Refill of Press-On Tips

Step by Step

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  1. File off the excess product

  When doing a refill of Press-On Tips, you need to start by removing the product that is on top of your tip. The amount of product that should be filed off depends on which products you have applied to your tips. If you have a reinforcing product such as Polygel, Liquid Builder Gel, or another strengthening product, you should file off 80% of the product before doing your refill. If you have only applied Gel Polish on top of your tips, you need to file off the Top Coat and the color.

  To remove your Gel Polish on top of the tip, you can, for example, use the 100 side of a 100/180 grit file or an electric nail file with a Mandrel Bit and a Sanding Band with grit 120 or higher. Take your time in the beginning so you learn the technique and avoid damaging your beautiful nails. To attach your chosen bit, turn the shaft on the electric nail file to the left until you hear a click, and to lock the bit in place, turn it to the right. It is very important that your electric nail file is not turned on while you are changing bits.

  In addition to filing off the product on top of the tip, it is also important to remove everything that has lifted from the nail. In other words, you must remove anything that no longer adheres to the nail surface. If lifted product is left on, bacteria can collect underneath it, which over time may cause nail damage.

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  2. Prepare your nail

  Once you have filed off the excess product from the tip, you need to prepare your nail for the refill. You can see our full guide on how to prep your nails in our Guide Universe. But if you are experienced in doing nails, you already know the routine: Wash hands, use a cuticle pusher, cuticle cutter, buffer, wipe with Cleanser, apply PH-Bond, and Primer.

  With the preparations done, let’s refill your Press-On Tips. The refill is done in the same way as if you were creating a new set.

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  3. Apply your Base Coat

  If you want to apply Builder Gel, start by applying a thin layer of Base Coat on the nail. If you are doing the refill with Rubber Base, you can skip this step. Make sure there is not too much product on the brush, then place the brush head in the middle of the nail and press the product down towards the cuticle while holding the brush almost flat along the nail plate. Next, pull the product up along each side of the nail to the tip, where you seal the product.

  It is important that your Base Coat gets close to both the base and sides of the nail without touching the skin around it. If you accidentally touch the surrounding skin or your cuticles, you need to remove it before curing. For this, you can use one of our Micro Brushes dipped in Cleanser.

  Cure the Base Coat in our UV/LED lamp for 60 seconds. Please note that the Base Coat leaves a sticky layer after curing. This is completely normal and must not be removed or touched.

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  4. Apply your Rubber Base or Builder Gel

  When your Base Coat has cured, start by creating a slip layer by applying a thin layer of product on the nail without curing it. Then take a small bead of Builder Gel or Rubber Base from the bottle. Make sure there is not too much product on the brush. The amount should be enough to cover the entire nail without the product flooding onto your skin.

  Place the product in the middle of the nail a few millimeters from the cuticle, leaving space to work. With the brush, slowly press the product down toward the cuticle area and around the entire cuticle line. It is important not to touch the skin at any point. With slow and steady movements, pull the product out to the free edge of the nail. Remember to seal the free edge.

  Turn the nail upside down so the product can flow toward the center and form an apex. The apex is the highest point of the nail, which reinforces and strengthens durability for your extension. The apex should be placed in the middle of the nail depending on the extension and should be seen from the side as a gentle curve that becomes thinner toward the tip. If the product does not naturally settle toward the center to form the correct nail shape, you can guide the shape into place with a brush.

  Now the nail is ready to cure. If you have applied Rubber Base, cure it in our UV/LED lamp for 60–90 seconds. If you have applied Liquid Builder Gel, cure it in our UV/LED lamp for 90–120 seconds.

  If you are not completely satisfied with the shape, you can file your nails. Clean the nail with a Lint-Free Wipe soaked in Cleanser to remove the sticky layer, then file the nail into shape using our nail file with grit 180/220. To smooth the nail plate, finish by buffing the surface with our Buffer. End by cleaning the nail with a Lint-Free Pad soaked in Cleanser.

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  5. Finish

  When your extension is finished, it is time to apply either a Top Coat alone or both Gel Polish and Top Coat, depending on your desired look. When applying your Gel Polish or Top Coat, it is important to be careful to avoid touching the skin with the product. Make sure to get as close to the cuticle and sides as possible without the product coming into contact with the skin. You can see how in our guide: Application of Gel Polish.

  Once the product is applied, cure it in our UV/LED lamp for 60–90 seconds. Remember that every layer you apply must be cured in our UV/LED lamp for 60–90 seconds. And remember the golden rule: Better four paper-thin layers than two thick ones!

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