Builder Gel Is the Secret to Strong Nails, Long-Lasting Polish, and Perfect Tips

Medium-length almond is my preferred nail length and shape. It's long enough to give me ample space for designs without being so long that they feel obtrusive. I tried to maintain this look on my natural nails for years but would always have to start over when one broke. So I switched to gel-x tips for long, uniform nails that would never break; but I soon grew tired of the application process. Finally, I've found the solution: builder gel.

"Builder gel is a type of nail enhancement that provides strength, length, and shape to the natural nails for three-plus weeks of wear," says Jan Arnold, co-founder of CND, a nail polish company that carries its own pro-use builder gel. "The brush-in-a-bottle system is a more convenient and flexible type of nail enhancement and it’s perfect for active lifestyles that require reinforcement and protection. This professional-only service is protective, long-lasting, and transformative."

Builder gel nearly makes your nails indestructible. I went bouldering with a coat of it on each nail and a builder-gel extension on each pinky—and though l could hear my nails scraping against the rocks, not a single one broke. Ahead, learn everything there is to know about builder gel from two experts.

Builder Gel vs. Regular Gel

"Regular gel can provide nails with beautiful color and light protection, however will not alter the length or shape of the nails or provide strong reinforcement to weak or damaged nails," says Arnold. "Builder gel is extremely versatile and can elongate and add shape to your nails as desired while helping you grow your natural nails underneath."

How Builder Gel Works

"Builder gel is an alternative to acrylics and hard gel to build and sculpt nail extensions using soft gel," says Amy Oung. "It applies like a soft gel straight from the bottle, yet it wears like hard gel in terms of longevity." Some builder gels are applied atop a layer of gel base coat while others are applied straight to the natural nail.

Once you have builder gel on your nails, you can get a fill and rebalance every two to three weeks as your nails grow. "The nail professional will just remove the top layer of gel color, fill in the bottom edge, rebalance the nail, and apply gel colors or art on top," says Oung.

"When you’re ready to go back to your natural nails, you can remove it by soaking it off," adds Oung. "Since most of the damage of nail extensions comes from the removal process, having a soak-off formula helps minimize damage."

Benefits of Builder Gel

1. Strengthen

Builder gel acts like armor, making your nails more resistant to breakage. "The nail is made up of dead keratin and if left exposed to open air or water, is prone to chip, break and wear down," says Arnold. "Wearing a builder gel like CND Plexigel helps the nail properly remain coated, conditioned, and cared for on a regular basis. To even further nail health, CND recommends applying CND SolarOil ($14) which conditions the nail while wearing CND Plexigel." Oung notes that the ORLY version, Builder in a Bottle, is formulated with vitamins A, E, and pro-vitamin B to nourish nails.

2. Repair

When you break a nail and the tip ripped but not fully detached, you can use builder gel like a glue to fuse them back together. And "for chipped nails, builder can be used to fix those uneven corners," says Oung.

3. Lengthen

Builder gel can be used to create longer nails. To do so, your manicurist will start by applying removable forms to your nails, ensuring they are snug against the free-edge line. Then, they will paint on the builder past your natural nails onto the form in the shape of your desired length and shape and cure the nails. Once cured, the forms can be removed and your manicurist with file and shape the nails to get them perfect. Then, they're ready for polish.