Nail treatment aftercare

Treat your nails as jewels, not tools! Avoid using your nails to open cans or boxes, scrape at sticky stuff, or doing any other daily tasks that involve using them as tools!

Protect your nails by wearing gloves for washing up, gardening etc. Strong chemicals in cleaning products can discolour and damage the nails, and cause lifting of the gel - as can digging in the garden!

Apply cuticle oil at least once a day to maintain your new look nails for as long as possible. It moisturises your nails and nail beds and will encourage healthy nail growth. You can buy a cuticle oil (or oils!) at your appointment from just £5. Keep it somewhere you’ll see it, and remember to use it (by the bed, in your bag, in the car - even next to the kettle!)

Avoid submerging your nails in very hot water for 48 hours after your treatment. Hot water can weaken the bond between the gel polish or soft gel extension and and your nails, making them more susceptible to damage.

Try to avoid moisturisers, hand creams, sun cream or tanning products containing lanolin or mineral oil if you want to extend the life of your gel nails. The ingredients in these products can cause gels and soft gel extensions to weaken and lift. Ingredients in sun cream can also dull the colour of your gel, so after applying sun cream, give your nails a quick wipe over to remove any residue.

It seems obvious, but please don’t attempt to pick off your gels or soft gel extensions! It may not seem like it, but along with your gel/extension, you’ll also be pulling away part of the top layer of your own nails. It will weaken the nails and can result in rough texture and white spots. Doing it repeatedly over time will cause deterioration of nail health. Please either book an appointment to have them removed, or purchase an at-home gel nail removal kit at your appointment.

Book your next appointment for 2 to 3 weeks’ time. Gel polish and soft gel extensions are not designed to last for longer than this, and leaving them on for longer can cause damage. In time, the gels/extensions will inevitably start to chip and lift, and water can get into the gap created between it and your nails, creating a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.