Gel polish pedicure - step by step

The most beautiful colours of this season, amazing glossy finish but most of all durability and resistance to scratches - no wonder gel polish pedicure gets more and more popular. Let us explain what a gel polish pedicure is and how to create it. How do you spot a woman that takes care of herself? The answer is obviously - by her nails! During summer, when we show off our well cared for feet in fashionable sandals, a pedicure is a must.

To create a full, professional pedicure you must follow a few, simple rules:

Gel polish pedicure - stage 1: preparation

1. Begin as usual with cleaning the nails, pushing down the cuticles and remove any dry, dead skin with an e-file or a foot file.
2. Create the desired shape and remember that with fingernails you can create any shape you want, but you've got to be careful not to round the side edges and free edges of toenails too much also do not cut the cuticles to deep it might cause the ingrowing of the toenails.
3. Buff the nail plates with a buffer and remove any grease.
4. To make sure that the toes do not touch each other put them into a separator.

Gel polish - stage 2: applying the base coat

5. It is harder than it seems - choosing the right base coat requires some consideration. Indigo offers a number of products designed for different types of nail plates (more comprehensive description here) - check out our brand new versatile product - a multitasking mineral ( works like a 3in1: base coat, colour and top) and our iconic protein base, which creates an amazing glossy finish even on weak and damaged nails.
6. The base should be applied carefully in a thin coat, very precisely near the edges so to not spill it over cuticles. If you are using Indigo products this step will be a lot easier since all of them have a special consistency that makes the application easy.
7. Cure the base: if you have a LED  nail lamp - cure for 30 seconds. If you have a UV lamp - 60 seconds.
8. If a client has weak or even broken nails, you can apply a second coat and cure it. As we've written before the protein base will work wonders for brittle and weak nails.

Gel Polish pedicure - stage 3: applying the colour gel polish

9. During the summer we can recommend more vibrant colours form the We Are The Colors collection. Maybe suggest a summer version of a favourite effect or an energetic, ornaments with a vacation vibe. Vacation is a time to be bold and beautiful!
10. Cure the nails in nail lamp: LED lamp - 30 seconds, UV - 60 seconds. Remember that darker or vibrant colours might need a second coat and another curing session to reach a full colour.

Gel polish pedicure - stage 4: finishing

11. The final stage is applying and curing the top coat, this will keep the manicure in a pristine condition for the next 3 weeks. Indigo gel polish top coats protect the manicure from scratches, keep the colour vibrant and the fan favourite Tip Top Top Coat creates an amazing shiny finish.
12. Finish the manicure by removing the dispersive layer ( if the top that you are using creates it). It is important to avoid an acetone cleaner since it can clod the shiny surface. Indigo offers an amazing Indigo Cleaner Supershine Effect which will also moisturise the dry cuticles.
13. Let's highlight the beautiful manicure by taking care of the skin - here the Foot Lover Seventh Heaven is unrivalled. If at the beginning of the procedure the dead skin has been removed the results are going to be instant. The client will surely appreciate the silky and supple skin that smells like roses, white flowers and bergamot.

What are the advantages of gel polish pedicure?

Hardened, reinforced nail plate, a durable colour that will not fade or turn yellow, no chipping, no scratches and that amazing shine! Professional gel polish pedicure has only advantages. The most important is the fact that for three weeks the nails look like they've been painted jus an hour ago. It's a great way to save time and best option for vacations when we wear open shoes and wouldn't like to have the manicure chipped or scratched. Gel polish manicure protected with a top coat will withstand walking, exercising and soaking in refreshing, sea water.  Gel polish manicure guarantees that our feet will stay beautiful and neat - all that is left is to enjoy the summer.

Published:

10.10.2018

Updated:

06.11.2023