BIAB: Did ‘builder in a bottle’ gel at Dundee salon transform my bitten nails?

By Dawn Donaghey

October 23 2022, 5:53am

After more than 30 years as a nail biter the dream of having beautiful, healthy, longer nails had, I thought, passed me by.

During decades of anxious nail biting and skin picking I’ve tried every treatment in the book.

From painting on disgusting anti-bite polish (didn’t work) and full sets of acrylic nails (left mine more weak than before) to ‘grow one at a time’ therapy – nothing has broken the horrible habit!

I was destined to hide my hands up my sleeves in shame forever. Until a friend asked if I’d tried a BIAB (Builder in a bottle) manicure.

Here’s what you need to know about BIAB – and what happened when I tried it…

There are a few salons and nail technicians in Tayside now offering BIAB. I tried it out at En Rose Nails in Dundee’s Commercial Street.

What is BIAB?

Builder in a bottle is a strengthening gel which can be built up to create strong glossy nails – but without the bulk of acrylic nails.

It can be used over natural nails. And is made of ingredients which claim to nourish and protect nails while they grow.

The nails before trying BIAB. — My chewed nails – and poor attempt to grow one – before trying BIAB.

The BIAB gel used to create strengthened nails is a natural colour and this can be left as is – or coloured polish added on top.

Unlike acrylic nail extensions which have to be drilled off, often damaging the nail plate, BIAB is soaked off.

So the idea is that your own (even previously bitten) nails will be in better, stronger condition after a BIAB manicure.

How is BIAB applied?

I asked my technician at En Rose for a BIAB French manicure – hoping it’d look natural and also so good that I wouldn’t bite it off!

BIAB gel is also free from chemical nasties, vegan and cruelty-free. And it can be used with nail tip extensions.

I opted for an extension tip too, so they’d look long until I grew some underneath.

The nail technician cleaned and prepped my natural nails with a light filing, so the gel would stick.

UV lamp

Then he built up the natural coloured gel to create an even shape and curve on each nail.

Each BIAB layer was cured under a UV lamp (warning this can feel hot at first!). Checks were made in between to tweak the shape.

En Rose in Dundee have a huge array of colours which can be used on top of BIAB.

When I was happy with the shape and length, final polish I’d chosen was applied.

How long does BIAB take to apply?

This depends on how long (or short!) your nails are. And whether you want coloured polish, individual designs or nail extensions with BIAB.

I was all done within an hour and impressed with the durable finish which I was told lasts three weeks – but actually lasted almost six weeks.

My BIAB journey

I was pleased with how the BIAB looked. My ragged ugly nails were glossy and healthy-looking. And they were impossible to bite even if I wanted to!

But, as a lengthening tip had been added, I knew the real test would be when I went back to the salon to have the BIAB soaked off, uncovering my natural nails again.

Would my previously-impossible-to-grow real nails be nourished and full of growth?

First treatment – how my nails looked after BIAB with a lengthening acrylic tip.

Returning to have the builder soaked off and revealing the condition of my own nails would have been a nail-biting moment – but it turned out BIAB had done as promised.

‘My real nails are transformed’

My real nails were stronger than I’d hoped and even had to be filed down they’d grown so much.

I was amazed at the transformation of my old chewed nails.

And I’d recommend BIAB as a good solution for nail biters who dream of healthier nails.

Neat at last! My own nails, with polish only, after weeks of protection from the BIAB treatment.

Prices vary across Tayside and Fife but plain BIAB starts around £30. Colours, French manicure, extension tips or individual designs will add to the cost.If there’s a treatment you’d like to test, let us know in the comments below.