Opaque builder gel for nails – what it gives you at work

A clear gel is great for strengthening, but it will not hide discolouration or the regrowth line. An opaque gel does both at once: it builds the structure and evens out the colour of the natural nail. The nail set looks neat even without a colour on top.

It saves time with every client. Instead of building with a clear product and adding a layer of colour, you model the shape with one gel and get a ready, glass-like, natural look straight away.

Self-levelling builder gel – comfortable application

The Smooth Gel formula was designed to make your work easier. Its excellent self-levelling properties work both on the natural nail plate and when building extensions on a form: the material settles evenly by itself, so you do not have to smooth every millimetre with the brush.

When working with this range, we recommend pinching the C-curve after about 20 seconds in a 48W DUAL LED lamp. At that point the gel has set enough to hold its shape, yet it is still pliable enough to let you form the curve.

Smooth Gel shades

Flamingo Pink is a pink gel with a delicate hint of violet. With 70–80% coverage it is the most opaque gel in the whole range, giving an even, expressive result on the nails. It is a choice for nail stylists who like to combine professionalism with a little fantasy.

Nude gives a calmer, more neutral effect – it works well for clients who ask for natural nails without a visible colour.

Candy Pink and Dusty Rose have the lightest coverage in the range – 50–60% – and give a glass-like, natural look.

The Diamond variants – Misty Rose, Cotton Candy and Lavender – are the same milky shades enriched with a subtle silver shimmer. Their coverage is 60–70%, so the effect is lighter and the shimmer adds a delicate glow. You will also find them in the shimmer gels category.

50–80% coverage – how to choose for your client

The higher the coverage, the more the nail plate is masked. Flamingo Pink with 70–80% coverage works well on nails with discolouration or after removing a dark colour. The Diamond variants with 60–70% coverage, and Candy Pink and Dusty Rose with 50–60%, leave more of the natural character of the nail.

In practice it is worth keeping two shades with different coverage on your nail desk and choosing them to suit the hand, not the technique. On a light, even nail plate lighter coverage looks more natural; on a plate that needs evening out, reach for a stronger one.

Nail extensions and building a natural nail plate

The gels in this range are suitable for extensions on a form as well as for building and strengthening the natural nail plate. For extensions, the self-levelling formula helps you get an even surface along the whole length, without thick spots at the free edge.

When building on the natural nail plate, the gel evens out unevenness and lets you shape the apex precisely. The opaque shade also unifies the colour, so the nail set looks neat even when your client does not want a colour or a French.

How to apply Smooth Gel step by step

• ♥ Degrease and dry the nail plate with Nail Fresh
• ♥ Once it has dried, apply SuperBond or a primer, chosen to suit the nail plate
• ♥ Apply the first layer of base coat, rubbing it into the nail
• ♥ Apply a thin layer of gel onto the previously cured base
• ♥ Spread the right amount of product to get a perfect apex
• ♥ Pinch the C-curve after about 20 seconds in a 48W DUAL LED lamp
• ♥ Cure, adjusting the time to the power of your lamp

Which base to use under builder gel

The adhesion of the whole nail set is decided at the base stage, not the gel stage. Under Smooth Gel, Naked bases work well – they are harder bases for building the natural nail plate where it needs strengthening.

For more curved nails or less demanding ones, the Rubber base works better – it is flexible and bends together with the nail plate. Rubber Base Clear can be used as a foundation under the gel, you only need to apply it as a rub-in layer.

Opaque gel with a French and baby boomer

The milky shades in this range work well as a foundation for a French. You build the shape with them and then add a white tip – thanks to the coverage the nail plate underneath is already even, so the smile line looks cleaner.

For baby boomer, the opaque gel gives a base on which the colour transition sits softly. You do not need to even out the nail plate with a separate product, because the builder gel does it for you.

For nail art, an opaque background also makes work easier: paints and powders show up better on an even surface than on a nail plate with visible discolouration.

Precise modelling and long-lasting nail sets

Longevity depends on whether the apex is in the right place and has the right thickness. The self-levelling formula helps you get an even surface, but you still set the shape of the structure yourself – by spreading the right amount of product and pinching the C-curve during curing.

The flexibility of the gel means the finished nail set copes with everyday work of the hands. With a correctly built apex and a well-prepared nail plate, the nail set will comfortably last until your client's next appointment.

Smooth Gel and other gel ranges

If you want full control over the material and work with the no-file technique, take a look at Tixy gels – they have a thixotropic, shape-memory consistency, so they do not spread by themselves. Smooth Gel works the other way round: it levels evenly without your help.

The choice depends on how you work. Some nail stylists prefer to guide the material with the brush, others prefer the gel to level itself. You will find the full selection in the builder gels category.

Storage and working with the product

Store gels at a temperature of 5 to 30 °C, in a tightly closed original package, protected from sunlight. A product left in a sunny place may start to cure in the bottle.

Opaque builder gels – frequently asked questions

Can an opaque gel replace gel polish? For natural nail sets, yes – an even colour of the nail plate is often enough. You can still apply gel polish on top.

Which shade has the strongest coverage? Flamingo Pink, with 70–80% coverage.

Is the gel suitable for a French? Yes, the milky shades work well as a foundation for a French and baby boomer.

Which size should I choose to start with? 15 ml, to check the shade and consistency. Colours you use every day are worth buying in 50 ml.

For professional use only.