BORN PRETTY REVIEW: Extension & Solid Gels Review [2023]

Here is a review and tutorial on how to use Born Pretty nail art supplies. We tried out several of their nail art products and want to share the results with you.
Born pretty nail products are a way that you can do your own nails at home and their products are also affordable. They have many products to choose from to help extend your nails and also for making some really cool designs.
Customers talk about their quality, durability of their products and affordability. You can order everything in their online shop and Amazon store from gel color kits, polygel, nail art decorations and so much more.
Even before this collaboration, we have used the Born Pretty brand many times over the years and have been happy with their products.
Some favorites are the solid gel polishes that come in a pot and of course the 3D magnetic cat eye polish, which you will see in the photos and videos below.
Here are the Born Pretty nail art supplies that were used in this review and tutorial. You will learn how to use these nail art supplies below.
- How to use Born Pretty solid nail tips gel
- How to use Born Pretty solid cream gel in a pot
- How to use Born Pretty 3D cat eye gel polish
- How to use Born Pretty nail tips gel
- How to use Born Pretty extension gel in a pot
There's step by step instructions exactly how each of these nail art products were used on a practice hand so you can see how you might want to try these supplies to make your own DIY manicures.
As with all nail art supplies, check the ingredients to make sure it's something you want to use. And read about any warnings on the manufacturer's website. These products are not for children.
If you would rather watch the whole Born Pretty review video, scroll to the bottom of this post or subscribe to our channel and watch on your TV through your YouTube app.
Born Pretty Nail Art Supplies Review Video + How To Use
Important: Make sure that the lid is always on anything that will be cured under a UV lamp because if you are curing your nails and the gel is near the lamp, it's also going to cure the gel in the pot!
Ok let's get into the Born Pretty nail art products and review!
Born Pretty Nail Art Products Review
1. Solid Nail Tips Gel
Here is one way that you can use the Born Pretty Solid Nail Tips Gel. This medium is a very thick and viscous gel that is used to adhere a nail tip onto the natural nail to extend the length.
You can also use it to glue on rhinestones. In this tutorial, we are showing how to use it to apply gelly nail tips. Using gel instead of a nail glue will give you a manicure that will last longer. But do be aware that you can't remove them without soaking them off.
How to use Born Pretty Solid Nail Tips Gel Video tutorial
Watch from :56 - 1:30
There are some steps that need to be taken to get the Solid Nail Tips Gel to last as long as possible so that the nails don't pop off. Solid Nail Tips Gel should last up to 3 weeks or longer as long as you prep your nail properly.
To use this, you will need a cure light for the gel to harden properly and adhere to the nail.
One of the best ways to have a longer lasting manicure with the Solid Nail Tips Gel is to prep your nail before use and to use a dehydrator and base coat.
Always follow the current instructions on the Born Pretty website.
Here are some key points when using Solid Nail Tips Gel:
- Make sure the hands are clean
- Push back the cuticles with an orange stick
- Buff the natural nail gently to remove the shine
- Remove any nail dust with isopropyl alcohol
- Always apply a dehydrator and base coat
You are going to find this type of gel very thick and you might be tempted to roll the gel in between your fingers to soften it. Do not do this, the oils from your hands will compromise the formula.
So you open the pot of Solid Nail Tips Gel and take the nail tip and glide the nail tip through the gel to pick it up. This takes lots of practice to get the perfect amount.
Taking too much gel will result in the nail being too bulky and the gel will squish out of the sides and bottom too much. Not taking enough will make the whole nail compromised because there is not enough for a good base.
Then you put the nail tip onto the nail starting from the cuticle and gently apply pressure until the gel moves down to the end of the nail.
Clean off any excess from the sides and underneath the nails before curing.
The Solid Nail Tips Gel is very thick so it does not move around much at all which is a bonus. If you feel that the nail tip needs to be pressed down a bit while curing, use your other hand or a clip to hold the nail in place.
Flash cure so that is stays put. Then cure fully for at least one minute.
Once the Solid Nail Tips Gel is cured, you can now do your manicure design as you normally would.
2. Solid Cream Gel Polish In A Pot
This is how to use the Born Pretty solid cream gel polish in a pot. Solid gel colors that come in a pot are so fun to use. The creamy formula makes it just glide onto the nail in a way that is different from gel polish in a bottle.
With solid cream gel in a pot you will need to have a medium bristle nail art brush so that the gel brushes onto the nail or nail tip smoothly.
How to use Born Pretty Solid Gel In A Pot Video Tutorial
Watch from 1:44 - 2:51
We tried out the neon colors that comes in a set of three. Remember with gel polish, it cannot be removed like a regular nail polish. It will need to be soaked off with acetone or removed with a file.
Here are the steps to using the Born Pretty solid cream gel polish:
First you lightly buff the natural nail or nail tip to remove any shine. This is going to help the base coat adhere properly to make the gel manicure last as long as possible. Then remove the dust with a brush or some isopropyl alcohol.
Next, apply a dehydrator and base gel and cure in your nail lamp. In the video we skipped the dehydrator because we are using jelly nail tips with a silicone practice hand.
Use a dehydrator if you are doing this on your natural nail because it will help the manicure to last longer.
Then take some of the gel polish with your nail art brush. Try to determine how much you will need to cover the nail without taking too much.
Don't worry because it's not going to dry or cure unless it is under the lamp. You can take your time to get it perfect.
Then cure under your lamp for at least 30 seconds.
Apply a second coat for full coverage and cure for another 30 seconds.
Finally, add a top coat and fully cure for at least 1 minute.
With nail gel polish that comes in a pot, it's really quite different to use than regular gel polish in a bottle. It's a totally different experience.
Important: Make sure that the lid is always on the pot because if you are curing your nails and the gel is near the lamp, it's also going to cure the gel in the pot! So always keep the lid on after you brush the gel onto the nail.
3. 3D Cat Eye Gel Polish
Cat eye gel polish is a type of nail polish that creates a beautiful changing effect on your nails. It is usually applied with a couple of coats and then cured under a UV or LED light to cure the gel.
The cat eye gel polish comes in many different colors and can be used to create a variety of looks. To use the Born Pretty cat eye gel polish, you will need a magnet to move the little specs around.
Here is the video on how to use Born Pretty Cat Eye Gel Polish
Watch from 2:52 - 4:56
Hold the magnet close to the wet polish and move it in different directions and watch the transformation.
You can experiment to create lots of shapes & patterns and also use more than one magnet at the same time.
Once you are happy with the design, cure the polish under a UV or LED light quickly so that it doesn't move around on you. Your cat eye manicure is now complete!
Some helpful tips that we want to share when using the Born Pretty 3D cat eye gel polish:
Either store the polish upside down or put it upside down at least 15 minutes before using. This is because the because the magnetic glitters tend to settle at the bottom of the bottle, especially if it's been sitting for a while.Then mix it up by rubbing it in between your hands for about 30 seconds or so.
The polish will look totally different on a lighter base or a dark base and you can play around with so many looks with just one bottle.
The gel polish doesn't cure until it's under the lamp so you have lots of time to move the glitter around perfectly.
If you move the glitter and it kind of disappears, then hold the magnet very still on the side of the nail so you can see where it went.
Turn your camera light on to really see the cat eye effects come to life, they are absolutely stunning in the light.
We have lots of helpful videos and blog posts about how to use 3D cat eye gel polish so if you need some extra help check them out.
Here is how to do a cat eye nail tutorial with detailed step by step instructions and best cat eye nail tutorials for when you want to watch some DIY's on YouTube.
4. Nail Tips Gel
So what is nail tips gel? Nail tips gel is a medium that allows you to apply a gelly nail tip with a UV lamp or make nail art designs.
In this review, we used the Born Pretty Nail Tips Gel to apply a nail tip, and will show you exactly how it turned out.
Here is the video on how to use Born Pretty Nail Tips Gel
Watch from 4:58 - 7:06
This type of gel is one of the best ways to keep a nail tip on for many weeks as long as you take the time to prep the nail.
It's viscous and slightly thick (not as thick as the Solid Nail Tips Gel above) and we found it pretty easy to work with.
If you are a beginner nail artist or just starting to do your nails at home, the Nail Tips Gel is quite easy to work with with some practice.
How to use Born Pretty Nail Tips Gel:
Start with clean and dry hands. You will not want any kind of moisture on your nail beds. Take a 180 grit file and gently remove the shine from the nail. You can do this on a natural nail or a gelly nail tip.
Apply a primer or dehydrator if you are working on a natural nail. Skip this step if you are using a practice hand.
Next apply a thin layer of base coat, and cure for at least 30 seconds.
Then take a bead of the gel and squeeze a little bit out onto the part of the nail tip that is going onto the nail. This is the tricky part. You will need enough so that it covers properly, but not too much so that the gel squeezes out when you put the tip on.
Starting from the cuticle, press the nail tip down gently and evenly until the gel has moved down the nail. This will take practice so if you don't get it right and there's too much or too little, it's better to start over.
Feather out any excess gel on the sides and underneath the nail before curing.
As you hold down the nail, cure under a lamp for at least 1 minute.
If there is any extra that squeezed out, you can use a file or efile to gently remove the excess.
Another way you can use the Nail Tips Gel is for rhinestone glue for nails. The consistency is great because it doesn't run, and it was easy to use to glue down a gem and cure it under the lamp.
When using this for glue, try not to use too much or it will make a large ridge. If you need to, it can be filed down so not to worry if you accidentally use too much.
5. Extension Nail Gel In A Pot
This is one of the most popular ways to extend your nail. It's kind of like of a builder gel for nails and there's a few ways you can use this for manicures.
This is how to use it to encapsulate nail art glitters.
Here is the video on how to use Born Pretty Extension Nail Gel in a pot
Watch from 7:07 - 9:22
Start with a pink pastel gel nail that has been through a first cure. Then some unicorn nail glitter was added to the nail with a nail art rhinestone picker.
Dab on the glitter here and there to make a pretty design. Go all out or make a more delicate design with the glitter.
Apply a light layer of the Extension Nail Gel. The glitter should mostly stay put but if it doesn't, then just move it around before curing. Once that layer is on and fully covering the nail, cure for 30 seconds.
Repeat with more glitter and another light layer of the Extension Nail Gel and cure again for 30 seconds.
This technique makes the glitter look like it goes on forever. You can do as many light layers as you like.
Add some charms with some of the Born Pretty Nail Tips Gel (above), and cure. This is going to make the nails more fancy.
When the design looks good, file down any rough edges and apply a top coat and do a final cure for 1 minute.
Here is the full video review of all of the Born Pretty supplies we tried. In this video, you will see how to use each of the nail art products from this article.
We hope you find this video super helpful and that it gives you some really good nail art ideas. You can also subscribe to our channel and watch this vid on your TV later!
Born Pretty Review Video On YouTube
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