How to Give Yourself a Gel Manicure at Home

The Finisher: A Shiny Top Coat

To lock in your color and add that finishing touch of shine, your final step in painting should be applying your top coat. I applied a thin layer of OPI Gel Color Stay Shiny Top Coat ($20), capping the edges per Hanna’s advice.

Once your top coat has been applied, Ogawa recommends curing it for 90 seconds to lock everything in and promote a full, long-wearing manicure. Once your nails have been cured, wipe them with another alcohol wipe to remove any excess residue.

While the steps are thorough, “do not skip prep work, base coat, or top coat,” says Hanna. “If you skip these steps, your nails will chip and lift early—sometimes even immediately after application.”