6 Annoying Reasons Why Your Gel Nail Polish is Peeling Off! (and how to fix them!)

gel nail polish peeling off

Is your gel nail polish peeling off? Let’s take a look at the most common reasons why it’s happening…and what you can do about it!

I’ve posted a lot of at home gel nail tutorials over on my youtube channel to help people learn how to do gel nails at home. With companies selling beginner kits that are affordable and easy to set up, doing your own gels has become really popular these days. Not only is it really fun to do, it also can save hundreds at the salon for those who enjoy a bit of DIY pampering.

For the most part doing your own gel nails at home is a pretty simple process, but it does take practice and there are still a few things that can go wrong!

Every week I get messages over on Instagram asking me to help troubleshoot why someone’s gels are peeling off and I find I’m seeing the same problems again and again. So I thought I’d pop together a little video to help you figure out why your gel nail polish is peeling off and how you can stop it from happening!

Watch 6 Reasons Why Your Gel Nail Polish is Peeling Off:

Covered in the video:
Proper Prep: Dehydration is Key
Avoiding the skin: The Perfect Seal
Perfect Ends: Capping Your Edges
Even Application: No Lumps and Bumps
Correct Kit: Timings and Lamps
– and Outside Influences!

So if you’re finding that your nails aren’t lasting as long as you’d like and they’re either peeling off or chipping – you’re in the right place!

Properly dehydrating your nails before you begin is key – any oils or dust may prevent your polish from forming a tight seal which can cause lifting. Similarly if you’re painting over the cuticle or skin in any way, this creates an opening for water to get between the gel and your nails, causing…you guessed it, lifting! I have a little trick for painting the perfect cuticle every time right here that’s worth a watch!

It’s important to cap the free edge of your nails to make sure things are sealed at the tips too – I explain how to do this in my tutorial here. And of course using the correct polish in the correct lamp for the right amount of time is a necessity. Some polish can only be cured in a UV lamp and simply won’t work in an LED lamp. Others may need to cure for twice as long under UV vs LED. Double check your bottles!

And finally understanding that lifestyle factors such as water or cleaning products may affect your nails can also really help preserve your manicure for longer.

I expand on each of these points and explain more in the video above so please do feel free to have a watch! Sometimes going back to basics is the easiest way to find out where things might be going wrong so you can achieve that perfect long lasting manicure you deserve!

If you’re still struggling, please do feel free to leave a comment here or on my youtube video, or follow over on Instagram (@xameliax) and drop me a DM and I’ll see if I can help!

If you need a refresher on how to do your own gel nails at home,
take a look at my super simple easy to follow tutorials HERE!

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gel nail polish peeling off