Can I Cut My Nails With Gel Polish

Thanks to a good-quality gel nail polish, it's possible to have beautiful, long-lasting nails. But it becomes a problem when you need to cut your nails while the manicure is still fresh. Can I cut my nails with gel polish is of course the question that follows this situation.

If you’ve made use of the best long-lasting nail polish, then the temptation will lead you to cut those beautiful gel polished nails as your manicure grows out. But, in doing so, you could break the seal and completely ruin your manicure. This leaves the question, can I cut my gel polished nails unclear.

Here we will zoom in on what to do and what not to do when it comes to cutting your gel polished manicured nails.

What This Article Covers:

Can I Use a Nail Clipper to Cut My Gel Nails?

You can totally use a pair of clippers when cutting your polished nails. Use anti-bacterial soap and warm water to clean the clippers and other nail tools then dry them well before you use them.

If you’ve been using clippers for years, you will have a good grip and will be able to angle it easily. But it‘s really important to note that any clipping or cutting of gel nail polish could result in a broken seal.

Breaking the seal is also one of the reasons why nail polish cracks or lifts which results in you having to quick fix nail polish or redo the whole nail.

How To Cut Gel Nails

Using your tools of choice, follow the guide below to successfully cut those gel nails.

Rinse hands properly so that all lotions and oils are removed.

Cleanse and dry all tools

Cut each nail the appropriate length.

The next step is filing, but can you file nails with gel polish? Yes, using an emery board, gently file it down using a side-to-side motion to form the desired shape.

And if the cut nail has lost its natural curve, using the file will help create and mimic the arch.

Because you will need another layer of topcoat, lightly buff the whole nail surface.

Do this gently as you wouldn't want to accidentally peel or lift the gel polish from the nail plate.

Lastly, apply the topcoat. While we all love a good bubbly, we do not want to see those tiny bubbles appear on our beautifully finished gel polished nails. Bubbles in nail polish topcoats can be annoying so doing the buffing and cleaning properly will help prevent this.

can i cut nails with gel polish

Using An Electric Nail Drill To Cut Your Nails

Using a nail drill does not cut your nail, but instead, it quickly files the nail away. It is quite easy to grip and a convenient way to shorten your gel polished nails without causing too much harm to them.

This tool is lightweight and comfortable and could speed up the manicure process at lightning speed, that is if you know how to use it well. When using it, wear protective eyewear so that dust does not get into your eyes.

To proceed, you would need to choose the correct drill bit and sanding belt. Then set the drill at the desired speed and gently run the drill bit back and forth across the edges.

Repeat this process until you are satisfied and if necessary, use an emery board to make some final adjustments.

Can I Fix Nail Breaks?

If you have a small break on the corner of your gel polished nail, glue is one of the good nail polish hacks to try. But if this doesn't work, cutting it is probably the best option.

Does gel nail polish chip? Yes, they can so you need to know tips like how to keep gel nail polish from peeling. And how to make nail polish stay on longer and not chip.

Can you Cut Acrylic Nails?

Having long acrylic nails is highly fashionable especially for special events. But when the event is over, they could get in your way of doing the normal day-to-day things so you would likely need to trim them.

Follow the steps below to help guide the process:

Wash hands & tools to remove all dirt.
Wait until everything is completely dry.
Clip the nails
Use your finger to pull the clipped acrylic off
Use the file to shape the nail.
Reapply gel and cure under UV lamp
Reapply topcoat and cure UV lamp

Also remember to check the dates of your polish because when nail polish is too old, it becomes clumpy and difficult to apply.

And lastly, be careful not to get your nails stained. If you do though, hacks like how to remove hair dye from nail polish can be very resourceful and save you loads of money.

Conclusion

If your nails are too long to handle it's probably best to start over and give yourself a fresh manicure. This way no seals will be broken and a new look is always welcomed.

But we don't always have time and money for that so to know that you can cut nails with polish on is a relief. Just follow the guide above and you’ll be good to go.

Although we can't stop our nails from growing, keeping your hands and nails moisturized is more important now in this world of sanitizer than ever before. So take care of your hands and nails, it will be kind to you in return.

With our tips, you can learn everything from how to cut gel nails to how to keep white nail polish clean.

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