Tips For Healthy and Beautiful Hair

Posted on: 21 September 2016

Shellac is a mix of gel and nail polish. Since it's similar to polish, it can't be used to lengthen your nails, but its gel properties add strength and durability to your manicure. Shellac is less damaging to nails than traditional gels because it doesn't require acetone for removal. Its primary benefit is that it reduces chipping. However, if you're wondering why your supposedly long-wearing shellac manicure is chipping, here are some mistakes you might be making.

Spending too much time in the water. Your nail plate will expand and contract when it's in contact with water for too long. Spending time in pools, swimming in the ocean, taking long soaks in the tub and even washing your hands frequently can all dry out your nails and polish, causing chips.  There are special oil-based products you can buy that will protect your nails from water if you apply the oil regularly. At home, use rubber gloves when you're washing the dishes.

Damaging the nail by peeling off polish. Shellac tends to come off the nail in sheets, making it very tempting to peel the polish off instead of using shellac remover.  Peeling shellac off is a bad idea because it can delaminate the nail itself, making it a less-than-ideal surface for your next shellac application. The shellac might peel off because the nail underneath is peeling. Consider buying a shellac removal kit to use at home if you can't stand to wait until your next appointment with the manicurist to have it properly removed. If your nails have already been damaged from peeling off shellac, there are treatments you can use on your nails for a week or two that help give a better base for shellac. 

Using your fingernails as tools. This might be obvious, but it's worth mentioning. Anyone who cares about their nails should avoid using them to peel off stickers or to open things. Try to use tools like scissors or box cutters to open packages. If you need to peel off stickers or labels, use products made to remove adhesives.  Shellac may be stronger than traditional polish, but it's not that strong.

Wearing your nails very short. If the tip of the fingernail doesn't go past the end of your finger, it can be hard to make a shellac seal on the edge of your nail. Ideally, you want to wrap the edge of the nail with shellac to give further holding power. If your nails are very short, that's difficult to do, so your shellac manicure might be more like likely to lift up and chip or peel. The best fix for that is to grow your nails past the edge of your fingers. If that's not an option, consider choosing a more neutral shellac color because it won't look as obvious when it wears away a little bit at the tip.

For more information, contact Snazzy Creations or a similar company.