Features of single-phase gel varnishes and recommendations for their use

There are practically no such representatives of the fairer sex left who at least once in their life have not tried to decorate their nails with gel polish. There is a huge selection of such coatings from different manufacturers on the nail industry market. In home use, single-phase gel varnishes are of particular interest. What are they and what are their features, let's figure it out.

Single-phase gel polish is a coating that is applied in one step, which means that when purchasing this material, you do not need to additionally purchase a base and a finish. Its composition is unique and allows the product to stay on nails for a long time without the use of additional fixatives. Single phase gel polish has a number of advantages.

• The composition of the product is quite environmentally friendly; it does not cause serious harm to the nail plate.
• You can save on buying additional manicure supplies.
• You only have to dry a couple of coats of color, which means that the time you spend on design will be significantly reduced.
• Can be used for drying with UV lamp, hybrid or LED.
• Has a large palette of colors, you can choose a shade for every taste.
• The coating stays on the nails for more than two weeks, it is not prone to chipping at the cuticle and lateral ridges. The manicure has an aesthetic appearance throughout the design wear.
• The coating thickness with single-phase gel varnish is minimal due to the reduction in the number of layers. As a result, the manicure looks neater. But the layers are still thicker than when applying conventional varnish, so the plate becomes stronger.

But this coating also has minor drawbacks.

• Due to the special popularity of single-phase gel varnishes on the market, you can find products of inadequate quality, the durability of which will be insignificant.
• It is quite difficult to apply it, since the nail plate does not have a leveling layer. Light enamels are especially difficult to apply.
• Not suitable for thin nails. When they are deformed, they can flake off.
• It is worth, despite its economy, much more expensive than conventional varnishes.

Three-phase varnish has this name, since it covers the nail in three steps.

• Base. This layer is designed to align the nail plate, protect it from staining and ensure reliable adhesion of the colored pigment to the nail.
• Colored gel polish. At this stage, the design is carried out. A substrate is applied, a different decor is installed.
• Finish coating. This layer creates a protective coating that not only protects the design from abrasion, but also provides durability to the entire manicure.

Single-phase gel polish already has a base, a top, and a color coating in its composition. It does not require additional materials to align and secure. Another difference is that the single-phase gel polish is able to transmit oxygen to the nail plate, that is, the nail under such a coating will be able to "breathe", which means that it will hardly get thinner.

There are cases when the use of a three-phase gel polish is not at all justified. For example, when nails are extended with gel, and the design is minimal and consists in applying only a colored coating without any decor. Artificial nails are quite tough, practically do not deform, in addition, moisture does not get on their top layer, therefore, it is not at all advisable to apply a three-phase varnish in this case. This is a waste of money and time.

Single-phase gel varnishes are presented today in several forms.

• Enamels. Many different shades can be found here. Gel varnishes of this category do not have glitter in their composition, the colors are even, the composition is well pigmented.
• Translucent. Such gel varnishes give only a shade to the nail plate. With their help, you can make the jelly manicure so popular recently.
• Mother of pearl. These gel polishes have a pearl-like overflow. The shades of such products can be different: white, pink, red, black and others.
• With shimmer. The composition of these gel varnishes includes sparkles, which can be very small grains and rather large flakes.
• Thermo. These gel polishes change color when the temperature changes. Looks especially impressive on long nails. It turns out a kind of gradient, since the temperature of the nail at the cuticle and at the free edge is different. But even on short nails, you will get a completely different color of marigolds, for example, on a frosty day outdoors and indoors.
• Neon. This type of gel polish in normal light looks like ordinary enamel or a translucent coating, but as soon as the light of a neon lamp hits it, your marigolds begin to glow. A great option for visiting nightclubs.

Single-phase gel varnishes are produced by many manufacturers. OThe following brands are popular.

• Yoko. It is a trademark of the Russian manufacturer TK Alliance, which produces all kinds of products for beauty salons, from tools to gel systems.As soon as single-phase gel varnishes appeared on the market, the Alliance shopping mall began to release them. The composition of the product is completely hypoallergenic, it does not have an unpleasant odor. Possesses bright saturated colors, it is easy to apply and stays stable for over three weeks. Economical 4 ml bottles allow you to have a wide enough palette without fear of spoiling the product. The cost of this gel polish is about 160 rubles.

• Masura. It is a Japanese brand that entered the nail industry in 2002. In the production of its gel polishes, the company uses only modern technologies, not forgetting to include natural ingredients in the composition. So, a single-phase product contains calcium, which helps to strengthen the nail plate and restore it. Under this brand, two series of single-phase gel varnishes are produced: Masura and Masura Basic. The second line is more budgetary - a 6 ml jar will cost you around 150 rubles, but for a gel polish from the first series you will have to pay about 200 rubles for a volume of 3.5 ml.

• Irisk. Despite the fact that it is a Chinese brand, it has been holding a leading position in the market for manicure products for 10 years, releasing improved products. This brand did not pass by its attention and single-phase gel varnishes. They are released in the Odri series, have an unsurpassed glossy shine, wear without problems for two weeks. The cost of the product is about 230 rubles for a volume of 6 ml.

• TNL. This is a Korean company that first tried to create a single-phase gel polish and they did it very well. The company pays rather serious attention to the issue of the quality of its products, therefore, the coating with this product holds well, has an excellent glossy shine, which does not disappear during the entire period of wear. The material is easy to work with. Its consistency is excellent, the product fits perfectly, has good pigment, leaves no bald spots or unpainted streaks. It is enough to apply it in just two thin layers, and sometimes one is enough. Has a pleasant, unobtrusive scent. It can be easily removed with a special tool. The cost of a 6 ml bottle is about 170 rubles, but many fakes of this company's products have appeared on the market, so you should only buy it in trusted stores.

• RuNail. Another Russian manufacturer that uses only high-quality raw materials imported from Europe for the manufacture of its products. One-phase gel varnishes of this company have good pigment, are easy to apply and retain a presentable appearance throughout the entire wearing period, which can be more than four weeks. A large selection of shades, as well as types of varnishes will allow you to choose a coating for any look. Here you will find both enamels, compositions with a shimmer, and gel polishes with a pearlescent effect. Their cost is quite small. You will have to pay about 280 rubles for a 15 ml bottle. This gel polish is not available in a smaller volume.

• Patrisa nail. Russian trade mark, under which the most modern and high-quality products for the nail industry are produced. Gel polishes from this manufacturer can be classified as premium products. High-quality European raw materials, a high level of product quality control at all stages of production make it possible to obtain single-phase gel varnishes that will not leave anyone indifferent. Beautiful colors, ease of use, an excellent result in which you can achieve the perfect highlight - this is what every woman dreams about when doing a manicure.

In addition, the collection of single-phase varnishes from this manufacturer is called "Moscow Saga". Buying various shades, you can mentally visit the most beloved corners of our capital, as they bear the names of Moscow sights, for example, "Crimean Bridge" or VDNKh. The cost of the products of this manufacturer cannot be classified as democratic. For a 5 ml bottle, you will have to pay about 200 rubles.

The technique of applying single-phase gel varnishes is quite simple. You need a minimum amount of materials and time. That is why these products are often used for nail art at home. And by observing all the steps of this step-by-step instruction, even a beginner can cope with the application of a single-phase gel polish. For a manicure using a single phase gel polish, you will need:

• pusher or orange stick;
• a file with an abrasiveness of 220-240 grit;
• apparatus for manicure and vacuum cleaner (if possible);
• lamp for drying gel polish;
• cuticle oil.

The application technique itself consists of the following steps.

• Manicure. Initially, you should put your hands in order. This can be done manually or using a machine with cutters. In order for the coating to hold well, in order to avoid detachment, it is necessary to remove the pterygium with high quality, move the cuticle aside and carefully cut it off. Give nails the same length and shape. If you are doing a manicure by hand, then after you have completed this procedure, at least two hours must pass before you can proceed to the next stage. This is due to the fact that all moisture from the surface of the nail plate must evaporate, otherwise the durability of the coating may decrease.

• Preparing the nail plate. Using a file with an abrasiveness of 220-240 grit, a buff or a special nozzle of a router, remove the glossy layer from the surface of the nail. This must be done quite carefully so as not to remove excess and not spoil the nails. The next step is to degrease the surface. For this, a special composition is used, which can be found in stores with manicure products. If you do not have such a solution at hand, then you can use ordinary alcohol or vinegar. To apply the composition to the nails, it is better to use lint-free wipes, since cotton pads can leave hairs, which are then quite difficult to remove. After degreasing, it is necessary to cover the nail plate with a primer. This composition will act as a primer, which will make the surface rougher for better adhesion of the marigold and a colored coating.

• Coating with gel polish. At this stage, a colored coating is applied. To do this, you can use a brush from a bottle, although many craftsmen prefer to apply the composition with a separate brush. To neatly lay the material, you should put a small drop of gel polish in the lower third of the nail plate, stretch it first towards the cuticle, and then lift it to the free edge of the marigold, carefully paint over the edges without touching the lateral rollers. It is necessary to seal the end of the nail well. This will further strengthen the coating. If your product has leaked under the cuticle or from the sides, then you should use an orange stick and remove the excess material until the gel polish has cured. After that, you need to turn the painted fingers upside down with your nails and leave them in this position for a few seconds so that the product evens out as much as possible.

• Drying. Now you should send your hand into the lamp. Single-phase gel polish from different manufacturers dries at different times. Therefore, you should read the instructions for the product. So, in an LED lamp, the polymerization time of a single-phase gel polish is 30-40 seconds. If you did not find information on the drying time on the packaging, then you should withstand an extended period of time. It is recommended to dry all gel polishes in a UV device for at least two minutes. If necessary, the color coating can be repeated several more times. Do not forget to dry each layer. Single-phase gel varnishes do not have a sticky layer, so there is no need to treat the surface with a degreaser.

Having appeared on the shelves, the single-phase gel polish at first did not cause much enthusiasm among buyers, since it seemed to many that such a composition could not be compared with three-phase coatings in durability, but later the opinion about this material radically changed. Those who have tried single-phase gel polish say that the quality of the coating is not inferior to its fellow, but time for a manicure with such material takes much less. Even craftsmen often use it in their work, not seeing the need to waste the client's time on a three-phase system. However, you can also find negative reviews about this type of product. They say that the resistance of single-phase gel varnishes is lower, they shine worse and quickly scratch, the compositions often flow when dried. But they all mainly relate to cheap samples ordered from all kinds of Chinese trading platforms.

For information on how to apply and remove single-phase gel polish, see the next video.