How to choose a lamp for drying gel polish

Gel nail polish is a new trend of modern manicure. The main advantage of this coating is that it keeps on the nails for several weeks. This saves time and money. Gel polish rather quickly displaced from the world of fashion as a classic coating, and acrylic nails. However, applying it has its own characteristics. The main one is drying under a special lamp. How to choose it?

What is gel polish?

This tool was a real breakthrough in the field of manicure business. Now the nails do not just increase or varnish. Manicure became durable, which attracted a large flow of customers. It's nice to pay a low price for walking with a neat manicure for a whole month.

What is the secret of gel polish? This is a mix of ordinary varnish and modeling gel.The latter provides incredible durability, gloss and color depth. The gel includes film former and photoinitiator. The properties of the coating depend on the first, the second is the initiator.

With the participation of photoinitiator, the foaming agent turns into a hard resistant coating. Ultraviolet rays are required for this process. At the same time, for each type of varnish - its own range of drying. That is why it is important that the varnish dries under a special lamp. There are various options for them: gas, fluorescent, LED and hybrid. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Fluorescent lamps

These are ordinary ultraviolet lamps, the radiation of which covers the entire possible range of polymerization gel varnishes. In other words, such lamps are universal. Another advantage is low cost. This is a good plus for a newbie in the manicure business.

However, there are a number of significant drawbacks. Under such lamps nails dry for a long time. In addition, lamps tend to heat up. In this case, the temperature may be sufficient to cause a burn on the skin.Fluorescent lamps are very sensitive to voltage fluctuations in the network and the ambient temperature. Under adverse conditions, they simply stop working.

Such a lamp is hardly suitable for those masters who have many clients in one day. It can not often be turned on and off, it will help reduce the service life and burnout of light bulbs. However, their replacement is not expensive. In addition, the lamp emits harmful substances into the atmosphere, which the master constantly has to breathe. It also has a stroboscopic effect and a negative effect on vision.

Gas lamps

They are also called cold glow lamps or after the first letters of the English abbreviation CCFL. They do not have the properties to heat up, because drying the nails will take place with a minimum of unpleasant sensations. Like fluorescent counterparts, these lamps are capable of working with gels of any range of solidification. They have the same minus - long-term drying of varnish.

However, it is worth noting that the service life of a cold lamp is many times longer than that of a luminescent one. Their durability balances the high cost compared to peers.In addition, the lamps are devoid of a stroboscopic effect, which eliminates the effect on vision. Mercury vapor is not released when it is used. The lamp is suitable for repeated use throughout the day.

LED bulbs

They are known under the name of LED-lamps. A fairly well-advertised method of emitting light using a semiconductor device also has its advantages and disadvantages.

LED lamps are really durable. Their lifespan is not comparable with what luminescent analogues can offer. In addition, the lamp will not work for so long. The varnish dries out under its rays in a few seconds. It is very convenient and economical.

In addition, the LED lamp can be called the most environmentally friendly. Her work does not emit harmful substances, it saves energy and can be completely disposed of. Such a lamp does not affect the vision.

In addition, LEDs do not have the properties to heat up. Thus, the skin will remain intact and the burn does not threaten the client. Such a device can be turned on and off several times a day without consequences.

However, there are a number of significant drawbacks. It is worth the LED-lamp is more expensive than the lumenescent and changing the light bulbs in it is also more expensive. However, the main disadvantage lies not in this. Not all masters know that LED lamps are capable of drying not every gel polish. They work in a fairly narrow spectrum of radiation.

To work with LED lamps you need to buy special varnishes with the appropriate mark on the package.

Hybrid lamps

They combine the properties of LED-lamps and CCFL. How does this work in practice? If the gel polish is able to harden under the action of the diode radiation spectrum, then the varnish will dry in a few seconds, if not, then only CCFL rays will affect it. To dry this coating will be a few minutes.

The remaining advantages in the form of durability, lack of a stroboscopic effect and heating of the lamp are retained. The main disadvantage of such lamps lies in their price. These are fairly new options, because the cost of their more expensive counterparts. This is a good option for masters with many clients.

Is it possible to dry the gel polish without a lamp

There is an opinion that since the sun also radiates ultraviolet, the gels can be dried just by the floor by the sun. Alas, this is just a myth.To dry such varnish requires uniform and sufficiently powerful ultraviolet irradiation. Normal daylight will not provide it.

You can try to dry the nails like this, but the gel will not polymerize. Moreover, it can roll up into lumps, spoiling the whole picture of a manicure. However, there are varnishes, the properties of which are similar to gel varnish, but they do not require special drying.

This coating is also called non-photosensitive gel polish. In fact, it is just a fairly durable varnish. Its appearance with its brilliance resembles a gel coating. It looks beautiful, but on the nails is unlikely to last more than one week. It can not be called gel polish.

Thus, we can conclude that there are many lamps for drying gel polishes. Their choice should, first of all, depend on the purpose and mode of operation, as well as on the financial capabilities of the master. In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to the choice of the varnish itself. Not all lamps can cover any range of gel polymerization. The selection of the lamp must be taken responsibly, after weighing all the pros and cons.

Video: what to buy a lamp for gel polishes