How Often Should You Change Your Nail Polish?

Are you wondering how often you should change your nail polish?

Not all manicures are equal. Some you can change daily, while others can last for weeks.

But, what would be the best choice to make for your nails? How often should you change your nail polish?

The answer depends on the type of mani or pedi you have.

How Often Should You Change Your Nail Polish?

While it’s tempting to avoid changing your nail polish, it might not be wise. Let’s explore how often you should change your nails based on the type of manicure.

How Often Should You Change Your Lacquer?

Lacquer nail polish should be changed at least once a week.

We all know how beautiful lacquered nails look that first day. Unfortunately, it’ll chip or peel by the end of the week.

You can try extending the life of your manicure by using a quality base coat and top coat. But, if you use your hands often, it will be a pointless endeavor.

Your best bet is to clean off the old polish after a week and repaint your nails.

The one great thing about lacquer is that it’s the least damaging to your nails. If you use an acetone-free remover, you can change the polish every week. No break is needed unless you want to.

If you plan on taking a nail polish hiatus, find the best place to store your nail polish.

You may want to learn how to clean a nail polish brush and how to swirl nail polish. This will avoid lumpy manicures.

How Often Should You Change Your Gels?

Gel polish has many perks. The most notable perk? You don’t need to change them for at least three weeks.

As your natural nails grow, the gel polish will slowly grow off. That isn’t attractive. It’s possible to get a touch-up, but why not redo them completely?

You can change your gels sooner if you’d like, but it’s not advised. The acetone soak-off dries the nail bed. Doing it too often can cause nails to become brittle.

Removing hard gels is even more damaging in the long term. They need to be filed off and that can damage the nails and cuticles.

If possible, take a break between gel manicures every so often.

A week off every eight weeks will do wonders for your nail health. This will allow the nails to rehydrate and heal.

Do you want to learn more about gel nails? Read our article on why gel nail polish changes color.

How Often Should You Change Your Acrylics?

Acrylics are one of the longest-lasting manicures. Unfortunately, they also have a reputation for being the most damaging.

Acrylic nails should be changed at least every two months. With proper maintenance, they last between 6 and 8 weeks.

Getting a fill-in every second week will help them last longer too.

Once the adhesion on your acrylics starts losing strength, it’s time to change them. They will begin detaching from your natural nail and that isn’t safe.

If the acrylic lifts, moisture will get trapped between it and your nail. This will likely cause an infection. If you have a fungal infection on your nails, try using an antifungal serum.

Loose acrylics can get caught on things too. If this happens, it could accidentally be ripped off. That would be painful and your nails could take months to recover.

It’s crucial to take the occasional break from acrylics too. The chemicals tend to dry out nails, causing them to turn brittle over time.

Conclusion

How often you change your nail polish depends on the type of mani/pedi you have.

Lacquer can be changed daily if that’s your preference. It might be good to know how to make nail polish last longer in a bottle. That way you can get the most out of your polish.

You should change a gel polish at least every three weeks, while acrylics can last 2 months.

Whichever you decide on, remember to use nail conditioning treatments when you can. Taking care of your natural nails is important.

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