Beetles Builder Gel for Nails 0 51 oz 8 in 1 Strengthening Nails Enhancement Building Apex for Beginners

I’ve been using this builder gel for a bit now and I actually really like it. It functions the way it should and gives my nails a nice strong base without feeling heavy. It stays put and holds up pretty well during the week which is all I really need. It’s pretty easy to apply too. The gel levels itself just enough to help smooth everything out so even if you are not super experienced it still looks decent. I didn’t feel like I was fighting with it or rushing before it got gloopy. For the price I think it is good value for money. You get enough product to last a while and it performs just as well as some of the more expensive brands I have tried. The look is nice and clean. The finish leans more matte before you put a top coat on which I like because it is easier to see the shape. It also dries clear so it can work with pretty much any polish on top. The smell is not bad either. It definitely has a nail product scent but it is way lighter than some of the really strong builder gels out there so it did not bug me at all. Overall I think this is a solid option if you want something easy to use that gives good results without spending a ton. I would buy it again. Read more

I love beetles builder gel. It works great! As long as you follow the instructions you will not have any problems. It’s very good quality, it’s thick enough and after I read the instructions my nails came out fabulous! The one tip I felt is very important is after put the builder gel on you need to hold your finger upside down for 30 seconds. That helps the builder gel to balance itself on the nail so it evens itself out before putting in under the uv lights. I heard about builder gel in Europe, I had my nails done there and loved them. When I got back to the states nobody in my area uses builder gel, so I had to do them myself! I opened my amazon app and searched for builder gel , this brand was highly rated. I get better at doing them myself all the time. Very happy with the quality, the colors are great, it dries quickly under the UV lights only 1 minute per layer, that includes your base coat 1 minute, builder gel 1 minute and top coat 1 minute. The price is very reasonable for what you’re getting. The bottle size is an average size for nail products and it lasts a long time. The texture is good, as I said it is just thick enough. I am so happy with this product, I have bought quite a bit of it on Amazon. Read more

I purchased this builder gel along with a full beetles gel kit when I moved and couldn't find the box I had packed all of my home nail supplies. I have purchased several beetles gel kits in the past for different seasonal colors, so I should have expected the quality of this builder to be good, but I was still pleasantly surprised by the ease of application when I cracked this bottle. Builder gel is always thick and takes practice to get the hang of applying the correct amount for that clean, salon look, but this is the easiest one to apply/build that I've ever used, and lasts a couple weeks. Pictured, I used all beetles colors on top of this builder gel for my manicure that I did 2 weeks ago and it still looks great. Read more

i love beetles, iv been doing my nails for about 6-8 months now and since the beginning iv used beetles. i love builder gel because it’s a protective layer on your nail, making it stronger and allowing for growth without damaging your nails. this stuff is definitely a learning curve but once you get the hang of it it’s AMAZING. my only issue is that it’s a little runny for builder gel but definitely still easy to use. and this color is absolutely PERFECT for french tips or just a natural overlay. when i initially used builder gel i didn’t know the proper technique so i was just building up multiple thin layers until it was to my liking- and this worked, but not well and wasn’t great long term as i’d have lots of lifting from improper application- for those who are new iv written instructions for the proper application as well as tips iv learned along the way :) FOR BEGINNERS: here are some tips and tricks iv learned as well as instructions, if you’ve never used this before understand that there is a learning curve and it takes lots of practice but after maybe 4-5 sets i now make my nails look PERFECT, better then the salon honestly! start by prepping the nail (remove cuticles, trim nail, buff nail bed, and shape to your liking) i use tips to add length so after the prepping the nail i apply the tips and file them so they’re flush with my nail from side wall to side wall :) but you don’t need to use tips, i just wanted to include this for those who may want to use tips for length! apply a base coat and cure as normal apply a very thin layer of builder gel, DO NOT CURE. this is called a “slip layer” make sure you apply sidewall to sidewall and not to flood the cuticles. after the slip layer you’ll dip back into the bottle and get a “bead” you’ll start right below your cuticle and float the product down- gravity helps this process and this product is a bit runny. use a brush with acetone to clean up the sides and around cuticle as you’ll probably have spillage especially as a beginner. you can also use a detail brush to move the builder gel as needed and get it as close to the sidewalls and cuticles without flooding them before curing you’ll want to flip your nail upside down for about 5-10 seconds to allow the builder gel to self level and create an apex, now you can cure your nails. (before curing i always take a brush with acetone and make sure there’s no spillage into my sidewalks or cuticles) after curing wipe with acetone to remove the sticky residue and you can file and paint the nails to your likely as you normally would! :) TIPS FOR BEGINNERS: it’s super important to file the nails after finishing the builder gel application- i mainly only file around my cuticles to make sure it’s flush with my natural nail, this also prevents lifting and was a total game changer for me i used a regular nail file for all of my filing, iv recently started using an e-file as it makes the process quicker, but you can do it either way! one thing i didn’t know, was the importance of gel application. making sure you apply every coat (base coat, gel polish, builder gel, top coat) as evenly as possibly across the ENTIRE nail- sidewall to sidewall, and around the cuticles making sure not to flood the cuticle as that will cause lifting within days. you want the slip layer, and the actual application to be as smooth as possible, the most important thing iv learned is to take my time when applying the slip layer and ensure the slip layer is smooth- it will almost guarantee that the bead application will turn out beautifully. iv gotten this part down to where the only filing i need to do after application is around my cuticles to make everything flush, and then crisping up the shaping a bit :) i also recommend only doing one finger at a time, otherwise the uncured builder gel may run and end up lumpy from gravity as you move your hand around. i like to do my thumb first on its own, then i’ll do my pointer and middle finger together, and my ring and pinky. but if you’re a beginner stick to one finger at a time :) i hope this helps someone Read more