Can you dry regular nail polish with a LED light? DIY manicure is ideal for building skills and keeping your fingernails chic. Additionally, regular nail polish is beneficial for your bank account.
Nonetheless, coloring nails by yourself with regular polish demands skills. The gel type thickens in less time than regular nail polish takes. Occasionally, the reaction undergoes from 5 to 20 min.
In situations when you don’t have much time at your disposal, this can be a huge downside.
This item focuses on the discussion of the benefits of an LED lamp if you want to dry regular nail polish. Additionally, it will display tips to shorten the drying process.
Can LED light cure normal nail polish?
Before us focusing on the possibility of incorporating a UV lamp to fix normal nail polish, let’s focus on the details. Regular nail polishes are essentially liquids that turn to gas under exposition to oxygen.
To rephrase it, regular nail polish fixes in combination with O2.
Consequently, an exposition to UV light is ineffective to dry regular nail polish.
Apart from that, gel polish is mainly a methacrylate polymer. These are acrylate components that thicken under UV lights. UV or LED lamp exposition leads to the initiation link reaction by the UV lights.
Consequently, the exposition to LED lamps alters the particles in UV gel nail polish.
Regular nail polish dries only if reacted with O2. Accordingly, an exposition of UV light is ineffective. Nonetheless, we love to share several techniques that enable nail polish to dry faster.
Can a UV light be used to dry regular nail polish?
As mentioned above, regular nail polish is chemically unlike gel polish. Consequently, UV lights will not help the flow of the drying process.
Considering that we understand the procedure regular nail polish works, let’s find out what techniques help to dry nail polish speedily.
In the following sequence, we’ll touch on the aspects that will help you dry regular nail varnish efficiently.
Go for paler shades
According to research, paler nail polishes dry a bit quicker than dark ones. Additionally, the texture of regular nail polish is significant as well. Therefore, experiment with light, pearly or metallic shades of nail polishes.
Remove oil excess
Our skin produces moisturizing oils that keep it flexible and smooth.
Nonetheless, these particles keep the nail polish from fixating.
To accelerate the drying process, apply rubbing alcohol with a cotton ball on the nail surface. Wait for the substance to vaporize and apply your regular nail polish. This step does not require using a UV light.
Apply thin coats
Another step to help your nail polish stiffen speedily is to apply multiple thin layers. This uncomplicated technique will help your regular nail polish to fixate on the nail surface better.
Thin coats take less time to stiffen. Chunky layers only delay the fixation and end up messy oftentimes. This method does not require additional equipment or an LED nail lamp.
Take a break between each coat
An extra clever tip to dry regular nail polish is to maintain intervals between applications. Layer the first coat of the nail varnish and let it rest for a bit.
Let the nail polish dry before putting the layer on top.
This technique is similar to when applying gel polish, except it does not require UV light to dry.
A cold water bath
Cool soak enables regular nail polish dry faster.
Pour water into a small tub and add ice cubes. Apply thin coats of regular nail polish. Put your fingers inside the tub after painting and wait for two minutes. Check the coat.
A fan might help
Here is an alternate tip to dry regular nail polish without UV light. A blower lets cold air dry regular nail polish. Select the coolest flow when using a nail fan.
The nail fan can produce warm air and cool air. Regulate the temperature and direct the nail fan toward your hands. Wait for several minutes and check your nails.
Use a blow dryer
This is another step that will not require you to use UV light. Use the dryer to dry your nails. Adjust the temperature to the coldest and direct the dryer towards your hand.
Remember to keep it a bit distant to keep away from the creasing of the nail polish.
Try a nail polish drying spray
Another method to dry regular nail polish is incorporating a catalyst. Sprinkle a bit of nail polish drying spray on the surface of the polish coat. Watch it harden instantly. This method goes with the absence of an LED lamp.
Use a catalyst top coat
Normal nail polish dries due to the gaseous compounds released from the fluid.
Nonetheless, there is a technique that allows your regular nail polish to fixate quickly.
Put thin coats of catalyst liquid. The coat does dry nail polish instantly. Again, no UV or LED lamp is required.
Can you use any nail polish under an LED lamp?
UV light is necessary when working with gel polishes. As we discussed earlier, the gel polish consists of components that activate by an LED light. The components change in state and harden on the surface of the nail. Therefore, not every regular polish works when using a UV or LED lamp.
When buying a nail varnish, look for signs that indicate compatibility with an LED lamp. For instance, investigate the package and look for compounds like benzoyl peroxide or oligomers. This chemical is one of the main ingredients used in nail varnishes.
Look for alternatives to gel polish. For instance, shellac is one of the beloved substitutes for gel varnish. It has the same properties as the gel one and is cured with UV light.
Shellac leaves a glossy finish and provides additional protection from breakage due to a harder structure. Shellac is lighter than gel; therefore, it does not bulk when cured with LED light.
Alternative substitutes for gel nail polish
This section will focus on substitutes for gel polishes that fixate without LED light. Thanks to these tips, you will enable your nail polish dry faster.
- Nail enamels
UV light is not necessary for enamel, unlike gel. Enamels are great for nourishing and strengthening the nail plate.
- Nail extensions
Extensions are the best choice when it comes to the integrity of your nails. They are glued to the nail bed with glue. This is a process that does not require hours and LED light.
- Press-on nails
The adhesive layer of the press-on nails helps it to stay in place. Therefore, you will not have to acquire glue or cure it under UV light.
- Nail stickers
Stickers are one of the most recent solutions in nail manicures. No UV or LED lamp is required in the process since you just stick them onto your nails. Plus, the process does not even require air drying.
- Dipping powder
Another alternative component that doesn’t require LED light to be cured. The dipping powder contains monomers that harden by itself after application.
- Gel-type nail varnish
Just as stated in the name, this type of nail polish has the properties of a gel one. However, it is less damaging to the nails and structured similarly to regular nail polish.
As you may have guessed, a UV or LED lamp is not necessary.
Conclusion
The DIY manicure is an extremely therapeutic self-care process. There are multiple ways to create a unique design.
In this article, we discussed if you can use LED nail lamps to harden regular nail polish and provided examples of how to not utilize UV lamps.
Read also: do nails grow faster in water?
