Most lifting starts before the first coat. Oil and moisture on the nail plate stop gel from gripping, so a proper prep step makes the whole manicure last longer.
Two steps, two products
- Prep Booster Nail Dehydrator: removes oil and moisture from the nail plate right before you apply product.
- Acid-Free Nail Primer: improves adhesion between the natural nail and your base, gel polish or builder gel, without acid.
How to use
After cuticle work and a light buff, apply the dehydrator and let it dry. Then apply a thin layer of primer only where product will go. Follow with a gel base coat, a rubber base gel or builder gel.
Nail primer and dehydrator: the prep that keeps a manicure on
A natural nail always carries some oil and moisture, and that is what makes gel polish or builder gel lift. A nail dehydrator cleans and dries the surface of the nail; a primer then creates a chemical bond between the nail and the base coat. Together they solve most wear problems.
This collection gathers our 2 prep products: Prep Booster and Acid-Free Nail Primer, for gel polish, builder gel, BIAB and acrylic.
Nail dehydrator or primer: what is the difference?
The dehydrator goes on first: it removes oil and moisture from the nail plate and leaves nothing behind. The primer goes on next, in a tiny amount: it works like an adhesive between the keratin and the base. They do different jobs, so on a nail that lifts, use both, in that order.
Prep Booster: the dehydrator that cleans the nail
Elegelli Prep Booster removes natural oils and moisture from the nail right before the manicure. Apply it after filing and dusting: it dries in seconds and leaves a clean surface, ready for primer or base, without leaving the nail dry, white or brittle. It has a mild smell and works before any brand of gel, BIAB or acrylic.
Acid-free primer: grip without harming the nail
The first primers were acidic and could irritate the skin and weaken the nail. Our Acid-Free Nail Primer creates a strong bond with no burning or stinging: one thin coat on the natural nail, away from the skin, and it air dries in under a minute with no lamp. It stops lifting even on oily nails and bonds gel polish, builder gel, BIAB and acrylic.
How to prep nails for gel polish
Push back and clean the cuticles, buff the surface with a fine file, remove the dust, then apply Prep Booster and Acid-Free Nail Primer. Finish with a thin layer of base coat and cure. To get everything at once, the Deluxe Manicure Pro Kit brings together the dehydrator, the primer, the base, a color and the top coat.
Nail primer questions
Do you need a primer for gel polish?
Not always. On normal nails, a good dehydrator and a base are often enough. On oily, thin nails or nails that keep lifting, a primer makes a real difference to wear.
Does nail primer need to be cured under a lamp?
No. Acid-Free Nail Primer and Prep Booster both air dry. Only the base, the color and the top coat go under the UV or LED lamp.
What is the difference between acid and acid-free primer?
An acid primer lightly etches the surface of the nail to create grip, with a risk of irritation. An acid-free primer works like an adhesive, without attacking the nail or the skin: it is the one we recommend for gel polish.
Can Prep Booster replace a nail cleanser?
Before the manicure, yes: it cleanses and dehydrates the nail. After the manicure, no cleanser is needed with our Diamond Top Coat, which leaves no sticky layer.
Does primer work with builder gel and BIAB?
Yes. Acid-Free Nail Primer improves the adhesion of gel polish, builder gel, BIAB and acrylic on the natural nail.
How much primer should you apply?
Very little: one touch of the brush per nail, on the nail plate only, without touching the skin or the cuticles. Extra primer does not improve adhesion.