A good manicure should last up to three/four weeks. If yours are only lasting a few days, then you’ve got a problem! Following the right steps before, during and after a manicure will help it last for as long as possible. This’ll mean you can wait longer between manicures – which saves a good chunk of money.
How do you extend the lifespan of your manicure? It’s not as hard as you might think. Follow these three golden rules for prolonging your nails:
Have Good Nail Prep
A manicure is a quick and effective beauty idea that gives you a jolt of confidence. Nevertheless, you can’t afford to skip steps before applying any sort of gel or polish. Good nail prep gets everything in the right condition and stops issues like premature cracking or lifting.
To prep your nails before a manicure, follow these steps:
- Dehydrate your nails using an alcohol-based solution
- File the nail to the shape you want
- Push back your cuticles to increase the nail surface area and avoid getting polish on your skin (which often causes premature lifting)
- Buff your nail to create a rough surface for optimal gel adhesion
Do this yourself if you’re performing an at-home manicure – if you go to a nail salon, then the technicians there will handle all of it for you. That’s a great way to know if you need to switch nail salons; if they ain’t prepping, they’re wasting your money!
Opt For Nail Builder Gel
You’ve got many types of nail polish to pick from during a manicure. Air-dry polish is usually the cheapest, though it’s also only going to last a few days. Gel polish is a lot better, but if you want your manicure to last for as long as possible, you should pick a nail builder gel. Quality salons will have this and a builder gel has some key benefits:
- It’s far more durable
- It lasts longer before lifting
- It strengthens the nail and prevents breakage
Also, if you are doing this yourself, then gel builders are typically easier to apply on your own. The product is thicker than other polishes and gels, so you get more time to perfect the application before it spreads across your nail.
Keep Your Nails Away From Water
Water – particularly hot water – can have a detrimental effect on your nail polish/gel. It’ll cause premature chipping and lifts your polish up earlier. Try to avoid exposing your nails to hot water as much as you can. Obviously, you still need to wash your hands and shower, but wear gloves when washing up and try to cut down shower time. It’s actually beneficial to keep your showers between 5-10 minutes as it’s healthier for your skin anyway!
Also, water can get trapped between your nail and the polish, which leads to nail fungus. Nobody wants that, which is even more reason to keep your nails away from water and dry them properly after washing your hands/showering.
Keep these golden rules in mind to prolong your manicure and keep your nails looking their best!
