Make Shellac/ Gel nails last longer

[Sinead100]

Does anybody have any tips on making your regular Shellac or gel manicure last longer/ stay in better condition?

I've found that after a while, the colour begins to crack, and it's happened over the years with numerous nail technicians, so I'm putting it down to my nails! Any advice welcome.

Thaaaaanks!

Do you oil your nails? If not, try that.

Thanks DropZoneOne

I don't but will try

It's about what the therapist uses too. If she doesn't use cool blue first, then apply scrub fresh before base coat, they will not last. I am trained in shellac and notice when I have them done professionally, that some salons do not use these products and I'm guessing they have not been trained by the brand.

My shellac always lasts three weeks and recently 4.

I paint on nail oil as often as I can remember and this really helps as they grow out. If I do get tiny cracks it is only in week 3 as I'm hard on my nails and seem to bend them a lot...

Thanks everyone, super helpful!

Cuticle oil

If it’s shellac buy the solar oil, if your not liking are you following other aftercare advice?.

Nails absorb water faster than skin and swell. When they dry out again it pulls the product off the nail a little bit. If the nail is well moisturised with oil it can’t absorb as much water and the service will last longer.

It also stops the skin around the nail looking tatty.

Oiling, not liking.

Autocorrect is taking the piss tonight.

@Fluffycloudland77 thanks for that. I’ve been using almond oil as had that in the cupboard

Have you tried a different brand? I find the gel bottle pretty bulletproof on my nails x

I bought the lamp and products and started doing it myself. I care about my nails a lot more than a technician does and it honestly lasts far longer than when someone else does it

I didn't know you could use oil with gel. I had bio sculpture for years and it was always a big no no. It's very cheesy but always follow the 'nails are ornaments not tools' rule, I find it's little things like peeling off a label that tend to cause the cracks.

You can use specially designed nail oils, their designed to sink into the skin really quickly & not break down the product.

You wouldn’t use a petrochemical, the molecules are far too big to penetrate the skin and they can cause service breakdown.