9 surprising things that are ruining your manicure (2024)

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Taking a relaxing nightly bath can cause nail polish to flake off.

If part of your self-care not only involves a mani/pedi but also a steamy hot bath, we’ve got bad news: Soaking in water is one of the worst things you can do for your manicure.

According to Byrdie, soaking your tips in hot water allows the water to “seep into the nail plate, which causes the polish to lift up and even peel off altogether.” Switching to cooler showers helps, but even running fingers through your hair in the shower or tub can cause chips in polish.

As cosmetic chemist Joseph Cincotta told Allure magazine, "Your polish is softer when you get out of the water, so it can easily flake off if it gets caught on a strand of hair." Use a wide-tooth comb or brush made to de-tangle wet hair (such as the Wet Brush) to help lessen any accidental polish chips during your daily routine.

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Much of what salons do may not actually help.

If you’re leaving your hands to the pros, you might be surprised that many salons help accelerate mani chipping without your even realizing it.

First off, that pre-polish hand soak is possibly the worst thing your salon can do, even though it’s surprisingly common.

You can simply ask to skip the soak, because a dry manicure actually is best. But other common salon practices are equally terrible for your mani, such as when technicians shake the bottle (you should roll the bottle between your palms instead to prevent air bubbles), use quick-dry topcoats (which often contain chemicals that actually break polish down faster), and have you pay at the end, since rifling through your purse or wallet can cause an accidental nick on freshly painted fingernails.

Rushing through each coat will cause your mani to erode faster — as well as using too thick a layer, both of which happen all too often in busy salons. "You absolutely must let each layer — base coat, first polish application, second polish application and top coat — dry completely before doing the next," said nail expert Deborah Lippmann, who told Harper’s Bazaar magazine, "When you paint on your next coat before the layer before is fully dry, you get peeling in sheets."

She added, "You want each layer to be very thin — it's okay if the first coat is streaky, you'll cover that the next time."

Lastly, you might want to bring your own polish as well, because plenty of salons add thinners to polishes to extend their usage … which unfortunately leads them to last on your tips much less longer.

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Carefree vacation days could lead to chipping.

Getting a fresh manicure before going on vacation is one of life’s best little luxuries, but if you want your manicure to last longer than your first piña colada, you’ll want to avoid certain easy manicure mishaps.

As you’re packing, be sure to watch how you zip and unzip your luggage so you don’t hit a snag on your shiny tips.

And when you’re away, you’ll want to be extra cautious when you apply sunscreen, because "the ingredients in chemical sunscreens dull nail polish," says Cincotta, who told Allure that mineral sunscreens are the better choice.

Sand is also super gritty and can cause chips in polish, so be sure to regularly hydrate with lotions and oils while you’re away to keep your tips in tip-top shape.

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Most household chores including washing dishes, cooking, and cleaning wear down your manicure.

Unfortunately, chores are a basic necessity for most of us … but that doesn’t mean they’re the best thing for a fresh mani. The combination of hot water, cleansers with harsh chemicals, and using our hands as tools to scrub, wipe, and de-grime wreaks havoc on even the shiniest polish job, leading to chips, dents, and nicks.

Wearing gloves at all times, especially when washing dishes and scrubbing surfaces, can help minimize the damage.

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Using alcohol-based beauty products or hand sanitizer can break down nail polish.

It’s not just household soaps and cleansers that can destroy your manicure — in fact, plenty of your favorite beauty products can do some damage, too.

Alcohol-based products, including hairsprays, perfumes, and even hand sanitizer, can dry out nails and lead to premature chipping, according to Bustle.

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Nervous habits including biting nails and cuticles are a clear culprit.

If you’re a nervous nail biter, or gnaw away at your cuticles with your fingers or teeth, you’re probably well aware that your manicure tends to chip more quickly.

Jin Soon Choi, celebrity manicurist and founder of JINsoon Nail Polish explained why biting nails and cuticles is so damaging to the nail bed, telling TODAY, "If you bite your nails, over time they will be become deformed with bumps and ridges."

You’ll also want to avoid biting or picking the skin around your nails, and the polish itself. If polish starts to chip, removing it properly is the easiest way to avoid damaging your nails.

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You’re not doing at-home manicures properly.

An at-home manicure is a great way to keep your nails looking on point, without worrying about making an appointment, dealing with a hectic salon, or paying top dollar. But DIY manis can chip too quickly if not done properly, so here’s how you should do them.

Aside from skipping the soak, you’ll want to make sure nails are free of any gunk by wiping them down with white vinegar on a cotton swab, according to Cosmopolitan. Remove any existing polish with an acetone-free polish remover.

First, you’ll want to clip nails to an even length, and file in one direction. Filing nails in different directions "causes splits and ragged edges, preventing the nails from growing back smooth," according to Caleb Backe, a health and wellness expert for Maple Holistics, who previously shared his secrets with INSIDER.

Then, lightly buff nails and push back cuticles (never cut!), adding your favorite moisturizing or exfoliating lotion, before applying a base coat which will help hydrate and protect nails.

After waiting at least two minutes, apply two thin layers of nail polish, waiting between each coat for nails to fully dry. Finish off with a clear topcoat to seal in shine and protect from chips, being sure to give nails enough time to dry completely.

Avoid drying nails with hot air from your blow dryer. If you must dry quickly, use the dryer’s cool setting, or stick your hands in a bowl of ice, which helps harden and seal polish rapidly.

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Lacking in between-mani maintenance can make your nails more fragile.

If you stop thinking about your manicure the second you step out of the salon door, you’ll want to give it just a little more thought. Regularly treating your tips to nourishing nail or cuticle oil, as well as moisturizing with lotions will "prevent nails from drying out and splitting," according to Cosmopolitan magazine, because "the less moisture your nails and cuticles have, the more likely they are to break and tear."

Reapplying a clear topcoat every two or three days will also prevent chips and help keep your nails looking as shiny as they did the day you got them done.

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You never take a break from gel manicures.

Ever since gel manicures started popping up at salons everywhere, it’s no secret why beauty lovers are addicted: They last for weeks on end, require zero drying time, and are nearly impossible to chip.

But getting gel manicures all the time is horrible for your nail’s health, explains Katie Jane Hughes, global color ambassador for Butter London, who told TODAY, "The thing I like least about gel manicures is the removal process. Removing gels weakens the nail bed as it’s most sensitive when wet. The manicurist will most likely scrub at your nail with a metal tool to remove the gel polish, which can damage the nail bed very easily. Also, the UV light used for gels is not healthy for your nails."

Choi agrees, adding, "Removing gel polish also requires the use of acetone nail polish remover, keeping it on nails for about 15 minutes, which is an additional source of nail dehydration. It can make the nail brittle and prone to deterioration and breakage."

Giving nails a break from gel manis, as well as going to the salon for removal and not picking it off at home, is the best way to ensure that your nails stay healthy, shiny, and chip-free.

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