U-Spicy UV Lamp Review

Hello Lacquer Luvers! I am really excited for today's post as it is a little different than the usual LuvMyLacquer nail posts. Today I had the opportunity to put my gel manicure skills to the test and I'm super happy with the results. If you are seeking advice and recommendations on how to get that perfect salon gel manicure at home, you're in luck today!

We all know that the main difference between a polish and gel manicure is the use of an ultraviolet lamp. These lamps help to cure the gel and bond it to your natural nail, allowing your manicure to last up to 14 days on average. Here are some features of the USpicy® ÉCLAIR USND-0901 Professional UV Nail Dryer(White, 9W) that was sent to me for review:

- This lamp can be used with various kinds of nail beauty products, such as UV Top Coat, UV Builder Gel, etc. Work without brand requirements on nail polish

- The wavelength is visible and harmless to eyes. But we do not recommend you stare at the bulb for a long time

- Over voltage & current surge protection- 

Heat-exhausted chip to increase reliability and life span of the nail dryer

- All in one - disinfection & drying.

- Suitable for both professional and personal finger nail care uses

- Small and cool design, compact & easy to operate

Before I could test out this lamp I had to purchase some gel polish. I searched high and low in my area for some but to no avail. I ended up purchasing my gel polish online and went with the brand Gelish as it is one I've heard nothing but great things about. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that the glitter color I purchased wasn't as dense as I expected so I did end up layering it. 

I prepped me nails according to the directions on the Sally's Beauty website for Gelish. Prepping of the nail bed is extremely important when it comes to gel manicures as it is the first step to ensure that the gel properly adheres to your nails. Here are the steps on how to prep:

1. Apply Gelish Cleanser to lint-free wipe (I used Zoya Remove + for this instead).

2. Push back cuticle and clean the surrounding nail. 

3. Shape natural nail. 

4. Gently remove the shine on the natural nail with a cushion file. 

5. Use the Gelish Cleanser on the lint free wipe to clean the nail and remove excess debris.

Now here's the fun part! I applied one thin layer of the Gelish Foundation Gel and cured it under the light for 2 minutes. I used the timer on my phone to make sure I didn't "over or undercook" my nails. When you cure gel nails you are left with a tacky residue. This is called the inhibitive layer and is easily removed with alcohol and a lint-free wipe. This step is usually done at the very end of the gel manicure but since I was using regular polish as well, I didn't want the tackiness to contaminate my Zoya polish and gave my nails a swipe with alcohol.

After removing the tacky layer, I applied two coats of Zoya Noot. Once that dried, I applied my Gelish color which is called Emerald Sparkle. It is a scattered holo glitter that is mostly emerald, very pretty! I cured Emerald Sparkle for 2 minutes then applied Gelish Top It Off and cured that for 2 minutes. I swiped my nails with alcohol and was done with my manicure. 

I was pleasantly surprised how well this lamp worked because Gelish usually calls for a 36 watt lamp. 9 watts meant I had to keep my hand in there a bit longer but not long enough to complain about. My full manicure was completed and 100% dry in 10 minutes. The U-Spicy 9 watt lamp is not only portable and effective, it is an absolute steal at $17.95! I have experience with three other UV lamps and I would definitely pick this one over the others because of how effective it is. If you are interested in purchasing the USpicy® ÉCLAIR USND-0901 Professional UV Nail Dryer(White, 9W) you can find it by clicking this link. As always, I hope you enjoyed this post my dear Lacquer Luvers and look forward to sharing my next post with you, xo! 

~Jessica

**This UV lamp was sent to me for my honest review. **