The Main Differences Between UV and LED Nail Lamps
1. UV nail lamps cure all gel polish brands, LED lamps only cure LED specific gel polish brands
2. LED lamps cure polish faster (30 seconds vs 2 minutes that UV requires)
3. LED lamps cost more
4. LED bulbs last way longer
Should You Buy a LED or UV Lamp?
LED is more expensive but if you have the extra money it is worth it because it cures faster and gives you less exposure to UV rays. The majority of Gel polishes are formulated for LED so they will work with LED and UV. However, I love CND Shellac so I wanted a UV lamp because Shellac is my favorite gel polish and it won’t work with a LED lamp. It really depends on your budget and your brand preferences. If you buy a UV lamp you can’t go wrong because it will work with all gel polishes and it’s less expensive.
Why Are UV and LED Different?
Gel nail polish is cured by ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths hitting the molecules called photoinitiators in the gel and activating them. UV lamps emit broad UV wavelengths so it takes longer to cure but works on all gel. LED technology uses more narrow UV wavelengths that targets specific photoinitiators in the gel polish so the gel cures faster.
How Safe are Nail Lamps?
Many people are concerned about the potential damage or side effects from exposure to the UV rays from nail lamps. In reality, the UV exposure from nail lamps is minimal compared with other activities people engage in day-to-day such as walking outside, laying out out at the pool, using tanning beds etc. The majority of the UV light that nail lamps emit is UV-A which is safer for your skin than UV-B. Since there is a concern about UV exposure, LED lamps are considered safer than UV lamps because they require less cure time – thus less UV exposure. There are also safety precautions you can take at home by using sunscreen on the tops of your hands, or special Anti-UV Gloves
Which Gel Polish Brands Work With Which Type of Nail Lamp?
| Polish Brands That Work With UV Lamps | Polish Brands That Work With LED Lamps |
|---|---|
| Artistic Colour Gloss | Artistic Colour Gloss |
| Bio Seaweed 3-STEP Colour Gel | Bio Seaweed 3-STEP Colour Gel |
| Bio Seaweed Gel Unity | Bio Seaweed Gel Unity |
| Cacee | Cacee |
| China Glaze Gelaze | China Glaze Gelaze |
| Couture | Couture |
| Cuccio Colour | Cuccio Colour |
| Daisy Gel | Daisy Gel |
| Entity One | Entity One |
| Essie Gel | Essie Gel |
| EZ Flow TruGel | EZ Flow TruGel |
| Fingerpaints | Fingerpaints |
| Gel II | Gel II |
| Gellux | Gellux |
| Gels in Action | Gels in Action |
| Glam & Glits INK | Glam & Glits INK |
| IBD Just Gel | IBD Just Gel |
| Indigo Nails Lab | Indigo Nails Lab |
| Jessica GELeration | Jessica GELeration |
| Kiss | Kiss |
| Light Elegance | Light Elegance |
| ManiQ | ManiQ |
| NSI Polish Pro | NSI Polish Pro |
| OPI GelColor | OPI GelColor |
| Orly GelFX | Orly GelFX |
| Perfect Match | Perfect Match |
| Red Carpet Manicure | Red Carpet Manicure |
| Sally Hansen Salon Gel | Sally Hansen Salon Gel |
| SensatioNail | SensatioNail |
| Bio Seaweed Gel Unity | Bio Seaweed Gel |
| SuperNail ProGel | SuperNail ProGel |
| Artisan Gelefex | |
| CND Shellac | |
| Gelaxy | |
| Light Elegance | |
| Star Nail Eco Gels |
Can You Use Gel Polish Without a UV or LED Lamp?
No. Gel will not cure without the UV light to activate the molecules in the gel. If you don’t cure your gel under a lamp then buying gel polish is pointless because you won’t get any of the large benefits of gel like going chip free for 2 weeks.
Can You Use LED Polish with a UV Lamp?
Yes! Because the UV Lamp emits broad UV wavelengths, it cures LED polish and UV polish. You will want to shorten the time you cure the LED Polish. Many manufacturers list on their websites how long to cure the polish under LED Lamp and how long to cure under a UV lamp.
Can You Use UV Polish with a LED Lamp?
No, it is not recommended. LED lamps focus on specific wavelengths and these wavelengths don’t always activate UV polish.
Does UV or LED make a difference in how long the gel manicure lasts?
No. The length of how long your manicure lasts chip-free depends on the quality and brand of the gel polish, how well you apply it and how much daily wear your nails endure.
i have a sally hansen led lamp. i really want to buy perfect match gel polish. on here it said i could use it with my lamp but on the perfect match website it said its a uv gel polish? can i use it or not?
LED lamps are made to cure LED polishes so if you try to use a UV polish it might not cure very well and peel off or have bad results. UV lamps on the other hand cure both LED and UV polishes so it might be worth it to get a second UV lamp if you like a lot of UV polish brands. If you think you will use it a lot then get a good one but if you just want a UV lamp for a few polishes then you could get a smaller and cheaper one. You can see some reviews of these lamps here https://practicalpolish.com/uvlampfornails/
does Gelish 18g cure light elegance hard gel, which lamp fo you recommend me to use with light elegance
Yes that should work as Light elegance hard gel states on their website that it is a UV/LED polish so it will work with both LED and UV lamps.
I cure my CND shellac under an LED light and it works just fine.:-)
Hi Monica! Thanks so much for your post (and I apologize for the delay in replying; we spent last fall transitioning this site from my daughter over to me)!
CND is my all time favorite polish and this is great to know! I have the Royal Nails UV lamp that I love, but have been considering getting an LED lamp to try it out. May I ask how many seconds you cured the polish for future reference? Also, have you tried the CND Express 5 topcoat yet? Crazy fast removal!!
Cindy
Hi! I was wondering if you could recommend led lamps that fit 5 fingers at the same time and are also good for pedicures? thanks 🙂
Hello Cynthia! Yes, I have posted several great LED lamp options in an easy to read comparison table in the post titled “Ultimate Guide to Choosing a LED or UV lamp for nails”. These are lamps with at least a 4 star review with a range of prices to fit everyone’s budget. I purposefully included only those lamps that would cure both 5 fingers and 5 toes since that is all that I would personally consider when selecting a lamp. The exception is the compact SensatioNail lamp that is great for travel. Look for the lamps with removable bases which are perfect for pedicures. Please check them out ~ I’m confident that you will find one that will work for you. Thank you for visiting!
Does all UV gel varnisch will dry with an LED CCFL nail dryer? 36W(12W CCFL+24W SMT LED)?
Hello Natasha,
This is probably one of the most commonly asked questions on every polish blog out there. Unfortunately, it comes down to the science of the polish; each gel/shellac is chemically formulated to cure at a particular wavelength. So, the answer depends on the polish brand you are using. Click here to see a chart of which polish brands work with which type of nail lamp UV or LED. I recommend that you refer to your polish manufacturers website for their particular curing requirements. My favorite polish is CND, in particular the CND Xpress5 topcoat. CND currently offers both UV and LED lamps and they state that the topcoat can be cured for 1 min under LED or 2 mins under UV.
Hi! I have a 36W lamp (12W CCFL+24W LED),
Do you have any suggestion how long should I cure the CND shellac under it? Base/Color/Top coat? Thanks for any answer!
Hi Leila,
This is a very common question! At this time, I have not personally used an LED lamp and cannot speak directly to this. Here is what I have researched and found:
The current CND shellac polishes indicate that UV curing should be used, however I have encountered several posts on the net from people who have had success using an LED lamp. The cure times range from 10 seconds for the basecoat; 30 to 60 seconds for each layer of shellac color coat and then 60 seconds for the current CND and Xpress5 Top Coats. Apparently this is a trial and error situation as I have read that some colors of shellac will not cure, while others do. Please let me know if you have success with this!
That said, CND has indicated in their Xpress5 Top Coat product sheet that they plan to phase out their UV lamps and will only be using LED lamps for future shellac polishes so for this reason, I am planning to acquire one in the near future. I’m all about saving time!
Will a uv nail machine still work if u have only placed 2 bulbs in it instead of the reauired 4? My machine isnt working & i think 1 of the bulbs has brocken should the others still work? Help!
Hi, I really want to know if I can use Sally Hansen gel polishes with Sensationail LED light and base &top coat?