A semi-permanent manicure applied at M&A Nail Design in Rezé lasts an average of three to four weeks. That's not luck — it's the result of careful preparation and a few simple daily habits.
1. Prep your nails before every appointment
Longevity starts before the brush touches the nail. Avoid applying cream to your hands in the 24 hours before your appointment. Oils create an invisible film that prevents gel adhesion.
During your appointment, we perform a thorough degreasing and a light buffing of the nail plate — a step that's often skipped in less careful salons, and it makes all the difference.
2. Respect cure times under the lamp
Incomplete polymerisation is the number-one cause of early lifting. Every layer — base coat, colour, top coat — must spend the right amount of time under the UV/LED lamp. We never rush this step.
3. Protect your nails every day
Wearing gloves for dishes or cleaning is not optional — it's a rule. Hot water and detergents soften the keratin of the natural nail, causing micro-cracks in the gel.
Also avoid using your nails as tools: opening cans, scraping stickers, forcing lids. These gestures create leverage that lifts the product from the free edge.
4. Moisturise your cuticles every evening
A dry cuticle pulls on the nail plate and causes lifting at the edges. Apply cuticle oil every night — one drop per nail, massage 30 seconds.
The habit almost nobody has
Apply a thin layer of top coat over the entire nail — including the free edge — at day 7. This sealing stops water infiltration and extends wear by one to two additional weeks. It takes 5 minutes and the result is well worth it.
