Nails

[teaandtoastwithmarmite]

Hi there. I’ve been getting my nails done at same place for a good few years now. Biab and shellac. Around October/ November last year they started being very poor. Breakage, lifting, peeling. I left it a few times as we’d been moving house so wondered if it was that. Then I was stripping wallpaper but I was wearing gloves so a couple of months ago I messaged the owner on instagram as she’s not always there and I usually message for an appointment and explained. First time I paid for it all to be taken off and redone. Same happened again. She said the only thing she could think of was she’d seen on social media some users of the gel bottle complaining it hasn’t been as good lately so she got her staff to take off and reapply with a different gel. Last month wasn’t too bad. It started breaking after almost four weeks. This time I wasn’t 2 weeks on before one finger peeled. It was my left index finger so one I use a lot. But I’ve noticed loads of them are lifting at the tips and the base and how my thumbnail has some come off at the edge. Sorry for long message. Could this be my nails or the salon?

It could be either tbh.
it sounds as though something has changed in one of the products they’re using and it could be trial and error before you (or they) figure out which one.
That said, you’ve moved house (stress) and gone through winter and either of those things can play a factor too.
It sounds like you’ve an understanding nail tech so hopefully they’ll work with you to figure it out.
You could make sure not to put any moisturiser on your hands for a couple of days before your appt, but that’s just one of the things I’d be suggesting if you were my client. Changed washing powder/cleaning product/hair shampoo it really could be anything x

Thank you. TBH I’m thinking of trying a different place. She isn’t really there watching them apply it and although I appreciate her trying to fix it it’s like I’m wasting money now. It’s all Vietnamese and they’re all so nice and I do feel bad but maybe I should change

When you say 4 weeks ‘wasn’t bad’ how long do you ideally want them to last?

They usually last four weeks without peeling or lifting. Just grown out. They have been very good up until the end of last year

I’m just wondering if I should give it a rest for a few weeks then go back, give it a rest and go somewhere else or just go somewhere else

If it were mainly your nails weakening, you’d more often see overall thinning, bending, or peeling underneath too. The fact that changing products slightly improved things for a bit also makes me think the salon’s suspicion about the formula may not be completely wrong. That said, after years of BIAB/shellac, nails can also become more dehydrated and sensitive to repeated filing and acetone exposure. Sometimes even tiny changes in hormone levels, medication, stress, or housework can suddenly affect retention too.

Could suspected peri menopause do it then? Some of the biab has since come off. Picture below

here