What Happens When You Stop Getting Soak-off Gel Manicures

You’re used to regular soak-off UV manicures in Woodbridge, and you love the results! You’ve enjoyed many years of strong and long nails. With simple nail art, you can make your nails look exceptional. All this stops when the pandemic hits, and you can no longer get that soak-off UV manicure the way you used to. In the past, you didn’t have to be so careful with your nails. The gel had made your nails so strong that you could open tins and boxes without minding your nails. When you stop getting soak-off gel manicures, you might notice that your nails are fragile and prone to easy breakage.

With some proven nail homecare tips, you can transform your nails back to normal. Your nail shaping skills might not be as good as your nail experts’. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t make your nails look fabulous during the lockdown period.

Something about the Cuticles

You might notice something about the cuticles. An interesting side-effect of UV-gel is that the cuticles tend to have stunted growth. Your cuticles tend to remain tidy and neat at the sidelines, allowing the gel to protect your nails. You’ll notice that your nails will remain neat and tidy despite missing your manicure appointments. Any person who says that soak-off UV gel manicures aren’t good for your nails has got it all wrong. It’s not the UV gel manicure that damages your nails but the process.

Caring for Your Nails

You can adopt a simple hand and nail care routine to keep your nails looking amazing until the lockdown ceases:

Avoid opening boxes with your bare hands; use scissors or a knife instead
After a wash or rinse, use cream to damp your hands
Massage protector or ointment into your cuticles or nails
Ensure that you use gloves while doing dishes

Avoid Picking Off Your Gel Nails

You might not have had the chance to have your gel removed before the lockdown. No matter how tempted you may feel, you should resist the urge to chip the gel off yourself. Picking off the gel might damage the nail underneath. It might remove the thin layers, leaving your nails feeling soft and weak. Buffing off the shiny topcoat and using acetone to soak the gel would be a better solution to keep your nails healthy. This process might take some time, but the results are worth it.

Cuticle Oil

When you can no longer access soak-off gel manicures, cuticle oil will be your nail’s best friend. It is the perfect moisturizing product for the cuticles and your nails. The oil will prevent your nails from weakening and becoming brittle. Cuticle oil could also stimulate growth by enhancing circulation around your nails.

Proper UV Gel Removal

If there’s no hope of the lockdown ending soon, you might have to remove the UV gel polish yourself. It might take months before you can seek a professional manicure in Woodbridge. You might be wondering about how to remove gel nails. Is it even possible? Yes, when you follow the right technique, it’s possible to remove your UV gel manicure without damaging your nails. Before you begin the gel-removal process, you will need some crucial supplies:

High-quality paper towels that you can use to protect your work surface
100% pure acetone; ensure that acetone is the only ingredient
Grit nail file to shape your nails
Fine buffing block

You can choose from the three UV gel removal methods:

Soaking method removal
Foil method removal
Nail clip method removal

The Process

Here are some important tips about soak-off gel removal:

Start by pushing back the cuticles gently and clean up the areas where the cuticles have overgrown.
Smooth out the gel shine from the nail overgrowth using the fine side of your buffing block
Shape your nails accordingly
Choose your soak off method – soaking method, foil method, or nail clip method
Post acetone exposure, do not panic when you see your weirdly whitened skin after exposure to acetone
Use water-dampened cloth or cuticle oil to moisturize or rehydrate the nails, your cuticles, and the surrounding skin

When you lightly buff the regrowth before you take off your old gel, you will prevent over-buffing the nail part that had been buffed for the previous application. Always check the label to ensure that what you are using is 100% acetone. You can acquire pure acetone from the local drugstore or online. Gel-polish remover clips are an asset for DIY UV-gel removal.

You do not have to give up just because salons were forced to shut down. When the lockdown is finally over, we welcome you to visit us at Nails A More Nail Salon for a professional manicure.