Gel manicures use one of two gel-curing lights: UV and LED. Both emit UV light, just at different wavelengths. Hanna says UV typically takes longer to cure, so she favors LED. Plus, LED lamps are believed to be safer than UV bulbs, but the wavelength emitted is not always transparent, so there is some discrepancy if one is superior to the other.
To harden gel nail polish, people place their hand under a lamp that emits UVA rays for anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes, depending on the type of the device. LED lamps have much shorter curing times, but that’s because the UVA rays they emit are much more intense than regular UV lamps or even the sun, Adigun said.
Editor’s Choice: SUNUV 48W UV LED Nail Dryer Light. This little LED nail lamp is perfect for flash curing gel nail polish. Although it was made with Kiara Sky gel nail tips in mind, it works for most gel nail polish and extension brands too. Keep in mind that this is just for flash curing; you’ll still need a UV lamp to get gel nail polish
The LiteLand UV Nail Dryer has four power settings to perfectly cure your nail gel in next to no time at all. Its adjustable LED lights can reduce curing times by 80% on the dryer’s maximum
