Chips on gel polish nails what to do. Why does gel polish on nails crack? How to diversify a manicure with Shellac coating

Today in the world cosmetology and care, there are a huge number of different procedures aimed at improving appearance and health. If you contact a good specialist, the likelihood that the procedure will be effective increases several times. But a lot also depends on the client, because hair extensions and irritated skin after hair removal or removal of age spots require special care. We should also talk about such a popular procedure as gel coating of the nail plate.

Millions of women around the world have preferred this methodology, because it is really convenient and practical. Gel coating allows you to forget about the need to renew your manicure for 2-3 weeks. But sometimes certain troubles happen: the polish comes off the nail plate, peels off or cracks. That is why you should pay attention to the reasons for such phenomena so that your nails look perfect longer.

Sometimes this happens trouble: You just returned from the beauty salon with perfect hair, when after a couple of days you notice unsightly cracks. On a dark varnish, this flaw is almost invisible, but if you have a light coating, the naked eye can see ugly lines, which sometimes even get dust and dirt. Follow the following recommendations and your manicure will remain beautiful and neat longer. We bring to your attention information about why cracks appear in the gel coating and how to avoid it.

1. The technician did not file the nail well enough. In order for the gel polish to adhere well to your nails, you need not only a high-quality UV lamp, but also a properly processed plate. To do this, you need to file the nail with a file, making it rough. The procedure is not the most pleasant, but without it the varnish will not last the required time.

Cut down hard nail it is impossible, otherwise it will become thin and weak, and insufficient cutting will not give the desired result and will not last long. That is why masters should pay attention to the competent implementation of this technique, and clients should ensure that all stages of this type of manicure are completed. Sawing occurs quite safely if the specialist follows all the rules. After the filing stage, the gel polish will hold up perfectly.

2. The master did not degrease the nail plate. Gel polish is a rather specific substance that is quickly rejected by the human body. The nail daily releases moisture and fat invisible to the eye, which protect the plate from drying out and the negative effects of the environment. For good adhesion of the gel polish to the nail surface there should be no moisture, otherwise peeling or cracking will occur.

Nail plate it is necessary to degrease, for which there are special cosmetic products. If your master saves money, cracks may appear within a few days. Try to choose a good craftsman who will adhere to technology and do his job conscientiously.

3. Rare temperature changes. This problem is caused by the client. You should know that gel polish requires some care. If you wash dishes in hot water and then switch them to cold water, you will encounter such a nuisance as cracks. Sudden temperature changes are detrimental not only to this type of coating, but also to your nails. Carefully ensure that the nail plate does not overheat or overcool. The master can give a guarantee for his services only if you adhere to all the rules and instructions. A competent specialist will tell you how to care for your nails and how to avoid cracks.


4. Contact with strong household chemicals. Another reason that depends solely on the client. A woman who decides to get a gel coating should remember that for a while she will have to give up housework associated with strong chemical solutions. Household chemicals can cause not only cracks in the gel coating, but also various allergic reactions.

To date manufacturers Home cleaning products use very harsh chemical compounds, because this way the client will be satisfied with the result. Therefore, take this recommendation as a rule not only when wearing gel polish, but also for every day. When cleaning plumbing, washing windows and floors, use special rubber gloves, which will provide reliable protection against the aggressive effects of household chemicals.

5. Excessive elasticity of the nail plate. If your nails are naturally very weak, then they probably curl or bend from time to time. This is due to the fact that your body does not have enough calcium and vitamins. To solve this problem, you need to regularly make masks and take vitamin complexes.

Gel coating of such nails undesirable, because due to the flexibility of the plate, all the work of the master can be ruined in an instant. Try to choose a good course of treatment to strengthen your nails, and after that, go to a beauty salon and apply gel polish. You can also reduce the risk of cracks appearing in the gel polish if you shorten the regrown part to zero before applying it. This way, your nails will not bend, and you will notice how long the gel polish can last on them.

6. Excessive sweating. There are cases when a client’s nails naturally produce a fairly large amount of moisture or oil. This is due to the individual characteristics of the body, so it is unlikely that you will be able to change anything. For such women, not only gel coating, but also regular polish and extensions do not adhere well to their nails. If you only enjoy a flawless manicure for a couple of days when applying regular polish, then most likely gel polish is not what is right for you.

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Modern fashionistas increasingly prefer practical manicures, using a coating such as gel polish. This product allows you to keep your nails looking well-groomed for up to three weeks. However, often the coating loses its appearance before the allotted time. Let's try to figure out why gel polish on nails cracks. The reasons may vary. Today we will learn how to avoid such trouble.

What is gel polish?

Gel coating is a hybrid of gel and varnish and has a specific structure. It is applied in the usual way, using a brush. But it must be dried using a special ultraviolet lamp. It cannot be erased or removed mechanically. Manufacturers offer a wide selection of colors and shades. This polish can stay in perfect condition on your nails for 3 weeks. It is not surprising that some women wonder why gel polish (shellac) cracks.

Benefits of shellac

Let us highlight the main advantages of this coating:

  • does not eat into the nail plate, therefore does not harm it;
  • has a strong structure;
  • easy to apply;
  • lasts for a long time;
  • features a wide color palette;
  • has an affordable price;
  • The manicure is easy to perform (the procedure can be performed at home).

What is the difference between gel coating and shellac?

Despite the enormous popularity of gel polish coating, it appeared not so long ago. The American brand Creative launched the first gel on the market in 2010, called “Shellac”. Now this is what gel products from any company are called. At a non-professional level, there is no difference between these coatings. However, no manufacturer was able to replicate the first shellac.

Reasons for the fragility of shellac

Despite the many advantages, women often wonder why gel polish on their nails cracks. Experts conditionally classify the causes of imperfections into three groups:

  1. Mistakes when applying gel polish.
  2. Mechanical damage.
  3. Presence of diseases.

Now let’s look in more detail at why gel polish cracks at the tips of the nails.

Wizard errors

Sometimes, when creating a manicure, the artist makes mistakes that cause the gel polish to crack on the nails. A violation of technology can occur at any stage of the coating.

Now we’ll find out why gel polish on nails cracks. The list of reasons is in front of you:

  • Low quality materials and tools and expired products were used.
  • Combination of base, varnish and topcoat from various manufacturers. Quality also affects durability. Experts do not recommend using “2 in 1” products, since they are significantly inferior to individual products.
  • Unprofessional treatment of the nail plate. It has a thin skin that needs to be removed along with the cuticle. If this is not done, the varnish will never adhere perfectly to the plate. As a result, the gel coating will begin to peel off.
  • Before the procedure, cream was applied.
  • The coating is applied to wet or not completely dry nails. Each layer must be thoroughly dried. To achieve this with a low-power ultraviolet lamp, you should simply increase the procedure time.
  • Incorrect degreasing of the plate. We are talking about applying a special spray without using cotton pads or napkins, directly on the nail itself. The product can be replaced with nail polish remover, which contains alcohol or acetone.
  • The polishing was done poorly, which is why the nail did not become completely smooth.
  • The coating technology is broken. The cut of the nail is not covered with varnish.
  • Dust particles got onto one of the layers. Small debris or specks should be removed immediately. To avoid such a problem, the master needs to properly arrange his workspace. All unnecessary items must be removed in advance.
  • A too thick or thin layer of base, color, or top was applied by mistake.

External factors

The appearance of cracks in the gel coating can also be influenced by the owner of the manicure. There is a misconception that gel-strengthened nails are so practical that they cannot be affected by environmental factors. Let's list the most common ones. So, why does gel polish crack on extended and artificial nails:

  1. High humidity and temperature. These negative factors can quickly destroy gel polish. So, visiting a sauna and solarium will have a detrimental effect on your manicure. Frequent hand washing also has a negative impact. Therefore, when choosing a gel coating for their nails, ladies should take into account the scope of their activity.
  2. Mechanical loads. As you know, with the slightest mechanical stress, the native nail plate bends. The gel layer cannot bend, it simply cracks at the edges. Owners of soft and flexible nails especially often face this problem.
  3. Cold. Low temperatures are considered another factor that has a destructive effect on nails. In winter, hands should be hidden to prevent the gel from peeling off, cracks appearing, and color fading.
  4. Homework. When washing dishes and wet cleaning, the gel interacts with all kinds of household chemicals, which leads to its destruction. Therefore, all manipulations should be performed with rubber gloves.

Body condition

Of no small importance for a long-lasting manicure is the general condition of the girl’s body, both on the day of application of the coating and throughout the entire period of wear. Some processes occurring in the human body can lead to rejection of the gel coating. This will manifest itself in the form of varnish peeling and cracks. This turn of events is possible in the following cases:

  • infectious diseases;
  • inflammation;
  • hormonal changes (menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause, severe stress);
  • diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • disorders of the cardiovascular system;
  • undergoing a course of antibiotic treatment.

Often women with infectious diseases have problems with gel polish. Experts also advise girls with hormonal imbalances to avoid this manicure. You should not apply the coating during menstruation, as the result can be very unpredictable.

The fragility of the coating may be caused by the fragility of the nail plates. In some cases, this is a feature of a particular organism, in others it is the result of frequent cutting of acrylic or gel.

Pregnancy

While carrying a child, a woman’s body behaves differently than before. Often girls observe accelerated nail growth. This leads to rapid cracking of the varnish. The body may react to the gel coating as a foreign component, which will also negatively affect its appearance.

Experts do not recommend that women use gel coating during pregnancy, especially in the first and last trimester, as well as after childbirth - the first 6 months. Due to hormonal imbalance, expectant and new mothers react quite unpredictably to strong odors and chemicals. During the procedure, headaches, weakness and nausea may occur.

Ways to solve the problem

Now let's talk not about why gel polish cracks on nails (we have already identified possible reasons), but about how to prevent the problem. Every woman wants to extend the life of her manicure. In order to never be tormented by the question of why gel polish on nails cracks, you need to follow simple recommendations:

  1. Apply gel polish no earlier than the next day after a trimmed or untrimmed manicure.
  2. Take care of your nails for 12 hours after applying varnish. During this period, the varnish is most easily damaged if it is subjected to external loads. Any minor impact can lead to peeling or chipping.
  3. Proper removal of gel polish. This is very important for subsequent manicures. Do not remove the coating using metal objects. To remove varnish, you should use a remover. A cotton pad must be moistened with liquid, applied to the nail plate, and wrapped in a piece of foil. After 5 minutes the varnish can be removed. Residues are easily removed with an orange stick.
  4. After removing the coating, allow your nails to rest and recover. After two to three weeks of manicure, take a break.

Why do nails crack under gel polish?

Sometimes cracks appear on natural nails as a result of wearing gel coating. Among the external factors affecting the condition of the plates, the following should be highlighted:

  • hitting a hard surface;
  • constant mechanical impact;
  • applying coating to weakened, thin, fragile nails;
  • improperly filed nails (in two directions);
  • removing nail polish with aggressive means;
  • manicure was created without using a base;
  • contact with chemicals without gloves.

Also, deep cracks in nails under gel coating can be caused by internal reasons:

  • dehydration of nails;
  • lack of microelements and vitamins;
  • changes in hormonal levels.

As you can see, long-lasting manicure is not only the choice of a professional master and quality products. The ideal condition of the coating also depends on the woman’s health and the scope of her daily activities.


Chips and detachments of the coating may appear in the center of the nail, at the cuticle, side ridges or on the free edge. Small and harmless, over time they grow, lead to delamination of the plate, and even become a breeding ground for pathogenic fungi and bacteria.

What to do if a chip or detachment of the material is discovered

Chips and detachments are not always a problem for a master. The condition of the client's nails, internal pathological problems and diseases are also one of the factors that should be taken into account.

Let's look at the most common causes of chips and detachments of the material, as well as how to work with them in most cases.

The first thing to do is to analyze the cause. These may be problems with the lamp, with the coating, with the technician’s technique, the characteristics of the client’s nails, the client’s working conditions, when hands and nails are exposed to increased physical stress or exposure to a chemical environment.

Points for analyzing the causes of problems with coating durability:

  1. On which fingers and how often do chips occur if the client is a regular;
  2. How long after application of the coating does the problem appear?
  3. Perhaps the lamp has failed or the lamp model is old and cannot cope with modern nail coatings. The recommended replacement period for UV lamps is every 12-18 months with an average and large flow of clients;
  4. Sometimes it is enough to simply replace light bulbs or diodes whose resources have been exhausted;
  5. Insufficient lamp power to polymerize the coating; it is necessary to either replace the device or set a higher intensity, correlating with the polymerization time;

Every time a client comes to you for the next procedure, analyze in which areas and why there may be chips and detachments in order to select the right materials and technique for the new coating.

When a new client comes for a manicure, in addition to a visual examination of the condition of the hands and nails, it is worth asking him a number of questions. They will immediately eliminate possible problems with the wear of artificial turf. For example:

  • What problems did you have with manicure and gel polish in the past?
  • In what areas did chips and detachments appear?
  • What type of activity does the client have?

If he works with household or other chemicals, or often comes into contact with water or dust, these factors must be taken into account.

List of 18 possible causes of chipping and peeling that manicurists encounter:

1. Incorrect application of the first base layer

When leveling the nail plate with a base, we apply it in two layers. The first one must be well distributed using “trampling” or “driving” movements with a brush, so that there are no air bubbles under it, and the adhesion of the material to the nail scales occurs evenly, tightly, along the entire perimeter of the plate.

To distribute and “trample” the base well, it is better to use a flat, medium oval brush. You can use it with less material than a regular one and distribute it well.

It is important to cure this first thin layer well in the lamp, as it serves as the basis for future leveling, ensuring adhesion.

Working with the base coat: preparing the nail, applying a base for leveling

How to choose the right base? It is necessary to take into account the shape and length of the client's nails. For example, the square shape of nails involves a much greater load than oval or others with rounded edges. This means that a square base requires a more rigid base with a reinforcing effect, applied taking into account the need to strengthen the growth points and the side ends of the free edge.

Base coatings: types, selection criteria, review of the best

3. The client’s type of activity is not taken into account

The factor of the peculiarities of the load on the client’s nails in his field of activity is very important for analysis by the master when choosing materials for coating. If the client's hands often come into contact with chemicals, detergents or water, this creates additional stress and shortens the wear life of the material.

Biogel and its properties for strengthening, building, health and growth of nails

4. Poorly executed manicure

Here we include the incompletely removed pterygium. What it is? The pterygium is the lower part of the cuticle that adheres to the nail and grows with it. These are whitish particles of dry skin along the perimeter of the nail plate. They are found not only in the cuticle area, but also in the proximal folds and along the lateral ridges.

Therefore, it is important to remove pterygium not only in the lower part, where the cuticle is located, but also along the entire perimeter of the nail, along the side walls. Then the base and gel polish will lie smoothly, tightly, and will not cause peeling.

Nail structure and growth: what healthy nails and skin should look like, care rules

5. Sawed nail plate

When working with cutters or files when removing material and filing the free edge, you can easily damage the natural nail plate. When applying a new coating in the cut area, there will not be the necessary tight adhesion, and as a result, the client receives detachments.

Hardware manicure - answering frequently asked questions

Life hack for beginners: use a beige or milky camouflage base for gel polish. Thus, when removing, the border between the artificial material and the natural nail will be visible, and cuts will be avoided.

6. The client tore off the gel polish from the nail himself.

A fairly common problem is when, in the event of detachments, the client does not have the opportunity to immediately visit a specialist or carefully cut down the damaged area on his own. Then the peeled edge simply breaks off, which along with it pulls another part of the coating, or even material from the entire nail. As a result, we get damage to the nail plate not only in the upper, but also in the deeper layers, which can be equated to the same cuts.

Such damage needs to be dealt with differently, ensuring preliminary leveling under the coating.

7. Remains of remover in the cuticle area

When using a remover to remove cuticles and pterygium, it is important to thoroughly remove any residue before further application of the coating. The remover may contain lanolin and glycerin, and these are fat-containing components that interfere with the further tight fit of the artificial material.

In addition to the remover, the master could use a hemostatic agent for cuts. Its remains are another cause of detachments.

To remove them from the surface of the plate, use a degreaser and a lint-free cloth. You can put a napkin on an orange stick to carefully work on the areas under the cuticle and the overhanging part of the side ridges.

8. Insufficient preparation of the nail plate

What are the stages of quality preparation? This:

  • Treatment of the nail surface with a buff;
  • Degreasing;
  • Dehydration;
  • Applying an acid-free primer, especially for extensions.

Skipping one of these steps or performing it poorly can lead to the formation of “islands” of incomplete adhesion and detachments.

  • With the help of a buff, we remove the remnants of natural shine, any unevenness and roughness on the surface of the nail plate.
  • Degreasing and dehydration allow you to dry the work surface, remove dust from sawdust, and also remove glycerin or lanolin contained in the remover. In addition to them, we remove lipids from the upper layers of the nail, and the remnants of greasy cream along the side ridges.

It is important not to waste napkins when treating the area. If we rub all our nails with the same side or area, we spread the remains of dirt, sawdust or greasy cosmetics from one finger to another.

The acid-free primer serves as double-sided tape between the natural plate and the artificial material. If there is a little artificial coating left on the nail from the last time, then only the regrown area of ​​the natural nail plate, ingrowth points and ends are treated with a primer.

For clients with hyperhidrosis, it is better to use an acid primer; it additionally dries the work area. The product dries in the open air, without the use of a lamp.

9. Remains of old detachments

If the old detachments are not completely removed, new ones will form in the same place, on top of them, in a matter of days. Usually, particles of old material remain along the free edge and in the center of the nail plate. Therefore, pay special attention to these areas when removing the old coating.

If the detachments are not on all fingers, but on the “working” ones, then it is necessary to perform additional reinforcement of the plate. We cover the index and middle fingers with a hard base, a base with fiberglass, or additionally strengthen it with acrylic powder.

Fiberglass: what it is, application features, step-by-step techniques

10. Excessively “sealed” end with material getting under the free edge

By processing the ends of the nails at the stages of applying the base, color and top, we get not only a well-sealed edge, but also a possible problem of material flowing under it. This is also fraught with the appearance of chips. The material under the free edge does not have such strong adhesion to the natural base, and therefore after a day or two it peels off, “pulling” the top layer with it.

Keep a flat brush handy. If material gets under the free edge, soak it in degreaser and carefully remove the excess.

11. Diseases

The client’s diseases and painful conditions do not depend on the master, and he can only influence them indirectly. These include:

  • Hyperhidrosis;
  • Taking antibiotics that affect the condition of the plate;
  • Hormonal imbalances;
  • Unbalanced nutrition, diets;
  • Stressful conditions of the body, etc.

With hyperhidrosis, the client may experience detachments along the cuticle line. In this situation, it is recommended to treat the nails under the coating one at a time so that they do not have time to become covered with moisture, and reliable adhesion of the natural and artificial layers is obtained.

A guide to diseases and problems with nails: diagnosis, causes and remedies for 12 diseases

Hyperhidrosis of the feet: causes and solutions to the problem

12. Streaks

When applying a thick layer of material, due to a poorly wrung out brush or poorly chosen liquid texture, streaks may form on the sides and near the cuticle. Immediately after applying the coating, microstrips may not be visible to the naked eye, but after a few hours, or after the first contact with water, they begin to lag behind the skin and protrude along the edges.

The result is small “pockets” or grooves into which cream, dust, dirt, and detergent residues constantly get caught when doing housework, and detachments appear. Over time, they grow and can “pull” most of the coverage with them.

13. Using a cheap cream or the client has oily skin

Cheap creams usually contain fat substitutes that are not absorbed, but only form a film on the surface of the skin and nails.

Clients with overactive sebaceous glands also have a thick, oily film on their nails due to contact with the skin. When removing shine from nails with a buff, the gloss may not even come off.

07.07.2017

Many people are faced with the problem that the gel polish peels off or comes off as a film within a few days after application, and chips and cracks appear on it. Why doesn't gel polish stick to my nails?

Based on the experience of manicurists, we have identified several reasons and errors due to which gel polish does not stick to the nails.

Typical mistakes when applying gel polish

Of course, the first and main reason for peeling and chipping is errors in coating application. It is quite possible that at one of the stages you missed or did not take into account some nuances.

1. The cuticle and pterygium are not completely removed. Before applying the base, you need to carefully push back the cuticle with an orange stick or pusher and completely remove the pterygium. Otherwise, the gel polish will begin to peel off where the nail grows.

2. The nail is not polished enough. Be sure to use- this will improve the adhesion of the nail surface to the base.

3. The nail is not degreased. Always wipe your nail plates with a degreaser. If you have “wet” and brittle nails, we recommend using a primer or ultrabond.

4. Coating layer is too thick. Base, gel polish and top coat should always be applied in a thin layer.

5. Coatings are poorly dried. After each layer, you need to dry your nails until they are completely dry. The time depends on the power of the lamp. After several years of use, the lamp's power decreases and it takes longer to dry.

6. Layers are not sealed. Such an error is guaranteed to lead to peeling of the gel polish. It is necessary to seal each layer: , and . This will significantly extend the durability of the manicure.


Other reasons for gel polish peeling

In addition to the listed application errors, there are other reasons why gel polish does not adhere well to nails.

    Sometimes it peels off due to low-quality products (for example, fakes) or because they have expired. Always choose proven bases, tops and gel polishes. And remember that not only coatings have a service life, but also UV/LED lamps - they need to be replaced on time.

    Another reason is much less common than the previous ones. But still, some nails cannot tolerate gel polish coating due to the individual characteristics of the body. Often the manicure does not last due to hormonal changes, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or thyroid dysfunction. In this case, this is a reason to visit a doctor.


The durability of gel polishes is designed for 2-4 weeks and depends on the individual characteristics of the owner of the nails: the state of the body, profession and lifestyle. How often do your hands come into contact with water? With constant contact with moisture, gel polish is unlikely to last longer than 2 weeks, and this is normal. Provided high-quality coating with professional products and careful handling, the durability of the manicure can be extended up to 4 weeks. The nails gradually grow, a free zone appears at the cuticle, but the coating itself looks like new.


In most cases, gel polish is susceptible to chipping due to improper application technology. Purchasing proven, reliable products and following all stages of nail coating usually solve the problem once and for all.

We hope you found our article useful. Good luck!

Best regards, your online store imkosmetik.

To fix peeling shellac you will definitely need a soft nail file.

Super-resistant coatings have already been tried by many people. Some people wear them all the time, others do them for a specific occasion. One way or another, sometimes they let us down and chips appear. It is not so important what their cause is - a mistake by a technician or a heavy office door hitting his finger at the wrong time. Real problems begin when there is no way to immediately put everything in order.

How to fix peeling shellac if you don't have a UV or LED lamp

To avoid the problem of an irreparably chipped manicure, pick up a small bottle of any varnish in the store that closely resembles your shellac, and carry it with you. The matter becomes somewhat more complicated if you have a complex design on your hands, but you can usually still choose a color that is the main one.

Be sure to also put a soft file for natural nails in your purse, then you will be fully prepared to deal with possible chips.

If your gel polish chips, don't panic. Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed for 10-15 minutes, take out a nail file and get to work. Now our task is to align the edges of the chip. Shellac usually lies quite thick and, if one piece is missing, a large difference is created between the surfaces of the colored layer and the nail. This is what needs to be leveled.

Simply painting with varnish over the hole, without filing (even with a very thick layer) is pointless. Believe me, it won't get better!

After filing the edges of the chip, remove all the dust and only then apply regular varnish. It’s best to cover the entire nail, in 2-3 thin layers, drying each one thoroughly.

If you have a lamp and gel polishes, fixing peeling shellac becomes even easier

The technology is basically the same. But its undeniable advantage is that it is not a temporary solution. It is quite possible that with a corrected manicure you will leave all the allotted time. Some people don’t even remove the gel polish every two weeks, but simply make corrections according to the described principle.

Gel polishes can be applied thicker than regular polish without fear of something not drying somewhere. However, it is also not recommended to thicken the claws too much, since the likelihood of chipping in this situation increases.

Something else interesting

If you are wondering where you can buy cheap manicure jewelry, read our new article

Today, discussing the most popular and trendy manicure decorations, we will look at inexpensive offers from the famous AliExpress website. It is difficult to find a person who has not heard of it, but not everyone has resorted to the services of Chinese sellers for many reasons. Some fear that the product will be of poor quality or will look completely different from the picture. Others are disgusted by the thought of paying for purchases online, especially since the seller is very far away, and there will be no opportunity to meet him in the event of a conflict of interest. Today Manikyr.ru will show you some interesting things that are not so easy to find in retail stores, and will also describe the features of choosing goods and possible difficulties arising in connection with this.

AliExpress has all the most popular new products in the nail industry. Moreover, there are even things there that you have never seen before. Let's see what is most popular now.

Volumetric modeling is back in fashion. It is used in manicure very carefully. Small floral arrangements occupy approximately a third of the nail plate. It’s clear that not everyone can perform such a manicure efficiently, especially at home. Going to a salon to try out an interesting new product is also not convenient for everyone.

But the Chinese offer whole scatterings of small flowers of different shades, made of special polymer clay. They are light, quite durable, and attaching to gels and gel polishes is no more difficult than any other jewelry. In principle, they can even be attached using special glue for rhinestones and false nails, using ordinary varnish that hardens in air as a background, but the strength of such a manicure will be relatively low.

All kinds of three-dimensional designs made of shining crystals are also recognized by fashionistas all over the world. Nowadays it’s quite fashionable to accent one or two fingers with large sparkling particles.

This is not convenient for everyone, however, this proposal is in trend. In retail stores, a set of several crystals costs at least 300 rubles, and on AliExpress - in the range of 50-100 rubles.

Elongated multifaceted holographic rhinestones are relatively comfortable to wear, but it is very important to fill their bases well with transparent varnish so that there are no gaps left anywhere. Such decorations are ideally attached to gel or biogel and, a little worse, to gel polish. We do not recommend attaching them to regular varnishes.

The sparkling iridescence of the edges will help make any image unforgettable and create a summer mood even on those days when the sun is hidden behind the clouds and the weather cannot be called hot at all.

Where would summer be without fruit? Flat and bright polymer clay discs will perfectly complement your summer manicure. They will be a great help for those who are not very good at painting on nails, but want to join in with the general citrus-watermelon mania. Fimo is very cheap, sometimes they are sold cut, in special sets, and sometimes in the form of sticks, which can be cut into disks yourself using a stationery knife.

Summer manicure often includes marine motifs, and they, in turn, are perfectly complemented by pearls of different sizes. Such nail decorations are also available on AliExpress, and you can buy them directly in bulk, which contains pearls of absolutely any size, and also within 100 rubles!

Micro Pixie crystals, invented by Swarovski, have gained wide international fame. You can buy their analogue in China. We will not hide that you will have to choose carefully, because some types of crystal chips turn out to be too large or cloudy, but by studying the reviews of previous customers, which are often provided with photographs of their purchase, you can easily choose the right product and not go wrong.

Of course, most sliders also come from there. Some of them seem too wild and bright, others, on the contrary, fascinate with their elegant design. Whatever one may say, in retail one sheet of water stickers costs 50, or even 250 rubles, but on AliExpress you can buy it within 5-20 rubles, and even get free delivery by mail.

The selection of water stickers on Ali is truly huge, and problems with them are rare (although you should also study the reviews). Free postal delivery is not the fastest solution, but on average, goods arrive in three weeks, sometimes two.

In the same way, you can purchase stencils of various types via the Internet. If you know how to work with them well, then the goods offered by Chinese sellers will serve you just as well as those purchased in your hometown.

How to order jewelry successfully and not be disappointed?

The Chinese website AliExpress is really a kind of lottery, where you can buy both good goods and outright junk. But the big advantage of this resource compared to the same eBay is that each product has not only a rating, but also customer reviews. The seller has a separate rating, and in the upper left above the product you can see how long he has been working with online sales and what his popularity is with customers.

You can always compare products and find something more interesting or cheaper. Below, under all the reviews and descriptions of the offered item, there is a menu called “similar products”, and there is also a lot of interesting things in it. On that website nail decorations are presented in such quantities that it’s simply dizzying.

If you are looking for something specific, it is better to enter the search phrase in English. Of course, the site has long been Russified, but many of the names still sound like an incomprehensible set of words, practically unrelated to the product offered.

In the search on the site, you can choose a huge number of parameters: products rated only five stars, products with free shipping, products in the “from and to” price category, and so on. For those who like to save money, this is just a great solution.

If the product arrived defective, or if the protection period is expiring and the purchase still has not arrived, you can always contact the seller. In most cases (and when it comes to cheap nail decorations, then in 99%), the seller simply returns the money, because he is afraid of receiving a negative review, which will immediately spoil his rating.

A well-chosen nail shape will help make your hands more graceful and attractive.

There is an opinion that nail shape connected Whether this is true or not, quite a lot of attention is paid to this issue. Giving claws, whether natural or artificial, a successful configuration is one of the most important tasks of manicure. It would seem that the process itself is extremely simple: it boils down to filing the free edge of the nail plates with a suitable tool in order to obtain a flawlessly symmetrical and identical shape of all claws. In practice, it turns out that achieving the desired perfection is not so easy. It’s the same as immediately drawing identical “arrows” on the eyelids.

However, even at home, even without being a highly experienced master with a dozen special courses under your belt, you can try to achieve the ideal shape. But first, it’s worth understanding what the end result is striving for, because configurations come in a wide variety, and in order to have a correct idea of ​​whether such a design will suit you or not when choosing, you need to have at least a general understanding of the basics of the psychology of perception.

Each nail shape has its own name and characteristic features.

  • Square nails (and rectangular ones, like the longer version).

They gained maximum popularity a couple of years ago, and since then many beauties adhere only to this option to the detriment of all others. You can easily guess that such nails have practically no rounded corners. They can be ground down there only minimally to reduce the sharpness, but visually such softening is almost imperceptible.

Proponents of square nails argue that this is the ideal shape if you do a lot of typing on the keyboard or working with a calculator. In terms of doing it at home, the square is quite simple, which is why this nail design option is very much loved by almost all nail service professionals. In fact, the only thing we need to get here is a perfectly straight and neatly sanded cut.

Of course, it is still very important to ensure that all nails are the same length, but even a schoolchild can cope with this task.

  • Oval nails have long been the most popular shape all over the world.

Now they are fighting for primacy with rectangular and square configurations and, it must be said, they are inferior to them. The oval shape emphasizes femininity and tenderness. The essence of the edge design here is that it exactly repeats the natural line of the cuticle, reflecting it in a mirror - with the convex side outward.

This option is often confused with almond-shaped nails, although it is much more modest and convenient. This configuration is ideal for those who work a lot with their hands, come into contact with a lot of people and prefer a discreet manicure. The oval shape usually adorns nail plates of short and medium length.

  • The shape called soft square is just a hybrid between the previous two options.

This shape is very popular among those who would happily wear rectangular or square claws if they were not irritated by their sharp edges constantly catching on something or scratching the skin. The free edge here has a minimal, but quite noticeable rounding at the edges.

  • Almond-shaped nails are distinguished by the complete absence of pronounced corners near the lateral leather ridges.

The end is rounded and ground much more strongly than if it simply reflected the shape of the cuticle. This design allows you to visually make wide and not very long fingers more graceful, especially if you cover the nail plate with flesh-colored or translucent varnish.

The rounding varies depending on the length of the nails, but generally resembles an almond configuration, hence the name.

  • Aggressive stiletto nails are suitable for artistic, extravagant people.

This shape means long nails. The peculiarity of this configuration is that the nail plate has a strictly sharp point in the middle, and the sides are ground off almost in a straight line.

This manicure is not for everyone. For example, those with thin, long fingers should completely avoid this option, as it will make their hands look like bird feet.

Lately, stiletto nails have become popular again. However, given the controversial nature of such a choice, Manikyr.ru recommends that you pay attention to a similar, but more modest variation: the “ballerina” or “pointe shoe” shape.

  • The Ballerina nail shape, which made a splash in 2016, is similar to the Stiletto, but not as aggressive.

Instead of a predatory point, in the center of the nail there is a small straight platform, to which the sides, ground in a straight line, converge. This shape really resembles ballet pointe shoes. It allows you to give your hands grace, place any design you like on the nail plates, and at the same time not make others think that you are out hunting.

The latest trend to go with these nail designs is a matte finish with a few sparkling accents.

To get the perfect nail shape, you need to follow a few rules.

  • Never do a manicure in a hurry. If something breaks or gets stuck, of course, you can fix it with a file, but you need to seriously sit down to treat your nails in a calm environment.
  • It is very important to get a good table lamp and do your manicure in decent lighting, which will not allow you to bevel the shape of the nail that takes so long to be verified.
  • For final polishing of surfaces, only good quality files should be used, ideally porcelain or glass. In this case, you should work on a fresh surface. If the abrasive has already worn out, it’s time to purchase another tool.
  • Manicure with stars Classic French manicure with gel polish Colored French manicure Summer manicure with gold stripes Manicure with monograms and sparkles Bright French manicure with patterns Manicure with glitter 2017 Geometric nail-art Matte marble manicure Simple manicure with hearts French manicure with lines