By Kate Nateras
Getting your hair done, taking care of your skin, and grooming your eyebrows require patience and love if you want to keep them looking flawless. That same care and devotion should also go for your nails. It’s not just about getting a mani and decorating them with beautiful acrylic designs: nails also need care to protect them from harm and keep them healthy.
According to Evelyn Lim, a nail expert from Paintbox, a famous nail bar in New York, you shouldn’t leave the acrylic for more than two weeks. Even if they still look bomb, you have to remove the acrylic or gel layer, let your nails breathe and, then, if you want to, get them done once again.
Lim claims that, as the days go by, the acrylic or gel starts settling in the nail, especially when they’re in contact with light and heat (meaning, basically all the time). Thus, if you leave them for more than necessary, the synthetic materials begin to sink in the nail, making it not only harder to remove, but also damaging your nails.
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Now, changing the acrylic every two weeks isn’t enough to keep your nails healthy and strong. You will want to moisturize your cuticles twice a day to give your nails a fresh and healthy appearance. Also, moisturizing your cuticles strengthens the nail, which will be a perk, since doing this will facilitate the removal of the acrylic or gel.
To hydrate the cuticle, you can use your regular hand lotion, though some claim it's better to use essential oils. Now, you have to be careful and apply it only on the cuticles. To rub moisturizer directly on the acrylic may make it lose its shine and even break it (this could also break your nails). It’s also advisable to keep your nails dry and clean as much as possible, since the synthetic product can dilate when wet and cause splinters in the material, making you more vulnerable to bacteria.
Yes, having nice nails isn’t only an expert’s job. You have to take care of them to keep them flawless and to avoid your nails getting damaged from product use.
Translated by María Isabel Carrasco Cara Chards
