There are two significant components in taking care of artificial nails. First, take care of artificial name, and second, take care of your real nails. Many people believe that artificial nails do not need any maintenance, but that is not true. Here are a few essential tips to take care of your artificial nails to keep them in the best condition.
What are acrylic nails?
Acrylic nails are artificial nail extensions. These are made of acrylic paste, placed above your natural nails. This can be done to match the shape of your real nails or to extend the length of the nail. They are perfect for those who prefer the look of long nails but cannot grow their real nails or have weak nails that damage easily.
It is common to get confused between artificial and hard gels, as more and more beauty salons are providing both. The two share a lot of things in common- both belong to the acrylic family, lasts for several weeks, and can be used to add extra length to the nails. The only difference lies in the kind of plastic they are made of.
Tips to Take Care of your Artificial Nails
Be gentle on your nails
One of the most important tips to take care of your artificial nails is to treat the artificial nails gently. Avoid opening cans with your nail or any other activity that could break or damage your nails. Remember, a separated artificial nail can be very painful.
You will have the risk of not only damaging your acrylic nail but also the real nail under that. Long nails must be treated gently, whether real or artificial.
Keep the nails dry
Applying water can loosen the glue that binds acrylics. More significantly, with moisture breeding inside, artificial nails have more chances to grow fungus and bacteria when compared to natural nails. So, it is always suggested to dry your nails thoroughly after washing your hands. For any task, if you must keep your fingers in water for a long time, like while washing clothes or gardening, then protect your nails by wearing gloves. Dusting your fingers using baby powder is also a great way to lessen moisture, but never put powder on wet hands.
Use gloves
Using gloves is one of the significant tips to take care of your artificial nails. Exposure to dish detergent, water, and any other harsh cleaning chemicals can cause acrylics to weaken. Restrict your exposure to water. Protect your fingers with gloves if you are scrubbing anything.
Use Vitamin E
Dry hands and cuticles are common, mainly if you have a skin that is prone to dryness or you live in a cold climate. Podiatrists suggest using Vitamin E oil or applying shea butter on your skin once every day, depending on the level of dryness. However, for many, a single application every week is enough. You can get cuticle cream that consists of Vitamin E at most of the beauty supply stores you can just break a Vitamin E capsule and apply the oil. If you have a separated acrylic, do not follow this treatment as if the lotion gets in between your artificial and natural nail, it could lead to serious issues.
Apply oil daily
You must apply a neutral penetrating oil, like rapeseed oil, to artificial nails at least once every day. This will improve flexibility and avoid them from breaking. Other penetrating oils, like jojoba, are also good.
Do not try DIY
When an artificial nail is damaged or loose, don’t try to repair it yourself. You will end up doing more harm than good by repairing your own artificial nails. It is better to visit a reputable salon to repair your broken acrylics. If not done properly, it can lead to infection also.
Follow healthy eating habits
Did you know that drinking enough water and having a well-balanced diet is very important for maintaining a beautiful manicure? It has been proved that people with a high moisture balance have healthy hair, nails, and skin.
Attend to any kind of damage instantly
One of the vital tips to take care of artificial nails is to attend any kind of damage immediately. The faster you notice and treat chips and cracks, the simpler they are to repair. Ignoring any type of damage allows it to spread and may make the nails prone to several extensive injuries. Quick attention will not only protect your nails, but it will be much cheaper too.
Do not use acetone
Never ever use a nail polish remover that has acetone. It causes acrylic to deteriorate, which in turn leaves pits and make your nails soft. In fact, try to avoid anything that can cause damage to acrylics, like turpentine, high heat, and various other chemicals. Rubbing alcohol is fine and you can even use a WD-40. It might sound odd, but WD-40 can be used to remove all kinds of sticky residue from your artificial nails.
Maintain the skin
This is one of the significant tips to take care of artificial nails. Keeping the skin around your nails healthy is important. Moisturize your hands regularly and watch for redness, redness, dryness, and peeling of the skin around the acrylics. These can be a symptom of an infection, for which you may need to remove your acrylics until the bacteria get eradicated.
Apply clear nail polish
You must apply clear nail polish on your artificial nails at least once every week. This will cover any kinds of microfractures and pits that form around the nails. It will also help you to maintain the finish on the acrylic nails. It is a great idea to refill your nails in the salon, which will improve their look and lessen the risk of infection also.
Wash daily
Wash your nails daily with an antibacterial soap. This will reduce the risk of any type of infection. You can also soak a Q-tip in the rubbing alcohol and run it below your nails every night before going to bed to remove debris and kill the bacteria. These bacteria not only cause skin infections, they can even cause damage or discolor your artificial nails.
Fix regular fills
If you have committed to artificial nails, then you must know that they need regular fills. Ensure that you schedule appointments with an expert nail technician every two or three weeks, based on the growth of your nail and recommendation of your nail artist. The schedule varies. Nails of some people do not grow fast whereas the nails of some people grow at a rapid rate. An important thing to keep in mind is if you break a nail, do not stick it yourself. If you keep it more than 2 weeks, your acrylics will grow, making them easier to damage. If you do not maintain routine fills, your nail expert must break off your artificial nails and start from the initial stage, which is also bad for your real nails in the future.
Touch up between the appointments
Your nail color will last longer with acrylics, but to make them attractive as they were on the first day, it is significant to try and touch them between the fills. If a client chooses a regular nail polish application to their service, it is better to add a coat of top coating to keep the nail polish look fresh. Do not apply more than two coats of coat nail polish between appointments. There must be only two extra coats added after you have been serviced. This way, the nails, and the polish do not appear thick.