By Claudina Hannon
For most people, the thought of getting gel manicures can be similar to a love/hate relationship. On one hand, gel manicures provide us with the gift of gallivanting around with lustrous, chip-free nails for two weeks, but on the other hand they can also be a pain to remove and have the potential of weakening our nails over time.
At times, we might even try to take off the gel polish at home if there’s no time for a nail salon visit—big mistake. So in order to know exactly how to care for our nails after several gel manicures in a row, since they can indeed be addictive, we sought expert advice. We spoke with Kieu Nguyen, co-owner of Mint Nail Lounge in the Mosaic District, to get the scoop on the proper aftercare steps to take to make sure our nails eventually regain their strength and natural shine.
1) Use caution: Have the gel manicure professionally removed, otherwise you run the risk of really damaging the nail beds.
2) Clean the nails: Get a professional manicure after the gel removal, since buffing and pushing cuticles back are essential to restoring nail health.
3) Shorten length: Trim your nails short so they can grow back in a healthy way.
4) Rest nails: Try not to paint your nails for two weeks in between gel manicures.
5) Fortify nail bed: Use a nail strengthener during those two weeks; Kieu recommends Duri and Zoya nail strengtheners.
6) Prevent dry cuticles: Put moisturizer oil on your nails every two to three days during those two weeks. Kieu recommends CND Solar Oil.
