A gel manicure comfortably lasts for around three to four weeks. While enhancing your overall beauty quotient, gel polish forms a protective layer on top of your natural nail. Hence, your nail gets additional protection. However, that does not prevent your nails from chipping. While a perfect gel manicure enhances durability, the risk of chipping your nails is omnipresent. The risk increases if you make the following mistakes when using gel polish.
Mistakes You Should Avoid When Using Gel Polish
Not following the correct procedure for a gel manicure
A gel manicure lasts long, provided you follow the proper technique. It involves using the right ingredients and high-quality gel polish like OPI gel nail polish. It is essential to cure the nail polish under a UV lamp for more than a minute. If you compromise on this aspect, the nail polish can chip at the ends and result in wear and tear.
Though women prefer a DIY procedure, it is advisable to visit a nail salon for your gel manicure. The primary reason is that the salon technicians are professionals and do a perfect job. It reduces the chances of your nails chipping away at the ends.
While getting a gel manicure, it is advisable to push the cuticles into their groove and leave a millimeter gap between the polish and the nail base. It prevents the nail from lifting at the base. Therefore, you avoid bacterial contamination and nail infections.
Getting gel manicures back-to-back
Many women do not like to leave their nails polish-free for even a day. Though it can maintain your overall beauty levels, having back-to-back gel manicures can affect your nail’s health and make them prone to chipping. Your nails need time to breathe and come back to normal after a gel manicure.
When you remove gel manicures, you use acetone. Acetone has dehydrating qualities and can make your nails and skin dry. Dry nails tend to break or chip away easily. Hence, the ideal solution is to let the nails heal naturally. The perfect way to do so is to have a gap of a week or two between two successive manicures.
Leaving gel polish for extended periods
It can be tempting to keep on the OPI gel nail colors for extended periods because gel polish lasts long. Generally, gel manicures can last for up to three to four weeks. While you would like to prolong the gel manicure, the nail’s natural growth keeps pushing away at the manicure, causing it to chip at the edges. Thus, it can damage the nail beds and cuticles, as well.
Extending your gel manicures beyond four weeks can lead to the weakening of your nails. It can provide a fertile ground for bacterial contamination. Hence, it is advisable to remove the gel manicure on time. While doing so, one should ensure not to have another manicure for at least a week.
Not following the appropriate gel manicure removal procedure
A significant majority of women do not follow the proper removal procedure. In these times of the pandemic, it is tempting to remove the gel polish yourself. While it is advisable to engage a nail salon professional for gel polish removal, one can master the technique with practice.
The best method to remove gel polish is to soak your nails in acetone. Alternatively, you can dip cotton balls in acetone and place them over your nails. You can use an aluminum wrap over your nails to secure the cotton balls. One should leave them on for about fifteen minutes before removing the cotton balls. The OPI gel color should slide off on its own. If it does not, you can use a cuticle pusher to push off the gel layer gently.
Not using cuticle oil to massage your nails and cuticles
Usually, nails are flexible. If you use nail polish, like OPI soak off gel lacquer, the nail tends to get harder and sturdier. However, it makes the nail brittle. Besides, the cold weather in the winter season dries your skin further. Therefore, it can be challenging to hydrate your cuticles. The best way to prevent the nail beds from drying is to use cuticle oil for massaging the cuticle and the skin surrounding the nail.
Besides massaging the cuticles, one should ensure to hydrate the nails. One way of doing it is to maintain a healthy diet. You can eat juicy fruits and drink a lot of water to maintain fluid levels.
Final Thoughts
While a gel manicure looks beautiful and enhances your glamor quotient, it is entirely up to you to maintain it. If you keep committing the mistakes listed above, you could end up with chipped nails. One should also note that broken or chipped nails take a long time to heal. Besides, it can be a painful affair. Therefore, one should avoid such mistakes and use quality products to have a healthy gel manicure.