Aftercare

The first day

Gel, BIAB and acrylic are fully set before you leave the chair, so there is no drying time. For the first 24 hours, go easy on very hot water: long hot baths, saunas and steam rooms can soften the bond while it is still new.

Every day

• Cuticle oil, morning and night. A drop on each nail, worked into the skin around it. It keeps the nail and the cuticle flexible, and flexible nails crack and lift far less.
• Hand cream after washing. Dry skin pulls at the edges of a set.
• Gloves for cleaning and washing up. Cleaning products and long soaks in hot water dull the shine and weaken the bond. Anything with acetone in it, nail varnish remover included, will eat into gel.
• Nails are not tools. Use the pads of your fingers for ring pulls, stickers and scraping, not the tips.

Don’t pick, don’t peel

It is tempting when an edge lifts. But gel and BIAB are bonded to the top layers of your own nail, so peeling them takes those layers with it and leaves the nail thin, bendy and sore. If something lifts, chips or snaps, leave it and come in. A repair is quick; a damaged nail takes months to grow out.

By finish

• Gel colour on natural nails usually lasts two to three weeks. Have it soaked off here rather than prising it off at home.
• BIAB builds strength into your own nail. Keep it topped up with an infill rather than letting it grow out, so the weight stays where the nail can carry it.
• Acrylic and extensions feel longer than your hands are used to for a day or two, so take a little more care with doors, zips and keyboards. As your nail grows, the balance moves towards the tip, which is when breaks happen, so keep to your infills.

When to come back

For an infill, about every two to three weeks, depending on how fast your nails grow. Sooner if a nail lifts, cracks or breaks. Infill prices sit beside every full set on the price list.

Ready for something new? Book a take-off with your next set and we will remove the old one properly, without damaging the nail underneath.

If something doesn’t look right

Redness, swelling or soreness around a nail, a green or dark patch under the product, or itching and a rash on the fingers after a set are not normal. Call us so we can take the product off, and see a pharmacist or your GP if it does not settle.