. If you haven’t received your order confirmation within 24 hours, please check your mailbox’s spam or junk folder. If you cannot find it, please get in touch with us at info@gelous.co with your order number. If you don't have your order number, please provide your shipping address, phone number and full name.
Spend over a certain amount for free shipping. To qualify for free shipping, your cart total must over the specified amount after any discount codes have been applied and before any shipping fees are applied.
Orders can be altered prior to processing. Please note that once your order has been assigned a tracking number or shipped, we're unable to make any changes. For alterations to be processed, our customer service team must first receive and confirm your request. If your order ships before we can review your email, we won’t be able to make any changes. To ensure faster assistance, please call us during our office hours. Products can be returned for store credit if they meet the guidelines in our Returns Policy.
Additional costs can be paid via any of our standard payment methods. Orders will not be shipped until any additional payments are received.
If you request to remove products from your order within one hour of it being placed, we are able to offer a full refund. A refund takes 5-10 business days to be processed.
You can email us at info@gelous.co to request to add, remove or swap products in your order.
Orders can be cancelled prior to shipment. For the quickest response and to avoid disappointment, please contact our customer service team by phone during office hours. Alternatively, you can email us at info@gelous.co with your order number. If you don’t have the order number, please include your shipping address, phone number, and full name. Please be aware there may be a delay in response via email, and we are unable to make any changes once your order has been shipped.
If you cancel within one hour of placing your order, you’ll receive a full refund. Refunds typically take 5-10 business days to process.
If you cancel before your order has been assigned a tracking number, we can offer store credit or a refund. Store credit takes 1-3 business days to process and is valid for 3 years. Refunds are processed within 3-7 business days.
If an address is input incorrectly or without appropriate detail, we take no responsibility or liability for the customer not receiving their product. If you contact us before your order is processed we will do our best to update this prior to shipment.
For address changes prior to shipment email info@gelous.co.
For address changes after shipment, check your tracking to find out which company your order has been shipped with and contact them directly for the fastest result.
You can apply your discount code after clicking 'checkout' from your cart.
Join The Gelous It List, our exclusive loyalty program, and enjoy 10% off your first order. You'll also be the first to hear about sales and promotions, and start earning points with every purchase—redeemable for $10, $15, $20, or $30 vouchers.
Plus, take advantage of ongoing savings with our discounted Bundles.
Yes, Gift Cards are a form of payment. Simply enter the Gift Card code in the 'Gift card or discount code' box and press 'Apply'. Then enter the discount code and press 'Apply'.
Each country has different recycling rules. See your local government website for more information:
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All Gelous products are now packaged in cardboard, a far more sustainable option than plastic packaging. This change helps reduce our environmental footprint and supports a cleaner, greener future for all.
All orders are protected with eco-friendly Geami WrapPak and FillPak and shipped in cardboard cartons or recycled courier bags.
Our courier bags are made from 100% recycled post consumer and post industrial plastic waste. Even the removable adhesive backing and the inner bag is made from recycled plastic! After use, these can be recycled where soft plastics are accepted.
Gelous supports the progression of the beauty industry by offering products that are vegan, cruelty free and non-toxic. Our Gel Nail Polish is 10-free which means it is free from common toxic nail polish ingredients including Toluene, DBP, Camphor, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Xylene, Parabens, Fragrances, Phthalates, animal testing & animal-derived ingredients.
We are certified vegan and cruelty-free by New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society (NZAVS).
As a token of appreciation for our valued professionals, we offer an exclusive discount code that entitles you to 20% off on orders exceeding $300. If you're interested in taking advantage of this professional discount, complete the form here.
We offer wholesale rates dependant on purchase quantity and monthly spend. If you're interested in stocking Gelous Gel Nail Polish products in your retail store, online store or salon, complete the form here.
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