Has gel nail varnish got any better in recent years

[cobwebsoncornices]

I would love to have gel nails but, when I tried it a few years ago, it would often lift off an entire nail after 48 hours and within a few more days, half of them would have no gel left. It didn't flake off or anything and nor was I picking at it. The whole sheet of varnish would just lift off. Even thought that meant I only ever had it on for a few days, it would destroy my nails for months afterwards. They would just be so brittle.
You would have thought that, after all that, I'd want to stay away from them forever but, for the brief hours each time before it starting going wrong, I loved them.
Has anything changed which might mean they'd actually last 10 days or so? Would they destroy my nails again? Are there any alternatives?
Please help!

I’ve just trained to be a gel nail technician and my varnish lasts 2-3 weeks!

I have gel and it lasts up to four weeks if I’m careful.

The only problem I've had with them is when I couldn't get them taken off in a salon and tried to take them off at home. No chance of those bastards peeling off, it took acetone and a metal file to even make a dent in them, and I ended up having to get the rest taken off in a salon anyway about a week later when I could get to one

My nails have just about recovered from the gels i had done for my 50th in October. It's wrecked them. Daily Solgar oil has helped.

That's never happened to me - did you have it done professionally?

I find if I have it done professionally it will last a good 2-3 weeks, and that's with me washing my hands a lot and generally being quite tough on my nails.

Doing it myself with cheap Amazon polishes it's usually good for a week, then I top up chipped bits and it lasts another week.

So long as you soak it off and don't pick it shouldn't damage your nails.

After having them done in a salon in the summer, I now do my own gel nails at home - I don't have builder gel or extensions, just gel varnish over my natural nails. They last between 1 to 2 plus weeks depending on how well I did them, and whether or not I manage to break a nail!
I really like them, and my natural nails look the best they have in ages.

I'm a nail tech. Were you having them done professionally or doing them yourself? It usually comes down to the prep of the nail not being thorough enough which causes the lifting. Having said that, some people have more naturally oily nail plates which means they are more likely to lift. Other factors can cause lifting too, such as certain medications, medical conditions, pregnancy etc. A good nail tech should give you aftercare advice. My clients return after 2 - 3 weeks with the gel still perfect other than the regrowth.

Mine take 6 months to recover from them. Sometimes a whole nail comes off. The best for lasting was the gel extensions I had for my wedding. (An acrylic paste) Lasted a month, but nails ruined for ages.

@Mumdiva99 There is a distinct difference between gel and acrylic. The trouble is that there are a lot of non standard salons operating who don't explain clearly the products they are using or how to care for the nails afterwards. When you end up with damaged nails, it's usually down to poor preparation or removal not the products themselves.

Sorry yes.....it had gel on top. I mentioned it because it lasted really well. The gel must have bonded well with the acrylic paste

I’ve stopped biting my nails for the first time in years and I am contemplating gels. I think they would stop me starting to bite or pick again and these days everyone seems to have lovely nails. I’ve never had as much as a manicure so I will be following this thread. I didn’t even realise that there was a difference between gels and acrylics.

I do my own at home and get probably a week out of them. They do peel eventually but don’t cause damage coming off like salon ones have done as they’re not so heavy duty to start with.

Do you mean gel nail varnish that you apply as normal nail varnish or gel varnish that is cured with a lamp?

The first can last me a week if I use a good make and I’m careful. The latter never lifts or peels (even if I’m not too careful) and I have them removed. Damages the nails though.

I had this too- and it was at quite an expense salon too.

The first one peeled off in two days! Normal nail varnish lasts longer than that!

Load of shite,

I have a home kit and have the same problem

Was wondering if Orly breathable is any better.

I think it’s a lot about nail type. I’ve been to multiple places and tried all different types of prep and the same thing happens, whole thing will just lift off.
I got a whole set for home and again tried different things, same thing happens. Not sure there is anything else I can do now! I just use Barry M gel nail polish which has nice colours and is really shiny, closest thing I can get that stays on.

It sounds like you had Shellac last time? If you have oily nails Shellac will lift very easily, it doesn't even last a day on my nails. Sensationail is basically Shellac in different packaging.

Have you tried Gelish, it lasts two to three weeks on me and is much better than Shellac.

You can help your nails last longer by keeping your hands oil free (don't keep dipping your nails in hand cream and body lotion), if you have oily nails don't use cuticle oil and try to avoid immersing your nails in water for long periods of time, use rubber gloves for washing up and cleaning.

I've been having gels done for almost three years now and very rarely get lifting, only when I'm due to get them redone. They usually last 3-4 weeks if I take care of them.

I've stopped doing gel and starting getting SNS dipping powder as I find it lasts a lot longer. I can easily get 3 weeks out of it.

It has changed my life! My nails have always been weak, it must be genetic because I have tried so many products etc. over the years but they just split and break and look awful. I could spend an hour doing my nails and if I'm lucky they might look ok but after a few days, regardless of top coat etc. they would chip and start to look bad. After a week I'd certainly have to do them again. I now get a gel polish applied every 3 weeks and my nails look fab! The polish stays put, doesn't chip or lift or anything and when she removes it my nails look fine? (I pay a small bit extra for a protein base which protects the nail)

For me, it means I look groomed all the time and is well worth the small weekly cost. It takes less than an hour once every 3 weeks. I'll never go back to painting my own nails.

It's 'gelish' that my technician uses.

I do my own gel polish at home and get 2, if not 3 weeks out of them.

If you have a good manicurist, then gel nails can easily last weeks, if not months (other than the issue of re-growth). Mine have never lifted off on their own. My current nails were done almost 2 weeks ago, and are perfect.

I agree that the nail underneath can be damaged, though.

It lasts 3 weeks on me, rarely chips, but I have gel extensions as well because my natural nails are rubbish and weak

Ps I always choose dnd brand and they are done professionally