BIAB Nails Explained, From What They Are To How Long They Last

By Elle Turner

We've heard of gel nails, we've heard of shellac. But what about BIAB nails? The next-gen formula seems to be everywhere. It's already built up an A-list following, with the likes of Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Jasmine Sanders, and #biab has over 480 million views on TikTok with users sharing their nail journey and try-ons.

So what exactly is it and how is it different from previous manis? We asked Giorgia Cappella, head educator at The Gel Bottle to talk us through BIAB, including what it is and how to apply it.

BIAB is a soak-off soft-gel "specifically formulated to be used as an overlay on the natural nail," explains Giorgia. It's gentler than acrylic, but thicker than regular nail polish and gel polish. The protective shell it creates over nails is designed to encourage natural nail growth and strength.

"It was created to provide extra strength and protection against breakages, allowing customers to grow their nails to new lengths," says Giorgia. In terms of appearance, it looks similar to gels and shellac, creating a smooth shiny, manicured finish.

As for the acronym, BIAB stands for Builder In A Bottle. The formula was created by The Gel Bottle and it's professional only, so it's best to check with your salon whether they provide a BIAB service.

Much of how BIAB is applied feels very familiar to gels.

Prep

Your manicurist will start by prepping the nails (filing, buffing, cuticle work) and removing any residue on the nail with pure acetone.

Base

Next your manicurist will apply the base (a thin layer of the BIAB polish over the natural nail, or the brand's rubber base if you want to use the clear or white shade), which is cured like a normal gel base on a low heat mode.

BIAB

Here's where things start looking a bit different. Rather than a thin coat of your nail colour of choice applied over the nail, your manicurist will apply a thick bead of BIAB that looks more gel or rubber-like, spreading it side to side and dragging the soft gel away from the cuticle. You can choose a natural colour and use BIAB as your base before following with a gel colour on top. Or you can choose from BIABs wide range of colours and make this step your colour coat. Your manicurist will work to avoid creating a thick build-up around the free edge and cuticle, then seal the free edge. You can do this step twice if you want a more opaque finish, building and curing one nail at a time.

Refine and buff

Next your manicurist will wipe each nail with alcohol to remove any stickiness, then they'll refine the finish of the polish by filing it (which makes it more glossy), then removing any dust with a duster brush.

Extras

Once you've got the base, you can go in on top with nail art, or if you're just using the BIAB as a base, you can apply any regular gel shade you like on top, then finish with a thin layer of top coat.

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In general it takes slightly longer than other gel services. Your manicurist should spend a good amount of time on perfectly prepping the nail, so block out around an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half.

"BIAB differs from other gels and patented brands such as ‘Shellac’ due to its formulation. BIAB is not a regular gel polish in itself. It is thicker in consistency and comes in a range of pigmentations, which allow it to be worn as an overlay, a strengthening base for gel colours or as the colour, paired with our extreme shine top coat," says Giorgia. "Whilst all products are still considered a ‘gel’, we can categorise base coats, gel polish colours and top coats as regular gel formulations, BIAB as soft gel and Gel Pot [another of the brand's products] as hard gels," she adds.

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"Acrylic nails are created by mixing a liquid (monomer) with a powder (polymer) to create a hard structure as an overlay or an extension to the natural nail. Whilst acrylics support strength and durability, they can be harsh on the nails," explains Giorgia.

"Gel products alternatively use rays emitted by UV/LED light to turn the liquid gel (monomer) into a hardened gel surface (polymer). As a result gel nails have a more natural look to them and tend to be kinder on the nail due to their flexibility," she adds.

"BIAB in comparison to acrylics can provide as much strength and protection as an acrylic overlay when applied correctly, however is not advised BIAB be used for creating extensions. The hard-gel alternative Gel Pots work better as a gel alternative to acrylic for creating long and strong extensions," Giorgia says.

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"BIAB can be used in thin layers as a base coat to provide an added layer of strength to any gel polish manicure, however it should be applied correctly as a natural nail overlay," says Giorgia. "We recommend, BIAB is used to mimic the apex of the natural nail, providing the structure that the nail needs to withstand pressure in its stress point and protection against breakages. Used right, BIAB is great for keeping your nails long, strong and healthy," she says.

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"As with all gel products, maintenance appointments should be regular and consistent in order to ensure the health of the natural nail," says Giorgia who says BIAB will last "anywhere between 2-4 weeks dependant on lifestyle factors." But if you want to use the product back to back, "we recommend infilling BIAB in order to maintain the strength of the natural nail, whilst always checking the health of the nail and completing a full soak off and new set every 3-4 appointments," Giorgia says.

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The cost of your service will differ depending on location and your nail tech's experience, however, "a general advisory is that BIAB overlay services are no less than £10.00 on top of the cost of your gel polish manicure," says Giorgia (so between around £35 to £80).

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"As a soft-gel it's a soak-off product," says Giorgia. However if you've used the BIAB shades that require a rubber base coat, it will need filing off. "BIAB can either be fully soaked off or the bulk of product can be removed using an E-file before a soak off of the final layers can be carried out," says Giorgia.

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For more from GLAMOUR's Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk