1. Using too much Water
Believe it or not, soaking the nails in water for so long allows the skin and nails to absorb the moisture that bulges out the nail plate. As this slowly dries out from the nail plate, applications directly after soaking may lead to lifting.
Consider dry manicures instead; these are the better way to go. You will need buffing blocks, hand files, various nail bits, and an electric nail file. It makes for a much safer and long-lasting application of a manicure because it avoids all of the excess moisture associated with the process.
2. Failure to Clean up the Cuticle
In most nail routines, one can easily forget to care for the cuticles. It is not pleasant at all to have dry and overgrown cuticles, which may leave your nails looking bad. Moreover, it increases the chances of infections and painful hangnails.
An aggressive approach to cutting your cuticles can be very dangerous and increase your infection risk. Instead, apply a good cuticle oil or hand cream daily to moisturize your cuticles for them to stay soft and healthy.
3. Not Hydrating the Skin
Healthy skin around the nails is essential in having healthy nails. Other than just the looks, the dry, cracked skin about the nails can be indicative of severe problems associated with nail health. Maintaining strength and the appearance of the nails depends on staying hydrated.
Apply moisturizing hand cream or cuticle oil into your daily routine for effective skin hydration. Look for products that moisten with jojoba oil, vitamin E, or shea butter.
Massage the oil or lotion into the nails themselves and the skin around the nail beds, ensuring to massage the cuticles also.
4. Application of Thick Layers of Product
Less is often more in nail care. Painting on a thick coat of nail polish may seem like a timesaving move, but it can bring on a lot of problems. Thick layers raise the potential for your manicure to fade or become damaged because it is taking longer to dry. Also, nail polish in thick coats chips and peels off more easily.
Apply thin, uniform coats of nail art or treatment rather than thick coatings. To keep your nails and to ensure that the application is perfect, apply a base coat first. Before applying the next layer, let the previous one be completely dry.
5. Buffing and Not Roughing the Nail
Buffing and shaping the nails should be done right to avoid damage to the nail plate. Whereas shaping ensures that your nails appear neat, buffing flattens ridges and leaves your nails looking polished. On the other hand, too much buffing and using sharp tools thin the nails over time by wearing them down, making them weak.
Rather than using a nail surface roughener, use a fine-grit nail file or a soft nail buffer to smooth the nails. Work softly in circles to avoid over-buffing, which wears away at the nail plate. Finally, use a gentle file to shape your nails, taking extra care to curve them naturally at the end. Such an approach gives you a shiny look with less interference in the integrity and strength of your nail.
