Tips for working with Gelish PolyGEL

After working with Gelish PolyGEL™ off and on over the last few months, I certainly am not an expert, but I do have some tips for you! Here are some ideas to your PolyGEL experience better right out of the box, and some answers to common questions I have seen online.

1. Use the key! Provided in the trial kit there is a PolyGEL Tube Key. Put it over the sealed end of the Tube and, with the lid on the tube, push it down so that it moved the product down towards the opening of the tube.  I noticed that people are having issues with the back of the tube coming apart when they squeeze the tube, OR having trouble squeezing the product out of the tube. I believe the key is solution to both these issues. PolyGEL is a hard product, and if you squeeze at the middle of the tube you will pressurize the tube towards both ends, eventually forcing the PolyGEL into the back end of the tube. You want the tube to be squeezed on the back end by the key so that you can use the force of the squeeze to get it out at the tip.
2. Roll the PolyGEL onto the cuticle area, then move it towards the tip with your brush.  This might be personal preference, but I’ve found it easier to apply PolyGEL near the cuticle and try to get it flush at the cuticle first, then work on the stress area and tip next. This is similar to the one ball method when working with traditional acrylics.
3. If you must apply more PolyGEL, do it before curing. If you didn’t apply enough product on your first slice, try adding a bit more while you’re still sculpting and before curing. If you add it after curing, you may get some white lines or spots in the finished product.
4. PolyGEL will move a tiny bit on the nail. I know the promo videos from Gelish emphasize that PolyGEL stays in place after you roll it on but, until it is cured, it can move a little bit over a few minutes if the nail is not horizontal.  For instance, if you apply PolyGEL to all the nails of one hand and then rest the hand in a neutral position (with the thumb nail at approximately a 90 degree angle), the PolyGEL will move slightly on the thumb nail over time. This product does not defy gravity for more than a few minutes. It’s simple physics. Please don’t expect it to be frozen on the nail from the moment you roll it on (obviously this could not be the case, because then you wouldn’t be able to shape it on the nail!). It does stay in place long enough for you to sculpt a set, without having to chase it around the nail; it’s not going to run off onto the cuticle or sidewall areas while you’re working on the other nails.

Practice helps! The more you work with this product, the more you will be come comfortable with it. Before you buy the full-size products, I recommend picking up the trial kit.

Have you tried PolyGEL? What are some of your tips? Let me know in the comments!