How To Do No Chip Nails At Home

How Long Does A No Chip Manicure Last

Your no chip manicure should last at least two weeks. Its possible for it to last up to three weeks.

So, how long is no chip? After all, if its only chip-free for the first few hours, its not much to write home about.

But a no chip manicure really is something special.

When you get one of these, youll normally have at least two weeks of chip-free bliss.

If you take care of them, you can even push it to three weeks!

The secret is in the gel polish.

Its applied in a way that makes it extremely tough and resistant to any chipping.

Roughing up the nail before applying means that it has a more solid hold on your natural nail, so the polish wont just flake off so easily.

Likewise, the top coat seals everything in place so that the top isnt damaged from normal use.

Drying with UV light means that theres no chance for small imperfections to occur while the polish is drying.

All of this combines to make a manicure that isnt going anywhere!

Of course, youll need to take care of your nails. While youre not likely to see a lot of wear and tear from normal use, you should avoid submerging your hands in very hot water for long periods of time.

This can cause the polish to weaken and begin to chip. You should also do your best to avoid harsh chemicals, including cleaners, which might cause weakening or discoloration.

One thing in particular that you should avoid like the plague: Acetone and other nail polish removers.

How To Remove Your Acrylic/gel Manicure At Home In Five Steps:

Use Cuticle Oil Religiously

Okay, so even though you shouldnt be wearing your gel manicure for longer than two weeks, theres still a handful of things you can do to keep your nails looking nice and pretty for the entirety of those two weeks. Step one? Invest in a cuticle oil right this very second. In addition to hydrating the cuticle itself, a good oil will strengthen and condition your nails, which can prevent them from chipping, breaking, or becoming brittle,says Lim, who suggests using your cuticle oil at least once or twice daily.

2. File regularly and wear a top coat

You want to treat your nails like you would a pair of tightsif you get a minor nick and you dont nip it in the bud, it can turn into a huge run, says Lim. So if you have a little snag on your nail, smooth it out with a file or buffer to prevent any further chipping, splitting, or tearing.

Lim suggests keeping a mini nail file in your bag to make quick touch-ups totally doable. And while were on the subject, throw a clear top coat into your bag too. While it wont really do anything to make your manicure last longer, a quick layer of shine will give your gels a nice refresh if you need it.

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How Long Do Gel Manicures Last

Ill give it to you straight: The longest you can wear a gel manicure without compromising your nail health is two weeks, says Evelyn Lim, chief educator of New Yorkbased nail salon Paintbox. Even though your manicure might look perfectly fine after two weeks, you run the risk of damaging your nails if you keep em on any longer.

When you have gel on your nails, the polish continues to cure in direct sunlight or in any exposure to UVwhich is all around us, says Lim, adding, the longer you keep your polish on, the longer it cures, which makes it much harder to remove. The safest bet is to head to your manicurist after two weeks, where they can gently remove your polish without damaging or stripping your nails.

How can I make my gel nails last longer?

Better Options For Your Manicure

If, like many of us, you cant stand the idea of naked nails, rest assured you dont have to give up your nail polish habit completely. Youre just going to have to do some research. Find a nail salon in your area that carries natural polishes that are 3-, 5- or 7-free. And for you no-chip devotees? Yes, there is still hope for you. Brands like Bio Seaweed Gel and NCLA offer 5- and 7-free gels, respectively.

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Wait I Thought Acrylic Nails Were Bad For Your Natural Nail

First things first: acrylic isnt bad, despite what horror stories youve heard. “I believe that proper application and removal is key for any product that you apply to your nails,” Logan says. It all boils down to finding a good technician who knows how to properly apply acrylic to your nails or using the proper tools at-home, according to Logan.

Youre Removing An Old Gel Manicure Without Professional Help

Once a gel manicure is on its last leg, you may be tempted to remove it yourself, but experts advise against it. The safest way to remove gel polish is by a professional, says Harpring.

If you absolutely cant make it to the salon for removal, she advises you first gently file the top of the polish to remove the shine, which allows the acetone to penetrate and dissolve the gel easier. Next, soak cotton balls in acetone , apply a cotton ball to each nail, and wrap it in tin foil. Leave the wraps on for 10 to 15 minutes, and then, using a wooden cuticle pusher, gently push the gel off of the nail plates. To finish, lightly buff the surface of the nail with a buffing tool, and apply oil to your nails and cuticles to rehydrate.

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How To Bring Your Nails Back After A No

• Copy By:Josie Santi
• Feature Image By:Daiga Ellaby

Got a vacation coming up or unable to make it back to the salon for a few weeks? With your busy life and vacation-planning, your nails should be the last thing on your mind. Enter: the no-chip manicure. No-chip manicures might just be the greatest invention since sliced bread weeks of un-chipped nail polish bliss, where you can live your life without worrying about a single crack or chip, no matter the color!

Yes, its a great invention for when duty calls and you need some un-chipped color for a couple weeks. But no-chip manicures can seriously damage your nails, and can even make them brittle for the long-term after multiple uses. Not to worry though, as there are many ways to rejuvenate your nails after even the most no-chip of no-chip manicures. Heres how to give the prettiest part of your fingers some TLC after a no-chip manicure:

Caring For The Delicate Skin On Your Fingers And Hands During A Gel Manicure

No-chip manicures involve a gel-based nail polish that includes a base coat, two coats of polish and a sealer which is applied and then cured to the nail under ultraviolet lights. When its time to remove the polish, the manicurist wraps acetone-soaked pads around the nail for 10 to 40 minutes, depending on the brand and number of coats applied.

In the past decade, the popularity of no-chip manicures has increased. No-chip manicures are applied in nearly the same amount of time as a traditional manicure and provide many more benefits such as durability, high-shine, and the longevity and sturdiness of artificial nails without as much upkeep or time commitment. It also improves the appearance of the nails, especially for those with nail disorders that traditional nail polishes cannot cover.

Although some salons offer gloves to wear during a no-chip manicure, not all salons provide a safe solution to protect your hands and fingers from UV rays. Until that solution exists across all salons, all customers should protect themselves by using fingerless gloves or sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Remember, most sunscreens need to be applied at least 15 minutes prior to sun exposure for full protection unless using a zinc-based product. There is no need to apply sunscreen to the nails as they have their own natural UV protection and it could interfere with the gel polish.

Health Topics:

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Remove Any Nail Polish And Clean Your Nails

The first step for a manicure is to remove any Nail Polish and start prepping and polishing your nails. Use a Nail Polish Remover that can remove any trace of a Nail Polish. Personally I use the affordable Lakme Nail Polish Remover but you can use any.

This Nail Polish remover effectively removes any nail polish, even the ones with glitter. Just pour some Nail Polish in a cotton ball, apply it onto your nails and use a rubber band to secure it in place, after a while all the glitter will be removed.

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Chemicals In Gel Nail Polish

Even if the UV rays associated with no-chip manicures arent a huge deal, there are other factors to consider. Nail polish gel and conventional varieties alike is often laden with chemicals, some of which elicit cause for concern.

Three scary chemicals often used in nail polishes are formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate, or DBP. Nail polishes that dont include these chemicals often use the term 3-free on their packaging. Some natural nail polish brands take if a few steps further, offering products that are 5-free or 7-free .

Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, and toluene and DBP have been linked to developmental issues. Unfortunately, theres good evidence to suggest that what you put on your nails can be absorbed into your body. Researchers at Duke University and The Environmental Working Group recently found that women who had painted their nails with polish containing triphenyl phosphate, or TPHP, had metabolites of the chemical in their system 14 hours later. TPHP is a suspected endocrine disrupter, a type of molecule that mimics estrogen in the body, leading to reproductive health concerns.

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Mistakes Youre Making When Wearing Gel Nail Polish

Chipping a perfectly good manicure is one of lifes most annoying frustrations. Since Im constantly opening packages and typing stories, wearing gel nail polish has been a saving grace when it comes to preserving my mani. While I love the flexibility a regular manicure provides, gel polish is so much more durablewhich is why I tend to stretch each manicure for as long as possible.

With gel polish, your manicure can last from two to three weeks, but with regular polish you’re lucky if it lasts five to seven days without chipping, Kristin Pulaski, owner of Paintbucket Nails in Brooklyn, tells SELF. According to Pulaski, in addition to staying power, another great benefit of gel is that it provides a harder layer of protection over the natural nail, which can result in increased nail growth.

Unfortunately, this durability and protection can be rough on your nails and make them weaker and prone to splitting. No one wants that, so there are a few things to keep in mind to maintain the health of your nails when youre getting gels. We asked Pulaski, celebrity manicurist Skyy Hadley, and Christy Harpring, co-owner of Sea Salt and Sugar Nail Bar in Savannah, Georgia, to clue us in on gel polish mistakes to avoid.

Give Your Nails Some Tlc

Acetone is drying, so it’s important to restore moisture to your nails and hands after a DIY removal.

“After removing the gel, use a gentle buffing block to smooth out the surface of the nail,” she says. When the nail is clean, Poole recommends soaking the nails with cuticle oil, like Sally Hansen Vitamin E Oil . After a few minutes, wash your hands and apply an ample amount of hand cream to restore moisture. Do this for several nights and then feel free to polish back up. If you need to reapply gel the same day, try to give your nails a few hours to breathe first.

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Or Skip The Cotton And Foil And Soak Instead

This takes a bit longer, but works wonders if you don’t have any foil or cotton balls on hand. Grab two bowls from the kitchen, one slightly larger than the other. Fill the larger bowl with warm water, place the smaller one inside as you would with a double-boiler, and pour in some acetone. Allow to heat for a minute or two, then place your hand inside the acetone and allow the gels to gradually soak off.

You can also grab a gel removal kit like Red Carpet Manicure’s and Nails Inc.’s Gel-Less Gel Nail Polish Remover Kit that comes equipped with everything you need to remove a salon or DIY gel mani. Red Carpet Manicure’s kit includes ten foils with a cotton pad attached, while Ciate’s comes with conditioning acetone and a gel remover pot in which you pour the solution and dip your hand in.

How To Do Manicure At Home

Ive never done any salon-fresh manicure because Im scared of ruining my nails. Yeah, I know I am a beauty blogger, and yet I have this weird fear of doing manicures at a salon because once when I was little, my mother asked my father to trim my nails but he went a little far and it was too painful. So, I never trust anyone to do my nails and I do them at home. Heres How I do Manicure At Home A Step by Step Guide.

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How Do Dip Powder Nails Work

Directions will vary slightly by kit, but the process of applying dip powder nails is generally something like this:

Here, beauty blogger Cristine of Simply Nailogical gives a helpful tutorial on how to do a dip nail manicure at home.

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How Do You Remove Dip Powder Nails

Just like gels or acrylics, removing a dip powder manicure requires more time and patience than swiping remover on a cotton ball. There’s no easy way to remove dip powder nails quickly, says Zuniga. We recommend using an electric file and soaking off the remaining product with acetone, i.e., similar to gel nail removal. Of course, the best way to remove them is to go back to your nail tech otherwise you risk damaging and weakening your nails. If you are planning on removing dip powder nails at home, though, look to our step-by-step dip nail removal guide to ensure the least damage possible.

And no matter if you remove them at home or at the salon, you should try to give your nails some downtime in between to prevent them from breaking or becoming brittle. Zuniga’s advice? Invest in some good nail after-care products to rehydrate your nails and keep your cuticles moisturized. A few of our favorites include Essie’s Apricot Cuticle Oil and Sally Hansen’s Hard as Nails Strengthener.

Leah Prinzivalli is a beauty writer in New York City. Follow her on Instagram.

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Are Dip Powder Nails Safe

Now, for the other shoe to drop: Dipping powder isn’t exactly the healthiest choice you can make for your nails. Some popular nail salons, like Vanity Projects in New York City, won’t include the technique on their menus. While more brands, like OPI, now offer options for dip powder manicures, if your salon doesn’t use a credited manufacturer, it could contain dangerous ingredients.

Some cheaper dip powders can contain MMD, which is extremely harmful to natural nails and banned in NYC, says Vanity Projects’ Ariel Zuniga.

Dip powder is closely related to acrylic powder, and both require a removal process that is tough on your nails. Dip powder, however, doesn’t use any acrylic nail glue, which can include questionable chemicals. Dip powder also uses thinner layers, which could help reduce your chance of getting an infection or damaging your nail beds.

Is It Worth Doing Gel Nails At Home

Well, that depends on what you’re looking to get out of the process. One of the best things about doing your own gel nails at home is that it’s cheaper than going to the salonespecially if you get them regularly. Professional gel manicures usually start at $35 , whereas DIY kits start can cost anywhere from $30 to $80 and can be used as frequently as you like.

That said, if you’re a total newb when it comes to painting and filing your nails, you might want to leave your gel manis to the pros, since the process does require a steady hand and a decent amount of patience.

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