How To Rebuild Your Natural Nails After Builder Gel Nails

I was under the impression Builder Gel manis were good for my nails: protective and nourishing. I’m not so sure anymore.

I mean, perhaps they are (for many) and I’m the problem, or my nails are simply protesting because I’ve not given them a rest in months. Or most likely of all, my nails are currently in terrible shape thanks to the irresponsible and impulsive way I removed the builder gel coating whilst away on a city break. I sat for an hour on a sofa that was not my own (an apartment we rented) peeling the polish away, Netflix flickering n the background, leaving brittle, flaky and weak naked nails beneath.

I’ve always had strong nails so really should have avoided the appeal of gel nails when they first took hold many moons ago (I remember Katie Price having these revolutionary gels for her time in the jungle, making them mainstream, and I soon, tried them in awe at Nails Inc in London), and let’s face it, gels are impossible to resist, aren’t they? A 2-3 week mani over 2 days just makes a whole lot of sense as a working mum who likes her nails to look, well, polished. 

But back to nailgate. They started lifting whilst we were away and instead of waiting until the nail shops of Liverpool opened the following day like a logical person would, I pulled away at the cream coloured polish taking my nail bed with them. 

So it’s hard to know if the nail bed was wrecked to begin with or I damaged them. I’m thinking it’s a bit of both with the majority of failure in my hands. Literally. 

Well, you’ll be relieved to know that I’m taking action. Yes, you strangers on the internet will sleep easy tonight safe in the knowledge that cuticle oil will be applied twice daily from now on along with a strong af nail strengthener too. Phew.

I’ve done it before so I can do it again. Just erm, watch me!

Essie’s Hard To Resist and Elim Mediheel Cuticle MD (whatever that means-presumably medical heel- I found on Amazon) are my nail recovery tools of choice. With 10 natural oils and an antibacterial formula and a polish created for exactly this issue, I’m putting all my hopes and dreams on them restoring my talons to their former pre gel glory. 

I really want to try and give these (much shorter than usual) natural almond shaped nails a break. A holibobs. They deserve it after everything they’ve endured aka a nail file drill thingy that has made me yelp many times). Plus, I’m going on an actual holiday to Cyprus soon and all of that sun, sea and sand naturally nourishing and exfoliating my paws will be a welcome relief for my hands.

I don’t care if my nails are short as long as they’re healthy and look like the picture above I found for free on Unsplash.me, in a shade of silky pink. So that’s the aim. Watch this space and if you see me near a nail salon in the next few weeks, please intervene, thanks!