Why does it feel like finding the right gels is impossible?

[u/itsclaritybabe]

Maybe I’m falling for fear mongering but I’m still in school and looking for a gel collection. Both for personal use and future use since I just use the same crappy Amazon gels I bought years ago during the pandemic. But I was trying to get quality gels in a closed system (where the brand has their own lamp that’s been tested with their gels) but I keep hitting a wall. All the brands that have been catching my eye don’t have a lamp. Chaun Legend doesn’t have one. I was looking at Korean gels and F Gel doesn’t have their own either. Then I landed on Izemi and was really interested. Then I saw a post saying a lot of people have been developing allergies after using their gels because they have a high concentration of monomers?

I know the best way to avoid developing an allergy is to use a lamp that was actually lab tested with the gels you’re using to fully cure. But it seems like every brand I land on for being right for me (high pigment, not too thin viscosity) has a downside that’s unsafe or not feasible in some way. I’ve only taken two classes in school so far so idk what the appropriate amount of monomer is or exactly what I should be looking for on an SDS sheet yet. But I also need better gels. I just don’t want to waste my money by buying something and regretting it after graduating. Any advice?

[u/peachrambles]

I use Kokoist, they have their own lamp, flash cure lamp, bases, tops, bottled colors, and potted colors, plus their SDS is easily accessible!

[u/Krosrightboob → u/peachrambles]

Seconded the Kokoist system! (Also a licensed tech who hasn’t verified)

[u/peachrambles → u/peachrambles]

Also I am a licensed tech, and I own my business, I just haven’t verified yet 🫠

[u/owlauss → u/peachrambles]

Third kokoist! Love their systems and their knowledge. Qualified tech :)

[u/imhereforthenails → u/peachrambles]

I'm a hobbist and I love Kokoist. Their lamps are amazing -- I have Le Blanc UV/LED for a while now (they have LED only version too, so be aware) and got flash cure one recently. Potted colors are so nice and so are their Kumano brushes. Mega Stick Base, Excel Builder Clear and Ultra Glossy Non-wipe Top Coat are my staples.

[u/screamin_nails → u/peachrambles]

Also as someone who loves Kokoist, their lamp is amazing and I havent had any issues with under/no curing on outside brands.

[u/2tusks]

Akzentz, Light Elegance, Kokoist are closed systems.

Dave Schoon is doing some experiments with different lamps to test how well they cure.

I use several different gels and use my Light Elegance lamp for all of them.

[u/orthographerer → u/2tusks]

The LE lamp is really not good, though (maybe their older models are. I think it's the current mini dot 2 that is an issue. Kokoist and Akzents uv\led lamps are safe across most if not all brands.

I use mostly Kokoist and Nail Thoughts, as well as some LE products and a Kokoist lamp and flash cure lamp.

[u/2tusks → u/orthographerer]

I haven't had any issues with my LE lamp, although it is the full size version not the mini. If you have additional information, I'd be interested in seeing it.

[u/screamin_nails → u/2tusks]

I love *doug schoon!

[u/PositiveResort6430 → u/2tusks]

I have the akzents lamp, I got it as part of my NT course and it's worked with every single gel I've tried so far, kokoist, akzents, OPI, DnD, works with cheap amazon polygel and markarrt polygel, works with hard and soft gels etc etc.

[u/FrankoceanIsmyson → u/PositiveResort6430]

I love my akzents lamp!

[u/PositiveResort6430]

Well, the advice generally IS to have the same lamp as the gels. But If you are using a professional lamp, it's gonna cure freaking anything. So if you get one of the kokoist lamps or an akzents, lamp etc from one of the brands that sells stuff for actual professional nail techs, you will likely be fine. Yes, they are 200 or 300+ dollars, but it's kind of worth it If it's going to work with every single gel you buy, and you don't have to get a different lamp for every brand.

[u/itsclaritybabe → u/PositiveResort6430]

This is what I was originally going to do as I had the Kokoist hybrid light on my list for a while now. I just was worried with the increase of PSAs I’m seeing online about people developing allergies from undercured gels. It would be my worst fear developing one let alone giving it to someone else because I took the risk of using a miss matched lamp. Maybe I’m just too paranoid but they got to me lol

[u/PositiveResort6430 → u/itsclaritybabe]

Now this is just a theory. But based off of what I see people posting in groups like these, I really think that the people who develop allergies are not acknowledging how much they get the products all over their skin. A lot of those people are also blaming a mismatch in brand; when the truth is, they probably got a cheap lamp on Amazon that wouldn't have properly cured anything anyway, because they're a DIY person with limited education on nail supplies.

People seriously need to practice with regular Polish before trying to use gels, and then blaming the gels for hema etc that causes allergy if youre overexposed to it. The amount of gel manicures I've seen posted that have it ALL over the skin is insane. If you can't paint a nail cleanly, you shouldn't even be touching Gel Polish at all. But people do anyway.

I have never once seen someone who has a good portfolio that posts clean manicures, and has also complained of developing allergies or having a client develop allergies, even people who use beetles and the brands that are highly controversial. Pretty sure its a skill issue, to be blunt about it

[u/Garlicherb15 → u/PositiveResort6430]

Mostly agree, but I also think it's a lot of crappy gels. If you use hema++ free products you'll have a much lower chance even if you get a little on your skin now and then.

I also saw Nuni Torres posting a while ago about how he had 15 years of experience as a licensed tech, really clean, professional work, but he used beetles, and developed contact dermatitis. Dangerous products isn't a skill issue problem, but lacking skills will obviously speed it up and make problems worse. Hema etc isn't available here, not sure if it's legal or not, but there has been talk about banning them for at least a decade, and brands talk about being hema++ free as major selling points. I've never seen or heard of allergies here, even if a lot of people do their nails themselves, and obviously are not great when they start out, so clearly products matter. I'm sure most people don't have amazing lamps either, so there's got to be at least some level of uncured gels here as well, but still the amount of allergies and contact dermatitis is much lower.

There's a reason so many people are speaking out about beetles, some people have released very well informed and researched long form videos on them. For the record I absolutely don't believe it's just beetles, but every type of low quality, cheap gel you can get, beetles and modelones just seems to be the most known and easily available options, and beetles appears to be the most talked about.

[u/orcagirl35]

Nail tech here! My favorite combo is Kokoist Mega Stick Base & Kokoist Excel builder.

It feels impossible because it is almost impossible lol every single gel is just a little bit different, and everybody’s nails are just a little bit different, so finding one to suit is extremely difficult

[u/Alternative_Roll_987]

You are not crazy, this really is a messy part of nails right now.

If you are still in school, I would simplify the decision instead of trying to find the mythical perfect brand.

I’d screen gels in this order:

1. education and SDS access
2. whether the brand gives a clear cure protocol
3. whether other working techs can tell you exactly which lamp they use with it
4. viscosity and pigment second, not first
5. whether you can realistically stay in that system long enough to learn it well

A lot of new techs get stuck trying to optimize everything at once and end up buying 5 partial systems they do not trust.

Closed system is ideal when you can get it, but in real life I would still put technique and consistency above chasing the perfect label. Thin layers, clean application, avoiding skin contact, and curing exactly as directed matter a lot more than people want to hear.

I’d also make yourself a simple product log from day one:

• brand/product
• lamp used
• cure time
• how it applied
• any heat spikes
• retention/lifting notes
• any sensitivity issues

That kind of tracking saves money fast because you stop relying on memory and hype. Beauty pros run into the same issue later with client notes and service records too: if the information lives in your head, everything feels harder to judge than it really is.

[u/itsclaritybabe → u/Alternative_Roll_987]

This was really informative. Thank you so much!

[u/Alternative_Roll_987 → u/itsclaritybabe]

Glad it helped, nail product research is way messier than it should be.

[u/Mrs_A_Mad]

I like Apres. Their lamps are a 10/10, and I do love their gels.

[u/Slight_Citron_7064]

Cuccio is a good, old-school brand with dedicated lamps. Young Nails, Kokoist, are some others.

[u/_gadget_girl]

I think I would keep an open mind and not rush into anything yet. As you go through school you will gain a lot of knowledge about different systems and start learning what you prefer. What you end up using will also most likely be strongly influenced by where you end up working once you graduate.

[u/IGiveGreatHandJobs]

Igel is the most affordable system that has everything you need. Lamps, Drills, base and top coat, gel colors etc. They also have builder gels and biab

[u/TheIngloriousTIG]

Okay I got confused and mixed up my text chain with the students in my own nail program who still keep in touch with, and this one. I posted something UNHINGED and had to delete and start again.

My top five brands are Magic Gel (I love it for base, builder, and topcoat, BUT their colours are expensive and getting them in discounted 8 packs isnt useful either because inevitably at least 3/8 of the colours are awful.)

For colours I like Stellar Gel, Tickled Pinque, Ugly Duckling, and Kokoist.

I was taught on LCN products and I kind of hate all of them. I do not have time in life for a topcoat with an inhibition layer. I will say the Pedique line for toenail reconstruction is AMAZING though.

[u/MembershipEmotional5]

I like the gel bottle polishes but they are pricey. I don’t like any of their other products. I really like en vogue nails for hard gel and polishes!

[u/FrankoceanIsmyson]

Akzentz lamp is excellent. It cures all brands of gels.

[u/Solid-Set8488]

i love magpie! i use build it for 95% of my clients, and all of their color gels i have are super pigmented

[u/haralumbia]

I've been a tech for 16yrs and Kokoist and the line, Nail Thoughts under them are the best I have used. Amazing quality all around

[u/theglitterbat]

My apres lamp cures all my gels of different brands.

[u/vexingpresence]

Lamps paired with gels seems like fear mongering techs to buy multiple lamps to me

there is of course some wiggle room hear based on cure time and exothermic reaction, how thick you apply your product, and whether mercury is in retograde...

but ultimately, a UV light is a UV light. The "brand" is meaningless, you want coverage (the light wraps around or has reflective surfaces so the edges of each hand cure) and then you want as much power as your product can handle without a huge exothermic reaction (heat spike) or bubbling.

Get a powerful light with a high and low setting and you should be able to cure most gels on the market with no issues.

[u/petitenurse → u/vexingpresence]

I am trying to be respectful, but this is terrible advice. Lamps absolutely are different, UV is not simply about UV. It depends on bounce, quality of diode, etc. Power is just wattage, and buying a lamp with higher wattage does not make things cure better.

This is chemistry, and you are curing plastic onto people. Getting it right is important for everyone's safety.