Some of the most common reasons for gel nails chipping at the tips involve poor preparation, failure to cap free edge, and over curing you nails.

Another cause could be your natural nails being in bad shape (thin/brittle) and using them like tools, which leads us to another leading issue: Scratching against furniture or other hard surfaces while applying gels can also lead to chips at home!

When you have a great manicure, it’s easy to get excited about showing off your nails. However, when your gel nails start chipping at the tips after only 2-3 days of wear, it makes you want to go back and redo them because they don’t look as beautiful anymore.

 If this sounds like something that happens to you often with gel nail polish, here are some reasons this could happen. 

If your nails aren’t prepared for gel nails properly because they are too oily or not filled enough, that could lead to chipping or peeling.

Another reason is if you over cure your gel nails or you have a low-quality lamp.

Check out these things before you do your nails next time, and you will find the cause of your problem for sure.

How do you keep gel nails from chipping?

If you want to prevent gel nails from chipping, you should follow these steps below:

1. Start with a base coat to prevent nail polish from chipping

2. Apply two coats of gel nail polish and let dry for 30 seconds in between each coat

3. Seal the nails with a top coat for extra protection against chipping

4. Use non-acetone remover to remove any residual product from the nails before applying new products, as acetone can weaken the gel coating 

5. Don’t use your hands too much when doing household chores – this will increase your risk of breaking or bending your nails which could cause them to chip or peel off more quickly

6. Keep up with regular manicures so that you have fresh, clean nails at all times

Pro tip: Keep your hands out of the water as much as possible – running water can soften the topcoat and make it more likely to come off sooner than expected.

How do you keep gel polish from shrinking?

If you don’t want your gel nails to shrink, put your nails under the UV lamp the second you have finished two nails, and then continue with the process.

If a layer of gel polish is too thick, UV light can not penetrate or cure it. As a result, the edge will be contracted while inside remains uncured, and as such, when you paint one coat onto two nails by lamps, these sidewalls might shrink more than expected.

The thickness should always match what your client expects from their preferred brand; otherwise, there may be some unwanted outcomes that no salon employee wants to experience.

What are the most common gel polish mistakes?

The most common gel polish mistakes are:

1. Allowing the gel to touch your cuticle and skin around nails 
2. Using long strokes when applying gel nail polish 
3. Filling your natural nails too much
4. Cutting your natural nails too much
5. Applying a thick layer of gel
6. Not curing your nails enough
7. Using low-quality brands of polishes and lamps

These are the seven mistakes beginners tend to make when putting on their nails for the first time.

If you want your gel nails to last longer, try to avoid these mistakes.

Making one of them could lead to your nails peeling off, chipping, or you could damage your natural nails.

If you don’t prepare your natural nails the right way and don’t maintain them later, they can look dry and brittle.

What are the best gel nail polishes?

The best nails polishes are OPI Infinite Shine Long Lasting Nail Polish, Dior Vernis Gel Shine & Long Wear Nail Lacquer, and Nails Inc. Gel Effect Polish.

If you are not familiar with gel nail brands, the best for beginners is definitely OPI.

OPI is a brand that is known worldwide, and you can easily get it.

If you want to spend a lot of money on the best nails polish, check out Dior, they have a lot of luxurious ones.

If you love a shiny finish, then Nails Inc. will definitely soothe your needs.

Some other gel nails brands that you can check out are:

Londontown Kur

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel

Essie Gel Couture 

 Don’t hesitate; you won’t regret trying any of them.

Conclusion: Why are my gel nails chipping at the tips?

Nail professionals recommend getting your nails in good shape before applying the gel; use a primer to help them out. 

The best way to avoid chipping is to prevent the free edge from being exposed by using an appropriate nail length and cap it with polish or buff off any excess product on the cuticle area. 

This will ensure that your manicure lasts for weeks instead of days! 

 If you want to get your nails done professionally or want a new shade that will last longer than usual, try OPI Infinite Shine Long Lasting Nail Polish. 

This gel polish is specifically designed for people who love long-lasting manicures and don’t mind paying a little extra money to maintain their look. 

Gel nail brands can be difficult to choose from if you have never used them before, but with these recommendations, it’s easy!

Do you want to avoid DIY gel nail mistakes?

Allowing the gel to touch your cuticle and skin around nails, using long strokes when applying gel nail polish, filling your natural nails too much, cutting your natural nails too much, applying a thick layer of gel, not curing your nails enough. 

These are the seven mistakes beginners tend to make when putting on their first manicure with gels; if you’re interested in learning more about these tips for avoiding pitfalls while getting an at-home manicure done, look into our blog posts.

We hope that this article has given you clear answers and that you will be ready next time.

If you are still experiencing issues after following these steps, make sure to reach out to us to troubleshoot together what might be going wrong.