Soft Gel Nail Tips & Extensions: How to Apply, Pros & Cons

Soft Gel Nail Tips 101 - What are they & How to Apply Them — Soft Gel Nail Tips 101 – What are they & How to Apply Them

Soft Gel Nail Tips are a quick and easy way to create nail extensions that look natural yet are extremely durable.

But a lot of individuals dont really know much about Soft Gel Nail Tips. So that’s why in this article I will explain to you:

What are Soft Gel Nail Tips
How to DIY Apply Soft Gel Nail Tips
The Pros and Cons of Soft Gel Nail Tips
& How to Remove Soft Gel Nail Tips

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What are Soft Gel Nail Tips

Soft Gel Nail Tips are full-covered nail tips that are made of a gel that is similar to the type used to make gel nails.

And since the tips are made of gel this allows you to use a thick gel base coat as the adhesive to bond the gel tips onto the nails instead of using regular nail glue.

Soft Gel Nail Tips tend to feel and look more natural when compared to the standard full-covered tips or press on nails made from traditional ABS plastic.

Hard Gel Extensions: How to Apply, Benefits & Risks

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

Benefits of Soft Gel Nail Tips

1- Looks & Feel Very Natural

Soft Gel Nail Tips have a more natural look and feel. This is because they are:

Lighter and thinner – similar thickness to your natural nails
Have a contoured design to match the natural nail shape and give you proper apex.
Are built with variation in thickness – gel nail tips are thinner in the cuticle area to give you a more seamless fit.

Regular full-covered nail tips tend to be heavier and bulkier. And they don’t have the variation in thickness which means that you need to file the back end down to achieve a more seamless and natural look.

2- Fast & Easy to Apply

Soft Gel Nail Tips are very quick and easy to apply especially when compared to having to build an extension using soft or hard gel.

How to Apply Soft Gel Nail Tips

Firstly you need to match your nails with the correct size of nail tips for a snug fit.
If they are too big you can file them to fit your nails.
Secondly, use a cuticle pusher to push back and align your cuticles.
Next, use a 180-grit nail file to buff your nails and to etch underneath the nail tips at the area that would adhere to the nails
Then clean your nails with rubbing alcohol and then apply a dehydrator and then a nail primer.
Now you need to apply the gel base coat to your nails and then cure them under a UV Led Lamp.
Next, apply some of the base coat underneath the gel nail tips at the area where the nail tips would hold onto the nails.
Finally, you need to firmly hold the nail tips in place whilst you shine a UV light over them.

Video of How to Apply Gel Nail Tips

3- Long-Lasting & Very Durable

Gel Nail Tips tend to be more flexible and more durable when compared to either using regular nail tips or building nail extensions using soft or hard gel.

You see gel nail tips use a UV gel base coat to make the tips adhere to the nails which tend to be stronger and last longer than nail glue.

How Long Does Soft Gel Nail Tips Last

Soft Gel Nail Tips should last for 3-4 weeks without chipping or lifting. Now the exact duration will vary based on the amount of wear and tear that they are exposed to and the brand that you use.

4- Doesn’t Require the Use of Nail Glue

Gel Nail Tips don’t use any nail glue instead they use a gel base coat to adhere to your nails which is much safer. You see nail glue can:

Be very harsh on your nail plate especially if you dont use a good brand.
Cause allergic reaction. Citation.
Lead to infection – you see nail glue doesn’t cover the nails evenly instead it leaves gaps, where moisture can seep in and lead to an infection.

A Gel Base Coat is milder on your nails, less likely to lead to an allergic reaction and it would cover the whole nail plate meaning it’s less likely to cause an infection.

5- Can Be Filled-In as your Nails Grow

When your nails grow out you can use either soft gel or polygel to fill in the gaps at the back rather than doing a whole new manicure. This will be much faster and cheaper.

Drawbacks of Gel Nail Tips

1- Cost more that Regular Nail Tips

Gel Nail tips tend to cost more than regular nail tips. This is because they are made with premium material and manufacturing them is more difficult.

2- Uses UV Light

To apply Gel Nail Tip you need to use a UV Led Lamp. So if you are trying to avoid exposure to UV light you should avoid gel nail tips.

Best Gel Nail Tips

The 2 Best Gel Nail Tips are:

Apres Gel X Nail Tips – A premium, durable, and natural gel nail tip
Beetles Gel Nail Tip – A budget-friendly gel nail tip

1- Apres Gel X Nail Tips

Apres’s Gel X Nail Tips are some of the best high-quality and durable gel tips on the market. And they feel and look extremely natural since they are thin and very light. Citation.

Apres is one the of companies that helped to develop the concept of gel nail tips.

Now the main issue with Apres Gel Nail Tips is that they are more expensive. I only recommend using this brand if you can afford it.

Where to Get Apres Gel X Nail Tips

You can click here to see the price for a box of Apres Gel X Coffin Tips on Amazon.

2- Beetles Gel Nail Tips

Beetle’s Gel Nail Tips are one of the most popular and widely used gel nail tips.

And the main reason for their popularity is that they are very affordable yet they are thin, lightweight, and very durable.

Now they might not have the same premium look and feel as Apres but they are a viable option if you are on a budget.

Where to Get Beetles Gel Nail Tips

You can get a really nice Beetles Gel Nail Tip Kit on Amazon, you can click here to see the current price for one.