ABOUT US

Evenstar Nails is a nail salon specializing in Japanese Structure Gel. My name is Gaby De La Cruz, and I am a Kokoist certified structure gel specialist. I have a high personal standard, a meticulous work-style, and I only use premium products. What is Structure Gel? Structure gel is a product that is overlaid on the natural nail plate to the nail’s natural length, or extended using a tip or a sticker form. Structure gel creates a beautiful, plump shape on the nail plate while adding strength and protection. It is cured (hardened) in a lamp that emits light at wavelengths compatible with the gel’s photo-initiating ingredients. This hardening reaction temporarily releases heat, which we call the “heat-spike”. You may be familiar with this if you’ve had structure gel before, otherwise, it takes some getting used to. Structure gel is known by many names, which can get confusing. Some names you may be familiar with: builder gel, builder in a bottle (biab), rubber base, hard gel, soft gel. The list goes on and continues to grow. These names mainly exist due to marketing. The only names, or gel categories, Evenstar Nails is concerned with are Soft Gel and Hard Gel. The difference between soft gel and hard gel is simple: soft gel can be dissolved by acetone; hard gel cannot be dissolved by acetone. Kokoist’s structure gels are all soft gels. They vary in hardness, but they can all be dissolved by acetone. The order of hardness for the gels Evenstar Nails uses is: Mega Stick Base -> Platinum Filler Base -> Excel Builder. Most overlays can be achieved using a combination of Mega Stick Base and Platinum Filler Base. For longer lengths, Excel Builder is more suitable. For extreme lengths/shapes, hard gel is an option. Which enhancement should I get? Apres Gel-X, or a structure gel overlay? In my experience, most people want to grow out their natural nails and have a structure gel overlay for strength and support of whatever length they choose. If you want instant length, Apres Gel-X or Kokoist Gelips (my preference) are a great choice. Eventually, you can work up to supporting your own length without the help of tips. If you want to grow your nails out gradually, a structure gel overlay is a great choice. Regardless of which enhancement you choose, maintenance is key. All enhancements require regular fills, so it’s important to keep that in mind as you begin your gel nail journey.