DIY Gel Nails at Home with Orly Builder in a Bottle & Apres Short Stiletto Tips

[@iliketotalkblog]

great job. i cant use tips because they'd get in the way of my lifting. I do dip nails on my natural nails and am struggling with my efile and shaping techniques. Learning how to to the apex method but I've only done four manicures so far. Did you find special files worked better with your efile? Im just using the ones that came with the efile but wondering if there are better options

[@Phyrra]

Thank you! This is the only length I can use and still lift, but I am not doing as heavy weights as you are. Yes, I highly recommend he ceramic bits that I use with my e-file. They're easier on the skin. They're linked in the description box & on my blog: phyrra.net/how-to-diy-gel-nails-at-home.html

[@karentyas5440]

NOW I get how you were talking about helping the tips fit your natural nails better! My other issue is with some tips and full covers is the largest in some are too small for my thumb bed. I might just have to get some forms and start learning to do a full sculpt. What a shame, I’ll have to buy more nail stuff!(not at all a shame) This shape looks really great on your hands!

[@chel-bell]

thank you so much for the tip to build the center of flat nails before putting on the tips, I've struggled with doing my super flat nails so much and that solved it for me !!!

[@kristiv4993]

I am loving that so many people are embraincg doing their own nails! I haven't tried nail tips but this seems super user friendly!

[@Phyrra]

It really is!

[@cryinginred]

You did amazing! I've been using builder gel and silk wraps/fiberglass wraps on my natural nails, but I hadn't thought of trying tips yet! Thanks for the tips!

[@Phyrra]

Glad I could help! I hope you love tips if you try them.

[@MarciaFriedman]

I'm impressed that you can do this on both hands. Even if I could get it on my non-dominant hand I'd have a terrible time on my other hand.

[@Phyrra]

I always have to do my dominant hand first. I'm right handed, so I do my right hand first since it is more difficult for me than my left hand.

[@TessaLCastro1216]

I think this was a great video. I'm glad you finally uploaded it & showed us how you apply the nails. They look really nice & I look forward to many more nail videos💅👌

[@Phyrra]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you found it helpful.

[@Oonagh72]

Your pinky finger is shaped like mine! Cool. And I’m glad to see a flat nail tutorial. My flat nails are the bane of my existence.

[@Phyrra]

Yes, my nails are so flat there is barely any curve to them at all, and only right at the edges. So it is very important for our flat nail shape to 'float a bead' down the center to try to build up that 'curve' that most people have. I just ordered some new tips so once they come in I will film a tutorial with them :)

[@justbeingre5060]

You got the hang of it so fast! They look great!!

[@Phyrra]

Thank you so much! Practice makes perfect with this, so I am really enjoying practicing to get better.

[@laurab781]

your nails look fantastic, you really did a great job!! I haven't been brave enough to do my nails like this at home, but you made it seem so simple and easy.

[@Phyrra]

Thank you so much! You can definitely learn to do it!

[@503sexymama]

Thank you you answered all my questions!! Thanks for this video it’s very helpful

[@thejediwife]

I have some nail tips to play with, and I'm so torn between applying them for temporary wear or using with gel for a longer lasting effect. I just change my polish so much that I don't know that they'd hold up to constant nail colour changes. These look great!

[@Phyrra]

So with hard gel tips, after you seal it in, you can then use a peel off base coat and paint your nails with regular polish. I often paint regular polish on top of these tips and then use a non-acetone nail polish remover to change polish in between sets.

[@lesleygoldberg3304]

I am very impressed. I don’t have the dexterity to do my nails myself.

[@Phyrra]

It just takes a lot of practice! I'm not great at using my left hand to put on my right hand's tips, so I always force myself to do the right hand first and take my time with it. The more I practice, the more the muscle memory builds up and I get more fluid at it. ;)

[@RachelRunyan13]

Great job showing and explaining what you did. This looks really easy. I ordered the supplies to try it myself! *fingers crossed*

[@Phyrra]

You can do it! If you're not already in it, be sure to join Maria's Facebook Group for tips! facebook.com/groups/201425554420392/

[@RachelRunyan13]

@@Phyrra Thank you! I joined the group.

[@Thefabzillakath]

You made it so easy for me to follow! I’m going to attempt to DIY my nails

[@Phyrra]

I'm so glad!

[@ApAcVideoWatcher]

Pretty! I use similar tips and polygel to do my kitty nails. That's what I call the short stilletos. Yours look pretty. I recently got a little nail vacuum box off of Amazon so that I stopped getting dust everywhere when filing back for fill ins. What a difference it's made in mess! Totally worth the $33 bucks. Wish I had it when I was using dip powders instead.😂 I bought white tips in case I was feeling French tipped, but I really like that clear look. I bet some purple sparkle on it would dance in the moonlight. Great job!

[@Phyrra]

I like either putting down a towel or using the downdraft vent to collect all the dust. Otherwise I feel like I'm covered in it. Yes, the Orly Builder in a Bottle is crystal clear, just like these Apres tips. I put Cupcake Polish Lilac Skies on it (a gorgeous purple with fuchsia to blue shift and shimmer). I've never tried white tips but Dave keeps wanting me to do a black french tip.

[@ApAcVideoWatcher]

@@Phyrra Yeah, I was surprised by just how much dust they can make. I was doing what you do with the towel before I got the dust collector. I was equally surprised by just how clean it kept everything. Your colors sound gorgeous! I haven't seen any black tips yet, but the ones I use have a little tab on the end. I bet they could be painted black before applied to make it easier to get perfect. I'm not good at painting French tip stilletos on my left hand. I did a sort of fade on mine for Halloween by laying down a purple gradient at the top fading into the natural pink polygel I used to raise my nails up to the tip level. Then I used some red, purple, and black colored alcohol ink to make it look like blood had stained down part of the fade, but still kept the pink part of the nail translucent. (I did it that way instead of polish because I prefer to keep my nails as thin as possible. I like them to be able to scratch, but also hard enough I can work without them breaking.) Then I took some black polish to really create the organic looking French tip, and finished with the glossy top coat. I was so surprised by how easy and wicked it looked when finished. If you'd like the link to the tips I use, I can post it. I haven't had any problems with them breaking, and I'm really hard on my nails. I'm picky about how it looks around my cuticles, or could go a month possibly before needing to touch up the actual polygel. Around 3 or 4 weeks my hairs start getting caught where it lifts. The tip part is phenomenal though. They create the really elegant slender stilletos like how yours looked, but are only the tip. Have fun playing! 🦇

[@ndawi-9947]

I think it’s actually supposed to be etched with pure acetone (for no drill method), alcohol doesn’t really affect plastic like that

[@Phyrra]

These are not plastic tips. These are gel tips.

[@cinseven964]

They look great!

[@Phyrra]

Thank you so much Cin! I wish I could do your nails one day.

[@emilywatson4583]

Thank you for a nail video! I just ordered a dip kit, but I'm afraid to try an efile just yet lol

[@Phyrra]

Hope you like it! With my e-file I just go slow.

[@PolishedHippy]

I enjoyed this tutorial! I've never tried builder gels or tips before, just gel polish. My nails are paper thin and I am too worried about removal.

[@Phyrra]

I just found the best remover for the gel builder polish. You just scuff off the shine with the e-file, then use this amzn.to/3n4n6od

[@denisehamm3629]

Could you share what light you are using for the 5-second cure? I am finally getting the hang of the tips, and almost out of apres extend and builder. I have Orly builder in a bottle and so many tips, so I am excited to be able to use the Orly builder with the tips. Thank you so much!

[@Phyrra]

I'm using this one. I've tried a few others from other brands and find it the easiest to use amzn.to/3NSzVyS

[@denisehamm3629]

@@Phyrra Thanks so much!

[@cromom4]

Did you always do gel before, even when having them done at a salon? I did mine with acrylic for years and jumped back into it with my partner’s suggestion (no longer social dances and stuck at home it’s nice to play around with). I’m curious as to how they hold up and how often you replace them. How durable gel is in comparison to acrylic? A lot of technical advances to explore! Thank you for sharing!

[@Phyrra]

Hi Cristy! I did acrylic for a short while but I have extremely flat nail beds and the acrylic did not like my nails, I would get a lot of lifting and popping off. I switched to gel and have been much happier. They're just as durable if not more durable. For me they can last up to two weeks but I often want to change them once a week. When I was getting them done professionally in the salon my nails would last 3-4 weeks, but I would get them changed every 3 weeks. You can do what I showed in this video here, and then paint regular polish on top of them or you can use gel polish on top. I'd be happy to give you a lesson in person if you want. *hug*

[@cromom4]

I have short, flat nails with practically no c curve. If gels can last I’ll try to learn that medium, especially as I was planning to start trying gel polish anyway. When social dancing returns I’ll be keeping them much shorter and more rounded, at that point I won’t need as much strength or thickness. I would absolutely love to try to see how this works this in person, if you’d like to show me sometime I’d love that. May have to wait for Covid safer times. HUGS

[@justjudy1781]

Is the top coat necessary?

[@Phyrra]

Yes, it seals everything in. You can't skip that.

[@justjudy1781]

@@Phyrra Thank you, so much.

[@SaucerJess]

💜💜💜

[@Phyrra]

💜💜💜 sending you hugs!

[@Jessinking]

when i saw that you have two curing lights and an e file i was like OH. you invested INVESTED. bet. like yeah i am not good and using nail glue to put the end on the bed and it just all goes to hell from there if that's not good and tight