With the rise of TikTok helping make almost any beauty treatment seem attainable, I’ve been on the journey of trying some of them myself. Being in grad school means saving money anywhere I can (which I’m not the best at) so I figured this is a good place to start.
One of the first attempts is doing my own nails - which I’ve horrifically failed at previously. It always gets all over my skin, peels and chips the same day, and smudges or doesn’t dry fully. But that’s where the beauty of watching online videos comes in.
I discovered the magic of builder gel, and all the steps and items needed to do this myself. After failing with regular gel and trying to do dip myself, this was my last ditch effort to try doing my nails so I don’t have them looking ratty (I’m prone to nail biting) or paying the ever-increasing price to go to the salon.
And it WORKED! I’m only a few days in but I feel very accomplished (and surprisingly enjoyed the process?) - so I may have just found a new hobby for myself.
See the evidence below…
So here’s the beginner kit of items you’ll need if you want to do the same!
Protein Bond - Critical to put down after you file down your nails and buff the top - this helps everything stick to your nail.
Nail Glue - If you want to add acrylic nails to your own (I don’t usually do this, but found that having the added length really helped make my nails easier to paint).
Acrylic Tips - There are so many options but I loved this almond shape! I cut them down to be much shorter.
Cuticle Remover Treatment + Cuticle Tool - Important first step to make sure your nails are all cleaned up and ready
Builder Gel - This is what makes your polish stay on and last - and makes your nail stronger and a bit thicker! When I didn’t use this my nail polish never stuck.
Nail Dehydrator - This helps prep the surface of your nail right before the Protein Bond!
Top Coat - This also comes with a base coat, but you don’t need that for builder nails. However the top coat works super well and makes your nails look shiny and polished!
Gel Polish! - The critical part - choose whatever gel polishes/colors you want! I’m wearing this one in the video above.