ACOS sells builder gel in four formats plus two other ways to build length, and choosing between them comes down to how you work: brush from a bottle or sculpt from a jar, overlay or extension, gel or acrylic. Here is what each one is and when to reach for it.
What builder gel is for
Builder gel is a thicker gel that adds structure to the nail. On natural nails it is an overlay; on tips or forms it builds length; and it is how the apex, the slightly raised stress point of an enhancement, gets built. It cures under an LED or UV lamp like gel polish, and colour goes over the top, or the builder itself is the colour.
The ACOS builder formats
Builder Gel in a Bottle, 15ml
A 15ml LED- and UV-curable hard gel with a brush in the cap. Builder Gel in a Bottle comes in 22 colours, so the builder layer can be the finished colour for a one-step nude or pink, and the clear version is the one for overlays and apex work under colour. Brushing from the bottle is faster than scooping from a jar, which is why it is the builder we sell most.
Clear Builder Gel in a Jar, 15g and 50g
Builder Gel in a Jar is a crystal-clear, thick-viscosity hard gel for overlays, extensions and controlled apex building. Thicker gel stays where you put it, which is what sculpting on a form needs. The 50g jar is the salon size.
Clear builder refills, 100ml and 1L
For salons that decant: the 100ml refill and 1-litre refill of the clear builder, to top up bottles at the station at a lower cost per millilitre.
22-colour Collection Kit
Every Builder Gel in a Bottle shade in one box: the 22-colour kit.
Liquid Nail Tips Gel and soft gel tips
For extensions without sculpting, Liquid Nail Tips Gel is a self-levelling builder gel used to bond full-cover soft gel tips, 312 to a box in 12 sizes: square, almond and medium coffin. Size the tip, apply the gel inside it, press on, cure. It is the quickest route to a full set.
Acrylic
Plenty of techs still prefer acrylic for length. ACOS High Performance Acrylic Liquid is an MMA-free monomer for strong, flexible enhancements, used with Clear Acrylic Powder in sizes from 80g to 1kg.
Which one for which job?
| Job | Use |
|---|---|
| Overlay on natural nails | Clear Builder Gel in a Bottle |
| Structure and colour in one step | Builder Gel in a Bottle, coloured |
| Sculpted extensions on forms | Clear Builder Gel in a Jar |
| Fast full set | Soft gel tips with Liquid Nail Tips Gel |
| Acrylic enhancements | Acrylic Liquid and Clear Acrylic Powder |
| Thin, flexible base under colour | Rubber Base |
Builder gel vs rubber base
Rubber base is a thinner, flexible base that adds a little structure under gel colour; builder gel is thicker and is for real structure and length. If a client wants their own nails under colour, rubber base is usually enough. If they want length or a built apex, it is builder. Rubber base options are in our ACOS gel polish guide.
Prep, file and remove
- Prep: push back and tidy the cuticle, remove the shine, apply Nail Bond.
- Shape: 100/180 files to reduce, Endurance files to refine, or the brushless drill with a barrel bit.
- Dust: filing builder gel makes fine dust, so run the Rechargeable Dust Collector while you work.
- Removal: ACOS lists its builder gels as hard gel, which is generally filed down rather than soaked off. Follow the removal directions on the product you use.
Where to buy ACOS builder gel in Adelaide
Every format above is at MV Hair & Beauty, 412 Churchill Road, Kilburn, with click and collect locally and delivery Australia-wide. Standard shipping is free on orders of A$99 and over.
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