Taking good care of your nails after obtaining a gel manicure or pedicure is crucial to preserve their health and look. Gel paint gives your nails a durable, chip-resistant gloss but also needs extra maintenance to keep them looking their best.
Tips to maintain your nails after having a gel manicure or pedicure
Following a gel manicure or pedicure, do the following steps to take care of your nails:
Guard your nails
- Do not use your nails to rip open items or scuff up surfaces. The gel polish may chip or lift as a result of this.
- Wear gloves when cleaning or doing other home tasks that may expose you to strong chemicals or a lot of wetness.
Moisturize your hands and nails
- Apply a nourishing hand cream often to keep your skin and cuticles hydrated.
- Brittle nails and cuticle damage can result from dryness.
- To moisturize and soften the cuticles, use a moisturizing cuticle cream or cuticle oil. After using the oil, gently press the cuticles back to encourage strong nail growth.
Take care not to pluck or peel
- It’s important to repress the urge to pick at or remove your gel polish. Your natural nails may become weak and brittle as a result of this harm.
- Go to a skilled nail technician to get the gel polish professionally removed or fixed if it begins to peel or chip.
Utilize mild nail care items
- To reduce dryness and damage, use an acetone-free nail polish remover when removing the polish. Acetone has the ability to dry out the nails, making them brittle.
- Choose a soak-off gel polish remover or a non-acetone remover if your nails are gel. These polish removers work better and less harshly to dissolve gel polish.
Cut and file your nails
- To keep your nails from getting too long and prone to breaking, regularly trim them to the length you like.
- Make sure your nails are smooth with no sharp edges by shaping them with a nail file. To avoid the brittleness of the nails, file in a single direction.
Limit water exposure
- Gel polish can become brittle and lift or peel if it is exposed to water too frequently. Wear waterproof gloves while swimming or performing other water-related activities to preserve your nails.
- To reduce extra friction, pat your nails dry rather than massaging them after washing your hands or taking a shower.
Between gel manicures, take a break
- In order to give your nails time to breathe and recuperate between gel manicures, you must. Ideally, wait as least a week before putting on another coat of gel polish.
- To protect and strengthen your natural nails during this period, you might use a strengthening nail treatment or clear nail paint.
Keep up a balanced diet
Healthy nails can be attributed to a balanced diet full of vitamins and minerals. To encourage nail strength and development, include foods like leafy greens, eggs, almonds, and fish in your diet.
Seek out a skilled nail technician
For correct upkeep and treatment of your nails, periodic visits to a skilled nail technician are essential. They are able to evaluate your nails’ health, provide any required treatments, and accurately and safely remove gel polish.
What is gel nail polish?
So far, we have discussed how and why you need to care for your nails after having a gel manicure or pedicure. Now, we will see what gel nail polish actually is. It is a long-lasting and durable manicure or pedicure that can be achieved with gel nails, a sort of artificial nail augmentation. Gel nails need to be cured under a UV or LED light in order to harden and set, in contrast to ordinary nail polish, which air-dries to produce a firm coating.
How gel nails are made;
Preparation
Your natural nails will be cleaned, shaped, and any nail paint will be removed. The cuticles will also be gently pushed back by the nail technician. To improve adherence, they could also softly buff the surface of the nails.
Base Coat
The nails are coated with a light coating of gel base coat. This base coat creates a smooth foundation and aids in the gel polish’s adhesion to the nails.
Gel Polish Application
The nail technician will delicately cover the whole nail with a thin layer of gel polish. You may select the color and quality of the gel polish that best suits your style.
Curing
Your nails will be exposed to a UV or LED lamp for a certain period of time after the gel polish has been applied. The UV or LED light that the lamp generates activates and hardens the gel to provide a long-lasting and robust finish. Depending on the kind and brand of gel polish being used, the curing procedure normally takes between 30 and 2 minutes for each coat.
Repeat
For every coat of gel polish, the application and curing processes are repeated. Two to three layers are commonly used, depending on the desired opacity and color intensity.
Top Coat
To seal and safeguard the gel polish, a final application of gel top coat is used once the desired color has been obtained. The top coat makes the manicure shine more and makes it last longer.
Final Curing and Cleanup
Your nails will go through a final curing procedure after the top coat is applied to make sure the gel is completely firm. Any remaining sticky residue on the nails after curing is cleaned off with a gel cleaner or an alcohol wipe.
How long it lasts?
Depending on personal nail development and care, a gel manicure or pedicure produces a glossy, chip-resistant finish that can last up to two to three weeks. With spas like Aria Nails & Spa you can have high-performance nail augmentation solutions including gel nails.
Conclusion
All things considered, the guidelines that are described above can help you keep your nails strong, healthy, and attractive after a gel manicure or pedicure. The durability of your gel polish will be increased with proper maintenance, which will help improve the condition of your nails as a whole.
