Hi all,

Im currently in the process of gathering products and equipment to startup from home.
i love doing gel nails and know of loads people that i could start a good client base up with, however i hve only ever worked with calgel at my previous work and find that i would like work with something else.

Does any one have any suggestions as what are the best UV Gel products to use are?

Many Thanks

hiya i use Ezflow gels and theyre great love them....they have a hard gel and a soft soak off gell aswell.plus loooads of coloured gels that i find dead easy to use and u can get loads ofr great effects with them!!! id look into Ez flow definatly!!! xxx good luck! xxx

NSI Balance Gel line is fantastic! Balance also has soak off color gels! I've been using NSI products for 9 years and have never had any problems with it. Go and check out their website:NSI - The Science of Beauty - Professional Nail Care Products

Here we go again .. to make a long story short why don't you try ...

CND Brisa
Cuccio Pronto
Bio Sculpture
Lcn
Gellak
NSI Illusion
EZF Gel It
Magnetic Gel Polish
NCO LOndon Gel
Roby Nails
OPI Axiom

Sure I've left some out .. feel free to add.

That should empty your wallet and keep you busy for a while

Or you could keep it simple and go with reputation. What's wrong with Calgel anyway?

Well that just about covers it ..... you forgot Rio.....Hang me now lol lol

Sorry to jump in here - I am going to defend Calgel as a a decent gel system. I trained with Calgel and it was fine but I realised that the tips were so thick compared to others on the market and it was taking me about an hour to blend them. Also the white calgel for french manicures is so difficult to work with. As a result I use different tips with the calgel itself and that suits me just now until I can get onto a cnd conversion course.

You don't have to use Calgel tips.
Also you could sculpt once you get the hang of it it takes no time at all.
Why not do another training day with Calgel
It is good to be able to offer a hard gel as well but i find most of my clients like Calgel especially colours and you can do a full colour NNO in less than an hour so no time at all.

I use Light Elegance and have had great results. Good range of color gels as well.

I like and use Akzentz....but non of this really helps you does it...

First off....filter down the range....what do you want from your gel.....soak off...? buff off...? colours...? strong...? flexible...?

I have found that most soak off gels are quite flexable and thats great for NNO (natural nail overlays) or nails that are shortish....becouse they are soak off they can sometimes stain or discolour....but soaking off is quick and easy....great cos alot of soak off gels don't tend to be infilled more than once as they don't file down so great....so its infill...soak off and re-do....infills....soak off and re-do...ect

I have also found that buff off gels are stronger for over tips or longer nails....but have less flexability....but never stain or discolor, staying bright and crisp....but filing off the gel takes some getting used to and needs extra care....but...shouldnt need doing alot cos they are on to stay and you just keep infilling them every 3-4 weeks.


so you see there are a few differences between the two types of gels.

I would try and narrow your choices down and then get a nail done in each at a salon who offers that gel and see how you like it...(just tell them you want a trial nail as a client) or see if any of these companies do any trial kits.

Most places will insist on you doing the conversion course for each brand....thats just so they know you are using their gel to its best ability. But i can understand that doing this for each brand is silly as it would cost ££££££ and you would end up with more lamps than a genie and more gels than Studio Fix.......so to help narrow it down i would write down the names of the gels you are feeling drawn too....search each name on here for threads relating to that gel....read them and get a feel of who's saying what.

Ring each company and ask for some info to be sent on their gel.

Hope this helps a little....basically stick to the names that seem to come up alot for the right reasons.

Star nails are good to practice with as well, a bit cheaper but good products. I use their quattro to do overlays on nail polished nails for the "holiday nails treatment" clients love it and it lasts ages.