UV vs LED Nail Lamp

If you constantly get manicures, you may have noticed that UV nail lamps take a much longer time to cure your nail polish than a regular LED nail lamp. This is due to the fact that these nail lamps work differently. Let's get into this UV vs LED nail lamp discussion.

UV

LED

Cost

Affordable

Expensive

Typical Curing Time

2 Minutes

30 Seconds

Efficiency

Uses lots of energy

Low electricity

Bulb Life

More Frequent Replacement

Really long

Types of Polish

Gel and Nail Polish

Only cures Nail Polish

  • It is recommended to change your bulbs at least once a year

How are UV and LED nail lamps different? Well, both of the lamps emit UV radiation, LED lamps just emit narrow wavelengths that target certain photoinitiators in the nail polish so they cure specific products really quick. On the other side, UV lamps emit a broader wavelength to hit all the photoinitiators thus allowing the lamp to cure any type of nail polish which takes a bit longer.

UV lamps are for all purposes, while LED lamps are purely for nail polish. There are even some LED lamps that cure in 10 seconds!

Does UV vs LED nail lamp make a difference in how long the gel manicure lasts?

Whether you use a UV or an LED Nail lamp, your end result should not be affected. This is not dependent on the nail lamp as much as it is dependent on the quality of product and the brand you use!

UV Nail Lamps

UV nail lamp protection gloves

Let's immediately start off by saying that ALL nail lamps emit radiation. However, because UV nail lamps do use Ultraviolet rays to cure your nail polish, you slightly increase the risk of premature skin aging and skin cancer.

If we compare UV nail lamps to UV tanning beds, then our little nail lamp have a FAR lower risk. To be on the safe side, use sunscreen or UV protection gloves. According to an article on Reuters, it would take 8-208 visits to damage your skin cells. So, if you're wondering "will I get nail or skin cancer from using a UV Lamp?", I hope your question was answered.

This won't stop me from getting manicures. Regular sunlight probably does just as much harm.

  • UV Nail Lamps need frequent bulb changes

Can you use LED Polish with a UV Lamp?

Unfortunately you may not as UV nail lamps emit specific wavelengths to hit gel nail polish. You may only use products and brands that are specified to be cured under a UV lamp under a UV nail lamp.

What is the Best UV Nail Lamp?

I use the CND UV Nail Lamp below. However, you can also check out my guide for choosing an LED or UV Nail Lamp​ for your nail polish needs!

CND shellac uv nail lamp

LED Nail Lamps

To be honest, LED Lamps are by far the fastest way to cure any nail polish besides Gel or Shellac. Some of them even cure the nail polish in 10 seconds compared to the 2-3 minute wait under a UV lamp. An OPI LED Lamp is the way to go.

Can you use UV Polish with a LED Lamp?

Yes! LED cures both nail polish and gel because it emits broader wavelenghts while UV lamps emit specific ones that focus on gel.

Can Shellac be cured with LED Lamp?

Once again, yes! CND only sells UV nail lamps, however, that doesn't mean you can't use an LED nail lamp to cure Shellac

What is the Best LED Nail Lamp?

Check out my guide for choosing an LED or UV Nail Lamp​ for your nail polish needs!

Nail Products and Lamps

Do you always need to use either an LED or a UV nail lamp to cure your nail polish?​

The answer is no. Some brands have a natural air drying time or you may use regular sunlight. There have been times when my room light cured my nails without me noticing.​

Can you use Gel Polish without a UV or an LED Lamp?

Gel polish must always be cured under some kind of lamp, otherwise you will not get the full gel nail effects and there is no reason to be buying this product. Regular nail polish will eventually dry out, but by using a lamp you strengthen and harden the bonds within the gel nail polish.​

What is the difference between a high wattage nail light and a low wattage nail lamp?

The difference is the amount of electricity the nail lamp itself uses and it is related to the speed of the curing time. A higher wattage LED nail lamp will cure your nail polish quicker than one with a lower wattage. Anything under 10 Watts is suspicious, because unless the nail polish product specifically states to use that type of wattage, it won't completely cure anything.

Which nail lamp should you buy?

The table below will tell you what nail polish or gel products you may use with either an LED or a UV Lamp. If you know the nail product you have, press CTRL + F and type in your brand to find it on the list! Following that, check out this blog post regarding different types of UV and LED nail lamps!

LED Nail Lamp

UV Nail Lamp

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

Gelish Soak-Off Gel​

Gelish Soak-Off Gel​

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

Bio Seaweed Gel

Bio Sculpture Gel​

Bio Sculpture Gel

SuperNail ProGel

SuperNail ProGel

Artisan Gelefex

CND Shellac

Gelaxy

Light Elegance

Star Nail Eco Gels

Nail lamps are all different, and hopefully by reading this UV vs LED Nail Lamps post you now understand what type of nail lamp you need. Your next step is to decide between all the different brands of lamps in each category, read my LED and UV nail lamp comparison here!

What is your favorite nail lamp?

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