Which lamp should you choose for your nails? UV, LED or Mixed: the complete guide

With all the lamps available on the nail care market, it can be difficult to make the right choice for catalyze your semi-permanent gels and polishes. Velvet Extension guides you in choosing the ideal nail lamp, adapted to your needs and budget, to achieve professional results with every application.

UV, LED or Mixed: what are the differences?

UV and LED lamps work on the same principle: they emit light and heat to cure and dry your semi-permanent gels and varnishes. cure your semi-permanent gels and varnishes. Here are the main differences to know:

• UV lamp: uses ultraviolet light, ideal for catalyzing only products designed for UV curing. UV curing.
• LED lamp: works with electroluminescent waves, perfect for gels and varnishes. gels and varnishes.
• Mixed lamp (UV/LED): combines the two technologies and catalyzes all UV and LED gels. It's the the most versatile and cost-effective solution, like our UV LED Velvet Extension lamp.

Technology and drying time: what you need to know

For optimum control of drying time, choose a lamp with multiple timer modes and an automatic sensor. automatic sensor. The infrared sensor allows you to work without interruption, a real time-saver. as with our DOUBLE UV LAMP 72W.

• Fast curing modes: 30s, 60s, 90s for LED and UV/LED lamps
• 120s, 180s for conventional UV lamps
• In general, UV gel or permanent varnish with a 36W UV lamp: 2 minutes
• LED gel or permanent varnish with 48W LED lamp: 30 seconds
• With a combination lamp, drying time is halved

Size, ergonomics and mobility: essential criteria

The size of your lamp should be adapted to your workspace. Opt for a compact, lightweight lamp that's easy to place place on your manicure table, like our Pink UV/LED Lamp. Make sure there's enough space is large enough to accommodate the whole hand, to avoid contact with the edges and ensure even even drying.

For on-the-go or in-home use, choose a mini-lamp that's easy to carry, such as the 6W USB UV Lamp or the battery-powered Mini UV LED Lamp.

What's the budget for a nail lamp?

Price is an important criterion, but it must be integrated into your overall budget, which also includes gels, varnishes and accessories. At Velvet Extension, we offer professional quality lamps at attractive prices to suit all needs and levels.

Now you have all the information you need to choose the perfect lamp for your nail art! Discover our selection of UV, LED and combination lamps on Velvet Extension.

The Velvet Extension team