The Real Reasons Why Your Polish Chips Faster on Holiday
Posted on May 01 2018
We’re finally off on holiday, bags packed, sunglasses on and thoughts of two weeks of unbroken sunshine. The usual preparations have happened and these include a mandatory gel manicure, often in a super bright coral shade which will pop in the sun and provide the perfect contrast to a holiday wardrobe!
A manicure can often chip much faster on holiday and being at least 1000 miles away from our nail pro with no emergency repair options can make even the most seasoned traveller anxious. We thought we’d explain why it can chip faster and how to keep your manicure looking salon fresh whilst miles away from the salon.
Evaporation
Chlorine, increased exposure to water and more intense heat all contribute to evaporation of vital plasticisers in any kind of nail polish. Plasticisers are present in all freshly applied nail polish, they are added to keep the polish supple. When the plasticisers are lost the polish becomes brittle and therefore much more likely to chip, couple that with the abrasive qualities of sand and we can soon lose that chip free glossy finish.
Solvents
Many sunscreen lotions contain solvents such as alcohol and insect repellents. As nail polishes are porous, these solvents can penetrate your polish and cause it to break down, causing dryness and chipping. Always try to wipe sunscreen off your polish once applied to the skin.
Colour Fade
Intense sunlight can occasionally cause nail polish colours to fade. UV light breaks the chemical bonds in pigments down which has a bleaching effect. Darker, deeper and more popular holiday colours such as the bright pinks and corals tend to absorb more light and are therefore much more prone to this effect than lighter nude shades.
To counteract the effects of evaporation, solvents and UV exposure, apply a penetrating cream such as SLIXIR to your polish BEFORE exposure to chlorine, sunlight and sun lotion. This will give your polish a protective barrier which will slow down evaporation, brittleness and fade.
For more specialist tips and advice on anything hands, nails or polish subscribe to our blog #moreperfectpolishdays. If you have any specific hand, nail or polish concerns that we can address through our blog we’d love to hear about them. Please get in touch info@slixir.com.
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