Nail Care

Your Cost Effective Guide To In-salon Vs DIY Manicures

In-Salon Gel Manicure – Ask For OPI 

With many of us watching the pennies, the good news is that there are ways to make sure that your salon manicure lasts for longer. For a gel manicure that lasts up to 3 weeks and not just 2 #AskForOPI. 

OPI’s professional GelColor is the number #1 choice for salon professionals worldwide. It offers up to three weeks of vibrant colour and shine, with no chipping or cracking, and it comes in endless colour choices to suit every taste. 

GelColor is designed exclusively for in-salon application by professional nail technicians as it contains ingredients which are licenced for use by trained professionals only and requires curing with an LED light between each coat to create a long-lasting seal. 

The first rule to any long lasting mani is nail preparation to ensure maximum adhesion. This is then followed by the OPI 3 system rule including an application of base coat to begin, two coats of GelColor and a top coat to finish, providing clients with up to 3 weeks of shine-intense wear and stay-true colour and as a result less frequent visits to the salon. 

Top tips for a longer lasting gel mani by OPI Educator and seasoned Nail Tech, Belinda Price

Choose a reputable salon that uses the whole OPI system (prep, base, colour, top coat and lamp) – Use ProSpa Nail and Cuticle Oil twice a day, around the cuticle but also under the free edge of the nail (the white part that we file), this will not only make the nail and skin healthy it will keep the gels on longer – Wear gloves when cleaning and doing chores – Always get a professional removal – NO PICKING! Picking damages the nails and makes your next gel mani last less time.

At-Home DIY Manicure – OPI Infinite Shine

Getting that professional shine effect without the expertise of a technician isn’t as daunting as it may seem. It may cost less to do a DIY mani versus an in-salon gel treatment, but you need to ensure you’re following the right steps to creating that cost effective lasting manicure. The last thing you want is for your polish to chip every 2 – 3 days, resulting in using more polish over a small amount of time. With OPI’s Infinite Shine range you’ll get long-lasting shine. Infinite Shine is a 3 step system to long-lasting nail polish colour. With OPI’s ProStay Technology, this polish remains vibrant for up to 11 days of continuous superior shine that is on-trend and easily removed – all without the use of the LED light. Infinite Shine is an enhanced lacquer that is applied just like traditional nail polish and wears like a gel system but without the long term commitment. Once your nails are prepped, you apply the Infinite Shine ProStay Primer, followed by two coats of colour, and finish with the Infinite Shine ProStay Gloss for ultimate shiny, chip-resistant nails.

Top tips for a longer lasting Infinite Shine mani by OPI Educator and seasoned Nail Tech, Belinda Price

Always file and shape your nails – Ensure they are clean and oil free – Start with a layer of OPI Chip Skip to each nail before application of the 3 step Infinite Shine system – Apply Infinite Shine Base Coat, followed by two coats of your favourite OPI Infinite Shine colour and Top Coat (always use the whole system), when dry apply ProSpa Nail and Cuticle Oil to hydrate skin and nails. – Wear gloves when doing chores – Apply oil twice a day as you would your gel mani – Don’t pick polish off, with polish if we flake it off it can encourage nails to peel – Use a good quality polish remover like OPI Acetone Free Lacquer Remover – Practise applying in as few strokes as possible (3 or 4 per layer), it makes it last longer!