Three weeks with wraps on: what to do and what not to

With gel wraps there is no "drying period" and no compulsory touch-up. But there are three weeks in which your hands wash dishes, open boxes and get rained on — and a few small habits that separate a manicure that looks right on day twenty from one that looks tired from day ten.

Day 1: nothing

The gel is hard when your hand leaves the lamp. You can wash, eat, dress, sleep. You do not handle it carefully or shield it from anything. The one thing to do on day one is to check, in good light, that every tip is filed downwards and sealed — if one still has an edge, file it now, not in a week.

Every evening: cuticle oil

It is the only daily habit and it takes a minute. A drop at the base of each nail, massaged into the skin and along the edges of the wrap. It does two things: keeps the skin soft so it does not tear and drag at the wrap, and keeps the edge of the wrap flexible so it does not dry out and lift. Do not put it on the wrap — the wrap does not need it; the skin next to it does.

For dishes and cleaning: gloves

Water does not lift a properly bonded wrap. Hot water with detergent, daily, without gloves, weakens any gel — not just the wrap’s, the salon’s too. A pair of kitchen gloves is the cheapest insurance for the third week. If you cannot face gloves, at least rinse your hands in cold water afterwards and dry them well.

What you do not do with your nails

• You do not open boxes, cans and packaging with a nail tip. The edge of the wrap takes the first hit.
• You do not scrape labels or prise keys off a ring with a nail.
• You do not bite them, and you do not pick at an edge that has lifted "to see what it does". If one has lifted, redo that wrap with a spare.
• You do not use an electric file on them. A fine paper file is all it takes.

Week 2: the nail grows

After a week or two, a fine line of natural nail appears at the cuticle — the nail has grown, the wrap stayed where it was. It is not a sign of lifting. On light colours (light pink, white, french) it barely shows; on dark ones it shows sooner. If it bothers you, this is the point where most people choose to change the manicure; if not, the wraps carry on happily for another week.

If you want to shorten

You can, at any time. File the tip with the paper file, angled downwards, from the outside towards the nail, in short strokes. Once shortened, run the file once along the edge to seal it again. Do not cut with scissors or clippers — the gel can crack lengthways.

If a wrap lifts

Redo only that one. Take it off with oil, without pulling, degrease the nail and lay a spare from the sleeve — that is why there are 20 in the set, not 10. Do not try to press the lifted one back down: water has already got under it. The possible causes, with fixes, are in why wraps lift.

If you want to put something on top

No top coat is needed — the wrap has its own gloss. If you still want to change the finish, ordinary clear polish over the wrap works, with the caveat that polish comes off with remover, and remover is not what you want on the edges. The simple recommendation: leave it as it is.

Week 3: taking them off

At 2–3 weeks, or when the growth at the cuticle bothers you, take the wraps off with oil — five to ten minutes for all ten, no acetone and no filing. The method, step by step. Do not wait for them to fall off: a half-lifted wrap takes on water and catches on everything.

In short

1. Day 1: check the tips, that is all.
2. Evenings: cuticle oil, one minute.
3. Dishes: gloves.
4. Nails are not tools.
5. A lifted wrap is replaced, not pressed down.
6. At 2–3 weeks: oil and patience on removal.