I’ve been meaning to write this post for some time now, but a recent conversation with a friend finally prompted me to talk about my take on gel manicures. First, I’ve been getting gel manicures for the past 6 years. Second, my nails grow super fast, so I get gel done every 10 days or so. Third, I don’t take breaks from gel (I heard some people like to let their nails rest between gel manicures). Fourth, my nails are totally fine (I don’t have acrylics so you can see that my nails are petty long)!
So, here is my take on gel manicures: gel itself does not harm your nails. What can in fact make your nails brittle and weak is peeling gel off yourself, or getting it removed incorrectly at a salon.When you get your gel removed, you have to make sure that it is coming off easily (5-10 minutes of soaking your nails in acetone should take care of that). If you see that your technician is struggling to take your gel off, ask them to soak your nails a little while longer. But I think what make a real difference in terms of how strong and healthy your nails are is what you do to take care for them on daily basis. So, I thought I’d share a few tips and tricks that have been really instrumental in growing my nails long and strong.
First – Soaking your nails in salt water actually makes them stronger. So, once a week I recommend doing salt bath for your hands and nails. All you need to do is fill a bowl with warm water, add about 3 table spoons of bath salt (I like to use SpaLife Bath Salts With Dried Flowers Rose) and soak your nails for about 5 minutes. Another option is salt hand scrub (I often use Brooklyn Botany Himalayan Salt Body Scrub ). All you need to do is moist your hands and massage the scrub into your hands and nails for about 5 minutes! Makes all the difference!
Next, and this is something I do everyday before I go to bed, is oil followed by a hand cream. The trick is to really massage the oil into your skin, paying special attention to your nails and cuticles (most of the time I use either Moroccan Oil Pure Argan Oil, OPI Nail and Cuticle Oil or Blossom Scented Cuticle Oil). Once the oil is more or less absorbed, follow the same directions with the hand cream (love this one – Alteya Organics Age Defense Hand Cream). The reason why it’s so good to do it before bed is because our skin tends to absorb things better at night. I promise, if you do this for 1 week straight, you’ll be surprised just how much better your hands and nails look.
Also, I never leave my house without a hand lotion in my bag. Every time I wash my hands I apply hand lotion. Harsh water and soap (or using hand sanitizers) strips moisture from our skin and makes our hands and nails dry, which in tern, makes them brittle and prone to breaking.
Finally, hand gloves! If your nails and hands are particularly dry, I recommend wearing hand gloves at night. You don’t have to wear them all the time, even a few days in a row makes a difference (these are super inexpensive but work miracles – NatraCure Moisturizing Gel Gloves). So, once your oil and hand cream are on, put on hand gloves to really seal the moisture. You will wake up with baby soft hands, I promise!
And yes, I know, this does seem time consuming, but I think once you’ll see the difference these few simple steps make, it will become part of your routine!
P.S. Got a lot of questions about this manicure on my insta stories, so here are a few of my favorite yellow and rose gold nail polish shades! Click On the images to SHOP.
Brooklyn Botany Himalayan Salt Body Scrub | Alteya Organics Age Defense Hand Cream | NatraCure Moisturizing Gel Gloves | Rejuvelle Bath Bomb Gift Set | SpaLife Bath Salts With Dried Flowers Rose | Moroccan Oil Pure Argan Oil | OPI Nail and Cuticle Oil, Nail Lacquer in Exotic Birds Do Not Tweet and Made It to the Seventh Hill! | Blossom Scented Cuticle Oil | Mademoiselle Provence Natural Shea Butter Organic Rose Hand Cream | La Chatelaine Shea Butter Travel Size Natural Daily Mosturizing Care Hand Cream | Panier Des Sens Hand Cream Rose | Herbivore Botanicals Natural Rose Quartz Illuminating Body Oil and Coco Rose Coconut Oil Body Polish | Eve Hansen Skin Moisturizer Face Oil | Zoya Nail Polish in Darcy | Essie Nail Color in Aim to Misbehave and Buy Me A Cameo | ILNP Juliette Holographic Nail Polish