How To Get Gel Nail Polish To Stay On

12 Ways to Treat (and Avoid) Gel Polish Lifting

Reviewed by

Chief Educator at Paintbox

@thevicstyles / Design by Camden Dechert

We've all been at that place: You spend ages working out exactly which gel smash polish color will become with your wardrobe but then just a few days later, you take a await down at your keyboard set to marvel at your fine fingertips and notice that something isn't right. Right at that place, at the tip of your forefinger, your gel has started to pare. Nightmare.

First, you'll get through a stage of denial, pretending that everything is fine, but then a huge wave of utter disappointment comes crashing over you when y'all realize information technology won't be long before the residuum of your nails follow suit and offset flaking. And if you're anything like us, stage iii is total of temptation to selection, peel, and bite the polish back downwards to the bare blast. And if you didn't know already, that isn't a great thought.

Keep scrolling to discover out exactly how to fix peeling gel polish, co-ordinate to the experts.

What Is Gel Boom Polish?

Regular nail shine and gel smash shine take different chemical compositions. While regular blast polish tin but be painted on, gel requires a petty more intendance earlier application. "Most of the steps are similar to a regular manicure. However, removing natural oils and dehydrating the boom plate is required for a long-lasting gel manicure," says Urbina. Afterwards each coat of polish, the gel is cured with an LED/UV light instead of just air-drying, making the manicure actress potent and sure to last at least two weeks. Here'southward how to make sure your gel nails don't chip.

01 of 12

Whatever You Exercise, Don't Choice

@paintboxnails

If you lot like nothing more than picking at a two-calendar week-sometime manicure, let this exist a warning to you lot. "Our nails are fabricated upwardly of about 25 layers of keratinized skin cells, and peeling off gels volition take off those tiptop protective layers, causing the nail to become thinner, weaker, and uneven," says Snow.

Urbina reiterates how bad picking is for your nails. "When y'all peel off whatever blast enhancement, you rip off layers of your nail plate and brand your boom weaker and cause your nails to chip more. It's a vicious cycle," she says.

Jeopardizing the strength of your nails past peeling gel shine can lead to white spots and stress breaks.

02 of 12

Put a Layer of Topcoat on Chipped Nails

So in short, if you do notice your manicure has started to peel, exercise not start picking. Urbina'southward three-pace method? "File nail where the chip happened, don't pick nails, and seal with topcoat." It's every bit easy as that. For those who have busy hands and can't stay still, a fast-drying topcoat, similar the Dry Fast Acme Coat from Seche Vite, will keep y'all smudge-free.

Later on filing near the chip, utilise a thin layer over the elevation of the smoothen, and seal in the border by painting over the tip of the boom. This will assist your manicure concur out until you can get to the salon to accept the gels removed.

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Nail Glaze $6.00

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03 of 12

Preclude Chipping When You Tin

@radiantnailart

Equally with many things, prevention is far better than attempting a cure. Snowfall recommends wearing gloves when washing up and cleaning, likewise every bit avoiding opening boxes or cans to increment the longevity of your gel manicure. For those nail-biters out there—proceed your hands abroad from your oral fissure. Information technology can exist tempting, we know, only for the safety of your manicure (and your wellness), nix the finger-chomping.

"Don't use your nails as tools!" Urbina says. She as well notes to avoid super hot water when washing hands and showering. If you lot haven't gotten a fleck however, she recommends a quick topcoat, like Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri Anti-Fleck Top Coat, just in example.

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Glaze $6.00

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04 of 12

Keep Easily Moisturized

@nailditapp

If you do end up picking at your nails, make sure you still keep your easily and nails moisturized. "Apply hand cream later every hand wash, and regularly massage cuticle oil over the gelled nail to encourage flexibility and prevent chipping," Snowfall adds. Glossier's palm-sized pod of hand foam combines ingredients such as meadowfoam seed oil and coconut fruit extract to give y'all moisturized hands without feeling greasy.

To avoid dry, cracked hands, it's also worth considering the make of gel used. Snow uses Bio Sculpture Gel, which doesn't crave the use of primers, bonders, or harsh buffing to be removed.

Glossier Manus Cream $18.00

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05 of 12

Invest in Cuticle Oil

Investing in cuticle oil tin can keep both your nails and skin healthy. The food-rich oils can heave apportionment around the nail, helping them abound. Plus, information technology can besides protect your polish. Urbina's favorite cuticle oil—which she recommends using twice a twenty-four hour period—is the Famous Names Dadi Oil, which is total of nourishing ingredients similar jojoba oil and vitamin E.

Famous Names Dadi Oil $28.00

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06 of 12

Use Thin Coats of Polish

@polished_nailstudio

Whether it'south an at-home mani or done by a professional, the key to a long-lasting, non-peeling gel manicure is sparse, smooth layers. Information technology tin exist easier to exercise a thick, single layer to save fourth dimension, simply information technology won't help yous in the long run: Thick layers will peel easier, or even worse, they tin be prime for the picking. (Meaning the moment you lot feel a tiny lift, you'll be digging at your nails). To avert any of this, starting time sparse and build your color. Y'all'll love the issue and relieve yourself some anguish.

07 of 12

Keep Your Hands Dry

@chillhouse

Information technology may sound redundant, but endeavour to keep your easily as dry out as possible the day of your manicure. The less malleable and flexible your nails are, the more likely they are to break or go caught on something, and keeping easily dry is a great way to avoid this. Moisture and blast polish are true enemies for life, and you lot desire to keep them far, far away from each other.

08 of 12

Keep Your Hands Away From The Clippers

@color_camp

We know, nosotros know—it can exist deeply tempting to brand sure your nails aren't growing too long, or you lot take a jagged edge—plenty of reasons to pull out your clipper and nail file and get to town. Using clippers and files volition suspension downwards the seal, which will cause lifting and peeling, so just let your nails be.

09 of 12

Take Downtime Between Manicures

Getty Images

Ever heard of "nail dehydration?" Your nails need access to water and air as much as the remainder of your body, and going dorsum-to-dorsum with gel manicures is like suffocating your nailbeds, which can lead to damage and breakage. Both wearing gel manicures, as well as the removal process, tin be a lot for your fingers to handle, and then accept time between gel applications. Your fingers will thanks.

10 of 12

Make Sure Yous're Not Waiting Besides Long

@noir__beauty

It tin can be massively tempting to want to come across how long your gel manicure can last without chipping, merely try to avert doing anything of the sort. A gel mani should last you two to three weeks maximum before running the risk of potential harm to your nail beds. Going too long with gel on your nail runs the risk of weakened nails and the potential for moisture to cause some problems—in one case the gel starts to lift, it tin lead to moisture gathering under the gel, which tin can be hard to make clean and tin atomic number 82 to bacterial growth.

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Have Professionals Remove Your Gel

@trebellanailspa

It's all-time to get out gel removal to the pros. "The removal at a salon will probably go quicker and presumably more than safely. Tools and techniques that quality nail technicians apply volition remove the topcoat more thoroughly, assuasive acetone to soak colour gel quicker," Urbina says.

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Take Care of Your Nails After

@paintboxnails

To assistance your nails recover after peeling gel off, moisturizing is still key. Try to stop picking at your nails and the skin around them while they both heal. Since picking off gel weakens the nail, it'll take a while for your nails to abound dorsum to their regular strength. To forestall more breakage and weakness, continue your nails short while they grow back and requite them some extra TLC, besides.

So, if you practise pick, it'south not the finish of the earth. Only remember to concur off if you tin can, and ever take time to moisturize and protect your hands to keep your nails looking fresh.

FAQ

How long should you wait between gel manicures?

For every eight weeks of gel smoothen, requite your nails a ane- to two-week pause. In that time frame, requite your nails a little extra TLC.
What is the least dissentious manicure?

Getting a standard manicure with regular smooth volition end up being the to the lowest degree damaging to your nails. Unlike gel nail polish, it doesn't crave annoying removal and doesn't suffocate the nail bed.
Is it bad to wearable nail polish all the time?

Leaving nail smooth on for a long time tin can dry your nails and fifty-fifty lead to a status called keratin granulations (rough, white patches on the nail surface).

Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts inside our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more virtually how we go on our content authentic, reliable and trustworthy.

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