Whether you’re a salon owner, a mobile technician or just love doing home manicures – chances are that you’ll require a quality curing lamp (also known as a nail dryer) to dry the modern nail finishes. So, which UV nail lamp is best for you?
What Is The Difference Between UV And LED Nail Lamps?
When it comes to curing nails and lamps to do the job effectively – the main decision is whether you will buy a UV or an LED lamp. Both have their good and bad points.
Ultra Violet (UV) Lamps
The latest UV gel polishes are cured by ultra violet wavelengths from the lamp hitting the molecules in the gel and ‘waking them up’. Working well on all gels, they can take up to 2 minutes to cure and harden the finish. These lamps are cheaper than the LED versions, however, the bulbs will need replacing at some point, depending on usage.
LED Lamps
These are generally more expensive than the UV lamps, but cure in approximately 30 seconds. More energy efficient, the bulbs will never need replacing; however, they will only cure gel nails that are formulated for LED technology. The range of suitable gels is expanding rapidly though, and the newer soak-off gel polishes are perfect for an LED lamp.
What Should I Consider When Buying A Nail Lamp?
Apart from the type of nail lamp (UV vs LED), the first thing to consider is size. Lamps that fit all five fingers are more practical; doing them all together is easier. However, you may have to re-do the thumbnail because of its different-facing position compared to the other fingernails. There are also lamps that fit both hands at the same time, as well as tiny lamps that fit one finger at a time – these are particularly good for thumb nail curing. Pick a size that best reflects your technique and style.
Here, then, are the best sellers:
1) SUNUV Nail Curing Lamp
What Makes It Great
SUNUV have made a durable, but quite cute, nail lamp, and the fact it’s both UV and LED is amazing. I can cure any type of nail, without having to read the small print on the bottle. I love the fact that I can fit my whole hand in here, and my foot too – haven’t tried both at the same time though!
The timer is a great addition and means that I can just sit and relax, knowing it’ll tell me when my nails are cured. Many lamps that I’ve tried don’t cure the whole nail in one sitting – they miss out the sides, but this does them all, even my toes. It’s a really impressive piece of kit.
Where It Could Be Improved
Since this nail lamp isn’t the fastest for curing, I would highly recommend it for beginners and home use. If you’re looking for a more advanced nail lamp, keep reading!
SUNUV 24W UV Light LED Nail Dryer Curing Lamp for Fingernail & Toenail Gels Based Polishes with Sensor, 30s 60s...
- 1.ALL-IN-ONE BEST QUALITY SUPERIOR NAIL DRYER: With new professional designed UV+LED dual light source, SUNUV SUN9C nail dryer is applicable to curing almost all nail gels! Its light is closer to white light, has no harm to eyes and skin. Fashionable and durable 50000hrs lifetime, ideal for both home and salon use. This is a nail dryer can help you to solve almost all the curing problem!
2) MelodySusie Portable LED Nail Lamp
What Makes It Great
Although marketed as lightweight, it feels solid and well made, and I’d happily slip it into my bag and take to a friend’s house. For the price, this is an impressive little lamp. It’s so simple to use, doesn’t get too hot, and really does shorten the curing time. I have used it with UV, LED and normal polishes and it’s perfect with them all, although you do have to adjust drying times.
Where It Could Be Improved
Those with larger hands may find it necessary to cure a full set in several goes.
MelodySusie 54W UV LED Nail Lamp, Professional LG Chip Gel Nails UV Light Dryer with 30 Dual LED UV Beads,...
- 【Why Is LG Chip】Each of our 54W nail lamp beads has an LG Chip. LG Chip is high luminance and light efficiency, low electric power consumption, energy-saving, environment-friendly, and long lifespan. It is a healthy light source, no flashing, no harm for your skin and eyes.
Free shipping
3) SCCD UV Nail Lamp
What Makes It Great
The SCCD lamp is a dream for professional nail techs. With its four timer settings, it is sure to cure any type of gel or acrylics application in one go. While the timer settings include 10 seconds, 30 seconds and 60 seconds, the last option, 99 seconds, is advanced technology that uses a low heating mode, ensuring the base is dry and properly adhered, then gently increasing in power to cure the other coats.
This is a multi-functional nail lamp that cures UV gel, LED gel, hard gels, gem glues and more.
Where It Could Be Improved
I couldn’t find anything to fault with this nail lamp. Easy enough for beginners to use and advanced enough for professionals, this nail lamp is a crowd pleaser.
SCCD UV Nail Lamp,80W Nail Dryer UV Light lifting Handheld 42 pcs LED Nail Dryer Lamp with 4 Timer Setting...
- ✲Upgraded design-80W UV Nail Lamp with 42pcs LED beads(365-405nm),which provide high power,New advanced tech led beads(365-405nm) covers a wider range for curing uv led gel
- ✲Safety More Space-This nail lamp simulates the sun's rays,is bigger enough for curing whole hand or 2 hands or curing toenail. which can better protect the skin of the hands and prevent the hands from blackening. The soft light does not hurt eyes. Your first choice!
4) Gellen Nail Lamp in Pearl White
What Makes It Great
This is a sleek and compact curing lamp; the color is lovely, it looks salon smart and much more expensive than it is. I like that the bottom shelf is removable for pedicures, giving you extra room – an ingenious idea. That, coupled with the space to do one whole hand at a time, makes this worth buying.
Where It Could Be Improved
This is a small niggle, but the cable could be a little longer, allowing more flexibility on where I can use it.
Gellen 24W UV LED Nail Lamp Dryer Light for Gel Nail Polish - Quick Dry No Harm Gel Manicure Machine,...
- ★SMART SAFETY SYSTEM: Smart over-temperature protection, reducing burning sensation. Smart hand sensor, hands in - on, hands out - off.
- ★FAST CURING: 2X faster curing than traditional nail dryers, save more time.
5) Tememdy Nail Dryer
What Makes It Great
I was surprised by how small yet sturdy this lamp is; it’s large enough to take a whole hand in one go, yet small and light enough to be popped into my handbag. I really like the neatness of this lamp; the controls are sleek and flush with the exterior of the dome, while the interior is spacious. It’s deceptively powerful too, managing to cure to the hardest finish in next to no time.
Where It Could Be Improved
The sensor that detects your hand and switches the lamp on has failed to detect once; however, it was only once, and it can easily be overridden, so it’s not a deal-breaker for me.
54W LED Nail Dryer UV Curing Professionally For All Gel Nails Toe Nail Auto On/Off Sensor Upgraded with 4 Timer...
- WE ARE FACTORY WITH BEST COST-EFFICTIVE【Smart painless builder/hard gel curing】:Low heat mode relieves you from pain when curing gels.
- 【4 timing modes optional】: Its common 10, 30, 60 and 99 seconds timers let you control the curing time with each layer.
Are LED Nail Lamps Safe?
Yes, LED nail lamps are safe to use. Newer LED nail lamps take less than 30 seconds to cure gel polish, and the intensity of LED rays they emit is negligible.
Can You Get Skin Cancer From UV Nail Lamps?
There is no record of UV nail lamps causing skin cancer. Although UV nail lamps do emit harmful UVA rays, the amount of time and the intensity of exposure make UV nail lamps harmless. If you are highly sensitive to UVA rays or are in a high-risk group for skin cancer, it would probably be best to avoid UV nail lamps or apply sunscreen 20 minutes before using them.
Finally, if you have more questions about how LED and UV nail lamps work, as well as which one to choose for your own needs, check out this detailed guide on UV vs LED Nail Lamps.
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