What you’ll learn
An intermediate course, taught in person at our East Tamaki academy.
Builder gel is the service clients ask for when they want their own nails to look better, not longer. It adds strength and structure to the natural nail, wears for weeks, and it's the backbone of the structured manicure — one of the most requested services on any nail menu right now.
This intermediate course is for techs who already have the fundamentals and want to add builder gel properly rather than guessing at it. You'll start with the chemistry — how builder gel differs from hard gel, acrylic and polygel, how viscosity changes the way you work, and why cure time and lamp choice matter more than most techs realise. From there you'll move into prep for maximum adhesion, then the work itself: bead placement, building an even overlay, and forming a correct apex and C-curve that holds its shape and wears without lifting.
Prior nail experience is required — we recommend completing our Foundations of Nails course first, or you can enrol with an existing nail certification or self-taught experience, proof of prior skills required.
The 15 modules
Taught in order, with a tutor demonstration before every practical block.
Builder Gel Chemistry
Product & Tool Knowledge
Nail Prep for Builder Gel
Builder Gel Overlay
Apex Formation & C-Curve
Structured Manicure
Curing & Heat Management
Filing & Refining
Infills & Rebalancing
Builder Gel Removal
Troubleshooting
Sanitisation & Sterilisation
Pricing
Intro to Beauty Business
Nz Health protection license help
How you’ll benefit from our course
One-on-one or small classes
Train one-on-one or in a small group, so your tutor sees every step and corrects your technique as you go.
Certificates you’ll gain
- Builder Gel
Hands-on from day one
Practical work starts on the first morning, with your tutor beside you, not after days of theory.
Learn from working professionals
Your educators still work with clients, so you learn the techniques and standards used in real salons.
What’s included
Theory and practice, together
Each module pairs the theory with a live tutor demonstration before you practise it yourself.
Live models
3 x models, booked into your practical sessions so you finish having worked on real clients.
A year of tutor support
Technique and product troubleshooting for twelve months after you certify, plus help with your NZ Health Protection licence.
Paying for your course
Pay in full, or spread it over four or six weeks with invoices sent to you each week. Afterpay is also accepted.
A 20% deposit holds your dates with an expert educator. The balance is then split across your chosen plan. Need longer than six weeks? Ask us and we will try to accommodate you.
- Week 1 $300.00
- Week 2 $300.00
- Week 3 $300.00
- Week 4 $300.00
- Week 1 $200.00
- Week 2 $200.00
- Week 3 $200.00
- Week 4 $200.00
- Week 5 $200.00
- Week 6 $200.00
How enrolling works
Enrol
Pay in full or place your $300.00 deposit online.
Pick your dates
Our team calls you to lock in course dates that suit your schedule.
Train with us
3 Days - 12 Hours in East Tamaki, 10am - 5pm, with live models.
Get certified
Pass your assessments and take home your certificate.
Meet our tutors
Rupal Madaan
Kelly Aikins
Where this takes you
A certificate is the start of it. Here is what students actually do with the training.
Skill development
Practical, hands-on technique you can charge for the week after you finish.
Further study options
Move on to e-file, builder gel or the full nail technician pathway.
Career opportunities
Work in a salon, rent a chair, or start taking your own clients from home.
Student success
A year of tutor support after you certify, so you are never stuck on your own.