The Build-Up

Enhance your knowledge of brush-on builder gel with insight from pros & product picks

Bottled brush-on builder gel is ever-popular, with both pros and their clients raving about the product’s speedy application and strong, long-wearing finish. Thanh Vu, managing director of London and Essex-based Dream Nails, a salon finalist in the Scratch Stars Awards 2024, has noticed a shift in service requests. “Clients who used to opt for gel polish manicures and L&P acrylic overlays are turning to brush-on builder gel services,” she comments. “This means they now visit our salons every three to four weeks, instead of every two to three. One could argue that less regular visits means less revenue, however the price point of builder gel and customer satisfaction is higher.”

Image courtesy of Lecenté, showcasing Fusion Builder Gel in Raw, available via www.lecente.com

Thanh Vu

Which clients is brush-on builder gel suited to?

As the advantages of the product have become better known within the professional and consumer communities, and more nail brands have released formulas, some clients have begun to consider brush-on builder gel as a staple product within nail enhancement services. However, it’s important to note that the product is designed to extend and enhance nails, with each formulation offering different properties to benefit clients.

Natalie Essery

Brush-on builder gels are available in a variety of shades – like this classic red BIAB™ hue, Love, by The GelBottle Inc.

“Builder gel particularly suits clients with weak natural nails that require protection and support in order to grow, as well as longer nail lengths in need of strength and structure,” shares Natalie Essery, Nailchemy brand ambassador. “Brush-on builder gels are available in a range of colours, to suit various client skin tones and nail desires.”

Orla O’Donohoe

“Builder gel is beneficial for heavy-handed clients who find gel polish overlays alone don’t last two weeks on their nails, as the formula is more durable,” says Orla O’Donohoe, The Manicure Company brand ambassador. “It protects natural nails so they grow healthily, preventing breaks at the free edge.”

Katie Turner

“Brush-on builder gel offers support to nails that easily break, as it is a soft gel that flexes with the natural nail,” adds Katie Turner, Glitterbels brand ambassador. “The product can also help to create short extensions, benefitting clients whose natural nail lengths are not even, but who do not want to file down their nails.”

Builder Gel in Raw, available via www.lecente.com

Zero Builder Gel™ in Skin Deep £16.23 inc VAT www.themanicurecompany.com Eight inclusive shades make up the Zero Builder Gel™ range from The Manicure Company.

The formula is free from HEMA, Di-HEMA, HPMA, TPO and IBOA, and boasts strength for a minimum of three weeks. The product can also be used to create short to medium enhancements with forms or tips.

Artistic Brush-On Builder £9.95 + VAT www.sweetsquared.com Promising fast, controlled application and minimal filing with its lightweight and self-levelling formula, this crystal-clear builder gel offers over 21 days’ wear. It is designed to build and extend natural nails to short, medium and long lengths.

GelJunkie CTL (Length) in Darker Nude £POA + VAT www.geljunkie.co.uk Designed to strengthen and lengthen nails, CTL or ‘Create The Length’ builder gel from GelJunkie is available in six shades: Clear, Baby Pink, Milky Pink, Milky White, Nude and Darker Nude. It protects the natural nail so it can grow, offering long-wearing results.

Nails showcasing Zero Builder Gel™ in Skin Deep.

The GelBottle Inc All-in-One BIAB™ in NU02 £19.50 + VAT www.thegelbottle.com The GelBottle Inc’s All-in-One BIAB™ is a medium viscosity formula that works as a durable base coat, builder gel and top coat. The soak-off product contains 50% less HEMA than TGB’s Original BIAB™ (Builder In A Bottle), and was originally designed for use with TGB DesignEx Pro™ extensions.

Shade selection

Lisa Stone

“Choosing a natural builder gel colour is like selecting a foundation for the skin; getting it wrong can make the nails look washed out and will not complement the client’s skin tone,” explains Lisa Stone, Salon System educator. “Assess the tones of the client’s skin to determine if they are cool or warm.

Cool, paler skin tones tend to have veins with a bluish appearance, while warmer, olive skin tones show veins with a greenish tone.”

Zara Horrill

“Cool undertones present within the skin are typically pink, red or blue; warm undertones include yellow, gold and peach hues, and neutral undertones are a mix of both,” adds Zara Horrill, The GelBottle Inc (TGB) educator. “Consult the client throughout the shade selection process to ensure they are satisfied, and make a note of their chosen builder gel colour.”

“Swatches incredibly useful when deciding on the best match for a client’s skin tone,” says Theresa Foddering, head of education at Lecenté. “Swatch each shade as a thin, almost transparent layer and as a semi-opaque coat. When placing these against hue suits their natural nail and skin tone best.”

Theresa Foddering

Shelley Lewis

“My go-to EasiBuild range is Clear,” reveals Halo VIP, Shelley Lewis. “I use this transparent hue most, their nail colours often. For example, many builder gel shade from the Halo as it suits clients who like to alter of my clients change up the nude polish colour of their choosing over the top, removing this at bases the Clear EasiBuild shade, I can apply a gel of their French manicures. By using the next appointment and infilling the EasiBuild builder gel, ready for a new gel polish hue to be applied.”

CND™ PLEXIGEL Builder £22.45 +VAT www. sweetsquared.com CND™ PLEXIGEL is a four-step system, featuring Bonder, Builder, Shaper and Protector Top Coat to shape, extend and build natural nails. Available in five shades and Clear, the Builder adds lightweight strength to nails and moderate to long length over tips and sculpting forms.

Dena Ardestani of @denasnails showcases milky white Light Elegance JimmyGel hue, Boomer White.

Image courtesy of The GelBottle Inc, showing HEMA-Free BIAB™ in Bebe, available via www.thegelbottle.com

Charlotte Atwill, Halo VIP, swatches Halo EasiBuild shades on nail tips, to compare against clients’ natural nails and skin tones.

The Manicure Company Builder Base in Lace £14.52 inc VAT www.themanicurecompany.com Ideal for use as a natural-looking structure base coat under a gel polish overlay, this soak-off formula can also be used to encapsulate nail art and create 3D and glitter designs. Pros can extend the nail using the product and nail tips or forms.

Glitterbels Brush On Builder Gel in Dolly £16.99 inc VAT www.glitterbels.com Glitterbels’ Brush On Builder Gel supports healthy natural nail growth with its strong formulation, and can be used to craft short enhancements. The product helps to perfect clients’ nail shapes with stylish coatings ranging from pink-nudes to shimmers.

INK London SOBIAB in Signature £15.83 + VAT www.inknails.com Multi-purpose, SOBIAB from INK London is a UV/LED curable base and brush-on builder gel. It was designed with resilience and durability in mind, and boasts strong adhesion.

Use to create salon length extensions and for natural nail overlays.

Light Elegance JimmyGel Building Base Gel in Boomer White £21.95 + VAT www.lightelegance.co.uk Offering over four weeks’ wear and robust hard gel qualities, JimmyGel can be used to create structured nail overlays or extensions. The soak-off product can be paired with Light Elegance’s colour and glitter gel polishes, hard gels and gel paints, and requires minimal filing.

Image shows the application of en Vogue CBS Build in Peach.

Application

“Thorough prep is imperative, as with any nail service,” details Theresa Foddering. “Providing the natural nail is adequately prepared, builder gel will brush on effortlessly. I recommend applying a thin first layer and curing this, to aid adhesion and provide a smooth base for subsequent layers.”

“Apply builder gel in three layers: a base, slip and bead,” advises Lisa Stone. “Apply the gel as close as possible to the cuticle and side walls without touching them, and use small, gentle movements to work the gel into the nail – rather than long brush strokes. If the builder gel seems bulky, don’t hesitate to buff it down.”

Melanie Lewendon

What is a slip layer?

“A slip layer acts as a lubricant or vessel, making it easier to move and shape builder gel without it sticking to the brush or creating uneven patches,” writes Melanie Lewendon, Scratch Stars Educator of the Year 2024, on her website, melanielewendonacademy.co.uk. “It’s an uncured layer, which improves self-levelling and the adhesion of the subsequent gel layer. A slip layer helps to achieve smooth, bubble-free application, which is crucial for a professional-looking finish and eliminates the need for extreme refining.”

“I recommend that nail techs work on one nail at a time when applying The GelBottle Inc’s BIABTM , so they can focus on building up each apex perfectly,” comments Zara Horrill. “Flipping the client’s hand upside down allows gravity to assist in enhancing the apex and pulls the product into the centre of the nail to shorten refining time.”

“A fine liner brush will be your best friend when applying builder gel, as you can use it to pull excess gel that has gathered at the free edge to create the apex,” says Katie Turner. “However, you can avoid this issue in the first place by maintaining your client’s hand level, rather than pointing it down.”

Glitterbels Liner Brush with Lid (9mm) £7.99 inc VAT www.glitterbels.com

Gelish Structure Soak-off Gel Nail Strengthener in Translucent Pink £19.99 + VAT www.gelishmorgantaylor.co.ukwww.salon-services.com Ideal for creating short nail extensions and covering nail plate imperfections, expect over 21 days’ wear from this builder gel. Offering a protective and strong coating over natural nails, the enhancement allows growth and repair with an enhanced nail appearance.

Nailchemy Builder Gel in Cover Rose £14.50 + VAT www.nailchemy.co.uk Nailchemy Builder Gel fills ridges on the natural nail, providing a smooth and strong surface for gel polish application. The product can also be used to sculpt short extensions and floated over nail tips to aid blending. With a wear time of up to three weeks, choose from a range of natural shades and a clear hue. s

Halo EasiBuild in Dare2Bare Pink £7.44 + VAT & HEMA-free Panettone £8.75 + VAT www.purenails.co.uk The EasiBuild system from Pure Nails’ Halo line is ideal for building and sculpting with forms and tips, as well as applying a strong base to natural nails. It doesn’t require use of primer beforehand, and EasiBuild colours range from natural tones to HEMA-free glitter shades and the Patisserie Collection of delectable hues.

Nicola Moore of @nail_therapy_kent uses HEMA-free Halo EasiBuild in Panettone.

Infilling

Katie Clark

“When choosing whether to carry out a full maintenance or infill appointment for a brush-on builder gel client, assess their lifestyle and aftercare habits,” shares Katie Clark, founder of Katie Barnes Tool Range & Education. “For new clients, I suggest booking them in for a full removal and fresh builder gel application to ensure optimal results.

“A full maintenance service sees existing product filed down entirely, allowing for the replacement of the apex, repositioning of product and reshaping of the free edge. This becomes necessary two to three weeks after the initial builder gel application, when the enhancement loses its balance, leading to the forward movement of the apex as it grows out.” Katie continues: “Infills, rebalances or refills are typically required around two weeks after the initial service. The cuticle area is filled to restore the apex to its original position, reinforcing strength at the stress point where most cracks occur. An infill service is sufficient for many clients, eliminating the need to file down an entire enhancement, unless there has been a breakdown in service.”

“During an infill service, debulking the nail back to a thinner foundation layer allows you to check the visual health of the natural nail,” shares Theresa Foddering. “If using a strong grit, ensure you are only filing product and not natural nail growth.”

“When debulking, remove the majority of product, to keep nails looking most aesthetically pleasing,” advises Orla O’Donohoe. “If you keep refilling a builder gel base, nails can become thick and chunky, which doesn’t present a neat appearance.”

Lecenté Fusion Builder Gel in Raw £15.99 + VAT www.lecente.com Launched last month by Lecenté, Fusion Builder Gel combines the flexibility of rubber gel, strength and structure of fibre gel and durability of builder gel to create a long-lasting nail finish. Available in three nude shades and a clear hue, the formula is HEMA-free.

Salon System GELLUX Builder Gel in Bare Natural £11.95 + VAT. Available via wholesalers nationwide.

Build and lengthen nails with GELLUX’s range of brush-on builder gels, available in seven natural shades and Clear. The high viscosity formula adds strength and protection to natural nails, creates a smooth, even surface for gel polish application and extends nails when used with forms or tips.

Mii Strengthen +Shield Builder Gel £16.95 + VAT www.gerrardinternational.com Reinforcing and plumping thin, weak nails, Mii’s Strengthen + Shield formula provides a strengthening barrier to nails while feeling lightweight, and is available in Clear and Pink. The pro-glide brush offers easy and precise application.

Image courtesy of The GelBottle Inc, showcasing BIAB™ in Ambitious, available via www.thegelbottle.com

The GelBottle Inc HEMA-free BIAB™ in Bebe £18.50 + VAT www.thegelbottle.com The GelBottle Inc released a HEMA-free range of BIAB™ last year.Hues are inspired by best-selling BIAB™ shades, and are designed for use with TGB’s HEMA-free Bond Base and Glow Top. The product boasts three to four weeks of wear without chipping or lifting.

Artistic Correction Gel in Pink Concealer £9.95 + VAT www.sweetsquared.com Available in Clear, Pink Concealer and Translucent Pink, Artistic Nail Design’s Correction Gel camouflages nail grooves, ridges and surface imperfections. The multi-use soak off gel can be used on its own, to strengthen natural nails, build or create an apex.

Glitterbels Hema Free Builder-bel Gel in My Annabel £16.99 inc VAT www.glitterbels.com Available in 60 shades, Hema Free Builder-bel Gel is designed to create long-lasting, durable and natural-looking nail finishes. It can be applied over natural nails or existing enhancements, and its strong self-levelling properties reduce time spent refining shape.

en Vogue CBS Build in Peach £16.50 + VAT www.envoguenails.eu A flexibility of a soft builder gel, en Vogue’s Build cannot be removed by soak-off methods. Its strong properties support the of free education in CBS via envoguepro.thinkific.com/courses/cbs