Why Is My Gel Polish Peeling Off Acrylic Nails: Guide
Introduction to the topic
“What’s wrong with my gel nail polish?” Most people get annoyed when they have to think about whether they went to the salon at all after they have left.
Unfortunately, in some cases, the manicure may be the problem. In other cases, the reason your gel polish is peeling may be due to something you are doing or aren’t doing.
Gel polish is supposed to last the longest on acrylic nails, but it peels off the acrylic nails too quickly.
As a result of a variety of factors, gel polish peels off acrylic nails. A clean acrylic nail surface will allow gel polish to adhere more effectively and last longer if these factors are kept out of the equation.
Gel polish adheres so well to an acrylic nail that it can only be filed off with a nail drill, not simply peeled off.
What is a gel polish?
The chemical compositions of regular nail polish and gel nail polish are very different. In contrast to regular nail polish, gel requires a little more preparation before application.
“In many ways, it’s just like getting your nails done at the salon. For a long-lasting gel manicure, however, the removal of natural oils and dehydration of the nail plate is necessary “Mercedes claims this. Gel manicures are cured with an LED/UV light rather than just drying with air, making the manicure extra strong and lasting at least two weeks.
Why do gel polishes fade away?
In the beauty world, gel polish manicures are renowned for their long-lasting properties. Premature peeling and lifting can occur, however, in some cases. They are susceptible to this.
Now, the main reasons why gel polish peels or lifts are as follows:
1. A wrongly prepared cuticle
There are a lot of things that can go wrong during the manicure process that can cause your gel nail polish to start peeling off before it’s time. One of them is that your cuticles haven’t been prepped properly.
Your polish will lift off your nails if your cuticles are not properly pushed back and trimmed on the sides. When applying nail polish at home or in a salon, keep a close eye on the edges.
2. Before gel polish application, nails were not filed
For gel polish, filing is an often-overlooked but vital step in the application process.
Before you apply your gel polish, make sure your nails are properly filed.
Clear your nails of any oil or dead cuticle tissue that might interfere with the gel polish’ ability to adhere properly.
Roughen up the nail plate’s surface to make it easier for the gel polish to adhere to the nails.
3. Remove debris and dehydrate it
Removal of excess dust or dirt from the nail plate may lead to lifting. When using Pure Nails Prep & Scrub to dehydrate the nail, this can be easily removed.
The use of products that have passed their expiration date: Because gel polishes have a short shelf life, always check the expiration date before using any. Using a gel polish that is old or expired can cause your acrylic to peel.
Make sure to cure the top coat for 30 seconds between each layer of application and if necessary, use an LED/CFL lamp. It’s easy for a new layer to come off your nails if the previous one hasn’t been fully cured.
4. Picking at gel nail polish is a normal procedure for you
This section can be skipped if you never pick at your gel polish. But if you do, pay attention.
There will be problems if you remove your gel nail polish and then return to the salon a few days later to have a new gel manicure.
You will almost certainly damage your nails if you remove your gel nail polish at home. Nails that are uneven and brittle are likely to be caused by this procedure. If you use gel nail polish on a nail that is already damaged, you’re going to have a less-than-satisfactory result.
If you’re prone to picking and peeling at your gel nail polish, then yes, gel polish is bad for you. Soak-off gel nail extensions are a good option if this describes you.
5. When your nail was chiseled, you didn’t repair the damage
Suppose you break a nail while you’re doing your job at the office. The best course of action would be to immediately head to the hairdresser’s. However, no one would actually do something like that.
Nail files and topcoats should be kept on hand at all times in your purse or car. When you have a spare moment, go ahead and repair your chipped nail. Apply your topcoat and smooth out the chip. Avoid the chip from peeling your gel polish.
6. Too much oil and moisture on the nail plate
After your cuticles and nails have been cleaned and filed, you’ll need to clean off any remaining dirt, dust, and, most importantly, oil or moisture from them.
Moisture and oil, as you can see, work against the gel polish’s ability to adhere properly to your nails. This is due to the fact that it acts as a barrier between your nail plate and the gel polish.
When you apply a gel polish to your nails, you need to remove as much moisture and oil from the nail plate as possible.
7. Cap the unused portion of the surface
It’s critical that you apply a coat of gel polish to the edge of your nails. Lifting will be nearly impossible, ensuring that your manicure will last longer! If you have short nails, try pushing the polish up and over the edge of the nail instead of letting it flow down.
8. You have too many layers
A gel manicure consists of several layers. Using too many layers of polish can cause it to fail to cure and bond properly. When this happens, your skin will begin to peel at an accelerated rate.
Avoiding wearing bulky clothing is the best defense against this. Don’t slather on the polish like a slob. Slow down and work in small, discrete sections at a time.
Using thick layers may lead you to believe that you are saving time, but this is not the case at all. You’ll have to wait longer for your layers to dry, and you’ll probably have to add another one before the last one has dried completely.
9. Stopping the peeling of acrylic gel polish
If you use gel polish instead of regular acrylic polish, you’ll need to rethink how you do your nails.
10. Avoid over-buffing acrylic nails
Gel polish should not be applied to nails that are too smooth. Before applying a gel base coat, be sure to buff away any shine from your natural nails.
So, instead of buffing your nails all the way, take a break after the first pass.
The gel polish will be able to adhere to the roughness left behind.
No Matter What You Do, Avoid Picking
How to stop gel polish peeling off acrylic nails?
Those who enjoy picking at a two-week-old manicure should take this as a cautionary tale. Nails are made up of 25 layers of keratinized skin cells, and removing gels will remove the top protective layers, causing the nail to thin, weaken, and become uneven.
Mercedes emphasizes the dangers of nail picking. “You rip off layers of your nail plate when you remove any nail enhancement, making your nails weaker and more prone to chipping. It’s a never-ending circle “She says so herself.
1. When possible, prevent chipping
While there are many situations where a cure is preferable, prevention is the best option. Avoid opening boxes or cans while washing and cleaning to extend the life of your gel manicure, advises Snow. Keep your fingers away from your mouth if you’re a nail-biter. Although it’s hard to resist the urge, avoid finger-chomping for the sake of your manicure (and your health).
Do not use your fingernails as implements! Mercedes says this. When washing hands or taking a shower, she suggests avoiding using extremely hot water, as well. She suggests a quick topcoat, like Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat, just in case you don’t get a chip yet.
2. Before applying gel polish, avoid using water to clean hands
Rinse your hands with water to remove any remaining nail dust, but do not use soap to clean your hands. To keep hands soft, most hand soaps contain an oily skin conditioner. Gel polish bonding will be hindered if even a minuscule amount of oil is present.
A lint-free paper towel and a nail brush are my preferred methods for removing nail dust from the hands and cuticle lines, followed by an alcohol wipe for the final dusting.
Without soap, you can wash your hands and dry your nails, but you should wait for at least five minutes. A small fan will expedite the process.
3. Apply Cuticle oil
Applying cuticle oil before regular polish does not work with gel polish, as previously stated.
If you don’t remember, you can use alcohol to clean the oil a few times and wait for the alcohol’s water to dry (No alcohol is 100 percent pure, it usually is 25 percent diluted with water).
Cuticle oil is a great way to keep your nails and skin healthy at the same time. Nutrient-rich oils can help nails grow by increasing circulation around the nail bed. In addition, it can protect your polish from being chipped. Mercedes’ favorite cuticle oil is the Famous Names Dadi Oil, which contains nourishing ingredients like jojoba oil and vitamin E and should be used twice daily, according to Mercedes.
4. Keep your hands dry
Keep your hands as dry as possible the day of your manicure, even if it seems like overkill. Keeping your hands dry is a great way to prevent your nails from breaking or getting caught on something. For life, you want to keep moisture and nail polish at a safe distance from each other.
5. Apply a thin layer
The thicker consistency of gel polish is one of its few drawbacks.
In order to apply gel polish in a thin layer, you’ll need to make some adjustments to the way you work with regular polish.
For gel polishes that are very thick and dark like black or blue, LED light won’t fully cure them.
Watch Troubleshooting gel polish | Video
What is the best way to keep gel polish from fading?
If you notice that your gel polish is peeling off, you can simply apply a top coat. With a top coat, you can extend the life of your gel manicure by two or three days. Make sure the free edges are capped with the top coat.
My acrylic nails are peeling off, why?
Nail enhancements that lift and pop off the nails are often the result of technicians forgetting to apply primer to the nails prior to applying acrylic.
What’s wrong with my gel polish?
Having too much oil in your nails could be the reason why your gel polish isn’t staying on. Your nails may not stick to gel nail polishes if they are naturally oily in nature.
How to stop gel polish from chipping?
What causes chipped gel polish?
The Opinion
Your acrylics may be to blame if you’re experiencing peeling with your gel polish. Making certain that your nails have been properly cleaned and filed before applying a base coat or top coat can help prevent this from happening. If you want a long-lasting manicure, you should avoid using gel polish and stick to traditional acrylics.
