Aftercare
Looking after your nails
Most sets that fail early fail for the same handful of reasons. None of this is complicated, and it’s the difference between three weeks and one.
Give them an hour
Gel is cured hard before you leave, but the first hour is still when most dents happen. Skip the washing up, and don't go digging in your bag for your keys.
Wear gloves for the washing up
Hot water and washing-up liquid are the fastest way to lift a set early. A pair of rubber gloves buys you an extra week, easily.
Cuticle oil, every day
One drop per nail, rubbed in at bedtime. It keeps the nail flexible so it bends instead of snapping, and it's the single cheapest thing you can do to make a set last.
They're nails, not tools
Don't open cans, scrape labels, or pick at stickers with them. Use the side of your finger. Almost every mid-week break I see started with a drinks can.
Don't pick at a lift
If an edge starts lifting, leave it alone and message me. Picking it off takes a layer of your actual nail with it, and that takes months to grow back.
Book the refill before you need it
Around two to three weeks is the sweet spot for gel. Leaving it much longer means more regrowth, a longer appointment, and more stress on the natural nail.
When to ask someone else
If a nail or the skin around it is painful, red, swollen, or hot, that isn't a nail question any more — see a pharmacist or a doctor. I'd much rather you got it looked at than waited for your next appointment.