When lifting acrylics happen we want to know what will stop it from happening again. What we have for you are the most common reasons this occurs and the best ways to prevent acrylic nails from lifting. If you have any questions feel free to comment below and we will do what we can to help.

Why acrylic nails lift:

Lifting acrylic occurs when the overlay separates from the nail plate. It can be attributed to a variety of factors. Some of the most popular causes are:

• Natural oils accumulating at the base of the nail.
• Moisture on nails at the time primer is applied, hindering the bonding process.
• Pterygium– an overgrowth of the cuticle that attaches to the nail plate. If it is not removed, the primer is unable to reach the natural nail.
• Improper preparation of nail. (To get more information on the proper method of preparation, refer to our Nail Prep blog.)
• Contaminated primer.
• Inadequate amount of primer.
• Excessive nail damage, such as flaking or peeling.
• Misuse of nails, such as using them as a tool or pick.
• Applying acrylic too close to the cuticle may also cause lifting.

How to keep acrylics from lifting:

• Take the time to properly prep nails before performing service.
• Suggest that the client books her rebalancing appointment no longer than 2 weeks away. The longer the time in between rebalancing appointments, the more likely it is that the nail will lift and deteriorate.
• Dehydrate nail plate as much as possible before adding nail enhancements.
• Properly remove cuticles from nail plate.

Acrylics are the core of many nail salons and quality should always be taken into account when purchasing acrylic liquids and acrylic powders. We have been manufacturing cosmetics specifically for manicures and pedicures for over 25 years. We have only the highest standards when it comes to: quality, consistency, and customer service. Thank you for reading and feel free to comment with any questions.

Why prep?

• Aids adhesion
• Prevents mold and bacteria from growing in nails

Working area

Ensuring that your work space and tools are sanitized prior to performing a nail service on a client is imperative. Disinfect all hard surfaces and replace any used terry towels or paper rolls that you use to protect hard surfaces. Sterilize all tools and if your files are not able to be sanitized, change them.

The Process

1. Sterilize your and your client’s hands with an antibacterial hand wash or soap and warm water. If your client is wearing nail polish, now is the time to remove it.
2. Soften cuticles and dead skin surrounding them by applying cuticle oil or remover. Then use a clean cuticle pusher or knife to carefully push back eponychium and remove any dead skin from the surrounding area. Doing so will help aid adhesion when applying nail enhancements.
3. Removing nail shine from the nail plate also helps maximize adhesion. Use a white block or a grit cushioned board and buff nail plate in an up-and-down motion over nails.
4. Soak a lint-free pad or gauze pad with PH Plus and use it to thoroughly cleanse the nail plate and surrounding areas. Because PH Plus is made to raise the Ph level of your nail and to absorb any excess oil, pay close attention to the cuticle and nail beds– areas that tend to harbor oils and bacteria.
5. At this time, begin prepping your tools for the next stage. Because the nail absorbed the PH Plus and became slightly enlarged, the nail needs just a few minutes to dehydrate again and return back to its natural shape and size.

Now, you can begin the next step of your nail service.

Sounds a little demanding, right? Maybe. But in a world where there is a salon virtually around every corner, and trends are requiring more creativity than ever, keeping up with what’s ‘in’ is just one requirement of running a successful salon. Do your research. Read magazines. Practice, practice, practice! Once you’re in-the-know of what trends to expect customers to want, you can market your creativity in a way that many salons don’t bother with.

Now that you’ve mastered that reverse-French manicure, (amongst other trends,) you can begin putting it out there. Having a social media presence on Facebook and Twitter not only makes it easier for customers to find you and explore your talents via pictures, videos, statuses, and fellow customer comments, but it gives you search engine optimization (SEO) when consumers are trying to find you in a search engine. The difference in utilizing social media between successful businesses and not-so-successful businesses is that successful businesses give their brand a personality, much like they would a personal page. They post updates on specials and promotions, relevant news articles, pictures or videos on ventures the business has conquered, etc. Use social media in a way that makes customers look forward to seeing what has been going on in your business.

Just as having a social media presence is an imperative aspect of running a business these days, having a good website is equally important. Your website should show off your distinctive competency, whatever that may be.

• Because MMA is one of the strongest nail adhesives, breaking or jamming the nail can result in the acrylic as well as the natural nail breaking off entirely, sometimes leading to permanent nail loss.
• MMA cannot be removed by product dissolvers. To remove the MMA, it has to be pried off the nail, also leading to serious nail damage and loss.

MMA is not, however, a human cancer-causing agent.In fact, MMA has been safely implanted in the body as bone repair cement.

The Solution

Since MMA was declared dangerous as a liquid monomer, salons have opted to using Ethyl Methacrylate (EMA), a substance that is free of the hazards associated with MMA. EMA has a larger molecule than MMA and is less able to penetrate the nail in the way MMA does. Additionally, EMA is one of the most researched monomers on earth. It can be found in household plastics, medical devices that can be placed in the body, and even the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel (CIR) declared that EMA can be used in retail nail products.