Frequently asked questions
What is builder gel in the bottle, and how is it different from gel polish?
A thick, self-supporting gel applied with the brush in the cap that builds an apex and strength on the natural nail or a short extension over a dual form, then cures under LED or UV. Gel polish is color only; builder is the structure under it, or the color and structure in one when a nude or pink builder is worn bare. LAVIS sells it in two runs of 36 colors (B1 pinks and nudes, B2 deeper tones and shimmers) plus 00 Clear.
What is the difference between B1, B2, and Version 2?
B1 is the run of whites, pinks, and nudes (01 French White to 36 Rose Sienna); B2 is the run of berries, mauves, browns, and shimmers (01 Pink Echo to 36 Aura Tinsel). Version 2 is the newer bottle body that holds its shape so the hand stays flat while the bead is placed; its 36 shades sell in two Parts of 18 and 00 Clear in 15 ml or 30 ml. All three follow the same application.
Which kit should I start with?
Kit 3 for one tech trying builder: one color with base, top, and free files and buffers. Kit 6 for a station: three or four 15 ml colors with base, top, and protein bond. Master Kit to offer short extensions too: three colors plus the dual form, base, top, and protein bond. The Parts of 18 and the 36 and 72 sets are for opening a builder wall and are priced as their bottles.
How do I apply it so it does not lift?
Prep and dust, Protein Bond and Primer without curing, a thin cured base, an uncured thin frame layer, then one bead at the apex pushed toward the cuticle without touching skin and drawn along the surface and sidewalls. Flash-cure each finger 3 to 5 seconds, full-cure 60 to 90 seconds, file as little as possible, and finish with gel polish or Diamond Top. Lifting almost always traces to skipped bond or gel on the skin.
How long does it last, and what happens at the fill?
The listing rates wear at up to three weeks; with proper prep most clients reach three to four weeks before a fill. At the fill, remove the color, keep the builder foundation, reshape, reapply Protein Bond, and continue from the base step, so the client is never taken back to a bare nail.
LAVIS Builder Gel in the Bottle: the B1 and B2 color runs, clear, kits, and sets
Builder gel in the bottle is a thick, self-supporting gel applied with the brush in the cap: it goes on like a polish, builds an apex on the natural nail or a short extension over a dual form, and cures under LED or UV into a coat strong enough to stop a nail breaking. This page is the full LAVIS Builder Gel in the Bottle line at ND Nails Supply, 103 active listings: the B1 run of 36 pinks, nudes, and whites (01 French White to 36 Rose Sienna), the B2 run of 36 deeper pinks, mauves, browns, and shimmers (01 Pink Echo to 36 Aura Tinsel), 00 Clear in the 15 ml and 30 ml bottle, the Version 2 Parts of 18, the 36- and 72-color sets, and the Kit 3, Kit 6, and Master Kit boxes that add base, top, protein bond, and a dual form. Beside the LAVIS line sit an OPI 4-in-1 builder gel set of seven, an Orly Builder in a Bottle, and three dual-ended gel brushes. Everything is wholesale-priced for everyone, no license and no minimum.
What is on this page
| Listing | Count | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| B1 singles | 36 | Pinks, nudes, and whites: 01 French White, 02 Milky White, 03 Baby Pink, 14 Pink Press, 18 Berries N Cream, 19 Ivory, 22 Rose Corral, 33 Vintage Rose, 36 Rose Sienna |
| B2 singles | 36 | Deeper pinks, mauves, browns, and shimmers: 01 Pink Echo, 09 Cherry Bomb, 22 Berry Mocha, 25 Muted Mink, 30 Cashmere Crema, 32 Iridescent Flane, 34 Aurora Prism, 35 Pixie Dust, 36 Aura Tinsel |
| 00 Clear | 2 | The Version 2 clear in 15 ml or 30 ml, and the 30 ml bottle on its own |
| Sets and Parts | 6 | B1 Set 36, B2 Set 36, B1 and B2 Set 72, Version 2 Part 1 (B01 to B18) and Part 2 (B19 to B36), and the B2 set boxed with a free fiber gel, handheld lamp, and brush |
| Kits | 18 | Kit 3 (one color, base, top, free files and buffers), Kit 6 (three or four 15 ml colors with base, top, and bond), Master Kit (three colors, dual form, base, top, protein bond) |
| Other brands and tools | 5 | The OPI 4-in-1 builder gel set of 7, Orly Gel FX Builder in a Bottle, three dual-ended gel nail pens |
What the bottle does that gel polish cannot
- Strength. A thin overlay of builder under gel polish stops the free edge splitting on a client whose nails peel; the bottle is the fastest way to add it because it is painted, not sculpted.
- The builder manicure. A nude or pink builder worn bare with a top coat: 19 Ivory, 22 Rose Corral, 14 Pink Press, or any B2 nude, so the color and the strength are one product and a fill is one step.
- Short extensions. A bead of clear or color inside a dual form, pressed on and cured, gives a few millimeters of length without a tip.
- Formula. The LAVIS builder is odorless, flexible rather than brittle, glossy, and cures in 60 seconds; the Version 2 body holds its shape so the hand stays flat while the bead is placed.
How to apply LAVIS Builder Gel in the Bottle
- Prep. Push back the cuticle, buff the surface, and dust off. Apply Protein Bond and Primer on the natural nail, no cure; the kits include it for this reason.
- Base. One thin coat of LAVIS Base, cured 60 seconds.
- Frame layer, not cured. A very thin coat of builder over the whole nail to give the bead something to hold onto.
- Build. Place a bead at the apex in the middle of the nail, push it toward the cuticle without touching skin, then draw the brush along the surface and both side lines. Version 2 holds its shape; only the older Version 1 needs the hand turned over to form the curve.
- Cure. A 3 to 5 second flash per finger to fix the bead, then a full cure of 60 to 90 seconds for the hand. Keep filing afterward to a minimum, since refiling thins the apex.
- Finish. Gel polish over the builder, or wear the color bare, then LAVIS Diamond Top.
At the fill, two to four weeks later, remove the color, keep the builder foundation, reshape, reapply Protein Bond, and continue from the base step. The listing rates wear at up to three weeks; with the prep above most clients reach three to four before a fill.
B1 or B2: reading the two runs
| Run | Family | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| B1, 01 to 12 | Whites, baby pinks, peaches, sheer pinks (French White, Milky White, Blushing Bride, Pastel Mellow, Princess Pink) | French bases, sheer builder manicures, bridal sets |
| B1, 13 to 24 | Pinks and the first nudes (Pink Press, Lily Veil, So Jelly, Berries N Cream, Ivory, Icy Quartz, Rose Corral) | The everyday builder manicure |
| B1, 25 to 36 | Warm nudes and roses (Pink Vanilla, Sunset Rose, Coquette, Apricot, Vintage Rose, Rose Sienna) | Deeper skin tones and fall nudes |
| B2, 01 to 18 | Brights and berries (Pink Echo, Orchid Fever, Cherry Bomb, Currant Lover, Papaya Cream, Violet Cocoa) | Color builder worn as the finished nail |
| B2, 19 to 31 | Mauves, mochas, and minks (Heirloom Rose, Berry Mocha, Rosewood, Muted Mink, Mauve Matter, Cashmere Crema, Sugar Silk) | Fall and winter builder manicures |
| B2, 32 to 36 | Shimmers (Iridescent Flane, Frosted Tips, Aurora Prism, Pixie Dust, Aura Tinsel) | Holiday sets and glazed looks |
Which kit to start with
- One tech trying builder: a Kit 3, one color (00 Clear, 14 Pink Press, 18 Berries N Cream, 19 Ivory, or 22 Rose Corral) with base, top, and free files and buffers.
- A station adding a builder menu: a Kit 6, three or four 15 ml colors with base, top, and protein bond, in pink, nude, or clear-led combinations.
- Extensions as well as overlays: a Master Kit, three colors plus the dual form, base, top, and protein bond, so short extensions can be offered from the first week.
- A salon opening a builder wall: a Version 2 Part of 18 or a Set of 36; the 72-color set is the whole line in one order. Sets are priced as their bottles, and the B2 set with the free fiber gel, handheld lamp, and brush is the same price as the plain B2 set, so it is the one to choose when a station needs the extras.
Bottle or jar, and where the OPI and Orly bottles fit
The bottle is the overlay tool: fast, brush in the cap, an apex in one bead. The LAVIS Builder Gel in the Jar, on its own page, is the 30 ml jar of nudes for a tech who prefers a separate brush and more product per unit. The Version 2 line, with the 36 shades in Parts of 18, has its own page as well, and this page is the place to see all three generations together. The OPI 4-in-1 builder set and the Orly Builder in a Bottle are here for the salon that runs a second builder brand alongside LAVIS; they follow the same overlay method with their own base and top.
Storage and reorder
A builder bottle lasts many services, because each nail takes one bead rather than two full coats. Keep the bottles capped and out of daylight; builder gel is thicker than polish and cures slowly in a sunny window. Wipe the neck before capping so the brush cap does not seal shut. Reorder by run and number (B1-19, B2-25), since a bare number appears in both runs, and hold two of 00 Clear at every station, because the clear is the bottle that empties first; the 30 ml clear exists for exactly that reason.
Wholesale pricing at ND Nails Supply
Every bottle, kit, and set on this page is wholesale-priced for everyone, with no business license, no minimum order, and no membership fee. Singles are the entry tier, the Kit 3 boxes the trial tier, the Kit 6 and Master Kits the station tier, and the Parts and Sets the wall tier, priced as their bottles. Free shipping on orders $100+, and in-stock bottles ordered before 2pm PT on weekdays leave the same day.