A very frequent question my clients ask me. I’d like to share some interesting information on this topic purely out of my own professional experience. Before I even went to cosmetology school I used to get my nails done at the discounted salons. Every time I got them done I’d feel like somebody hit them very hard with a hammer, they hurt so bad! I couldn’t understand what was going on. Unfortunately I could not get any answer from my nail tech due to the language barrier. But after years of experience and being a professional myself finally everything has come together. I’d like to share my findings with you. The nail is a live tissue and it will get damaged if you’re not careful and use harsh “techniques “ on them. A lot of discounted salons file too much of the natural nail plate with a drill bit on a pretty high speed which takes off layers of the nailbed. This causes damage to the natural nail which results in dehydrated, damaged, brittle and very thin weak nails. They never educate their clients on how to care for their nails properly. As the result clients believe that the actual material that was used on their nails caused the damage, but it’s actually the nail tech who filed the life out them is the one to blame. Every time we have to take the enhancements off we have to file. But instead of damaging the nail, the skilled professional will use a soft file to take it off instead of harsh tools. And yes it’ll take more time and more work, but in the end it’ll be more than worth it. Post filing hydration is much needed to keep your nail plate hydrated and healthy. There are special cuticle and nail conditioning oils that anybody can buy to hydrate their nails. You can also use coconut oil, olive oil… it takes commitment though. You need to apply the oil at least 3 times a day. No washing your hands or using sanitizer for at least 5-10 min after application. Then your nails will be healthy, hydrated and more bendable which will help with wearing artificial nails and gel polish. Unfortunately discounted salons never bring this important information to their clients’ attention , because quantity is more important to them than quality! Always trust a true beauty professional who cares!