How to make your gel manicure last longer so your nails stay looking fantastic

Getting your gel manicure to last longer over the festive period requires the holy grail of beauty appointments: the perfectly timed nail appointment that means your fingertips will look fabulous throughout the month for any social event. But even the best technician can’t work mani miracles, so there are certain things you need to be doing (or not doing) to make your gel mani last longer. So once you’ve decided on your favourite Christmas nail design, implement these tips to keep your mani looking gorgeous for longer.

1. Cuticle oil is your BFF

“Cuticle oil is designed to be used on all around your nails whether your cuticle is there or not and is your best friend for keeping your gel mani last longer,” says Hayley McColm, Mii Cosmetics’ Pro Nail Ambassador. “Dry nails are one of the main causes of gel manis lifting so slathering a cuticle oil around the base, the sides of the nails and the top will give it more longevity. I recommend using it at night as it allows more time for it to sink in plus you’re not washing your hands so you’ll get all of the benefit but you can, of course, use it throughout the day too.” The Mii Nourish + Nurture Nail and Cuticle Oil, £11 is GTG approved.

2. Always have a file to hand

We know picking your gel mani can be tempting, especially if a pesky chip appears but you really have to avoid it. “Picking gel manis can really damage the natural nail underneath,” says McColm. “Instead, get a nail file and gently file it down so it’s smoother (and less likely to snag or keep chipping) and then paint on a topcoat to seal it.”

3. Nails are not tools

As tempting as it is to use your nails to help pick or scrape things, it will, of course, affect your gel manicure. “I would say picking at Sellotape is one of the things clients do that can lift their gel mani quicker than if they didn’t,” says McColm. “Use a (blunt) knife or something flat you can slide under sellotape rather than ruin your nails.”

4. Delegate the washing-up

“Whenever your hands and nails are soaking in water for too long, the moisture will seep under the gel manicure, break down the seal and make it lift quicker,” explains McColm. A brilliant excuse to not have to go anywhere near the washing up, but if you do have to clean some dishes make sure you have a good pair of washing-up gloves to hand.

5. Wipe off sunscreen

SPF may not be top of the list of products you’ll be using regularly throughout winter unless you’re off to sunnier climes sunscreen but it’s worth being mindful of how you apply it to your hands. “Many sun creams contain products that can weaken or even remove nail polish,” explains Juanita Huber-Millet, founder of nail salon Townhouse. “So if you get it on your nails, wipe it off straightaway and wash your nails with soap and water.”

6. Top-up your top coat

After a few weeks your gel mani will probably look a bit dull. The best way to give it an instant glow-up is to use a regular top coat nail polish. “Paint a coat over your gel and it will give an instant high-gloss finish and also seal in the gel to prevent chipping,” says McColm. In need of a new top coat? We like Rimmel London Super Gel Top Coat, £6.99. “Make sure you apply it all over the nail and along the top ridge which will really help your gel mani last longer.”

7. Transform chips into French tips

Should you get a chip in your gel mani, resist the tempting urge to peel it off. “Our nails are made up of multiple layers of keratin and picking off gel will take off the top layers, leaving your nails weak and brittle,” says Huber-Millet.

A handy trick is to modify your original mani into one that features contrasting French tips by painting a contrasting but complimentary shade along the tips.

If, however, your gel mani has reached the point of no return, swap peeling it off for an at-home removal kit. A favourite of Huber-Millet’s is CND Offly Fast, £17.25. “Lots of our customers who are planning a long vacation pick up a pack,” she tells us. “It contains everything you need.”

8. Wrap up splits

When it comes to dealing with a split nail, Huber-Millet advises filing it down as a first port of call. If it’s particularly deep though and you can’t get to a professional, she recommends recreating her salon technique of creating a type of invisible silk wrap by using a teabag:

“Simply cut a single layer of the mesh from a teabag slightly smaller than your nail bed. Remove all polish from the broken nail, clean the nail surface and apply a base coat over the whole nail. While wet, gently lay the teabag segment on the nail and over the split – it will disappear into the base coat and form a matrix which should bond around the split. Apply another layer of base coat, then colour and top coat and voila! It won’t be perfect but it might just give you that extra bit of strength to make it home!”

Is there anything a cup of tea can’t fix?!