All Soft Gel.

What a soft gel system is made of

Soft gel extensions start from a pre-shaped tip that is bonded to the natural nail and cured under a lamp, rather than sculpted from a bead. That splits the shopping list in two. Tips are one half of it; see the nail tip box sets. The liquids that attach, strengthen and finish them are the other half, and both turn up here.

The gel that bonds the tip does the structural work. Extend gels and tip adhesives sit between the tip and the nail plate and cure under a lamp. Read the curing directions for the product you are using rather than assuming any lamp cures any gel.

Prep, structure and finish

Adhesion depends on prep, so plan the bonder or primer step before you plan the color. One order of operations to build an order around:

• Prep and primer for the natural nail
• Extend gel or tip adhesive, to attach the tip
• Builder gel, to add an apex and reinforce the join
• A gel top coat, to seal

If you would rather buy the pieces together, look at the gel nail extension kits and read the listing for what is included. See also soft gel.