To look presentable along with other beauty and health care demands, nail care is also an essential step. There are many options that one can avail to enhance the appearance and health of one’s nails. Getting a manicure is one of them.
A manicure can also be a great way to express your personality. With its natural and glossy finish gel color manicures are readily becoming more popular among the masses. And the question these people face is how to maintain healthy gel nails?
Tips to Maintain Gel Nail Polish Color at Home
Preparation
With other products and services increasing in prices, nail salons have also become very costly. Therefore, many people try to give themselves a manicure at home to feel prepped and clean. Before applying any gel color nail polish, it is crucial to prepare your nails, to maintain the hygiene of your nails.
You can use acetone, or nail oil to clean your nails thoroughly before applying any constituents on your nails. This will help remove any previously applied nail paint or dirt from the nails.
Use a Buffer
If you want your manicure to last longer you may use a buffer. Using a buffer before doing a gel color manicure will give your nails a better grip for the nail polish. Use a buffer with 150 grits before applying any nail polish. Using a fine nail buffer like a 600-grit buffer or above may not give you the same result.
Buffing your nails will give your nails a texture, which helps the nail polish to set in the crevices of the surface and hold the nail more strongly. Do not overdo the buffing it can harm your nail and aggressive strokes can make your nails sensitive.
Add a Primer
The most popular mistake that people make with gel nail polish is that they conceive that because gel nail polish is thicker it does not require a primer. Primer is essential to all kinds of nails but mostly to thin nails.
If you have thin nails use a thick manicure base before applying gel nail polish, so you can avoid nail breakage and will maintain healthy gel nails. You can check the thinness of your nails by the flexibility of your nail tip.
Application Technique
The chipping of the manicure bothers everyone equally. To avoid the chipping of the manicure there is a certain way you should apply your gel nail paint. The important tip is to cure the nail paint right after application.
Do not apply a big gulp of nail paint at one go, rather apply thin layers of paint and cure them one by one for a better finish. Also, make sure that your gel nail paint is not touching or overlaying on the cuticles of your nails, as that is where the chipping starts from.
Apply a Top Coat
A Top Coat is as necessary for the maintenance of gel nails as any other step. A topcoat provides the finishing gloss that your nails need to look presentable. Not only does it make the nails look shiny but it also seals the nail polish in place.
If your nail paint is hard to dry you can apply a quick-drying top coat and it will seal the nail paint in place. Before applying the topcoat, buff your nails and then apply acetone with a brush. It does sound risky but it is a great way to lock your nail paint in place and it expands the life of your manicure.
The fun part of applying a topcoat is that there are topcoats with glitter in them. You can choose a glitter contrasting to your nail color or can choose a holographic top coat to enhance the look of your nails.
Look for the Right Ingredients
Although nail polishes are an exterior product they do apply to your nails and some gel nail polishes can be harmful if applied regularly. If a nail polish contains formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate it can cause inflammation, thyroid and liver problems.
Opting for a healthier brand can always save money in the longer run. Do not buy a cheap gel nail polish just because it is cost-efficient. Spending a little more than usual on the right products can prove to be a better choice for your health.
Avoid Hot Water
Gel polishes are hard and they can stay on your nails for a longer period but many people face peeling problems in the bath. If you want your gel nail manicure to last longer you may reduce your exposure to hot water and oils.
When your finely-manicured hands are exposed to hot water and your natural oils such as oils from your scalp or free edge of the nail, it lifts the gel polish because the moisture gets accumulated underneath the polish layer.
This is why getting your nails prepped and primed is crucial for a longer-lasting manicure.
Give Your Nails Time to Breathe
If you are a person who likes to have their nails painted and polished all the time. Make sure that you let your nails breathe in between manicures. Applying Nail polish after nail polish will give your natural nails a yellow hue.
The most popular technique to remove a gel nail paint is to dip your nails in a 100% pure acetone liquid. This can cause your nails and skin to dry. Make sure you moisturize your nails right after acetone dipping and use nail oil to procure healthy nails.
Conclusion
Numerous people consider gel color manicures harmful for their nails but the truth is that if you follow some simple tips before and after your manicure you can make them harmless. To maintain healthy gel nails, limit your exposure to UV light and put sunscreen on your hands before exposure.
These small steps if taken at their respective times can make a huge difference in your experience of the gel manicure. They can surge the time limit of the gel nails color and help you maintain a more hygienic lifestyle.