We have all been there, wanting our Gel Nails to last for as longs as possible keeping us looking Fabulous day in and day out with no chips or peeling. 

What should we expect in terms of Long lasting wear and what are the factors that deny us this eluded, perhaps unrealistic expectation?

Lets dive into some of the things that can impact the durability of our Gel Nails and what we can do to prolong this long lasting look:

Health of your Nails

This may be by far the biggest contributor to your Gel Nail Polish not lasting as long as it should. If you have poor nail and hand conditions then this will not form a solid base for your Polish to work with and can cause premature peeling or chipping. 

Your nails can dry out and dry nails can cause multiple problems. Its crucial to take care of your nails and hands by keeping them well moisturized (but not overly moisturized as this can cause issues also) and in the best condition possible so they grow strong and healthy for the foundation of Gel Nail Polish. We have many excellent product to keep you're hands and nails looking and feeling healthy such as cuticle oil, nail growth serum, and a variety of hand creams.

Poor Nail Preparation

Its crucial to ensure you prepare your nails well and take the time to do so as this will help your Gel Nail Polish last much longer with a more even coat. make sure you sculpt, clean and sanitize all your nails before starting the application process. Ensure you sanitize the entire nail surface and not leaving any spots not cleaned or else this can cause peeling. With our GNV Professional Nail Cleanser you can sanitize your nails professionally knowing they will be well cleaned and ready for the first coat. 

Base Coat Application

The base coat is the foundation for the colour coat and its really important you take your time to do this carefully and properly. Pay special attention to the coverage of the nail, ensuring you coat the entire nail surface. Even the smallest un-coated section of the nail can lead to peeling and chipping so its in your best interest to make sure you apply carefully and ensure full, even coverage. Remember to cap the end also and this will help with long term durability. If need be, you can experiment with using a primer if you have trouble getting the base coat to stick to the natural nail.

Nail Lamp Drying

The positioning of the hand within the Gel nail Lamps can cause problems and its something to bear in mind when drying between layers to ensure they all dry fully and properly. Make sure you hand is flat withing the lamps and nails facing straight up. Position your hand in a nice even space in the nails where all of the light can penetrate all of your nails. Its recommended to first cure your thumbs and then the rest of your fingers.

Another factor to consider is the time to cure your nails. Get this wrong and it is another cause of peeling, chipping or not curing at all. This is what we recommend but can vary depending on other factors such as gels, how many coats were used, type of lamp..etc:
UV Nail Lamp: 120 seconds
LED Nail Lamp: 60 seconds

Now that we have dived into what causes Gel Nail Polish to chip, how long should they last if all of the above is done correctly? Unfortunately there is no sure fire answer and again will depend on many factors such as your day to day activities which can vary all the time. As a guide, around 2 weeks is really good but again, all depends on your day to day activities and other factors as mentioned above.

We did an experiment on our CCO range of Gel Nail Polish to see how long our experimenter could get out of them and she easily got 2 weeks with no chipping. Again this is all relative to your day to day life style. In these two weeks, her daily activities included office work at her desk, working with printers (she works for a 3D printing organization), moving boxes around and had a few weekends clearing out storage rooms all while wearing the fabulous CCO electric orange. She took pictures every other day and here are the results after 2 weeks:

Day 1-14 Nails
As you can see, the Gel Polish has lasted really well over the 2 weeks with no chipping or peeling. This is a great result and shows that the CCO brand is truly a great quality product at an affordable price. They are also 100% cruelty free and not tested on animals.
Again, this can be different from person to person depending on all the factors we have discussed and the day to day activities you partake in. Taking in some of the above good advice will hopefully help you get the most out of your Gel Nails.