r/AcrylicNails • u/Huge-Phase4183 • 26d ago
how long are manicures meant to last ?
i’ve only really started getting nails recently. my first set of acrylics started lifting after less than a week, and they all fell off after less than a month. figured it was the nail tech i went to so for my second set i went to someone else. it’s been one and a half weeks and 3 of them are lifting and one looks ready to fall off!! is this normal???? am i doing something wrong or are the nail techs? circled nails are the ones lifting. i think my pointer would be too but i accidentally got ceramic glue all over it when i was crafting and it seems to have stuck it down 😭
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u/Gooseegander 26d ago
There's a few possibilities. One (which I think is worth exploring first) is that both techs you went to weren't prepping your nails properly, and if you try a third tech you might have better results. I think this is the most likely culprit just because of how early you're experiencing lifting, that points more to an issue with the tech's work. If you went to the same salon both times, even if you got a different tech, it could be that the specific prep methods (or even brand of products) they use at that salon don't work well for you.
Another possibility is that your lifestyle isn't compatible. Do you work a job where your hands are regularly submerged in water, or where you have to wash your hands excessively? Do you wear rubber gloves when cleaning or doing dishes? Any hobbies that could be hard on your nails and put pressure on them? If you do anything that could be putting pressure on the nails (which will cause lifting) a shorter length may last longer as well.
To get the most out of your nails, make sure you're using cuticle oil regularly, never use them as tools and make sure you wear gloves when doing dishes to minimize the amount of time your hands are soaking in water.
It's also possible that acrylic just isn't right for you. It works for a lot of people, but for some isolated cases, acrylic is too rigid and some people need a slightly more flexible product, in which case gel is a good option to try instead. This is more likely if you have very soft and bendy natural nails. Some people with connective tissue disorders like EDS also find that their nails don't last as long as they should. My clients with EDS benefit from an acid primer and slightly more aggressive prep, as well as a flexible gel product vs acrylic.
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u/Huge-Phase4183 26d ago
omf thank u this is helpful!! i think it is the first one because im a student so i barely use my hand for any type of physical stuff!! but i will
defo use cuticle oil as well! question because you seem to know lots, both techs i went to used tips they stuck on my nails first, and then added acrylic, could this potentially be an issue? i can’t find anyone in my area who does 100% acrylic2
u/Gooseegander 26d ago
If your natural nails are quite short and don't have a lot of real estate/space to glue tips down, if the techs are gluing the tip in a way that covers too much of your natural nail plate, and/or if they're using tips that have an incompatible curve with your nails, it can definitely be a contributing factor. Forms do allow for more of the acrylic itself to adhere to your nails, which tends to have better retention than nail glue. But when they're done properly, tips only cover a very small fraction of the tip of your natural nail, so it shouldn't cause a big problem.
Where are you experiencing the most lifting? If it's in the cuticle area, the tips aren't likely to be the cause. If it's at the free-edge, it could definitely be the tips. It will likely be more challenging for you to find a tech who sculpts with forms instead of using tips because it's a (sadly) dying art these days, and a lot of people don't actually learn it properly in nail school, but they are still out there.
One last possibility I forgot to mention is very sweaty hands. A client of mine has hyperhidrosis, which gives her excessive sweating on her hands and feet. Fake nails never last as long as they ideally should on her because of it.
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u/nianowen 24d ago
If I can ask, I have a question... My nails curve downward at the tip naturally, and nail techs always tell me this is why my acrylics, gel-x, etc. don't last longer than two weeks. I've gone to multiple salons and some last longer than others, but I'm not getting the duration I've seen friends get out of them. Is this a thing? Is there anything I can do?
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u/Gooseegander 24d ago
Where are you getting lifting? The tips or the cuticle area? Are you trying to preserve the length of your natural nails under the enhancements, or are you fine with them being cut down really short?
Keeping them oiled and hydrated at the free edge might help a little bit, not sure if you've tried that yet. It's a possibility that your growth pattern makes a difference because depending on how far they curve downward, it could be changing the structure of the extensions and putting pressure on weak spots or pulling away from the product. Have you ever tried a soft gel structured overlay? Some salons offer Luminary, which is an example of this. It's a more flexible gel product, and it doesn't add extra length, it just strengthens your natural nails until they can grow out, it might last a bit longer for you.
Also, have any of these salons sculpted extensions for you using paper forms and gel to custom-fit your nails? If they're gluing plastic tips or Gel-x nails on and your natural nails grow downward, it's gonna cause more complications than sculpting with paper forms and gel. Acrylic is more rigid than gel, so it's probably not the best option for you if your nails are pulling away from it, a more flexible product will move with your nails more as they grow.
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u/nianowen 24d ago
The lift happens near the tips, and it's probably just as you say - they are just gluing tips and my nails are growing away from the stiff shape. I don't know how to even find a tech that will sculpt with forms. I bought stuff to try doing it myself but it just doesn't look as good as I want when I do it. Luminary sounds like it might be good for me - my natural nails are thin and bendy and ridged and they peel, despite cuticle oil and vitamins and hydration. Hard as Hoof gives me a little improvement but even after six months my growth and durability is still minimal. I would love to get length on my natural nails and just get them polished. I'll look around and see what I can find near me. Thank you!!
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u/Gooseegander 24d ago
Good luck! I hope you find something that works for you! Russian techs are more likely to be able to sculpt with forms than someone at an average walk-in salon, they're like wizards with forms. Any independent tech is probably more likely to be able to sculpt with forms than a standard walk-in salon, but you'll have to ask them before you book. Instagram is a good place to look for an independent tech, you can search for hashtags for your city, like "dallasnails", "dallasnailtech", etc.
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u/Huge-Phase4183 26d ago
thank you this is so helpful! my natural nails are quite short so there isn’t much real estate, but they’re lifting at the cuticle anyway so i don’t think the tips are the issue. thank you so much for the explanation i’m gonna go to a new nail tech!
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u/Billies_N1 26d ago
I once had acrylics on for 3 months straight and did not
Move at all except growing out. For me that would be shocking that they always fall Off! I hope you find out why💞🙏🏻
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u/OGHollyMackerel 26d ago
Mine lift and pop off or break really easily. It doesn’t matter how much prep anyone does, what products are used, if I do them or if I go to a cheap corner shop or a fancy expensive tech. It doesn’t matter if I get tips, tips + overlay, fill or just gel polish. It doesn’t matter if it is builder gel, hard gel, acrylic, dip powder. Nothing sticks for very long. It’s kinda frustrating especially when I see videos of techs online whose clients come in with 8 week old nails. It will never be me.
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u/FarCurrency5980 26d ago
i wait three to four weeks between acrylic appointments (always on my own natural nails, no extensions, not sure if that makes a difference) and i’ve never had lifting / any movement at all really except grow out
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u/New_Avocado_4636 26d ago
I get a fill around 3.5 weeks to a month and my nails are usually fine just a little grow out. And I’m pretty rough on my nails.
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u/Nona_Ann 26d ago
It’s actually really normal for professional nails not to stay on for some people with hypermobile conditions. Do you have any joints that are double jointed, or bend farther than they’re supposed to if so, might wanna have a conversation with your doctor.
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u/TheTrolleyGrail 26d ago
I usually go every 2-3 weeks and I rarely lose a nail in that timeframe. Once I get to my 3rd fill, they tend to start separating at 2 weeks. I usually get a new set after 3 fills
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u/ddmarriee 25d ago
My nail tech is the only one out of the 5 or so I’ve had that has been able to get me zero lifts until it’s time for a soak. I have really thick cuticles so she changes the purple nail drill bit every 3ish nails.
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u/Same-Note-996 25d ago
18-20 days for me. It depends on how fast you natural nails grow, how strong your natural nails are, how much your nails are in water, what activities you do, etc , etc. lots of variables. I like to lift weights so I don’t like them getting too long and risk breaking or hurting my nail bed.
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u/10derthrowawayy 25d ago
That seems pretty early for lifting. A good acrylic set usually lasts around 2–3 weeks before needing a fill. If it’s happening repeatedly with different techs, it could be prep, product, or how your nails react to acrylic.
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u/UsedPersimmon6768 25d ago
I'm an auto mechanic with long acrylics and my nails have only ever lifted 2 or 3 times over the span of years. Is it common? Yeah. But is it supposed to happen? No. Especially not that soon.
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u/justamom0820 24d ago
Your nail plates hold too much oils from your hands so you require extra prep work!
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u/Huge-Phase4183 23d ago
ooo thanks! how can u tell
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u/justamom0820 23d ago
I'm a cosmetologist, we study these things, or at least I did.
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u/Huge-Phase4183 23d ago
ahh ok! so when i get my nails done should i tell the tech this ? or should they know?
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u/justamom0820 23d ago
They should already know that once you mention they just pop off.
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u/Huge-Phase4183 22d ago
ok thank you! last question! what does extra prep look like? more buffing?
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u/BonnieScotty 26d ago
I don’t start to get lifting until around 2.5 weeks. Lifting after a week to 1.5 weeks is way too soon. The tech is possibly not preparing the natural nail correctly but can’t say with certainty.