Beauty is pain, right? Wrong! Your manicure shouldn’t hurt!

If you’ve ever had your nails get super hot, super fast during a gel service, here’s a super quick explaination of why it’s happening and how to stop it!

The Gel going onto your nails is actually liquid plastic. It’s made of thousands of tiny molecules that all seriously dislike UV light. When exposed to it, they panic and link into loooong chains which tighten up until, to us, they feel solid. And your manicure is done!

This process happens crazy fast – you’re in the lamp 30 seconds, right? Things that go fast cause heat – think of tyres spinning fast on the road surface or even just rubbing your hands together to keep warm. This particular heat is called an exothermic reaction and it’s what is happening during your Manicure.

So if that heat is coming from speed, we have to slow it down to reduce that heat

• Tip #1 – Less molecules mean less fighting for a position in the chain – apply thin.
• Tip #2 – Heat makes things happen faster so warm hands and room temperature will make an exotherm more likely. Keep the temperature moderate and don’t work under a heat lamp.
• Tip #3 – The exotherm’s going to happen whether you like it or not – you just won’t be able to feel it if your nails are healthy and the product is thin – make sure your nail plate is healthy to give extra protection – you can start by not ever picking off your nails!
• Tip #4 – If it DOES happen, take your hand out!