Gel Polish - How To Keep Your Nails In Good Shape
Posted on: 22 January 2016
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If you want a long lasting manicure, then you should think about investing in shellac or gel nail polish. The polish is likely to last at least two weeks without chipping. However, if you want your gel polish to last longer than two weeks and if you want your nails to remain healthy, then you will need to do a few things to make sure that you care for your nails properly.
Make Sure Your Nails Are In Good Shape First
One of the most important things you should do before considering whether a gel polish manicure is a good idea is to look at the condition of your nails. While nails do not need to be exposed to oxygen to stay in good shape, the nails can start to show damage if nail polish stays on them for too long. Damage usually appears in the form of white marks or blemishes on the nails called keratin granulation. These marks, as well as dry nails, discoloration, and cracks, are all signs that you may need to wait a few weeks to have the gel secured on your nails, especially since the nail polish is likely to last longer than a normal polish. It is wise to wait between about three to six weeks between gel manicures to reduce damage concerns.
The wait is necessary, because the gel polish can dry out the nails. The acetone that is often needed to soak the nails and remove the gel polish can cause further damage as well. While waiting between manicures can help to keep your nails in good condition, so can drinking the recommended two liters of water a day. Try to avoid the use of hand sanitizers and other products that contain alcohol, and also eat nail healthy foods that contain zinc, iron, vitamin C, and B vitamins.
Once your nails are in good shape and you receive your gel nail manicure, think about using cuticle oil every few days around the cuticles and the polish. This will help to keep the skin around the nails moisturized and the oil with also seep into the small pores within the nail polish and help to keep the polish and nails moist.
Do Not Pick Off The Nail Polish
Gel nail polish is made out of a lacquer that contains photoinitiators that respond to the UV or LED lights that are shined onto the polish during the curing process. The light helps to create a chain reaction between the different materials in the nail polish. The end result is the formation of long polymers within the polish that make it hard. The process also causes the polish to hold strongly to the very top layer of your nails. Some people will often try to pick the gel nail polish off their nails when they start to see it chipping. This will cause the top layer of the nail to pull up with the polish.
Instead of damaging your nail, remove the gel polish carefully. Use a nail file to gently file the top layer of polish from the nails and then pour nail polish remover or acetone into a small disposable cup. Place ten cotton balls in the cup and then place one ball on each of your nails. Place a layer of tin foil or plastic wrap around each nail. This will help to trap body heat so the polish will come off easier. Remove the wraps and then use a small cuticle pusher to gently lift the polish from the nails. The gel should be loose enough to remove at this time. If you are not comfortable with this process, then speak with a shellac or gel manicure specialist. Professionals who apply the gel polish will usually provide services to remove it as well.
For more information, contact a salon like Exquisite Nails & Spa Ltd nail salon.