How to protect your nails from nail glue?

Taylor Swift’s version of All Too Well has just recently dropped, in case you happened to live in the cave. It was not even the main song in her Red Album! And it even topped the charts!

Taylor Swift, girl, you are the GOAT.

Do you know who also made a comeback and totally owned the beauty industry? Press-on nails. Back then, they were not that well-received. They just don’t scream elegance, you see.

Even now, with the advent of gel and acrylic, it’s easy to dismiss it.

But putting on press-on nails and making them look natural is an art by itself. And if you master it, you save yourself dollars and time going to a salon. You can even change it to suit your OOTD! It is that easy.

However, press-on nails do come with baggage.

It needs a chemical to make it stick there, aka a nail glue. Random chemicals in the glue probably worried some people, so now they have to know how to protect their nails from nail glue.

But there’s always more to the story. That’s probably why Taylor Swift made All Too Well a 10-minute song.

You are about to know the do’s and don’ts and what exactly should you be critical about with nail glues.

Does nail glue damage your nails?

It’s such a wonder how you can consider press-on nails to be so simple compared to gels or acrylic manicures yet still find it damaging. There’s no harsh buffing or scary UV lights, so how is it possible to actually mess it up?

Now, there are some speed bumps on the way, which might be why you are sending your nails to a funeral. And nail glue is definitely one of them.

Two reasons: You are allergic to it or had some uncontrolled anger directed to your nails upon applying and removing it.

The first one is the disclaimer section in every beauty product. This is clearly a you-won’t-know-until-you-try kind of situation. If you develop any itching, it’s best to either switch to another brand or an alternative.

Regarding allergies, press-on nails can be a hit and miss when you are a newbie. And while applying that glue in between, you might also trap dirt and moisture. Yeast infection? Fungal growth? These are nightmares you might sandwich along with that glue.

Be hygienic!

Okay, onto the second one. Calling it anger is too much, but you been shouldn’t slack off and give no thought about it.

When you apply glue, make sure it is only the size of a glass bead. You can use cuticle oil to remove excess glue around the nails. Worrying about glue seeping under your nails? Just wash your hands, and it will be a-okay again.

Important notice: Do not tug your fake nails in every direction just to get them off. Ripping them off so casually may also rip a layer of your real nails! It is not the way to do it.

Besides, you are wasting the chance to reuse those press-on nails, honestly.

You heard it right. With the right nail glue, you absolutely can wear them again. So keep them in good shape and don’t mistreat them even upon removal.

The elephant in the room is not yet addressed, though.

Does nail glue actually damage natural nails?

This is a real concern, especially for those who already lived the horror of weak and brittle nails from gel or acrylic.

Well, they don’t. Not when it is done properly.

You only have to find a reputable brand of nail glue and also try not to wear fake nails so often. This will ensure that your nails will still be healthy even over time.

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How to wear fake nails without damaging the real nail

So now that you have cleared up the air about your nail glue concerns, it’s time you teach yourself how to do the job properly.

After all, you can’t dump the blame wholly on one factor. (Poor glue!)

There is one absolute part which is never missed since beauty standards were established: prep time.

Have you ever ridden a roller coaster without seat belts? Can you imagine just leaving it to fate to land you safely and successfully?

No? Good.

That is how it works, even with the simple task of gluing a press-on to your nail. This is how you prepare for it.

Size matters

Whoever said otherwise has never tried to repeatedly glue pop-offs because they turned out smaller than your nails. On the other side, you can always file along the free edge of your nail to fit a bigger press-on.

Oil is a no-no!

It sounds horrendous to hear that word. Dehydrating just seems so against the nature of a beauty enthusiast. But listen, oils and glue? That’s two worlds apart.

It’s always a good idea to wash your nails and cuticles with soap. Make sure you totally dry those nail beds! Get that alcohol afterward and do a proper cleanse.

Yes! As Meghan Trainor instructed you. Every inch should be perfect from the bottom to the top. That means to push back those cuticles and clip your nails short.

It’s an extra step, but you have to commit to it entirely when you want to care for your nails. A nail primer is your investment of the day. Look it up! Who knows? That extra sticky layer might just be your saving grace.

So, seatbelts on, check!

Now it’s time for the rollercoaster ride.

Precision is key

Got shaky hands? Disastrous. That’s like asking the glue to just spill itself to everything, right?

Uh-uh, none of that victim-blaming. Not to yourself even!

No, seriously, you can wing it. You have to either use glue with an applicator brush to avoid such mishaps or employ this technique:

Bring the nail to the cuticle line and apply at a downward angle. Apply pressure to the center of the nails, then pinch at both sides.

If you feel really nervous about the nail glue, you can always try it’s not so sticky cousin, adhesive tabs.

Adhesive tabs are double-sided and will be your savior, especially if it’s just for a one-time occasion. You see, adhesive tabs are like your regular shift workers. They do their job, and they work well. The thing is, they don’t do overtime. These tabs will log off faster than your glue will.

You just need to soak it off in warm water for 5 minutes and gently tug the false nails. Voila! You are now back to being a regular Cinderella.

Contouring is life

This is slightly at odds with what you might know in make-up contouring. You create shadows to bring in the not-so-obvious lines in the face. Here, you need to contour last so you can bring out and mimic the natural look of your nails, so they don’t scream their falsehood on everyone’s face.

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How do you not damage your nails with fake nails?

Since the world, including you, has now agreed that nail glues are domesticated cats rather than lions which will maul your nails, you can now focus on the problem.

In order not to damage your real nails, you have to know that the usual damage reported stems during the removal process and not the glue itself. Sure, there may be harsh chemicals, but your nails will likely be injured at later stages.

Cats, even domesticated, can be mean when treated poorly. Nail glues are such. You have to coax them out rather than forcefully make them submit to your bidding.

So what to do?

Soak them off like you would do to gel and acrylic. Get yourself some acetone, a bunch of cotton balls, and aluminum foil.

And by the way, unless your nails are not sending your brain some distress signals, please remember to moisturize. Get some vitamin E oil for your nails and even lotion for your hand.

Gentleness and patience are a must here. But for fabulous nails and none of the terrifying acrylic or gel disadvantage? It is more than worth it.

Your nails will thank you later.

You made it pretty for a while, and most importantly, you made sure it will have more days of looking pretty by taking care of it properly.

CHECK OUT: How to clean underneath acrylic nails

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