6 mins
Building a Legacy
As BIAB™ continues to take the nail industry by storm, The GelBottle Inc shares the science behind its formula & how it has developed since launch
The GelBottle Inc launched its builder gel in a bottle (BIAB™) back in 2016 as a strengthening solution for nails, and it’s showcasing its natural-looking enhancement qualities on this month’s front cover. With a BIAB™ manicure completed every second and one product sold every minute, it’s no surprise that the formula has reached the fingernails of A-listers, including Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez. But what sparked the idea for BIAB™ and how does it work?
Daisy Kalnina
BIAB : the background story TM
CEO & founder of The GelBottle Inc (TGB), Daisy Kalnina, shares how the brand’s brush-on builder gel came to fruition: “While on holiday, taking time away from running my first nail salon in Brighton, I broke a nail. The only product I had with me was the TGB Extreme Shine Top Coat, so I knew I needed to get creative to fix the chip – and surprisingly, it worked well! This got me thinking that there was an opportunity to formulate a new TGB product. So, I collaborated with expert chemists to create my exact vision.
“I sought a mess-free brush application product: something that could be used to fix a nail, but ultimately provide unparalleled strength. And that formula was Builder in a Bottle™. From concept to reality, it took about two years to develop.”
Reflecting on its impressive success eight years later, Daisy adds: “I am so proud of BIAB™ and the impact it has had on the nail industry. It has supported thousands of businesses and their customers’ needs, and has become a globally recognised service name in a short amount of time.”
As the product gained popularity, ‘BIAB’ became a generic term for the industry’s brush-on builder gels. Daisy says: “I think this really shows the success and influence of our product.”
However, this prompted the brand to make the decision to trademark the term in 2018, to protect the identity of The GelBottle Inc’s formula.
“We know that authentic BIAB™ products are exclusively developed by The GelBottle Inc, reflecting our commitment to quality, innovation and setting high standards in nailcare,” Daisy continues. “We’re immensely proud of BIAB™ and dedicated to protecting our brand’s legacy.”
BIAB™ benefits: nail techs
“Before BIAB™, creating a strong, long-lasting nail typically required multiple steps involving hard gel, L&P acrylic or extensions. However, BIAB™ has streamlined this process for TGB techs,” Daisy shares. “BIAB™ allows the build of a solid, flexible and long-lasting structure in a single product, which makes the enhancement process more efficient.”
BIAB™ benefits: clients
“For clients, BIAB™ is long-lasting, durable and doesn’t require frequent touch-ups. It suits the ‘clean girl aesthetic’: a trend towards natural-looking nails and enhancements,” Daisy details.
Daisy’s nail style
“I tend to wear BIAB™ in Classic, Chic, Dolly or Bunny on a square, very sharp, short to medium-length nail.”
USAGE TIPS
Giorgia Cappella, head of education at The GelBottle Inc, shares her top tips for working with BIAB™:
Application
• Less is more.
“The first bead of product should be a small to medium size. It’s much easier to work with less product, and minimises flooding. It also allows for greater control over the enhancement’s structure. You can always add a second bead after the first is cured, if the structure requires it, so do not overload the nail with the first.”
Giorgia Cappella
• Utilise a liner brush.
“A liner brush will be your best friend for perfecting BIAB™ application. Use it to pull a small amount of product around the cuticle area and sidewalls. This will ensure a seamless blend and minimise refining.”
Troubleshooting
• Product lifts from the free edge. “If this happens, check whether you used the correct base coat for the client’s natural nail type. If you believe you did, it may be that the client has not followed correct aftercare practice. The nails may be dehydrated, causing them to curl inwards and separate from the BIAB™ coating. To rectify, complete a full removal and reapply BIAB™. Remind your client to use cuticle oil regularly to encourage healthy, flexible nails.”
• Product lifts from the cuticle area.
“Again, check whether the correct base coat was used.
Alternatively, you may have applied the product too close to the cuticle, or not prepped the nail surface thoroughly, meaning non-living tissue was left on the nail. Remove the BIAB™ from the nails and reapply, ensuring you thoroughly prep the natural nails and never allow product to touch the skin.”
Removal
“Debulk at least 80% of the product using an E-file or manual file to minimise soaking time. Use TGB’s Soak Away Gel Polish Remover to speed up the soak-off process.”
The GelBottle Inc Soak Away (1L) £16.95 + VAT
“As a nail tech, I understand that every client has unique needs and preferences, which is why we offer such an extensive range of BIAB™ shades and formulations.”
COVER CREDITS
Photographer: Mateusz Sitek at One Represents
@matsitek Photographer’s assistant: Justyna Radon
@justyna_radon Nail technicians: Daisy Needham
@theglosscoat & Helena Marimon
@smnailz
BIAB™: PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Ifra Siddique
Daisy notes the expansion of the BIAB™ franchise: “There are over 70 BIAB™ shades and products, including All-In-One, HEMA-Free, Original BIAB™ and File-Off, so our customers can personalise their kits and choose what works best for their clients. Plus, we offer a Guild and ABT-accredited BIAB™ academy course in countries around the world.”
Ifra Siddique, compliance director at The GelBottle Inc, adds: “At TGB, we place a great deal of importance on investing in research and development to understand the synergising effects of ingredients, and how to develop formulations that enhance nails aesthetically. Each of our BIAB™ formulations comes with several benefits: protecting against breaks to allow the natural nail to grow, as well as preventing chipping and fortifying nails from within.”
Original BIAB™ £18.95 + VAT
Ideal for sculpting strong overlays and as a strengthening barrier for natural nails, the Original BIAB™ formula is housed in a 20ml bottle and can create around 75 full sets. Designed to be applied in multiple strengthening layers, this formula can mimic the apex of the natural nail to support the stress area, and there is no need to apply base coat. Self-levelling, it has a soak-off formula and can be used with any TGB top coat.
All-In-One BIAB™ £19.95 + VAT
Featuring 50% less HEMA than Original BIAB™, this formula can be used as a base, builder gel and top coat, as well as to infill DesignEx Pro™ tips and secure nail decorations.
HEMA-Free BIAB™ £18.95 + VAT
Offering ‘the same quality as the original formula’, the HEMA-Free range is available in nine natural-looking hues: in both 20ml and 7ml sizes. Ideal for clients with sensitivities to HEMA, HEMA-Free BIAB™ can be used for natural nail overlays and to strengthen nails.
It works in conjunction with HEMA-Free Bond Base and HEMA-Free Glow Top to improve adhesion.
File-Off BIAB™ £18.95 + VAT
Ideal for nails that require extra strength or for those who prefer a clear, white or milky nail overlay, File-Off BIAB™ can be used to build short extensions, extending the natural nail by up to 3mm. It should be used with TGB’s Rubber Base and any top coat.
The GelBottle Inc products are available via www.thegelbottle.com /thegelbottleinc @the_gelbottle_inc @the_gelbottle_inc