We've all been there: you carefully apply gel polish, cure it, and it comes out wrinkly or just completely not cured! Fortunately, gel curing problems can usually be solved easily. We recommend taking a look at a few factors:

Application. It is common for darker colored gel polishes to wrinkle or to not cure completely. Whether you're using a dark or light color, if this happens to you the first thing to look at is how thickly the gel polish was applied. If the polish is too thick, your UV lamp won't be able to cure it all the way. Thin coats are always better! 

 Hand position. Another common mishap is you or your client's hand position inside the UV lamp doesn't allow for the light to penetrate some parts of the nail. If just the thumbs are coming out uncured, this is probably the culprit! Check to make sure that your client's hand is positioned correctly so that all 5 nails are completely exposed to the UV light. Some lamp trays have little grooves to help you see and feel where each finger tip should be resting. 

UV/LED Lamp. If you've already tried applying thin coats of gel polish and you know your hand is positioned correctly, it's time to check out your lamp. Some lamps are not strong enough to cure all gel polishes, especially if the lamp is an older model. Check with the manufacturer of your polish to find out what wattage is necessary to cure it, and check what wattage your UV lamp is. You can also check to make sure all bulbs in your lamp are functioning at full strength; it may be time to replace them. If you're still having problems with just the thumbs not curing, check to make sure your lamp has bulbs on the side positioned to cure the thumb nails. It may be necessary to cure thumbs separately if your lamp does not have these bulbs. 

We offer some great options for LED UV lamps:

• Gelish 18g Plus Led Light With Comfort Cure
• Gelish 18G Unplugged
• Gelish 5-45 18w Led Light
• Artistic Nail Design LED Cure Box

If all else fails, reach out to the manufacturer of your gel polish or UV lamp, or us here at Nail Supply Inc! We are always happy to help answer questions!