The builder gel BOOST

Advance your knowledge of brush-on builder gel, with REBECCA HITCHON’S pick of products & guide to effective use

Image courtesy of Gelish, showing Brush-On Builder Gel in Ivory Nude, available via www.gelishmorgantaylor.co.uk

Theresa Foddering

Brush-on builder gel: it’s the professional nail product on everyone’s lips, never mind nails. With #BuilderGel featuring on almost two million Instagram posts and news articles hailing the product as a ‘miracle manicure’ solution, there’s never been a better time to elevate your knowledge of its popular brush-on format. “Builder gel has been used in the nail sector for decades, but the innovation of its formula and application, alongside a trend for natural-looking nails, have given the product a new lease of life,” says Theresa Foddering, Lecenté business development manager & nail educator.

Sara Pinto

Sara Pinto, Andreia Professional product director, adds: “Brush-on builder gel allows for quick, precise enhancement of the nail, and its strong adhesion, durability and lightweight feel have helped to make it an essential product in many nail kits.” However, while the product has boomed in popularity, it’s important to note that its specific benefits don’t make it an ideal nail system for all clients, and without proper application and removal techniques, these benefits can’t be achieved.

Scratch is here to help, with a roundup of expert advice and product pointers.

Why a consultation is key

“Due to its popularity, many clients assume that brush-on builder gel is used as a standard for nail enhancement services, but this isn’t the case,” explains Sara Pinto. “A thorough consultation considering nail health, lifestyle and desired results, and guiding clients through different nail systems, helps ensure the best outcomes. Pros should be aware that brush-on builder gel doesn’t suit clients seeking extreme length or a highly rigid structure, or those with oily nail beds or nails prone to lifting.”

Najet Hamila-Strand, global director of education at Nail Alliance, shares questions that techs should ask in a brush-on builder gel consultation: “‘What style of nail are you seeking?’, ‘how much additional strength is required to fulfil that wish?’, ‘what is the condition of your natural nails?’ and ‘are you planning to book regular nail appointments?’. This last question is vital as brush-on builder gel is a nail enhancement that needs to be rebalanced after around three weeks, so it is suited to regular nail clients.”

Najet Hamila-Strand

“It’s a common misconception that a strong nail enhancement is the go-to fix for weak natural nails. But you cannot build a house on mud, and the same concept applies to nails,” says Theresa Foddering. “Weak nails in need of TLC require a flexible coating, and longer nails need a more structured solution. No two clients have the same nail types or lifestyles, and your services should reflect that.”

Builder benefits

“Brush-on builder gel combines strength, flexibility and ease of application in one product,” comments Scarlett Senter, multi award-winning nail artist & Kirsty Meakin brand ambassador.

Scarlett Senter

“For clients with brittle or weak natural nails in need of extra protection, the product can create strong yet lightweight enhancements and short to medium extensions to help aid growth. Longer extensions require a stronger, more structured system like hard gel or L&P acrylic.”

Kay Kirsop

“Compared to hard gel or acrylic, brush-on builder gel offers more flexibility, meaning it moves with natural nails,” adds Kay Kirsop, Artistic Nail Design brand ambassador. “It can be used in conjunction with tips and sculpting forms to create length.”

“Think about brush-on builder gel as having three main benefits: adding strength to nails, enhancing length and perfecting nail shape and structure, for example by mending a break,” reveals Najet Hamila-Strand.

“Strength is added without bulk, creating a natural-looking finish,” Sara Pinto tells Scratch. “The self-levelling formula of brush-on builder gel aids smooth, even application and reduces filing time, which allows for a quicker service. The built-in brush contributes to precise and fast application, too.”

“Brush-on builder gel combines strength, flexibility and ease of application in one product.”

Application advice

“The key when applying brush-on builder gel is in its name: you build it,” shares Theresa Foddering. “Use multiple thin layers to achieve the shape you require and a proper cure. This allows for better product retention and client comfort.”

Kelli Tuck, Nailchemy brand ambassador & educator, agrees: “A common mistake among pros is applying brush-on builder gel too thickly. This can result in heat spikes and undercuring, which can lead to overexposure and allergies. I advise applying two thin layers to strengthen nails that already boast some strength, or creating a slightly thicker second layer to build structure for weaker natural nails.”

Kelli Tuck

“Prep is important in every service, so thoroughly clean, dehydrate and lightly buff natural nails to remove shine before application,” recommends Scarlett Senter. “Without proper prep and the removal of dust and dead skin cells, adhesion and enhancement longevity will be affected,” adds Kay Kirsop.

“Avoid the product touching the skin, because overexposure can lead to sensitivity or allergies,” shares Sara Pinto. “Ensure a proper cure by following the manufacturer’s instructions, and cap the free edge to achieve long-lasting wear.”

Pictured: a natural nail with application of Gelish Brush-On Builder.

Image courtesy of Glitterbels, showcasing Builder-bel Gel TM , available via www.glitterbels.com

Andreia Professional One Bottle Builder Gel in Soft Lavender £7.99 + VAT www.salon-services.comwww.andreiaprofessional.com “One Bottle Builder Gel has a low-viscosity, self-levelling formula with high resistance and a creamy texture,” says Sara Pinto. “It features a short, rounded brush to ensure precise product placement.”

Glitterbels Brush On Builder Gel in Peach Shimmer & Hema Free Builder-bel Gel™ in Bunny £16.99 inc VAT each www.glitterbels.com With two options for builder gel fanatics, Glitterbels presents Brush on Builder Gel and Hema Free Builder-bel Gel™. Both offer an abundance of elegant, natural shades and opaque, semi-sheer and sparkling finishes to suit a range of clients and looks.

Gelish Brush-On Builder in Beige Nude £16.95 + VAT www.gelishmorgantaylor.co.uk With a uniquely designed brush length allowing for maximum product control and faster application, this cruelty-free and vegan product is available in Clear and a variety of neutral shades. It offers over 21 days’ wear.

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

The GelBottle Inc BIABTM (Builder In A BottleTM ) in Demure & Minty £18.95 + VAT each www.thegelbottle.com The GelBottle Inc offers a rainbow of hues in its popular Builder In A BottleTM formula, helping techs to get playful with colour while creating strong enhancements. Pick from the likes of sheer pink, Demure, and Minty from the brand’s Pastel BIABTM collection.

CNDTM PLEXIGEL Builder in Milky Mauve £22.45 + VAT www.sweetsquared.com The CNDTM PLEXIGEL system offers 10 shades to suit a variety of skin tones, including this cool-based mocha hue designed for medium to dark skin. Its thicker viscosity allows for control when building up the natural nail, over tips or sculpting forms.

Hara Professional Builder Gel in Nude £8.50 + VAT www.astonandfincher.co.uk From the Hara Professional range comes this HEMA-free, vegan-friendly formula offering a mirror-like shine. A variety of neutral shades are available, alongside bold red, Passion, for a strong and stylish finish over natural nails or short to medium extensions.

Image courtesy of Lecenté, showing Fusion Builder Gel in Pout, available via www.lecente.com

“Brush-on builder gel is an enhancement system, so an understanding of structure, shape and apex placement is key to support natural nails.”

Artistic Brush-On Builder Gel in Rose Beige £9.95 + VAT www.sweetsquared.com This cruelty-free and vegan formula, with shades ranging from milky sheers to classic nudes, aims to help techs achieve the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ with a durable finish. A specially designed brush length allows for ease of application.

Image courtesy of Glitterbels, showcasing Builder-bel GelTM, available via www.glitterbels.com

Lecenté Fusion Builder Gel in Pout £15.99 + VAT www.lecente.com Described as a ‘perfect spring hue’, the Pout shade offers a warm, semi-opaque overlay in Lecenté’s Fusion Builder Gel formula, which combines the strength of fibre gel, flexibility of rubber gel and durability of builder gel.

Image showcases Glitterbels Builder-bel GelTM, available via www.glitterbels.com

Light Elegance JimmyGel £21.95 + VAT www.lightelegance.co.uk This Building Base Gel is easy to shape and requires minimal filing. HEMA-free and vegan friendly, it creates fast, strong and flexible extensions and can be used for nail repairs. Formulated for use under hard gel or soak-off gel colours, JimmyGel offers up to four weeks’ wear. It is available in Clear and a variety of natural-looking shades.

Halo EasiBuild in Dare2Bare Pink £5.95 + VAT www.purenails.co.uk Pros can choose from traditional and HEMA-free options in Halo’s EasiBuild brush-on builder gel range. The user-friendly formula doesn’t require a primer, offering quick application, and 8ml and 15ml sizes are available for some shades.

NSI Builder Gel in Soft White £13.99 + VAT www.nsinails.co.uk This vegan brush-on builder gel is designed to help pros perfect short tip and sculpted extensions with ease, as well as provide a tough base for gel polish designs. This subtle white shade aligns with milky nail trends.

Cuccio LED/UV Brush-On Builder with Calcium £12.99 + VAT www.cuccio.co.uk This clear formula can be used to create a lightweight, flexible overlay for natural nails or before application of Cuccio nail systems. The brand also offers colour versions of the product in a variety of sizes.

Gel Junkie Create The Length (CTL) in Milky White £12.95 inc VAT www.geljunkie.co.uk Create The Length (CTL) is the brush-on builder gel creation of London-based nail brand, Gel Junkie. Offering ‘a smooth, even nail surface that is resistant to chipping, cracking and lifting’, the formula serves to strengthen and lengthen natural nails.

The Manicure Company Builder Base in Tutu & Zero Builder GelTM in Warm Tan from £14.81 inc VAT each www.themanicurecompany.com Choose from two brush-on builder gels from The Manicure Company: the Builder Base range, which has recently added shades including sparkling baby pink Tutu, and Zero Builder GelTM: a hypoallergenic formula free from HEMA, Di-HEMA and more.

Removal recommendations

“Removal is just as imperative as application, as if carried out incorrectly, it could damage natural nails,” notes Kay Kirsop. “This could affect reapplication and the durability of future enhancements.”

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

“I recommend filing the enhancement, and leaving around 20% of the product on the nail,” says Najet Hamila-Strand. “Never file down to the natural nail. I file all nails on the first hand, then soak these while filing the second hand.

“However, the product should not be soaked off at each appointment,” Najet continues. “Instead, infilling or rebalancing saves time, product and protects natural nail health, so ensure you have completed training in this. The process involves reshaping existing product then adding more, mainly at the growth area. This ensures the apex is repositioned, creating new structure and strength without putting strain on the natural nail.”

HD Pro FLEX IT! Hema Free Flexible Build & Base Gel in Skyline Sparkle £13.99 inc VAT www.hazeldixonnails.com This spring-ready, pastel builder gel is designed to create a strong and even nail base, as well as create flawless shape and structure on natural nails before use of HD Professional Nail Systems’ other gel systems.

Nails created using CND™ PLEXIGEL Builder in Soft Blush, available via www.sweetsquared.com.

Nail Order AnGel Builder Gel in Clarity (Clear) £14.50 + VAT www.nailorder.co.uk This brush-on formula is HEMA-free and produced in the UK, and has received reviews including ‘my clients love the durability of this and it’s so easy to use’. No base coat is required prior to application of AnGel Builder Gel.

Nailchemy Builder Gel in Sheer Pink & Titanium Builder Gel in Cover Pink £14.99 + VAT each www.nailchemy.co.uk Nailchemy offers a variety of brush-on builder gels for nail pros, including its original formula in four natural tones and a clear, and the Titanium formula with advanced adhesion and self-levelling properties. This has recently been reformulated to be HEMA-free.

INK London SOBIAB® in Signature £15.83 + VAT www.inknails.com This HEMA-free formula is designed to offer maximum strength while maintaining soakable properties. It boasts strong adhesion to the natural nail, tips and sculpted forms, allowing for the effortless creation of natural overlays and salon-length extensions.

“Compared to hard gel or acrylic, brush-on builder gel offers more flexibility, meaning it moves with natural nails.”

Kirsty Meakin Sculptify Builder Gel in Sarah £14.99 + VAT www.kirstymeakin.com Eight hues make up multi award-winning nail artist, Kirsty Meakin’s Sculptify range of brush-on builder gels, boasting smooth application due to the fine hair fibres of the brush. Sarah offers sparkle and strength in the form of a semi-transparent pink-nude.

en Vogue CBS Build in Rosé £POA www.envoguenails.eu Available in a standard 15ml size and 100ml refill, this ‘strong yet flexible formula’ allows pros to build beautifully coloured enhancements – including in this medium dusty pink shade, which is an ideal base for French manicures.