By: Michelle Ayr
From the minimal filling appointments to no chipping, the list for what not to love about gel extension manicure runs pretty low. What’s high on the list? The damage they could cause your nails if you don’t take care of your nails properly and go to a professional nail technician who specializes in gel extension manicures. To keep your gel nails looking shiny and your nails remaining healthy, here’s what you should be doing.
1. Prep Your Nails With Oil
The night before your appointment date, prep your nails with a cuticle, olive or argan oil to ensure your nail beds won’t peel or crack later on. By doing this, your nail beds are moisturized and ready.
2. Use A Good Base Coat
A good base coat shields your nails from any external factors that may dry out or crack (ultimately, damage) your nails in any way. If you also prepped the night before with cuticle, olive or argan oil like we mentioned in Step #1, you’re also keeping all of the good moisture inside, making your nails not prone to having any grooves that may be an effect of dry nails and gel adhesive. Our favorite base coat? Londontown’s lakur in “Gel Genius Base Coat,” $20.
3. Keep Your Nails Short and Slightly Rounded
Over time, gel manicure extensions may thin out your nails, so by keeping your real nails a bit shorter, you’re deferring from the snagging and breaking that long nails may be more susceptible to. Plus, because you won’t be seeing your nails for up to four weeks, does it really matter if they’re super long? Instead, allow them to grow with the extensions!
4. Keep Your Hands Dry Right Before Your Appointment
Limit your water exposure as much as possible beforehand to make sure that the polish won’t lift from your nails. Wash your hands, but don’t soak!
5. Your Cuticles Have To Be Moist
Look back to Step #1 to see why moisturized cuticles are so important to a good gel extensions manicure.
6. Do Not Pick At Your Polish
If your polish begins to lift, go to a salon to have them properly remove it. Picking at your polish will cause breakage to the gel, which is connected to your nail and could cause major damage if not taken off properly. If you do this, layer of your nail could come off along with the polish, so better make an appointment if you notice any kind of peeling!
