In an era where anything beauty needs to have a glow, from silky hair to dewy skin, down perfectly polished nails, the cosmetics we now use need to be of a higher performance yet, to maintain a time-saving quality. And while we recognize the many attributes of gel manicures (long-lasting, chip-free, less drying time, glossier finish…), a bi-weekly nail salon appointments routine may not be as forgiving on your schedule, your wallet and the health of your precious nails.
A new generation of at-home gel manicure kits recently made its debut on the beauty shelves of The Hudson's Bay, here in Canada, and took the nail care industry by storm, catering an easy-to-use technology combined with long-lasting polish formulas that won't dry out or damage your nails, to busy career girls like you and I, who want to enjoy gel at home, without having to pay a ridiculously high price or needing to go into a salon to get it done. For all the benefits of gel manis without the price tag, Le Mini Macaron developed a kit that combines all the things you need for a gel manicure that is fabulously shiny, easy to do and affordable. They believe that your manicure should be FUN but also SIMPLE, and because they know you’re busy and constantly on the move, your nails should be the last thing you’re worried about!
Now that Winter is here and temperatures are dropping, your hands will be begging for a little extra attention, not to mention the benefits of long-lasting manicures. Let's have a closer look at our step-by-step guide to making your DIY gel set look good for weeks with Le Mini Macaron…
STEP #1
Keep in mind that any colour will only be as good as the nail it is painted on... Prep the nail by filing its surface before application to remove shine in order to help the gel polish stick. Don't forget to push back your cuticles with the cuticle stick included in your kit to beautify your nail beds, making them much prettier for a manicure.
STEP #2
You will want to work on a dry and disinfected surface to avoid any risks of chipping or infection. Try applying acetone-free nail polish remover to the nails prepainting. Squeaking the nail with a cotton pad and a couple of drops of nail polish remover will remove excess oil or dust from buffing and allows the nail to bind with the gel polish.
STEP #3
Pick a colour ! Le Mini Macaron gel polish comes in a delightful selection of 27 colours, ranging from nudes and peaches, to minty greens and light blues, to deep reds and navy's, including a classic licorice black and milky white. Although the formula was designed as a 3-in-1 polish, combining your base coat, colour and top coat in one single bottle, you can also purchase the new 3X Shine Topcoat, giving you 3 times the shine and 3 times the lasting!
Start painting your nail… A good application tip is to dip the brush in the polish, circle around the edge of the bottle to remove all the polish and paint a very thin first coat. Be sure to circle the brush several times inside the bottle to remove ALL the gel! The brush should have almost no gel polish on it when you first apply.
Thing is, gel polish is much thicker than regular nail polish so it needs to be applied very thinly. Also, don’t apply the gel on or too close to the skin; if you get it on your skin, use the cuticle stick to remove it before curing. Curing gel on your skin will affect the lasting of your manicure.
STEP #5
Use your LED lamp inspired by French macarons to cure the colour for 30 seconds. Work finger by finger, completing each nail before moving on to the next one. It’s important to cure each nail immediately after painting (to reduce the amount of time the gel is in contact with air). This will lead to the best result.
Did you know? Le Mini Macaron LED lamps were designed to be used at-home or on-the-go. Simply find a USB outlet to plug it in, and polish away!
STEP #6
Repeat for second coat (and third if it's a light colour). Don't forget to close the bottle of gel polish when not in use, and while you are waiting for each curing cycle (or at least set the cap over the bottle while you are curing to minimize the amount of air and light that enters the bottle). This will prevent the gel from drying out, as gel reacts to both LED light and also natural light. Avoid having the LED lamp shine directly on an open bottle of gel, which will also dry out the gel.
And voilà! Enjoy your new DIY manicures from the comfort of your home!
You can purchase your Le Petit Macaron gel manicure kit (including an LED lamp with USB cord and power charger, one bottle of gel polish in a matching color, a cuticle stick, a mini nail file, 10 remover pads and detailed instructions on how-to-use) online or at The Bay's beauty counter for as little as CAD $45,00. Additional polish colours are sold separately for only CAD $20,00 each or you can get a set of three for CAD $25,00.
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