How to make your manicurelast longer

There’s nothing quite like leaving the salon with freshly done nails: smooth cuticles, a perfect shape and a finish so glossy you keep catching it in the light. The frustrating part is when a chip appears three days later, or a corner starts to lift at the end of the first week. The good news is that most early chips and lifting are avoidable. A few small changes to your routine will help any manicure, from classic polish to gel and BIAB, stay looking salon-fresh for longer.

Start with the right appointment

Longevity begins before any colour goes on. Choose a treatment that suits your lifestyle. Classic polish is lovely if you like to change colour every week, but it will chip sooner than gel. If you’re hard on your hands, gel or BIAB is the better choice. If your nails bend and snap easily, BIAB adds strength that gel alone can’t.

Arrive with clean, bare nails if you can, and avoid applying hand cream just before your appointment. Oils and lotions sit on the nail plate and can stop products bonding properly, which is one of the most common causes of early lifting.

Use cuticle oil every single day

If you only adopt one habit, make it this one. Cuticle oil keeps the skin around your nails soft and hydrated, which stops it cracking and catching on the edges of your manicure. It also keeps the natural nail flexible underneath gel and BIAB, so it’s less likely to separate from the product.

Massage a drop into each cuticle once or twice a day. Keeping a small bottle on your bedside table or at your desk makes it easy to remember.

Wear gloves for chores

Hot water, washing-up liquid and household cleaners are tough on any manicure. Water makes the natural nail expand and contract, and over time that movement weakens the bond between your nail and the product on top. Cleaning sprays and bleach can dull the top coat and dry out your cuticles.

A pair of rubber gloves for washing up and cleaning is one of the cheapest ways to protect your nails. Gardening gloves are worth having too.

Don’t use your nails as tools

It’s tempting to use a nail to open a can, peel a sticker or scrape something off a surface, but the free edge of your nail is exactly where chips and breaks start. Use the pad of your finger, a coin or a proper tool instead. Your nails will thank you.

The same goes for picking. If you notice a tiny lift, resist the urge to pull at it. Picking takes the top layers of your natural nail with the product, leaving it thin and weak.

Be gentle with heat and water

Long, hot baths and swimming can soften your nails and loosen the edges of your manicure, especially in the first day or two after your appointment. You don’t need to avoid them, but drying your hands thoroughly afterwards and applying cuticle oil helps.

Keep the shape, not the length

If a nail starts to catch, a gentle file in one direction with a fine glass or crystal file will smooth it out. Avoid sawing back and forth, which can cause splitting. For gel and BIAB, don’t try to file through the product itself; a tiny snag at the edge can wait until your next visit.

Protect your top coat

Sun cream, fake tan and some hand sanitisers can stain or dull lighter shades and top coats. Wash your hands after applying them, and keep sanitiser use reasonable. A dull top coat is easy to refresh at the salon if it happens.

Book your next appointment before you leave

Gel and BIAB look their best for around two to three weeks. After that, regrowth starts to show and the balance of the nail shifts forward, which puts more pressure on the edges. Booking your next appointment in advance means you won’t be tempted to stretch it to five or six weeks, when lifting and breaks are far more likely.

Never peel it off

When it’s time for a change, book a professional removal or an infill. Gel and BIAB are designed to be soaked off or filed back gently, not peeled. Peeling might feel satisfying, but it strips layers of keratin from your natural nail and can leave it sore and weak for weeks.

The short version

• Choose the right treatment for your nails and lifestyle
• Use cuticle oil daily
• Wear gloves for cleaning and washing up
• Don’t pick, peel or use your nails as tools
• Book infills or removals every two to three weeks

Follow these and your manicure will last longer, look better and keep your natural nails healthy underneath. If you have a question about your nails, send us a WhatsApp message. We’re always happy to help.