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FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Magic Gel Builders at a glance.

How do I know which Magic builder to use?

Choosing the right builder gel depends on your style, speed, and the kind of results you’re looking for. We’ve got builders for every skill level and service style—from sculpting pros to overlay lovers. Here’s a quick guide to help you decide:

If you want a traditional pot builder with control:

Classic Builders like Acrygel, Diamond Fiber, Brilliant and Universal, and Smooth Ice give you strength, self-leveling, versatility, and options in viscosity—from thick to thin.
Ultra Silk provides  additional adhesion properties and strength for extensions, in a non self leveling formula that is very soft and applies like silk.
These are perfect if you like working with a brush and building beautiful structure on forms.

If you’re all about soft, soak-off overlays & extensions:

NailGuard (Black or Blue Cap) is a builder-in-a-bottle with salon-speed in mind. It’s flexible, self-leveling, and incredibly forgiving—ideal for natural nails, structured overlays, active length extensions and fast fills.

If you want fast, strong, finish-file-free nails:

SpeedSculpt is your bestie. This hard builder-in-a-bottle is more rigid, self-leveling, and files like butter—if you even need to file. It’s made to help you sculpt, shape, and move on with your day.

NailGuard Builders are a medium, viscosity soft gel in a bottle, that can be filled in for maintenance, and also provide the option of soaking the gel off for complete removal.  NailGuard Builders are a more flexible gel that can be used for natural nail overlays and salon (active) length extensions.  

SpeedSculpt Builders are a low to medium viscosity hard gel in a bottle providing strength with some flexibility and can be used for natural nail overlays, salon length and long nail extensions.   SpeedSculpt Builders provide strength in thinner layers.

Both NailGuard and SpeedSculpt Builder Gels self-level beautifully, eliminating the need for finish filing and saving at least 15 minutes on each nail service.

Product application questions?

Is a base gel needed?

Yes, for best adhesion, we recommend Silicone Thin Base to be applied in a thin layer, scrubbing into the prepped nail surface, brush smooth and cure for 1 minute. 

Magic’s NailGuard Clear 2-in-1 can also be used as a base gel on a prepped natural nail, applying in the same manor as described above.

Magic does offer a Primer SafePen, but it is not required.
Some do prefer to use it as an added insurance layer and personal preference.

Avoid using other brand primers, binders, bonders, dehydrators, etc., as they may leave a file or residue that prevents Silicone Thin Base from bonding properly to the nail plate.

For best results, use Silicone Thin Base directly on a prepped nail plate that has been cleansed with 99% alcohol or pure acetone. 

With clients who have thinner, more flexible nail plates, it is recommended to use Silicone Thin Base as the base gel and to apply more flexible gels to add strength.  We suggest a NailGuard Builder or one of the more flexible Classic Builders.  

Alternatively, if you prefer to use a more rigid gel such as Acrygel, please follow these steps.  Use Silicone Thin Base as the base coat, scrubbing into the nail surface, cure.  Then apply a second layer of Silicone Thin Base and cure, creating a thicker flexible layer between the nail plate and the Acrygel.  Then apply Acrygel for sculpting extensions. 
If you choose this method, it is recommended to keep the clients nails a shorter length and be sure the free edge is credit card thickness.

If you are not sure which products to choose based on your desired result, please see the following infographics.

Yes, all Magic Gel products are Vegan and Cruelty Free.

General questions

I am new to Magic, where should I start?

The best place to see informative videos is on our educational videos page, Click Here to watch and learn.

If you’re ready to try Magic Gels, The Ultimate Starter Kit is the best place to start!

It features all best sellers from different categories and lets you create any type of nail service (gel manicures, gel pedicures, nail overlays, structured manicures, salon length extensions and long extensions.)

The Ultimate Starter Kit also comes at a huge discount, at over 60% off!  There is a 90 day 100% Money Back Guarantee.  If you do not like it for whatever reason, you can return it for a full refund.

Magic Gel System is a professional use only product and we require proof of licensing.

If this is your first order, you be required to enter your license number in the appropriate box at checkout.  If we are unable to verify license information, we will make an attempt to contact you.  If license cannot be confirmed, order will be cancelled and refunded.

Once licensing is verified, you can simply enter “verified” in the license box, as we will have record of your licensing information. 

Magic Gel System gel products are made in Canada, with domestic and imported ingredients.  Imported ingredients come from a variety of sources, mostly from Germany.

The cure time is stated on the product labels as well as on each product page.

Troubleshooting

If chipping occurs at the free edge.
  • Daily use of cuticle oil can keep the natural nail hydrated and flexible, so it is less likely to pull away from the product on the nail.
  • The gel may be too thin for the customer’s lifestyle.  If you are using a Classic Builder, it needs to be approximately credit card thickness at the free edge.  Classic Builders are less flexible (as compared to NailGuard) and can break if applied too thin.
  • There might have been issues during prep, such as the client touching their hair, face or personal belongings, transferring oil to the prepped nail plate.
  • Chipping can also occur if there was previous product separation missed, on the free edge, or in the corner.
  • Under curing gel causes poor bonding to the nail plate.
  • If the nail is square shaped, it is more prone to physical stress if the client is hard on their nails.  A round or oval shape might solve the issue.
  • It is important to maintain an even thickness from sidewall to sidewall, on the free edge of the nails.
  • The client may be using their nails to peel off stickers or scrape surfaces while cleaning, which can also cause product separation from the natural nail.

If chipping occurs on the sides of the nails:

  • Under curing leads to poor bonding.
  • product coming into contact with skin around the nail will lead to lifting, which can cause chipping.
  • The Silicone Thin Base may not have been scrubbed into the sides of the nail plate before product application.
  • Thicker gel application along the sidewalls may be the issue.

The most common causes for product peeling are:

  • The gel is not fully cured.
  • The gel is applied too thick, leading to under cured product.  One-Coat coverage colors must be applied very thin to cure properly.
  • The hand position in the lamp did not allow proper exposure to the light.

Here are the most common reasons for lifting issues:

  • The lifting of builder gels can be caused by issues during nail prep, such as cuticle tissue, oil or previously lifted product, remaining on the nail plate.
  • Product coming into contact with any skin around the nail plate.
  • Under cured product, which results in low bonding between keratin and gel.
  • Not rubbing the Silicone Thin Base into the prepped nail surface. this can leave small air pockets between the nail grooves and the product.
  • Over-filed nail plates make it difficult for the product to adhere to the nail plate.  Prep very gently.
  • Use of primer/bonder/base gel that is not from Magic Gel System

Common causes for breakage:

  • Under cured product.  Gel can feel very flexible and rubbery if under cured.
  • the stress zone is not properly sculpted in terms of thickness or placement.
  • Nails are too long for the client’s lifestyle.
  • Sidewalls are not reinforced and are too thin.
  • The product was not chosen based on the client’s desired length and lifestyle.
  • Repeated physical impact on the nail or nails.

If the cured product feels too flexible, here are the most common reasons:

  • Under cured product
  • The product used was not chosen based on the client’s nail length and lifestyle.

If the nails look dull, here are the most common reasons:

  • Under cured
  • Lifestyle factors, such as client who uses nails when cleaning with abrasive products.

Under curing in UV/LED gel formulas can result from several factors.

  • Firstly, if the lamp emittance is not intense enough, the gel will not cure properly.  Please keep in mind that lamps can vary in quality and intensity and can last anywhere from 3 to 18 months.  The intensity of many lamps, even some professionally branded lamps, can drop significantly after 6-12 months.  
    Watch for signs of under cured product and replace lamps accordingly.
  • Secondly, ensure your client keeps their hands in the lamp for the entire duration of the curing cycle.  If flash curing is used, be sure to do a full cycle cure of the layer before moving on to next layer.
  • Thirdly, the clients nails must be precisely placed under the diodes for full exposure to the light.  Be sure the client keeps fingers straight (not tilted down in a relaxed state), so the free edges cure properly.
  • Fourthly,  if a client with long nails places their hand too far into the lamp, the free edge might not be exposed to enough light to cure properly.
  • Lastly, thumbs often need special attention for proper curing.  Recommend client lift the thumb slightly off the bottom plate, to be sure the lower side of the thumb nail is exposed to the light.

Here are common indicators of under cured product:

  • side cracks
  • product breakdown in stress zone (pocket lifting or cracking)
  • lifting of product
  • separation of product on the free edge
  • peeling or chipping gel
  • product that is too flexible or “rubbery” feeling.
  • Tackless Hyper Shine does not stay shiny for at least 3 weeks.

Shipping

Do you offer Free shipping?

Yes, we do offer free shipping on all orders over $150.

Our goal is to ship out all orders the same business day ordered.  We use USPS for most orders, so we ship everyday that they are open.

Large volumes during big sales and tradeshows may extend processing times.

You can contact us by calling or texting 315-559-6211. Be sure to include the name on your order and order number if possible.

You can also reach us via the contact form on the website or directly by email: Hello@nail-innovations.com