SHANY 36W Nail Dryer UV Lamp/Light For Acrylic, Gel Polish & Nail Curing, Sliding Tray & Timer Setting, SPA Equipment

I purchased the SHANY UV Gel Light because I was spending a bundle on manicures/pedicures. After doing as much research as I could , I read the reviews and decided on this one. It was relatively inexpensive in comparison to other UV gel lights and seemed to be able to perform just as well (if not better in some cases) according to other reviews. Shipping was fairly quick, and it was nicely packaged. It arrived in mint condition, not so much as a scratch or mark on the parcel box – so that was a relief. I hate when I receive parcels that look like people have drop kicked it down a football field. I’ve done gel nails using Gelish gel system (ph primer/foundation/polish/top coat), and have had no issues. However, I did notice a difference in performance when I used the IBD Pink Builder gel. It did not seem to cure as well. I can’t attribute it to the SHANY gel nail light specifically, as it could be because I’m a newbie at doing my own nails. I just want to note that there was a difference in the curing. I found that I had to cure longer than the recommended cure times, while trying not to “over cure” the gel. I am now aware that there are differences in curing depending on the viscosity and the color of the gel. I will gain better insight as I use it and become more experienced in the gel nail application.

I’m really very pleased with this product. I’m a long-time home manicurist but hadn’t ever done my own gel/shellac before. But after paying $35 to a “professional” who tore up my cuticles removing the previous manicure, and generally did a poor job with the application, I decided I could do a better job myself for less money. A quick perusal of my favorite online nail forum led me to this light, and Gelish base/top coat.

I was apprehensive about inserting the bulbs, because you have to exert quite a bit of pressure to make them snap into the sockets. I quickly understood why the instructions want you to wear protective gloves – if you’re not careful the bulbs could certainly shatter under the pressure. I used the cardboard protective insert that was wrapped around the bulb and luckily everything was fine.

If you’ve never used gel products before, you should know that it is COMPLETELY NORMAL for many gel products to still be tacky after curing. The process should go something like this: base coat, cure, first coat of polish, cure, second coat of polish, cure, top coat, cure, then remove tacky surface with isopropyl alcohol. Up until the top coat, though, the polish is still susceptible to lint/dents/etc. So be sure to set aside enough time and an adequate prep area to complete the process.

Because I have 400+ non-gel polishes, but now need the durability of gel to (hopefully) keep my nails from breaking, I decided to just lay down a foundation of gel and paint over it with regular polish. I’ll use non-acetone remover to switch colors if the mood strikes me. So what I wound up doing was 2 coats of Gelish foundation and 2 coats of Gelish top coat (curing after each coat), followed by 2 coats of polish and 1 coat of “Essence the Gel” top coat. This is one of the “gel type” top coats rather than a true gel but I’ve had great results with it extending wear, and I knew it wouldn’t dull the holo effect of the polish I was using. This top coat is generally pretty quick-drying, but on a whim I did one last trip through the light. It definitely helped. I immediately got undressed, including removing my bra, and didn’t have a single smudge or dent when I was done.

Other users have said their timer didn’t work, but mine works great. When the opening for your hand is facing you, the on/off switch is located on the back right, and the timer on switch is located on the back left. To use the timer, flip the on/off switch DOWN. The light should NOT come on at this time. Then flip the timer on switch up, and the light should switch on and stay for 2 minutes. With the products I was using, 2 minutes per coat worked great. I did not test the layers in between for tackiness; I simply applied, cured, and finally wiped the top layer down with an alcohol swab. The end result was smooth and shiny.

I would absolutely 100% recommend this product for someone who is patient and relatively skilled at polish application. The cost of this plus the Gelish products was less than the cost of two trips to the salon I was using, and so it will have paid for itself in no time.