Issues related to the shelf life of materials, storage rules and conditions are relevant for each master, regardless of experience, number of clients and place of work. Compliance with simple rules avoids unnecessary expenses and prevents the negative health effects that may cause the use of expired material.
Our article will talk about how much gel varnishes can be used and how best to organize their storage.
Shelf life of gel polishes
The manufacturer always places information on how much the product can be stored on the packaging. There is a version that before the autopsy the deadline is one, and after the bottle has been opened, it is completely different. Do not hope too much that nobody bought the varnish you have ever opened: store consultants paint, show customers the consistency, make it possible to evaluate the smell. Most of the materials on display have already been discovered. Therefore, to accept any amendments is simply pointless. Orientation is worth the total shelf life.
On average, the period of use of most modern materials is 3 years. For example, just such an expiration date of Bluesky gel polish is indicated on its packaging. Most materials have the same shelf life.
Note that more expensive materials have the same indicators: for example, the same number is indicated on the packaging of premium “Premium” varnish.
What do we see on bottles from other popular brands? Shelf life gel “Kapus” is declared as a three-year; Cody, Haruyama, Cosmolac recommend using their products the same amount of time; the same figure can be found on bottles of TNL, CND, IBD and many other brands.
Some series from MyNail have a shorter period - 2 years after the release date. Gelish varnish is recommended to be stored 18 months after the first opening. Exceptions are very rare, but you must read what the manufacturer indicated.
What to look for when buying?
In addition to the recommended period, the release date must be printed on the package. If you cannot find this information, you should refuse to buy. It is likely that an unscrupulous seller simply erased the numbers with a solvent in order to sell goods with an expiring shelf life.
Perhaps the paint peeled off itself. This is also a reason to beware. No serious manufacturer will put such important information on low-quality inks on the bottles with their products.
Carefully inspect the bottle for chips and other damage. The neck and thread must be clean.
How to store gel polishes correctly?
Three things are taken care of so that low-quality material does not get on the nails: the manufacturer, seller and the master himself. What can be done to reduce the risk of damage to varnishes?
Consider the main rules for storing gel products for manicure.
- As you know, the transition of material from one state of aggregation to another occurs under the influence of ultraviolet or LED radiation. So, for such coatings, sunlight is also dangerous. Full polymerization may not occur, but a small amount of bright sunlight is enough for the material to begin to thicken. If the vials are stored in a well-lit place, the risk of premature aging increases.
- When working with the lamp for the same reason, avoid contact between light waves and open vials. Remove bubbles as far as possible from the lamp on, do not be lazy to twist the covers.
- Do not shake the vials. Gel materials do not like this: during shaking, air bubbles fall into the thickness, which are then very difficult to remove. They interfere with work.
- Watch the room temperature. If the room is too hot (above +26 ° C), varnishes should be removed in a shaded, cool place, at least in a cupboard or desk drawer.
- An excellent solution can be a closed case with opaque walls.
- If the bottle is damaged, but the material itself can still be saved, pour it only in containers with dense walls that do not allow sunlight. A bottle of ordinary varnish for these purposes will not work! Better get a special bottle of stained glass or thick plastic in the nail art department.
- Perform regular audits. Knowing the shelf life of gel polishes from your collection, you can track which materials should be used in the first place.
What to do if the varnish is thickened?
There is a method of resuscitation of a material that, by oversight, came into contact with the sun's rays or with the lamp on. You can dilute the product with a special liquid. Experiments with solvents will not give any good results, it is better to purchase a special diluent.
This is an emergency measure, it can extend the life of the material by only a couple of months. It can be carried out only once, repeatedly diluted material will not adhere to the nails.
Can I use expired material?
What should I do if the date indicated on the bottle matches the date on the calendar?
We already know that the question of whether there is an expiration date for gel varnishes should be answered in the affirmative. But what happens to the material when the recommended operating time has come to an end?
From the point of view of chemistry, certain processes can begin in the structure that can hardly be stopped. But there is a high probability that nothing like this will happen 3 years after the production date. Material can work as before. Here truth can only be established empirically.
Test the material, cover it with tips, dry it, making sure that the required time for polymerization has not increased. Rate the result. Has grayness, turbidity or yellowness appeared? Is there any shine? Is the surface firm under pressure? Has the “behavior” of the material changed (for example, didn’t the varnish that used to lie smoothly begin to “bald”, “strip”)? If you have not noticed a change, feel free to use the varnish further. His shelf life has expired, but he himself has not deteriorated.
Tips from the masters. How to avoid delays?
Professionals with a large flow of customers can afford huge palettes of 300-500 colors. But the masters of their craft assure that this is not always the case. Firstly, the client is often lost with such a huge selection, and secondly, delays cannot be avoided. Do not try to acquire varnishes of all conceivable shades, this may not be justified. Especially there is no sense in such a huge assortment for those who consider manicure to be their hobby, and not their main activity. A few dozen, not a few hundred, are enough.
Masters advise scrupulous about storage rules and carefully examine the goods before purchase. This will minimize delay and fully utilize the potential of the product.