Top Polygel Questions Answered & Mistakes to Avoid

Polygel is a relatively new type of nail product, and because of this people tend to make a lot of mistakes during application.

Thankfully I have been using Polygel for many years now both on myself and on my clients, and have made those mistakes for you, so you don’t have to.

So I am writing this article to help you avoid some of the more common mistakes made when working with Polygel and also to answer some of your most-asked questions

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Common Mistakes Made With Polygel

1- Using too much or too little of Slip Solution

Slip Solution is the liquid that comes with your Polygel kit it is meant to reduce the thickness of your polygel to make it easier to work with. But I have noticed a lot of individuals either:

Use too much of it which can make your polygel too runny making it hard to mold and almost impossible to cure
Or they use too little of it which means the Polygel would remain very thick and thus be harder to work with.

Now how much slip solution to use will vary with the brand of Polygel. Some brands are so thick that you need to use a lot of Polygel whilst some don’t need much at all.

I generally recommend just wetting your brush a little with the slip solution to add some liquid to the Polygel, if you think the Polygel is still too firm you can always use abit more.

Polygel Slip Solution What is it & What Can You Use Instead

6 Best Brands of Polygel Nail Kits – That are Easy To Use

2- Not Curing your Polygel Enough

Another big mistake is not fully curing your Polygel. You see if you don’t cure your polygel completely it will be hard on the outside but soft on the inside making it very weak and prone to breaking.

Usually, I recommend following the instructions that your brand of Polygel has, but you also need to know the wattage of your nail lamp. If you have a low-wattage nail lamp, anything under 36 watts then you will need to cure your Polygel a bit longer than the instruction.

This is because most brands make their instructions based on either a 36-watt or 48-watt nail lamp. So if your brand of Polygel says to cure for 60 seconds but you have a 24-watt nail lamp then you might need to cure for 90 seconds.

From my experience, it’s better to overcure your Polygel than to under cure them.

3- Not Using a Gel Base Coat or a Gel Top Coat

Polygel was designed to be used with both a Gel Base Coat and a Gel Top Coat, if you don’t use it your Polygel will not be as durable and long-lasting.

The Gel Base Coat creates a sticky layer for the Polygel to bond to your Natural nails without it your Polygel manicures will be prone to lifting.

The Gel Top Coat forms a hard tough layer over the Polygel protecting it from getting damaged or worn out easily.

Polygel Base Coat- Is it Needed, Type to Use & Best Brands

3 Easy Ways to Fill Polygel Nails at Home (w/Video)

3- Not Building Your Polygel Correctly

If you don’t build your Polygel nails correctly they will be much weaker and prone to breaking.

Now one of the most important things you need to do when building an extension is to ensure it has a good apex, without it your extension will be weaker.

This is why I generally recommend using dual forms for beginners, since it is super easy to use and you can easily create near-perfect extensions without much experience or training.

You can click here to check out my article on the 4 Ways to Apply Polygel at Home.

4- Getting the Polygel on Your Skin

Polygel like all types of nail products is not meant to go on your skin. If this happens it can easily lead to a skin reaction.

Even if you don’t have a sudden reaction, by constantly getting Polygel on your skin can cause your skin to develop a sensitivity towards it.

Does Polygel Damage Nails- Is it Safe, Pros & Cons

Polygel vs Soft & Hard Gel – Differences & Which is Better

Common Questions About Polygel

Why is PolyGel still sticky after curing?

When Polygel is cured it will have a natural sticky residue called the inhibition layer. This occurs because the oxygen in the air prevents the top layer of the Polygel from curing and leaves a thin layer of uncured Polygel.

This sticky layer is completely normal and will actually help the gel top coat to adhere better to the Polygel, so it doesn’t need to be wiped off. Only the sticky layer from the gel top coat needs to be wiped off.

How to Fix Thick Polygel

If your Polygel is too thick then you can thin it out by using the liquid slip solution that your Polygel comes with. You can also use rubbing alcohol or some gel base coat, click here to learn more.

To make your Polygel thinner and easier to work with you just need to dip your Polygel brush into the slip solution and then use the wet brush the maneuver and mold the Polygel. This will make the Polygel easier to work with.

Why is Polygel not sticking to nails (Before Curing)

I have seen this happen to a lot of newbies and this usually happens either because:

Too much slip solution was used causing the Polygel to become extra runny and thus not able to hold onto the nails before curing.

You didn’t use a gel base coat – a gel base coat creates a nice sticky layer on your nails for the Polygel to grab onto. So ensure you apply and cure your gel base coat before applying the Polygel

Why is Polygel Not Adhering After Curing

From my experience, the main reasons for Polygel lifting are:

Not Prepping your natural nails before applying the Polygel. You need to push back your cuticles, file your nails, and then clean them before application

Not Using a Gel Base Coat – which is essential to hold and grip the Polygel onto your natural nails

Not using a Dehydrator and a Nail Primer – both of which work to make your Polygel adhere better

Polygel wasn’t cured fully

I have an entire article on this topic since its so important you can click here to read my 6 Reasons Why Polygel Breaks or Lifts- How to Fix & Avoid

Why Polygel is Sticking to Brush

The main reasons why your Polygel may have a tendency to stick onto your brush are

You used too much slip solution which is the clear liquid that comes with the Polygel, if you use too much the Polygel can become extra runny and sticky and can hold onto your brush
You are using the wrong type of brush, the best kind of brush to use with Polygel are those that are stiffer, unlike the softer ones used for builder gels. You can click here to get a Polygel Brush on Amazon.

How do you get PolyGel off a brush?

Now if your Polygel gets onto your brush the best way to clean them is by soaking them in rubbing alcohol and then gradually wipe it off on a paper towel.

If the Polygel hardens on the brush then you will need to use acetone, though note that acetone can potentially damage your Polygel brush.