How to Store & Organise Your Gel Nail Polish: Do's & Dont's

Think you're storing your gel polish bottles properly? You'd be surprised at how many people don't!

With the current heatwave situation we're having in the UK right now, it's more important than ever to make sure your gel polish is stored correctly. (Long story short, direct sunlight and high temperatures are not a good combination for gel polish.)

To give you the lowdown on the do’s and don'ts of gel polish storage, we've put together this handy guide. From where to store your bottles to how to organise them, we've got you covered.

Whilst you might be tempted to line your gel polish bottles neatly along your window or on a display shelf, that's actually one of the worst places to store them.

Gel polish should never be stored in direct sunlight or in a location where it can be exposed to high temperatures.

When left in sunlight or exposed to high temperatures, the formula will start to lose its effectiveness by...

• Loosing or fading its pigment

• Discolouring the original pigment

• Pre-curing the polish, causing it to be unusable

• Drying out the formula

While we're on the topic of how not to store your polish bottles, it's worth mentioning that you shouldn't store them in the fridge either.

Although it might seem like a cool and dry place, storing gel polish in the fridge can actually cause condensation to form inside the bottle, which will ruin the formula.

As for how you should store your beloved gel polishes, the best place is in a cool and dark area. This can be a drawer, cabinet, or an organiser designed to house your nail polishes.

Storing them in a cool and dark place helps to preserve the formula's integrity, ensuring it’ll last longer and perform as expected. This is especially important for gel polish, as it contains chemicals that can be sensitive to heat and light.

In addition to storing them in a cool and dark place, it's also important to keep your gel polishes upright. This prevents the formula from settling as well as stops any spills from happening when you open the bottle.

Another key tip is to make sure the caps are tightly sealed on the bottles.

Again, this is important to prevent any spills from happening when the bottle is stored in a gel polish organiser or in a draw. But it also helps to prevent air from getting into the formula, which can cause it to dry out and become clumpy.

So, just to round all of those points up nicely…

To help organise (and correctly store) your gel polish bottles, we recommend getting yourself a gel polish storage case. These cases typically have compartments or slots for your bottles, as well as a handle for easy transport.

Our Gel Polish Case is great if you have a little gel polish collection or you want somewhere to keep your go-to shades for easy access.

It can hold up to 25 bottles and comes with a removable foam insert so you can snugly slot each individual bottle into place. The foam also adds protective cushioning around the bottles, preventing any potential breakage while tucked away inside a drawer or being transported from one place to another.

For those with a larger collection, our 3-tier Kit Case is perfect. It has space for up to a whopping 84 bottles, making it super handy for professional nail techs or those who just love to have a wide range of colours and polishes on hand.

It also comes with a removable foam insert to slide the bottles into and has a durable shoulder strap for easy carrying.

But what we especially love about this storage case is the large tray compartment at the bottom, which is big enough to keep a nail lamp inside. This means you can have everything you need to create salon-worthy nails in one convenient and portable case. Gel manis to go, anyone?

Gel polish will normally last a good + two years before it needs to be replaced. That being said, if the formula is as good as it should be and has been kept in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, then it will definitely last longer.

However, there are a few signs that your gel polish may have expired, which can be caused by incorrect storage or simply if you've had it for a while.

The big one is in the texture. If you notice the polish has gone particularly gloopy and thick, then it's time to hop over to our gel polish range and order a fresh bottle.

Additionally, if the colour has changed, this is also a sign of expiration. Gel polish should have a consistent, smooth colour throughout its lifespan. If you notice any changes in the shade or if it has become streaky or clumpy, it's time to toss it out.

If you haven't properly stored your gel polish or left the lid off for an extended period of time, it can dry out quite quickly.

The built-in bottle brush can also become dry and stiff, making it difficult to apply the polish smoothly. It's worth mentioning that you should also keep your polish bottle away from the lamp when you're curing your nails as the light can cause the polish cure on the brush, resulting in it drying out.

If you have cured product on your brush, you can soak it in Pure Acetone and use a Wooden Cuticle Pusher to scrape off the cured product. Once it's all clean, dry it off on a Lint-Free Wipe and slot it back into the bottle.

So, to round up all the key points you need to know about properly storing your gel polish…

With these tips in mind, you can ensure your gel polish stays fresh and ready to use for your next mani. Remember, proper storage is key to maintaining the quality and longevity of your polish, and we all want to make the most out of our favorite shades.

You can grab our essential gel polish storage cases below, with free UK delivery when you spend over £25!