GEL EXTENSIONS

Why gel extension drives the modern salon margin tier

Gel extension covers the family of products that build length, strength, and form on the natural nail without the standard acrylic monomer chemistry: builder gel for the overlay and short-to-medium extension, poly gel for the lighter sculpted full set, soft gel tips for the no-acrylic-odor extension method, and dual form kits for the architectural sculpted finish. The salon stocking the full gel extension program captures the 15-to-20-percent annual growth in the gel-vs-acrylic shift driven by the Gen Z and Millennial client base seeking the natural-look finish, the no-odor application, and the lighter-feel wear on the nail.

ND Nails Supply ships 1,109 gel extension SKUs across LAVIS Builder Gel (the production-floor anchor line with BIAB Bottle V1 + V2, Builder Jar 30ml, and Non-Sticky Jar variants), LAVIS Poly Extension Gel V1 + V2 (30ml + 60ml sizes), Apres Gel-X soft gel extension tips, LAVIS Dual Form kits, LDS Rubber Base Gel Ver 2 Bouncy Blush, Press-On Nails, and the Base + Top Gel finish category. Price band $7 to $239.70 wholesale across the full library.

The 7 gel extension sub-categories at ND

Builder gel chemistry: why the modern salon stocks it over acrylic

Builder gel combines the structural strength of acrylic with the application flexibility of gel polish. The result is the salon-tier extension service that runs at the booth without the standard acrylic-system tradeoffs:

LAVIS BIAB Bottle V1 vs V2: which variant to stock

The LAVIS Builder Gel In The Bottle (BIAB) line ships in two formulation versions. The choice depends on the booth technician skill level and the daily service volume:

• BIAB Bottle V1 (36-shade original line): thinner viscosity that requires the flip-technique to set the apex curve during cure. Suits experienced technicians comfortable with the flip step. Per-set application speed slightly higher for experienced operators.
• BIAB Bottle V2 (36-shade 2024 reformulation, recommended for all booths): thicker rubber-base-like viscosity that self-holds the apex without the flip step. New technicians reach the consistent salon-tier finish in 1 week of training versus 4 to 8 weeks for V1. The V2 is the recommended starter pick for the new booth and the multi-chair salon training new staff.
• BIAB Bottle V1 + V2 Set 72 Colors: combines both lines in one 72-shade bulk box for the salon stocking the full BIAB library. Available at the bulk-save pricing tier in the buy-in-bulk category.

The 10-step LAVIS BIAB application workflow

1. Prep: manicure the nail, push back the cuticle, lightly buff the natural nail plate, dust off thoroughly.
2. Protein Bond and Primer: remove oil residue and condition the nail, no cure required.
3. Base Gel: one thin layer, cure 60 seconds under the LED lamp.
4. Framing layer (no cure): apply Builder Gel as a thin framing layer, do not cure yet.
5. Apply Builder at apex: place gel at the apex (middle of the nail), push toward the cuticle line, draw the brush across the nail surface.
6. Set the curve: V1 use the flip-technique to set the apex; V2 hold flat and the gel self-holds the apex curve.
7. Mini cure: cure 3 to 5 seconds per finger to lock the position.
8. Full cure: cure 60 to 90 seconds for the full hand under the LED lamp.
9. Dual Form (if extending): apply the Dual Form, check the underside seal, cure, remove the form, refine shape.
10. Finish: apply color polish, then Diamond Top, cure to seal the finish.

The fill or refill workflow runs the same steps from Step 3 onward: mill the soak-off layer of old color, keep the builder gel foundation intact, file the shape, Protein Bond, then continue from the base gel step. Refill is the steadiest recurring revenue source at the salon-tier booth.

Salon income math on the gel extension program

The gel extension program at the salon runs on the per-bottle service-revenue ratio. One bottle of LAVIS Builder Gel covers 30 to 40 full-set extension services. At the typical $45 to $60 per-set salon charge, the per-bottle service revenue lands at $1,350 to $2,400. The wholesale per-bottle cost at ND ($6.50 to $14) sits at the 1-percent-of-revenue cost ratio, which is the strongest cost-to-revenue margin on any consumable on the salon menu.

Stocking the full builder gel + poly gel + soft tip program at the booth lifts daily extension booking volume by 1 to 2 clients per chair, adding $50 to $150 per day in service revenue per chair. The multi-chair salon stocking the full program at the booth-anchor tier captures $300 to $500 in additional monthly revenue per chair from the extension service line alone.

How to pick the gel extension stock by salon service tier

• New extension booth, single-chair starter: stock LAVIS BIAB V2 Set 18 Part 1 (B01-B18) at $234 plus LAVIS Dual Form Kit 5-shape plus the LAVIS essentials bundle (Gel Base + Diamond Top + Protein Bond + Primer + Soft Gel Tip Adhesive). The 3-pack starter covers the first 50 to 100 builder gel full-set bookings.
• Mid-volume salon serving daily extension: stock the LAVIS BIAB V2 Set 36 ($288) plus the Builder Jar 30ml Set 19 ($266 with cosmic free liner brush) plus the LAVIS Poly Extension Gel V2 Set 18 at 60ml. Add the Apres Gel-X kit for the soft gel extension tier alongside the builder gel chair.
• Upscale salon offering full gel extension menu: stock the full BIAB V1+V2 Set 72 Colors plus the Poly Set 36 plus the Apres Gel-X full theme line plus the LDS Rubber Base Bouncy Blush 30-shade. The full stock gives the salon every gel extension style under one program.
• Mobile booth or at-home retail tier: focus on LAVIS BIAB V2 Set 18 at 30ml plus the Press-On Nails line for the retail counter. The starter set covers 80 percent of the at-home extension requests.

Wholesale pricing and Free Gift Tier at ND

The gel extension category at ND ships at the wholesale-priced-for-everyone tier. No business license required, no minimum order, no membership fee. Free shipping on every order over $99, same-day dispatch on in-stock orders before 2pm PT weekdays. Volume discount tier: 10 percent off at $250 to $500, 15 to 20 percent off at $500 to $1,000, 25 percent off at $1,000-plus orders.

The Free Gift Tier triggers automatically at the order value tiers:

• $300-plus orders: a free Function Gel or a LAVIS Cat Eye shade.
• $500-plus orders: a 12-shade Cat Eye Set or a LAVIS BIAB Set 12 Colors.
• $750-plus orders: an LDS Rubber Base Set 12 Colors or an LDS Lamp.
• $1,000-plus orders: the Full Builder Gel Kit (Jar + Bottle mix) or a Rechargeable 96W lamp.
• $1,500-plus orders: a Professional Nail Drill Machine or a LAVIS UV/LED Lamp.

Related collections at ND

• LAVIS Builder Gel (full singles line)The full LAVIS Builder Gel singles catalog for the salon ordering individual shades alongside the bulk set packs.
• LAVIS All Products (full LAVIS catalog)4,756 LAVIS SKUs covering gel, cat eye, builder gel, reflective gel, acrylic, and the LAVIS Dual Form kit. The brand anchor for the bulk-save library at ND.
• Acrylic Powder (cross-brand)2,807 acrylic powder SKUs covering the parallel extension system for the salon stocking acrylic alongside builder gel and poly gel.
• Buy in Bulk + Save (Soft Gel + Builder + Poly)18 bulk save packs at the curated-set pricing tier covering the LAVIS Builder Gel, Poly Extension, Dual Form Kit, OPI Gelevate, and Apres Gel-X kits.
• Nail Lamps (UV/LED/2-in-1)119 lamp SKUs for the cure step on every builder gel, poly gel, and soft gel extension application.

Related reads

• Best Fake Nails at HomeAt-home extension tutorial pairing builder gel + poly gel + soft gel tip systems for the DIY tier.
• 5 Best UV LED Nail LampsSalon production-floor lamp tier for the cure step on the bulk-pack extension service.
• 8 Best Nail Brushes for AcrylicAcrylic and builder gel brush picks for the salon stocking the bulk-pack extension program.