Gel nails lasting.

[carrottopper]

I love the look of get nails. I envy people that go every 2/3 weeks to have them done. When I've been to a salon and had shellac and opi I've struggled to get more than 8-9 days. If I do them myself at home, I get 5-6 days. Is there a different gel I should be looking at? Would 'dipped' nails be better? No idea what dipped are but seen them on a Facebook page!

Dipped nails like SNS powders etc certainly last ages on me, but I do normally get 2 weeks out of my gel manicure as well, both ones at home and from the salon. The powders though seem pretty much indestructible!! The do look, and feel, quite different from gel nails though.

Do you go to the same salon all the time? Might be worth trying somewhere new to see if it's something about their technique that isn't working well.

Also use a nail and cuticle oil regularly and consider taking a nail vitamin. Weak nails can "peel" making manicures chip off easily. Make sure you "wrap the tip" when doing your own gel manicures, that will also help prevent chips.

Shellac don’t last quite as long as gel but you should be getting longer than that out of them. Mine rarely peel or chip these days and I only have them done because the regrowth is noticeable.

Are you going to the same salon each time? If so, it might be something to do with the base or top coat the salon is using, or how they keep their products. They might also be putting too much product on. Try a different salon and see how you get on.

I chipped shellac/gel terribly so now I have acrylic powder nails. Acrylic powders come in just as many colours, glitters etc as normal nail polish but they are extremely hard wearing. Acrylic doesn't really chip and it is impossible for it to peel unlike shellac/gel. If you get a decent nail technician then they can put them on in a thin layer - no need for a heavy "plastic nails" look. Mine look just like normal nail polish (I live near a very talented nail salon though!)

Also using acrylic means you can have your nails extended with tips if you have short nails or no nails at all. This is what they'd do if you were having shellac/gel on top of nail extensions by the way - they would place the new tips on, acrylic in a clear neutral over the top then paint the shellac/gel colour on. With coloured acrylic powders, you would pick the colour you wanted in place of the "clear neutral" acrylic. You "skip" the shellac/gel stage because the acrylic is already in your chosen colour.

Mine last up to a maximum of 4 weeks - certainly they'll still be looking perfect after 2, and probably ready for seeing to after 3 but I can stretch to 4 if I'm not going anywhere fancy - they will have grown out quite a lot from the base, but won't have chipped/peeled - then I have them infilled which means just the bit that's grown out is re-done if I'm keeping the same colour.

Otherwise they can put a different, darker colour over the top but if I wanted a lighter one they'd have to soak off and apply a new set as an old, darker colour would show through under a new, lighter colour.

To add to my post above, acrylic nails are a commitment - it's not like putting nail polish on and removing it easily. They need both soaking off, and filing off with the nail drills to remove. I am very used to them and this process but like a PP said, they can look and feel different to shellac/gel. Also my own nails are and have always been extremely weak and acrylic gives me nails that I would never have naturally so I have less to lose, IYSWIM. If I did have natural nails that were normal strength I'm not sure I'd do acrylic as the process does have to spoil the surface of the natural nail to have them put on and removed. They don't peel off after soak off like other nail finishes.

Due to being ill before Xmas and then the mother of the lady who does my nails passing away I'm currently sporting 4 week old gels. One chipped slightly today and there is 1/4 of an inch growth at the bottom.

I find the glitter ones last longer and the lady who does mine knows I'm quite hard on my nails so puts and extra coat on.

Have a discussion with the salon staff and take their advice.

I'm not sure what the SNS powders are made of but the advantage of those is that while they're very strong they can be soaked off with acetone just like gel polish and they don't damage your nails.

I find gel nails lasted 10-14 days but then started to peel or chip. SNS lasts for weeks, although obviously you have the regrowth, it doesn’t chip at all. It looks the same as gels as long as it’s put on well (ie not too thick).

Try and find somewhere that uses The Gel Bottle Inc products, specifically their Rubber Base and Builder in a Bottle.

Whilst application is key, these are the best products I have ever found for a long-lasting gel polish manicure.

As an example, last night I removed my perfect (except for one little corner chip on my right thumb) gel polish that was applied on the 14th December!!! The regrowth was huge but my nails grew so long and strong with them. Soaking them off was pretty easy too. I cannot get over how good they were. Definitely worth seeking out someone who uses these products.

Thanks for these replies. I think one main problem I have is regrown. Seriously after 5 days they look 1/4 down my nail bed. I hate when they get stuck in my hair and start to lift

You just have fast-growing nails and there’s not much you can do about that but I would swap salons if the nails are peeling off at any point before the 2-3 week mark.

@carrottopper I have the same problem to be honest. Mine always grow out long before any chips happen. Just go for sparkly or nude colours, the growth shows less then I think.

I get gels done every 14 days. It is a commitment but if you have weak nails naturally like I have, I'm will to keep up the appointments.
I make sure to moisturise my hands and always wear Marigolds when washing up. This I find is where I make a difference to how long they last and look great, even on day 14. I tend to go for neutral colours or French (my work are a bit stuffy!) so I never really have the grubby look by day 14.
Go for it.