Nail Care
From gel polish to acrylics, every treatment comes with questions about what it does to your nails and how to make it last. The guides here answer those questions from eight years of doing this at the desk.
Start here
Gel Nails: The Complete Guide
Gel nails covers more ground than most people realise. There’s gel polish, hard gel, builder gel, BIAB and Shellac and they don’t all work the same way or suit the same person. This guide cuts through the confusion and helps you work out which one is actually right for you.
Read the guideGel Nails
Gel nail guides
How gel polish works, how long it lasts, what affects wear time and how to remove it safely.
Shellac Nails: What They Are and How Long They Last
The difference between Shellac and standard gel polish, how long it lasts on fingers and toes, and what affects wear time.
How Long Do Gel Nails Last?
Why some sets last two weeks and others last four and what preparation, aftercare and product choice actually determine.
Is Gel Nail Polish Bad for Your Nails?
What the research actually says, what causes real damage and how to wear gel without the long-term downsides.
How to Stop Gel Nails from Peeling
The preparation, application and aftercare causes of early lifting and what to do about each one.
Can You Paint Over Gel Nails?
The prep, what to use on top, and the removal rule most people get wrong when painting over existing gel.
How to Remove Gel Nails at Home Without Damage
The safe method for removing gel at home, what to avoid and how to protect the nail plate throughout.
Can Children Have Gel Nails?
The permanent allergy risk most parents don’t know about, what the law says, and what to do instead.
How to Strengthen Nails After Gel
What causes the damage, how long recovery actually takes, and the daily routine that gets your nails back to normal.
BIAB and Builder Gel
BIAB and builder gel guides
What builder gel and BIAB actually are, how they differ from gel polish, and how to remove them safely at home.
What Is BIAB? Builder in a Bottle Explained
What BIAB actually is, how it differs from gel polish, who it suits and what to know about removal before you commit.
Builder Gel Nails: Everything You Need to Know
What builder gel is, how it differs from BIAB and gel polish, what it’s used for and how removal works.
Why Does BIAB Burn? A Nail Technician Explains
What causes the heat spike during BIAB curing, what makes it worse and how your technician can reduce it.
How to Remove BIAB at Home Without Damage
When full removal makes sense, what you need and how to work through it safely without thinning the nail plate.
Acrylic
Acrylic nail guides
What acrylic nails are genuinely good for, how long they last, how they compare to gel, and how to remove them safely.
Acrylic Nails: The Honest Guide from a Nail Tech
What acrylics are genuinely good for, the real downsides, what to watch out for in the salon and who they actually suit.
How Long Do Acrylic Nails Last? A Nail Tech Answers
The difference between infill intervals and how long you can keep the same set, and what shortens wear time.
Gel Nails vs Acrylic: Which Is Right for You
How the two formats compare on longevity, natural look, nail health, cost, time and UV exposure.
How to Remove Acrylic Nails at Home Safely
The right method, the right products and the steps that prevent thinning and ridging from rushed removal.
I’m Giang — a nail technician with 8 years of experience across salons in London and Nottingham. Every guide here comes from what I see at the nail desk every day, not from brand guidelines or press releases.
About meMore from The Nail Guide
