How to: Determine your nail bed typeUpdated 2 years ago

Knowing your nail bed type is the secret to a good manicure. But how do you know if you have oily or dry nail beds? Did you know that your skin type usually coincides with your nail type?

How to tell if you have oily nail beds?

People with oily nail beds have shiny nails. If your gel mani is always peeling off within a couple of days and you are doing all your prep and application correctly, you most likely have oily nail beds.

How to elongate your mani with oily nail beds:

As your natural nail beds have extra oils, this makes having a long lasting manicure a little difficult. We recommend you start by exfoliating your hands. This will remove any surface oils, then let your nail beds dry for 30 minutes before starting your nail preparation. Try to hold off on doing any household activities to avoid any oils resurfacing. Once your nail beds are completely dry, give your nails a good buff, then use a nail dehydrator or acetone to take out as much remaining moisture as possible from your nails. Make sure you get into all the little bends of your nails. Following this, use our Strong Hold Bond which will create a sticky surface on your natural nails to help the gel adhere to it better. For beginners with oily nails, we encourage you to only apply our One Step Gel on top of the strong hold bond, using very thin coats. This is the best way to elongate the life of your manicure with naturally oil nails. However, if your nails are also thin, then we recommend you use our optional base coat and optional top coat in your manicure. Creating a thicker foundation will prevent your nails from chipping. 

How to tell if you have dry nail beds?

People who have dry skin and wash their hands often, will most likely have thin brittle nails that are more prone to splitting. If your nails crack easily, continuously split and you have cuticles that are dry and flakey, then you most likely have dry nails. If you have dry nail beds you might also notice that your manicures last well without chipping. 

How to elongate your mani with dry nail beds:

With dry nail beds you will need extra hydration. We suggest applying cuticle oil up to 3 times a day and especially at night before bed. While you sleep your nails will absorb the vitamins from the oil. When your nails are not painted, apply the cuticle oil to your whole nail bed. We also suggest applying a hand moisturiser daily it will help keep your nails and cuticles hydrated. Keep in mind that it takes 3 months for your nails to completely grow out so naturally it will take 1-2 months to see results. When painting your nails with dry nail beds we recommend using our gel XL. This will create a thick foundation for your polish to go on smoothly and last longer. Having a thick base means your nails are less likely to bend and chip.