Last Updated on August 26, 2022 by SulaBeauty Staff
Acrylic nails are artificial nail extensions that offer a well-shaped and long-lasting manicure. You can get perfect-looking nails for weeks straight. However, breakage and chipping can get in the way of perfection.
So if you want to know how to make acrylic nails last longer, you have just come to the right place.
Can You Make Acrylic Nails Longer Between Fills?
Yes, you can; with caution and care, you can get beautiful-looking nails for longer. The main thing that you have to take care of is the natural nail underneath. Also, make sure to:
- Keep your nail clean and hygienic to eliminate any chances of fungus or infection.
- Choose the right nail length of your acrylics as per your daily activities to reduce the chances of breakage by accident.
- Wear gloves to stay away from moisture while doing household work.
- Don’t chew your acrylic nails or pick them at the edges.
- Always wash your hands with antibacterial soap and properly dry them after washing.
- Apply cuticle oil regularly to keep your nails hydrated.
How to Make Your Acrylic Nails Last Longer?
Acrylics are extremely durable and provide you with your dream nail length. The only problem is as your natural nails grow, they need to be filled in. They also lift away from your natural nail over time if you don’t take proper care of them.
You need to maintain them to increase their life. To know how to make acrylic nails last longer in detail, continue reading further. We have shared with you some proven and effective ways to increase your acrylics’ life here.
Visit a trusted nail technician:
You might know many nail technicians, but you cannot just go to anyone. Make sure you have heard about them before from your friends, family, or acquaintances. They should be professionals with good experience.
Don’t forget to check the reviews of the nail salons before booking an appointment and go for an experienced nail technician. Going for the right nail artist will do 90% of your job and make your acrylics extremely durable. If your nail tech doesn’t know how to apply acrylic nails properly, change it asap.
Ensure Your Nails are Prepped Correctly Before Application:
This is the most important thing to ensure before your acrylic application. The acrylic nails will adhere to the nail surface better and have a better life span only when your natural nails are properly prepped. There are three things to ensure here:
- The cuticle and nearby area should be properly pushed back and aligned
- File your natural nails
- Properly clean your natural nails
Use a Nail Dehydrator and A Nail Primer:
Not using a nail dehydrator can make your acrylics lift quite easily. So after your nail is prepped, ensure your nail tech applies the dehydrator. The dehydrator will remove all the unnecessary moisture and oils from your nails.
After the dehydrator, your nail tech should apply the primer.
Both these steps are important as you might have oily nails. It will make your acrylic nails bond better with your nail plate and hence will ensure the longevity of your acrylic extensions.
Morovan Professional Natural Nail Prep Dehydrate and Acid-Free Primer are one of the best options to choose from all the others available on the market.
Be careful doing housework:
Be cautious while doing your regular cleaning work around the house. Your day-to-day household chores involve using cleaning agents and detergents.
The harsh chemicals in these products might ruin your acrylic nails sooner, making them quite weak and easily chip in.
Investing in a quality pair of rubber gloves is best to give your hands the best protection while doing regular day-to-day work. It is extremely important to wear gloves whenever possible while doing your household chores.
Vgo 3-Pairs Reusable Household Gloves are the best in quality and affordable at the same time.
Avoid Having Your Acrylic Nails Exposed to Harsh Conditions & Chemicals:
Exposing your acrylic nails to harsh conditions like extremely hot and cold temperatures and strong chemicals might weaken them greatly. They will peel and chip off very easily. So try to avoid hot baths and prolonged exposure to chlorinated water.
Also, avoid activities like gardening and cooking as much as possible.
Go for a Fill-in When Needed:
Since acrylic nails last for months, your natural nails start to grow, leaving a gap at the end of your nails close to the area of your cuticles. So it is crucial to keep going for regular fills of these areas to make your acrylic nails look brand new.
Ideally, one must go for filling every two to three weeks depending upon the growth of their natural nail growth. Schedule regular fills to prevent the lifting of your acrylic nails.
Keep Your Nails Healthy & Moisturized:
Dry nails can crack and peel very easily. This, in turn, also weakens your acrylic nails as they are attached to your nail plate. Cracking of the nail plate will ultimately lead to cracking of the acrylics. So it is important to apply oil or hand cream to keep your fingers moisturized.
Keep giving proper hydration and moisturization to your natural nails and cuticles daily by using good cuticle oil or hand moisturizer.
It is extremely important to increase the life of your acrylic nails. Bee Naturals Nail and Cuticle Oil is the best cuticle oil option available on the market.
Avoid pressure on your nails:
When your acrylic nails experience too much stress, unnecessary pressure, and force, this can weaken them slowly, eventually leading to their lifting.
Such activities as scraping, opening containers, scratching, lifting, and typing should be completely avoided as they directly put force and stress onto your acrylic nail.
Strengthen Your Natural Nails:
Make your nails strong from the inside by having a healthy and balanced diet. External factors also play an important role in making your nails stronger.
Ensure to regularly apply cuticle oil at least two to three times a day, moisturize your fingers and apply nail strengtheners. All this preparation will allow your acrylics to adhere better to your natural nails.
Go For Shorter Acrylic Nails:
Longer acrylic nails will obviously have more chances of getting chipped or lifted than shorter ones. So it is suggested not to go for very long lengths of acrylics. With longer nails, there are more chances of pressure and stress while doing your regular activities.
Longer acrylics can also easily get stuck in fabrics and clothes, thus leading to their breakage soon. Thus this pressure weakens the glue of your acrylics, making them lift quite easily.
Top up your topcoat:
You can top up the top coat at home and preserve the glossy finish. A top coat will prevent chipping that otherwise could have happened more easily.
Applying a top coat also provides an extra layer of protection to your nails, thus reducing the chances of breakage as it better saves them from all the external sources which cause stress and force on them.
How to Care for Acrylic Nails?
There is no denying the fact that we all live longer and have more beautiful-looking nails. Isn’t it? Acrylics provide longer-looking, elegant and beautiful nails that are quite pleasing to the eyes.
But the only problem is they are artificial nail extensions put on your natural nails; thus, they need to be taken care of to make them last longer. Here we have shared with you a few tips:
Be Gentle:
They are not your natural nails; never forget that. Try to handle things gently with your hands. Get rid of the habit of using your nails as a tool after getting your acrylics done.
Stay away from excessive exposure to water:
Try to keep your hand as dry as possible because if you expose your hands to water while doing your daily household chores like washing clothes and cleaning the utensils, then all these activities will loosen the glue of your acrylics sooner.
Stay away from acetone:
When you get longer-looking nails, you try to apply different colors of nail polishes every time. So while removing them and applying the new one, make sure you don’t use an acetone-based nail polish remover. Also, don’t use cheap nail polishes.
Make sure the remover which you are using is acetone-free, as it will make your acrylics soft and cause them to eventually deteriorate. Karma Organic Nail Polish Remover with Soybean Oil and Lavender is a good option if you want an acetone-free remover.
Take care of the skin around the nail:
Keep a watch on the signs of dryness, redness, itching, and most importantly, peeling of the skin around your acrylics, as this can be a sign of a nail infection. Be attentive to these signs as there might be a possible infection.
Keep the skin around your nails clean and healthy to make your acrylic nails last longer.
Maintain good personal hygiene:
Regularly washing your hands with an antibacterial soap will reduce the chances of infection and make acrylic nails last. To ensure that they are clean and free from debris and bacteria, you can run an alcohol swab under your nails before going to bed every day.
Stay away from DIYs:
If there is accidental damage to your nails, don’t try to repair it yourself, as you will end up doing more damage than good and might also increase the risk of infection. So immediately go and book an appointment with your nail tech in a good nail salon.