Hi! I'm Sarah Gibson Tuttle and I'm the founder of Olive & June.
Welcome to Builder Gel Mani 101. Today we're going to teach you how to build longer, stronger natural nails at home with builder gel polish using our Builder Gel Kit.
Letʼs start strong: get your area ready to mani. Lay out all your tools, and work on a clean, flat surface. Plug in your lamp before you get started. Connect the power cord to the back of the lamp and plug into a USB adaptor.
SHAPE + PREP
The first step is shape and prep. Lightly shape your nails. Clip 90% of the way into your shape and file the last 10% to get an even starting shape. For more shaping tips and tricks, check out our Shaping 101 video. Push back cuticles and buff your nail plate. Wipe each nail with a prep pad to dehydrate your nails.
You can also apply Cuticle Remover from your gel mani system before pushing back your cuticles and buffing.
The Acetone Remover Pot also works perfectly to dehydrate your nails.
STRENGTHENER
We formulated our Builder Gel to work with our Nail Strengthener to prevent breakage and encourage growth. To use this treatment for even stronger nails, apply a thin coat to each nail and let dry completely before following with Builder Gel.
PEEL OFF BASE COAT (optional)
For easy acetone-free removal (with slightly shorter wear time), start with our Peel-Off Base Coat. Apply a SUPER thin coat of Olive & June Peel Off Base Coat to the center of your nail, leaving a small border of bare nail around all the edges of the nail, including the tip.
And I say thin coat — I mean super thin. Wipe nearly all the Peel Off Base Coat off your brush before applying. There should be almost nothing on the brush when you apply the Peel Off Base Coat.
Let the Peel-Off Base Coat dry for 1-2 minutes. When it's no longer glossy, it's dry!
If you're looking for that full up to 21 day wear time, opt out of the Peel Off Base Coat.
BUILD
To help you paint like a pro, use Poppy! Pop on Poppy by popping off the overcap of the bottle. Line up the flat side of Poppy with the flat side of the notch of the inner cap.
Apply an even layer of Builder Gel Polish to the entire nail. Start the brush in the center of your nail, push down to the base of the cuticle, then pull the brush back to swipe across the nail. Try for complete coverage of your nail in about 3 strokes.
Be sure to clean up any stray gel before curing to avoid early lifting, chipping and a gel allergy. Dip the Clean Up Brush in the Acetone Remover Pot to clean up gel.
PRO TIP! For a more perfect Builder Gel Polish application, use the Liner Brush to smooth the curvature of your builder gel before curing. It can also be used to prevent buildup and clean up the edges for precise lines.
CAP HAPPY
Our team likes to cap the free edge with builder gel for a salon-look and to prevent chips. Here's how:
Before painting your entire nail, run the brush along the edge of your nail to create a seal. Then paint your entire nail.
Cure your entire hand for 2 minutes with a long press of the lamp button.
PRO TIP: Heat spikes (a warm sensation more common with thicker coats) can happen in the first 5-10 seconds. If this happens, we recommend gently sliding your hand out of the lamp, then reinserting slowly to continue curing for 2 minutes.
TOP COAT
It's time for Gel Top Coat
Apply Gel Polish Top Coat and cure for 1 minute.
Remember to clean up any stray gel top coat before curing
That's a wrap on Builder Gel Mani 101.
