Gel nails can sometimes peel off prematurely and this is usually caused by one of the following: improper application or curing, lack of Gel Base Coat or Top Coat, or excessive moisture. Make sure to follow proper Gel Polish application techniques to avoid premature peeling.
Shellac™ can only cure correctly if you cure it with the original CND lamp. If you use any other device, the durability of Shellac™ may be compromised. If Shellac™ is not properly cured, it can have a rubbery feel to it and the product will most likely chip off.
It's a good idea to clean up the edges and cuticles beforehand using acetone. Then you should paint the nails using thin coats of gel polish. Thicker coats make lifting more likely. Of course, you should finally cap the free edges and make sure the nails are smooth.
A set of gels should last you around 2-3 weeks. They may have lifted prematurely as the nail plate may not have been prepared correctly before the gel application, or they may not have been capped/sealed at the free edge.
Shellac manicure starts peeling within a day or 2:
Your tech may have not dehydrated your nail bed well enough. You don't always need to rough up the nail but the natural shine should be buffed down first (unless you are using Shellac brand gel polish they require no buffing). The polish might be older.
When you peel off polish from previous applications, it continuously removes the stronger layers of your nail's surface, which reside on the top of your nails. This then exposes the weaker layers of nail, which can cause the shellac nail polish to peel off with the weaker layers of your nails when applied.
Sometimes this is a top coat formula and lamp compatibility issue - or that you just need to cure the top coat for longer. Another possibility is that you've wiped the first layer of liquid gel polish with alcohol - which reduces the adhesion of the top coat to the previous coat.
Have you applied too much gel polish? A gel manicure should have thin and delicate layers, as when applied too thickly, the polish won't cure correctly. This will then cause your nail varnish to flake away much quicker than it should.
Shellac was the first hybrid polish, produced by CND, and you can expect manicures to last about two weeks. Some may find that the chip-free finish lasts longer than this, but it's recommended that you get them removed after 14 days as by this time your own nail will have started to grow out.
A shellac manicure can usually last 14 days without chipping. If you want your shellac to last another fortnight or so, protecting your natural nails, a nude-ish Shellac Forte is your best bet.
Ultra-easy application. Whether sprayed, brushed, or padded on, shellac dries quickly at optimal conditions of 70°F and 50–70 percent humidity. Though it dries to the touch in about 30 minutes, allow 1 hour between coats.
I have been using shellac for some time now and the only time it doesn't last the two weeks is if the nail plate is dehydrated clients must oil the nails daily to prevent this from happening using solar oil. Another reason is not preparing the nail plate properly or using the wrong uv lamp.
Step 1: Give Your Nails a Break
Most nail technicians suggest giving your nails at least a week-long break every eight weeks.
#1 The gel polish is coming off because it has been cured too short (or too long) Before starting your manicure, read the instructions carefully. Make sure you know how long the gel polish should be cured under the LED lamp. If the gel polish cures too short or too long, the layer on top of it will not adhere properly.
The gel top coat usually peels off if it isn't cured correctly or has been applied over a colour gel or acrylic nails that have been wiped down with isopropyl alcohol. Each layer of gel is sticky and bonds to the next one, so if the tacky layer is removed, the next layer of polish will not adhere and will peel off.
"Applying base and topcoat is critical to preventing chipping or cracking for a lasting manicure," Dunne says. "Basecoat is what allows the coats to adhere to your nails and topcoat is what seals it all in." Dunne recommends reapplying your topcoat every other day to prevent your nail polish from cracking.
In the first week of a gel manicure, you probably won't notice much of a gap between your nail bed and the bottom of your gels, as your nail growth will be minimal (in some cases, less than a millimetre). By week two, however, it may be time to get your manicure touched up.
Shellac is thinner and softer than gel polish, but harder than traditional varnish. On the other hand, gel nails are made with—you guessed it—liquid gel.
Add a Layer of Top Coat
So, in short, if you notice your manicure has started to peel, do not start picking. Mercedes' three-step method? "File the nail where the chip happened, don't pick [at the nail], and seal it with a top coat." It's as easy as that.
It not only peels away the polish, but the top layer of your nail too. This damages it, weakening the nails, so they are more prone to rough textures and white patches. It also makes them more susceptible to cracking and breaking.
Shellac is not alcohol- or water stain-resistant, but damage caused by either one can be easily repaired.
A Gel manicure typically lasts anywhere from 3 weeks to a month and there is a very low chance of a Gel manicure chipping. In comparison, a Shellac manicure typically last about 2 weeks if it is taken care of properly and has a higher chance of chipping after a few weeks go by.