WHAT IS AN ALCOHOL PREP PAD?
Using an alcohol prep pad helps press on nails last longer. Wiping your natural nails with an alcohol prep pad dehydrates and degreases your natural nail. It removes natural oils, dirt and debris from the nail surface. So when you apply nail glue or adhesive tabs for press on nails, they stick to your nail properly.
Alcohol prep pads are essential when doing your nails, but can be used for so many things! Read on for more super useful ways to use alcohol prep pads.
HOW TO USE ALCOHOL PREP PADS
Step 1: Tear open and wipe over each nail
Step 2: Wait until dry (10s or so)
Step 3: Begin applying your press on nails with either nail glue or adhesive tabs
TIPS FOR USING ALCOHOL PREP PADS
Once you've wiped over your nail, try not to not touch your nails again. Touching your nails will add back the oils that you just removed.
Apply your nails soon after using an alcohol pad. If you get distracted / start doing something else for 10 minutes or more, your nails will become oily again / attract dirt.
If you do touch your nails again or do another task, simply use a fresh alcohol prep pad to clean your nails again.
MORE USES FOR ALCOHOL PREP PADS
If your matte nails become oily, use an alcohol prep pad to refresh the matte effect.
Typically alcohol prep pads contain Isopropyl Alcohol which at 60% or above is a disinfectant.
** ALWAYS CHECK WITH THE MANUFACTURER / MANUAL OF YOUR DEVICES FIRST ** You can use alcohol wipes to gently clean beauty devices that cannot be washed / submerged in water.
ALCOHOL PREP PADS VS WATER
These can be used to clean your fingers without using water. Water and manicures don't mix. Water swells the nails, and as as they dry, your nails contract. This swelling and contracting is what can cause problems when using press on nails, acrylic nails, gel nail or even regular nail varnish:
Using water during manicures instead of alcohol can cause:
- Lifting of gel nails
- Lifting of acrylic nails
- Adhesive tabs to peel off
- Press on nails to fall off fast
- Nail glue to weaken
- Chipping of regular nail varnish / polish
Skipping the nail soak and using an alcohol prep pad or alcohol spray to clean your fingers and nails improves the adherance of nail adhesives, press on nails and artificial nails.
Alcohol prep pads are so useful and key to cleaning and prepping your nails before applying press on nails. For longer lasting nails that are easy to apply, make sure you're using alcohol prep pads before applying new press on nails!