MelodySusie 2 in 1 UV LED Nail Art Lamp Review
I have a love-hate relationship with my nails. I love nail polish, I love the look of nicely manicured nails, but I hate the upkeep of keeping nice looking nails. My nails do grow VERY fast ~ all those brain cells dying ~ hahaha. ~ but I do have a vitamin deficiency that causes them to break easily and causes ridges on my nails. I have tried stick-on nails, but that seems to ruin my nail beds even further due to the glue that is used. II have been very interested in gel nail polish, but my first few attempts to do it at home went badly, as I didn’t know how to properly apply and cure my nails. MelodySusie is an online store that specializes in nail tools, nail gels and nail art! They sent me their 2 in 1 UV LED Nail Art Lamp for review purposes and a personalized coupon for my readers ~ save 12% on all items at MelodySusie using beauty12
I received some of these products complementary to review and was not paid. All reviews are my own honest opinion and I never have been asked to write copy for a brand. This blog post might contain promo codes, affiliate and referral links, which using my links will help generate a small commission that helps support my blog at no extra cost to you.
Nail gel polish is different from regular nail polish. Nail polish just requires you to apply on clean, oil-free nail beds and allow for enough time for the polish to air dry between coats. You should apply both a base and top coat, and those can be interchangeable ~ the base coat protects your nails from discoloring. Nail polish for me winds up peeling off in a couple of days, regardless if I do a home manicure or professional. Nail gel is different ~ this process requires you to also apply on very clean, VERY DRY and oil-free nail beds. However, that is where the comparison ends.
You will need a gel base coat. Apply a thin layer on your nails and remember to always “cap’ the ends of your nails ~ going a little over the edge with each step, and then use a UV lamp for 60 to 90 seconds. Do not over-use the UV lamp. The gel will still be tacky and that is normal ~ you need your coat of gel polish to have something to adhere too. Apply the gel polish ~ again, thin coats are better than thick coats. With each layer, keep your nails under the UV lamp for 60 to 90 seconds max. You then need to apply a gel top coat ~ that is what gives the gel polish that glass shine and durability. However, not all gel top coats are created the same. Unless you use one that states it is a non-wipe alcohol top coat, you need to follow up with wiping your nails with alcohol to remove that final tacky finish. I use a non-wipe alcohol top coat as I cannot be bothered with that wiping business. The rule is apply the top coat, under the UV lamp for 60 to 90 seconds and wipe if you use a wiping top coat.
A lot of UV lamps are ones that have domed enclosure and you stick your hand under it. The issue I have with those is that the UV lights can be quite hot on my nails, especially with the top coat, and I cannot adjust the distance from the lights to my hand. Another downside is that it is JUST UV lights. MelodySusie 2 in 1 UV LED Nail Art Lamp is a new type of UV lamp for me.
image from melodysusie
You have the base, which just has an on-off touch button and a port to recharge the lamp ~ you get the charging USB cord as well . Then there is the flexible adjustable 14 inch tube and then the 360° adjustable dome light with two types of sources: UV: wavelength 365nm and LED : wavelength 395nm. The dome light has a touch button on the top to switch between light modes.
image from melodysusie
When I initially turn it on, the light mode is a bright LED, providing illumination in a wide range so I can work on prepping my nails and apply my gel polish. If I chose to do nail art, this gives me sufficient light to do so and the design of the lamp allows me to work on my toes as well! Even if this was just for a manicure and no polish, the bright light is very handy as I can adjust it to either be targeted by lowering the light towards my hands or a wider range by moving the domed head upwards.
After applying the gel polish, I just tap the top of the domed head light, as there is a round circle that actually is a touch sensor and it will flip the lamp to UV mode for 60 seconds. After 60 seconds, it will go back automatically to LED mode. It’s so EASY. I can adjust the distance easily if the UV lamp is a bit hot on my nails. This has amazing curing power, as 60 seconds, sometimes a little more than that, is enough to “set” the gel polish before I move on to the next layer.
This is one of the easiest UV lamps I have used ~ the fact that is it cordless makes it very convenient to move around and use where ever you want to place it. Plus, since my hands are not inside a hard domed plate, I can move my hands freely without smudging my nails. I have learned to play simple games or read a book on my phone while I am giving myself a manicure, as I do get impatient if my mind isn’t kept busy while I am waiting for my nails to cure.
Even with a 60 to 90 second cure time, it does take time as there are four layers ~ base coat, 2 polishes, top coat. The one thing I am not sure of is how wide spread the UV lights are ~ I can see the blue light while I am doing my nails, but I feel it doesn’t cover more than three nails at a time. I could be wrong about that, but as I am not sure, I am doing each hand twice per layer, which means about 15 to 20 minutes to do one hand completely.
That isn’t too bad, as gel nails do last longer. Mine never last two weeks, but they do hang tough for about a week before I start picking at them. I am hoping I can get into a regular schedule of doing my nails as I do like how the gel polish looks and it does make them stronger with the polish. Using MelodySusie 2 in 1 UV LED Nail Art Lamp really inspires me as I can just place it anywhere without worrying about an outlet, and have both a regular bright light mode while I am polishing and then the UV light mode.
Details
- Contains a rechargeable 2000mAh built-in battery
- Up to 6 hours of continuous cordless use
- Full charge takes 2 1/2 hours.
- USB charging cord works with AC adapters, power banks, computers.
- Charging indicator light will be red for no charge, green for full charge.
Where to Purchase
MelodySusie has their own online shop, where you can use my promo code of beauty12 to get 12% off everything on their website. They also have free US shipping for any orders over $109.00. On top of that, they are currently having their midyear sale, from July 22nd to August 15th, 2022, where selected items are up to 40% off. If you love doing your own gel nails or nail art, this is a great lamp to invest in!
2 in 1 UV LED Nail Art Lamp (click here to purchase) is currently $69.99, which is a 15% savings from the retail price of $79.99 and you can use promo code beauty12 and save an additional 12% off ~ making this $61.60. You can also purchase this with a bundle, ranging from starter nail art kits , nail extension kits and then a full set, which includes a lot of tools and drill bits. Each set has their own promo code for up to 30% off