I had tried polish nail wraps before, but I had never tried gel nail strips, or anything that required curing with UV lamps. But I heard that gel are more durable, so I got these to give gel a try.I really like that it comes with clear instructions on what you need to do. I cleaned my nails with the prep pad after I tidied up my cuticles. Being on a clear plastic sheet, it was really easy to figure out which nail strip would fit each nail.I did however run into some issues, just because the shape of the end of the strips and the shape of my nail bed are a little bit different. Because the semicured strips are still quite soft and a little bit tacky, I actually didn't find it very easy to cut the strips into shape because the strips kept sticking to my clippers and scissors.. I did clip some overhang onto my skin after I had cured the strips, and even though they were harder to cut (literally harder) that was a little easier. When they're just semi-cured still, they're very sticky, and I found them hard to handle.For the same reason I found it a little bit tricky trimming around the nail. In the instructions it says that before curing you should trim off the excess close to the nail, which I did on my left hand, but I did run into problems with the softness of the strip, and trying to cut around my nails. I accidentally cut too much off my pinkie and had to replace the strip. Again, I actually found it easier leaving a little bit more overhang on my right hand, then curing, then clipping using proper clippers, then filing back to get a nice clean edge.I am impressed by how hard the strips cured. Paint strips stay soft and pliable but these have their own stiffness almost like nails. I've had some issues with soft nails, so hopefully these will make them more resilient. I love the glossy finish.So while I had some challenges with my first application, that's to be expected, and I think that these are are good nail strips.
