Why is it so hard to break up with gel nail polish?

I do not want to brag, but my natural nails are so beautiful, they should have an agent. A local nail tech once told me that their elongated shape—closely resembling that of a rounded almond—was her favourite to paint in the entire salon. Another has remarked on the smoothness of my cuticles and even asked if I’ve ever considered working as a hand model.

I don’t get my nails done every week, but that’s probably because I’m already wearing a couple of coats of gel polish cured under LED light. As a person who types for up to eight hours a day and is prone to polish smudges, the nearly indestructible appeal of a gel manicure is like a siren song for my hands-on lifestyle. Gel polish just gets the job done—it’s not precious. With gel nails, I can do things like deep-clean a freezer sans gloves, and my manicure will still look as crisp as the day I got it done. And since stepping into my boldest nail-art era to date, I’ve been experimenting with new designs and colour combinations that usually call for gel formulas. 

But there’s a bit of an issue: While my nails may be model-esque, they’re not exactly the strongest. I regularly deal with nail splits and broken tips, which are fortified by gel manicures, but also even more weakened by them once it’s time to remove the gel. Whether the cause is a too-harsh acetone formula or the unyielding power of a professional drill, my nails are often left feeling soft and overly malleable once restored to their natural glory. So I’ll get gel manicures just once a month, and take a break from them between appointments by going au naturel or just wearing regular polish. I never have an issue with regular nail polish affecting the health of my nails—it just doesn’t last as long. Craving that longevity, I will inevitably return to gel, and the cycle continues. 

While it’s an ongoing beauty issue for me, nails weakened by gel formulas are nothing new and all too common. “Problems from gel nails often result from incorrect preparation and/or removal of the service, not the product itself,” board-certified dermatologist and CND brand advocate Sheila Farhang explains. To manage my nail health while reaping the benefits of many more gel manicures to come, I’m putting more emphasis on keeping them strong. Between gel appointments, I’ve started using nail strengtheners like Sally Hansen’s Complete Care 7-in-1 Nail Treatment, Essie’s Hard to Resist, and OPI’s Nail Envy to build resilience while I take a manicure break.

My on-again, off-again relationship with gel polish leans a little more toward love than hate these days. Since I’ve begun figuring out the delicate balance between my manicure schedule and becoming more intentional about nail recovery, my nails have felt less fragile after my latest gel look is removed. It also helps that there are a few long-lasting polish options that don’t leave already susceptible nails feeling even weaker, from gentler at-home systems to long-lasting polish formulas that don’t require an LED lamp. If you’re looking for some new nail picks to add to your rotation outside of the salon, scroll down for a few of my favourite polish sets and shades of the moment that are worth the buy. 

Feature Image: Collage by Gary Ponzo

This article originally appeared in harpersbazaar.com/us, in June 2024. 

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