Your nail polish has chipped, but you don’t have time to completely renew your manicure? Such troubles always happen at the most inopportune moment. To make them happen as rarely as possible, we recommend giving preference to a high-quality professional salon manicure, the benefits of which you can find out on the page, as well as using tips on how to extend the life of a manicure, which we published in previous articles. But, in any case, sometimes your manicure can go bad at the most inopportune moment - one small chip of the varnish, and your nails no longer look the same. What can you do if you have little time?
We suggest not covering your nails with another polish - do not waste extra time erasing the old one and applying a new coating. Instead, you can make a kind of graphic jacket, which looks no less stylish and can be a real salvation for you at the last moment.
What will you need for this?
Nail polish in a contrasting color (preferably dark);
Finish coating (fixer);
Scotch tape (preferably thin, it will be more convenient);
Scissors;
Soft nail file.
Step 1: File and polish the damaged nail
Using a soft nail file, file and polish the nail around the chipped polish. The surface should be smooth - this way you can remove all chipped remnants of the old varnish and prepare the surface for applying the new one.
Step 2: Cut strips of tape
Using scissors, cut 10 small strips of tape, slightly wider than your nail plate.
Step 3: Apply tape to your nails
Attach the tape so that it covers the areas that you will not cover with new varnish. That is, the chipped areas that you prepared for applying new varnish should remain open. The most universal way is to stick strips of tape slightly diagonally - you will get a very stylish manicure, a kind of graphic French manicure. And so that when you remove the tape from your nails, the old polish does not break off in a new place, before gluing it, touch it with your fingers on the sticky side (this way it will not stick so much).
Step 4: Paint the tips of your nails
Paint the tips of your nails that are not covered with tape with a contrasting polish, remove the tape before the nail polish is dry. This is the only way you will get a clear, unsmudged line. If you wait until the lath dries, it may come off along with the tape as a solid coating.
Step 5: Apply Topcoat (Sealer)
After removing the tape, let your nails dry for a couple of minutes, then apply a clear sealer and your new manicure is ready!
Not so long ago, a type of gel polish called shellac became popular. It is a cosmetic varnish made from natural resin and is particularly durable while causing minimal damage to the nails.
But, despite its durability, shellac, like any other varnish, tends to chip and ruin a beautiful manicure.
And then questions arise: what to do if the shellac on your nails chips?
First you need to find out why shellac chips.
There are 3 main reasons:
- a specialist who does manicure;
- the products he uses;
- susceptibility of nails to shellac.
You need to be sure that the master is a qualified specialist and uses high-quality products.
There is also a personal intolerance to shellac. This is quite rare and is most often caused by various diseases.
Shellac chipped: what to do at home
If shellac chips off at the ends, there is no need to immediately make an appointment at a beauty salon. Sometimes it is enough to simply file off that part of the tip of the nail where the polish has peeled off, and the manicure will look presentable again.
A piece of gel polish that has broken off from the tip of the nail can be restored independently using special equipment. It is only necessary to carry out all the procedures that the master performs, but not on the entire nail plate, but only on the exposed area. Such equipment is quite expensive, so not every woman can afford to apply shellac at home.
What to do:
- You can cover the chipped piece with varnish of the same color as the shellac coating; then apply clear varnish to the entire surface. No one will notice the difference, but finding the perfect varnish is quite problematic.
- Pieces that break off from the tip of the nail can be hidden by simulating a “French manicure” with any cosmetic varnish.
- You can also hide the exposed area using shiny varnish, applying it, for example, in stripes, or completely covering the entire nail.
- There are many different nail stickers available. They will help disguise a peeling piece of shellac and prevent further chipping of the coating.
To avoid such situations when shellac lags behind, you need to:
- Use cuticle oil. Moisturizing makes the nail softer, so the coating lasts longer.
- Apply clear varnish. The durability and beauty of your manicure will improve if you regularly renew the coating.
- Do all household chores with gloves. Gloves will protect your manicure not only from accidental damage, but also from exposure to chemical liquids used for cleaning and washing dishes.
- Take vitamins. Having healthy nails, it’s easy to avoid delamination of the plate, which means there’s less of another reason for manicure damage.
- Strengthen nails. There are many recipes for strengthening nails. The same principle works as in the previous paragraph.
- Use quality products. Even with ideal care, the coating will not last long if low-quality varnish has been applied.
We hasten to disappoint you: if the manicure has cracked, it’s not so perfect! In 99% of cases, the fault for a ruined manicure lies with you. There are several main reasons why cracks can occur. Among them:
Extreme wearing conditions
Violation of application technology
Most often, gel polish chips as a result of a violation of the application technology. There are several main common mistakes that lead to this:
Poor quality degreasing. If you skip this step, the gel polish will not last. Even shellac. Degreasing with improvised means will not give the same effect as using a special liquid. The only thing you can try to replace it with is alcohol or nail polish remover with acetone. Neither vodka nor simple acetone-free liquids are suitable. You need to degrease the entire nail plate thoroughly.
Poor nail treatment. Inept use of a file or buff (a special file-cube for polishing) leads to the formation of notches on the nail plate. As a result, the gel polish lays unevenly and then chips.
Inattention to detail. Many DIYers (especially hobbyists) overlook the need to seal layers such as finishes. Remember a simple rule: for gel polish, the smallest details of the application process are critical.
You can spare money and do very thin layers, or you can rush and, on the contrary, type too much gel polish on the brush. Both of these inevitably lead to cracks. Over time, you will get better at it and learn to determine the required amount of a particular product intuitively.
Your work area should always be clean. Even microscopic particles of face powder, dust or nail filings (this is the white dust that remains after filing nails) caught among the layers can cause cracks.
That is, most likely the problem is your poor quality work. If you are confident in your professionalism, perhaps you made a mistake already while wearing gel polish.
Extreme wearing conditions
Extreme wearing conditions are not always associated with rock climbing or other traumatic activities. In fact, in everyday life there are a lot of restrictions for extending the life of a manicure. It is enough to make a single mistake during care and cracks can no longer be avoided.
Manicure should not be exposed to high temperatures or prolonged contact with humid air. Both nails extended with biogel and gel polish do not like this. If you want to quickly get rid of manicure, listen to this point and go to a Russian bathhouse.
Frequent contact with water is generally contraindicated for gel polish. If you shower frequently, work with liquids, or constantly wash your hands (for example, you are a doctor), your manicure will not last for several weeks.
Impacts, friction and other mechanical loads will inevitably lead to damage to the coating.
Low temperatures also have a bad effect on the structure of gel polish. Therefore, in winter, owners of such a manicure should not neglect mittens and gloves.
Even contact with household chemicals can cause cracks. Therefore, you need to wear rubber gloves while cleaning.
If among these factors you have not found any reasons for the appearance of chips on your manicure, perhaps you still belong to the third category.
Reasons beyond your control
Sometimes gel polish can chip for reasons beyond your control. This category of factors may include:
Infections
Metabolic disease
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
Hypovitaminosis
And other reasons that lead to thinning and weakness of the nail plate.
That is, the gel polish procedure, no matter how good it is for strengthening healthy nails, is contraindicated for problem plates. Nail extensions should not be applied to nails that are prone to splitting and brittleness.
In this case, the only acceptable procedure can be called strengthening with biogel. But it should be carried out only after consultation with a doctor or at least an experienced manicurist.
Chips on gel polish very often appear in pregnant women. This is not to say that they are generally contraindicated from painting their nails (as we wrote about in our other article). It’s just that during pregnancy there are changes in hormonal levels. Hormones affect the condition of the entire body, including skin, hair and nails. nail plates may become denser or brittle, grow faster or slower. Therefore, it is impossible to accurately predict the reaction of nails to a particular procedure.
There are many reasons for cracks and chips in gel polish. You can only guess what went wrong this time.
But if chips and cracks have become a tradition, it may all be due to low-quality materials. Purchase gel polishes only from trusted suppliers. Choose popular companies that are often found among craftsmen.
Also, check the functionality of your lamp. It is likely that she is running out of work. It can be limited to even 3000 hours (for some UV lamps).
Consider all the factors listed in the article and try to ensure compliance with the technology in the process of creating a manicure. Treat your nails with care to preserve the coating longer.
The beauty of your hands depends only on you.
If you have any questions, be sure to ask them in the comments! Share reviews of the products you used for manicure and your recommendations for preventing gel polish chipping!
But, as they say, “it was smooth on paper, but they forgot about the ravines.” There are many small routine nuances, non-compliance with which is considered mistakes in gel polish manicure and leads to disappointment with such a wonderful material and even abandonment of it in favor of regular varnish.
The most common problems with gel polish:
- Gel polish doesn't stick well
- Detachment of gel polish
- Chips on gel polish
- Bubbles, gel polish swells
- The topcoat turns yellow and does not shine
Chips and detachments gel polish sooner than after 2 weeks of wear.
The most likely reason that the gel polish does not hold well, swells, chips and detachments appear is a defect in the manicure: improper preparation of the nail, violation of the sequence of steps, neglect of any of them, or insufficiently thorough execution. The quality of gel polish is at the very last place.
Chips and detachments of gel polish most often occur due to:
- Somewhere there is a pterygium left in the cuticle area.
- A dehydrator was not used, so natural oil components remained on the surface of the nail plate. The dehydrator should also be passed along the ends and on the inside of the free edge of the nail.
- When applying the base, you need to leave a small indentation from the cuticle, otherwise it will not be correct.
- The base is applied too thick.
- Abundant sealing of the nail end with all layers of coating. As a result, a critical mass accumulates and adhesion to the end is disrupted, microcracks appear. You need to be extremely subtle, just the base, finish and once with color.
- If the length is long, the overgrown free edge often bends, even imperceptibly - the integrity of the varnish is compromised in stress areas on the sides; gel polish does not last long on long nails.
Also, chips and detachments of gel polish quickly appear if there is a lot of prolonged contact with water - washing, washing dishes without rubber gloves. Sooner or later the gel polish will swell, because... The nail heats up in water, absorbs moisture, becomes softer and more elastic, and is easier to bend. This results in overtension in the layers, as a result - microcracks that violate the tightness of the coating, and then chipping or peeling is a matter of time.
Good news. Chips of gel polish along the edges and corners of the nail can be eliminated using restoration, similar to.
They often ask whether it is necessary to remove the stickiness from the base sublayer; supposedly, this technique is taught in some courses and is found in video materials. Overall, this is wrong.
The dispersion layer is the residual stickiness of the gel component, formed after polymerization of the substance under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Polymerization is the attachment of small molecules of gel polish to each other, as a result of which large, rigid molecular structures are formed (the varnish hardens), and those that are not attached are pushed to the surface (they will react with the next layer). This creates a sticky layer; if it is removed at the stage of the base or intermediate color stains, the adhesion will deteriorate and the wearability of the coating will decrease. Another thing is that gel polish is such a universal substance that it will still last quite a long time. Therefore, we must proceed from expediency - it is permissible to remove the stickiness for the sake of completing the design, or if you are just learning how to apply gel polish and do not have time to paint the nail, the varnish spreads.
Bubbles and gel polish.
Sometimes after a manicure procedure we see bubbles under the gel polish. The polish is bubbling either from the air inside or from the release of moisture.
♦ Because of the air - you manage to get it into the brush while you are taking it out of the bottle: you rub the brush too actively on the neck of the bottle, trying to leave excess paint. If you do this too quickly, air will get into the varnish on your brush. The same is true when applying paint to a nail; if you rush to apply and distribute the paint over the nail and move the brush quickly, air gets under it. This is especially true for liquid gel polishes. It's a matter of technology.
♦ The second reason is naturally wet nails. The solution is a dehydrator, coat the nail 2-3 times, on the underside of the free edge too, let it dry, evaporate and only then apply the coating. If the humidity of your nails is high, do not use steaming in water before manicure, use a cuticle remover.
Single bubbles can be fixed
Also, if your nails are wet, you will need a primer in addition to the dehydrator. It happens that gel polish comes off the nail, even expensive shellac peels off, completely like a sticker. Peeling off the coating is very harmful to your nails, never do it! To prevent the gel polish from coming off, gently buff the nail plate, remove moisture, and apply an acid-free primer under the base.
If there are few bubbles in the varnish, just a few (indicated by arrows in the photo), the problem can be corrected using a sander. Carefully walk where the gel polish has swollen, leveling it with the surface of the entire coating, wipe off the dust with a napkin soaked in de-sticking liquid, and cover it again with top gel polish, trying to avoid bubbles.
The top does not shine, turns yellow, darkens
Everyone knows that at the end of a gel manicure, a topcoat must be applied. In light colors, over time you will notice that the top is turning yellow. The most likely reason is that the layer is too thick. Some people make 2 layers for “safety net” - this is unnecessary, there should be one top layer, but it should be of high quality, neither thin nor thick, sufficient. It comes with practice.
Many people wonder why the top doesn’t shine on a new manicure. The issue may be due to improper removal of the sticky layer. The dispersion must be removed from the cooled nail. Polymerization continues for some time after you remove your hand from the lamp, so we wait until it cools down.
It is also important that the top gel polish shines - each nail should be wiped with a separate napkin. By removing the sticky layer, we remove a certain number of molecules that have not undergone polymerization; they remain on the fabric, and if we wipe the next nail in the same place, they get on it and the removing liquid loses its effectiveness.
Some topcoats do not form a sticky layer at all, and if you try to remove it, the shine will simply deteriorate, check your product.
Here are all the important rules, subtleties and secrets of mastery for beginners.
Modern manicure is very different from the one done a couple of decades ago. Moreover, the difference lies not only in the types and shades of coatings, but also in the technique of their application. The so-called gel polish is especially in demand among modern women. The secret of its popularity lies in its amazing durability. According to the manufacturers, it can last about four weeks. However, these statements do not always correspond to reality and it often happens that after a couple of days only memories remain from a fresh manicure. After reading today's publication, you will find out why on the nails.
Wrong sock
This is one of the most common reasons for newly applied coatings to peel off. Due to carelessness and incorrect actions of the owner of such a manicure, chips appear on it. Despite the fact that gel polish is positioned as a very durable coating, when wearing it you should follow a few simple recommendations.
It is undesirable to expose it to prolonged exposure to high temperatures combined with humidity. So that you don’t have a question about why the gel polish cracks, you don’t need to overuse visits to the sauna or solarium while wearing it. The atmosphere prevailing there can have a bad effect on the condition of the nail plate.
A negative reaction of gel polish is also observed when exposed to low temperatures. Therefore, in severe frosts it is better to hide your hands in mittens or gloves. In addition to cracking, freezing temperatures can cause the coating to peel and dull.
Serious loads and household chemicals
If you don’t go to a sauna or expose your nails to low temperatures, but you still have a completely logical and logical question about why gel polish cracks at the tips, it will be useful for you to learn about another reason for this problem. This is often caused by an unreasonably high mechanical load. As a rule, owners of rather soft and flexible nails face a similar problem. In this case, even minor loads can cause the plate to bend and crack the gel polish.
Also, the instability of the coating may be due to constant interaction with household chemicals. To protect the skin of your hands and preserve your recently done manicure, be sure to wear special gloves before doing household work that involves using detergents or cleaning products.
Application technology
If none of the above reasons apply to your situation, and the question of why the gel polish is cracking still remains open, then it is likely that the manicure rules were violated. In order not to encounter a similar problem in the future, you cannot neglect the preliminary preparation of the plate.
Before applying gel polish, it is advisable not to use nourishing and moisturizing hand creams. It is also important to thoroughly dry and degrease your nails. If a manicure is done at home and you don’t have a professional dehydrator on hand, you can replace it with medical alcohol or acetone-based nail polish remover.
The next reason is considered to be insufficient treatment of the nail plate. First, it is filed down using a buff. And only after that the edge is processed. Otherwise, there will be nicks on the plate. So that you don’t have to wonder later why the gel polish coating is cracking, you must not neglect to seal each applied layer.
Unsatisfactory results can be obtained in case of poor quality drying. Also, tiny particles of debris that get on the varnish lead to the appearance of cracks. Therefore, manicure should be performed on a carefully cleaned table. A layer of varnish that is too thin or too thick will not last long on your nails.
Poor quality materials
Using inferior products can also lead to the question of why gel polish cracks on the tips of your nails. You shouldn't save money on buying a base and top. Try to always use expensive and high-quality products. Experts recommend giving preference to brands produced by trusted manufacturers. This largely determines how long your manicure will last.
So that you don’t have to wonder later why the top coat of gel polish is cracking, you need to avoid so-called 2-in-1 products. They stick to the nails much worse and are more difficult to remove. Therefore, always try to purchase the base and top separately.
Health
Oddly enough, the longevity of a manicure is influenced by the internal state of the body. Moreover, we are talking not only about the day the coating is applied, but also about the entire period of its wear. Those who want to understand why gel polish cracks will probably be interested in the fact that some physiological processes occurring in the human body can perceive the applied coating as something foreign and requiring intense rejection. As a result, the manicure will not last as long as planned.
As a rule, cracking and peeling of gel polish occurs due to hormonal imbalances, inflammation and infectious diseases. Also, the reason for the rapid deterioration of a recently done manicure may be a course of antibiotics.
Pregnancy
Hormonal stress associated with the happy anticipation of a new addition to the family may be the reason why the expectant mother has a question about why the gel polish on her nails is cracking. Of course, during pregnancy you should not completely give up manicure. You just need to understand that the result may not be what you expected.
In addition, many pregnant women experienced slow or, conversely, accelerated nail growth. Some expectant mothers experienced thickening and strengthening of the plate, while in others it became weaker and thinner.
Why do my nails crack under gel polish?
This coating is a complex chemical compound that contains hydrated collagen. It is “sinked” into the upper layers of the nail plate using ultraviolet light, which has a very aggressive effect on skin cells.
Since the nail plate, which has been under a layer of gel polish for a long time, is completely deprived of moisture and oxygen, it gradually begins to thin out and exfoliate. It becomes more brittle and dry.
In addition, during the process of removing gel polish, an aggressive solution is used. It is applied to the nails and covered with foil or a special impermeable material. This also negatively affects the condition of the plate.
To ensure that your hands always look beautiful and healthy, you need to follow a few simple tips. The most important step is proper nutrition. So that you don’t have any questions about why the gel polish cracks even after such a manicure, make sure that healthy foods regularly appear in your diet. First of all, you need to eat foods rich in calcium. This could be cheese, fatty fish and chicken eggs.
Experts also recommend systematically taking vitamin and mineral complexes that contain iron and zinc. Thanks to this, you can minimize the damage caused to your nails by long-lasting manicures. As a result, they will become smooth, elastic and strong.
After removing the gel polish, you can make gelatin masks and use protein-based treatments. It is advisable to rub olive or apricot oil into the cuticle in the morning and evening. These simple but very effective procedures will help restore the structure of the nail and reduce its fragility.
