u/urbanglam1

Gel set we did today. Rubber base, clean cuticle work, and a little patience go a long way in this heat. This is day one, curious to see how long she gets out of it.

I work in a salon in Dubai where it's 40+ degrees half the year, and clients always ask why their gel chips or lifts faster in summer. Here's what we've learned actually makes a difference:

1. Keep your nails dry for the first few hours after your appointment. No pool, no hot shower, no washing dishes without gloves.
2. Oil-based hand creams are great for your skin but they weaken the bond between the gel and your nail. Apply them around the nail, not on top of it.
3. Cuticle prep is everything. If the gel touches even a tiny bit of cuticle skin, that's where the lifting starts. A good tech will spend time on this before applying anything.
4. Don't use your nails as tools. Opening cans, peeling stickers, scratching things off... it sounds obvious but it's the number one reason for early chips.
5. If you're in a hot climate, ask your tech about a rubber base coat. It's more flexible than a hard gel base and handles the expansion from heat better.

These are small things but they genuinely add a week or more to how long a set lasts. Happy to answer questions if anyone's curious about anything nail-related.

I get asked this almost every day, and the honest answer is no, but only if they're applied properly. The extensions themselves aren't the problem. It's what happens during and after the appointment that makes the difference.

What actually causes damage:

• Lashes that are too heavy for your natural ones. If a tech puts thick, long extensions on fine natural lashes, the weight pulls on the follicle over time. A good tech will assess your natural lashes first and choose a weight that matches.
• Glue touching the skin. Adhesive should only go on the lash, never the skin underneath. If it touches the lid or the lash line, it blocks the follicle and irritates the area.
• Lashes stuck together. Each extension should be isolated on one natural lash. When two or three get glued together, they can't shed naturally and that's when you get gaps or breakage.
• Picking or pulling them off at home. This is the biggest one. If you want them off, get a proper removal. Pulling takes your natural lashes with it.

How to keep them healthy between fills:

• Clean them daily. A lot of people think they shouldn't touch their lashes, but oil and debris build up and that's worse. Use a proper lash cleanser and a soft spoolie.
• Stay away from oil-based products near the eyes.
• Get fills every two to three weeks so they stay balanced and don't get heavy on one side.

If your tech is doing all of this, your natural lashes should be completely fine. The damage stories usually come from rushed or careless application, not from extensions as a concept.

Happy to answer anything if you're on the fence about getting them.