How To Do Gel Nails: 7 Mistakes Nobody Tells You About

The first time I tried gel nails at home, I was so proud of myself. I sat there with my little lamp, my cheap kit from the shop, and thought, “Wow, I’m basically a nail tech now.”

Two days later… every single nail started peeling off. One lifted while I was washing dishes, one chipped when I opened a cupboard, and by day three my nails looked like I’d been digging in the garden with my bare hands. I felt so annoyed and a bit stupid, to be honest.

That’s when I went down the Google rabbit hole and typed “How To Do Gel Nails: 7 Mistakes Nobody Tells You About” because clearly there was something I was missing. And wow, did I find out a lot.

Today I want to share all those hidden mistakes with you, in normal words, like we’re just chatting over coffee. No fancy salon talk. Just real tips that actually work, whether you’re in South Africa like me, or anywhere else in the world.

Quick Answer: Why Your Gel Nails Keep Lifting or Peeling

Before we get into the deep stuff, let me give you the short version.

Most DIY gel manicures fail because of:

• Nails not cleaned or prepped properly
• Gel layers too thick
• Not curing long enough under the lamp
• Gel touching your skin or cuticles
• Not sealing the very tip of the nail
• Soaking nails in water before doing them
• Peeling the gel off when you’re tired of it

In this guide, How To Do Gel Nails: 7 Mistakes Nobody Tells You About, I’ll walk you through each one, step by step, so your next set actually lasts longer than a weekend.

Mistake 1: Skipping Proper Nail Prep

I used to think gel polish was magic. Paint it on, cure it, and boom, perfect nails. But gel hates oil and dirt. If your nails are not super clean and dry, the polish just lifts.

Here’s what I do now, every single time:

1. Wash your hands and dry them well.
2. Shape your nails with a nail file.
3. Gently buff the surface of each nail with a soft buffer. Not hard, just enough to remove shine.
4. Push back your cuticles with a wooden stick or cuticle pusher.
5. Wipe each nail with alcohol or nail cleanser to remove dust and oil.

No cream. No cuticle oil. No hand lotion before you start. Save that for the end.

If you remember nothing else from How To Do Gel Nails: 7 Mistakes Nobody Tells You About, remember this: clean, dry nails are everything.

Mistake 2: Soaking Your Nails or Cuticles First

This one shocked me. In normal manicures, we soak our hands in warm water. It feels nice, I love it. But for gel? Big no.

When you soak your fingers, your nails absorb water and swell a little. Then you put gel on top. Later, when your nails dry and shrink back, the gel doesn’t shrink with them. That’s when you see:

• Lifting at the base
• Tiny cracks
• Peeling at the sides

So for a gel manicure at home:

• Don’t soak your hands in water first
• Don’t shower or do dishes right before you start
• Try to keep your nails dry for at least 30 minutes before you begin

Dry nails = longer-lasting gel.

Mistake 3: Putting Gel on Your Skin and Cuticles

I know it’s tempting to get close to the skin so it looks “salon perfect”, but if gel touches your skin or sits on your cuticles, it will lift fast.

Gel needs a clean nail surface to hold on to. When it’s sitting on skin or that thin bit of dead skin around the nail, it just peels right off.

What helps me:

• I paint a tiny bit away from the skin, like a hairline gap
• If I mess up and touch the skin, I wipe it off with a brush or cotton bud before I cure
• I take my time with the base coat, because that’s your “grip” layer

It feels fussy at first, but after a few times, your hand gets used to it.

Mistake 4: Layers That Are Way Too Thick

I used to slap the polish on like normal nail varnish. Thick and quick. And then I wondered why it stayed soft, wrinkled, or chipped.

With gel, thin layers are everything.

• Thin base coat
• 2–3 thin colour coats
• Thin top coat

It’s better to do three thin coats of colour than two thick ones. Thick gel doesn’t cure properly in the middle, even if the top feels hard. That “half-cured” gel causes:

• Chipping
• Scratches
• Lifting within days

Think of it like painting a wall. Many thin coats look smoother and last longer than one heavy layer.

Mistake 5: Not Curing Properly (Or Using the Wrong Lamp)

This one made me want to scream. I thought my lamp was fine, but my gel was always soft at the edges. Turns out, not all lamps match all gels.

Here’s what I pay attention to now:

• Check the gel bottle – it usually says how many seconds under UV/LED
• Use a lamp that matches the gel (LED gel needs an LED lamp; some need UV)
• Cure for the full time – don’t rush it because you’re bored
• Make sure your thumbs are flat, not sideways, so the gel gets full light

If you’re using a small cheap lamp (we’ve all been there, especially with online deals here in SA), you may need to cure a bit longer than the bottle says. Just don’t overdo it to the point of pain or burning.

Mistake 6: Forgetting to Seal the Free Edge

This “tiny” step changed my gel game. Sealing the free edge means you paint a little bit of gel across the tip of the nail, not just on top.

Why it matters:

• It helps stop chipping at the ends
• It protects the colour
• It makes your manicure last longer

How to do it:

1. Paint the nail as normal.
2. Before you put the brush back in the bottle, gently swipe it across the tip of the nail.
3. Do this for base coat, colour and top coat.

It feels strange at first, but once you see how well it works, you’ll never skip it.

Mistake 7: Peeling the Gel Off (I Know, It’s So Tempting)

This is the big one. The naughty one. I’ve sat in front of the TV picking off my gel layer by layer, feeling weirdly satisfied… and then cried later when I saw how thin and rough my real nails looked.

When you peel gel off, you’re not just removing polish. You’re ripping off the top layers of your natural nail. That’s why your nails:

• Feel weak
• Bend easily
• Split or break

The right way to remove gel polish:

1. File the shiny top coat off gently.
2. Soak cotton wool in acetone, place on the nail.
3. Wrap with foil or use nail clips.
4. Wait 10–15 minutes.
5. Gently push off the soft gel with a wooden stick.
6. Buff lightly and wash your hands.

It takes longer, yes. But your nails will thank you.

So What’s the Real Secret Behind Long-Lasting Gel Nails?

So the real secret behind How To Do Gel Nails: 7 Mistakes Nobody Tells You About is not some fancy brand or expensive kit from Clicks, Dis-Chem or Takealot. It’s the small, “boring” steps:

• Dry, clean nails
• Careful prep
• Thin, even layers
• No gel on skin
• Correct curing time
• Sealed tips
• Gentle removal

Once you nail these (sorry, I had to), your DIY gel manicure at home can actually look like salon work and last for 2–3 weeks.

Before You Go: Your Next Gel Set

Now when you think of How To Do Gel Nails: 7 Mistakes Nobody Tells You About, I want you to remember that nothing is “wrong” with you if your first few tries were a mess. We’ve all had peeling, lifting, and sad little chipped thumbs.

Here’s what I suggest you do next time you sit down with your lamp:

• Pick one colour
• Follow these steps slowly
• Focus on prep, thin coats, and clean edges
• Don’t rush the curing
• Promise yourself you won’t peel it off

Then see how long they last.

If you want, tell me which mistake you’ve been making the most, and what you want help with next—maybe nail art, builder gel, or how to fix broken corners. Let’s figure this gel nail thing out together, one set at a time.

And if you forget a step, come back and read How To Do Gel Nails: 7 Mistakes Nobody Tells You About again before your next DIY manicure.