Many children and young teenagers want to do their nails. But what is safe and acceptable to use on children's nails? And more importantly, what should absolutely be avoided?
What Not to Use on Children's Nails
Anything involving solid overlays or curing should be avoided: resin, gel, poly gel, acrylic, and gel polish.
Why? Because children's nails are not fully developed; they haven’t yet formed all the nail layers, making them much more fragile than adult nails. If the overlay is pulled off or improperly removed, it can damage the nail and cause significant pain, as their nails are much thinner. This can easily happen during a sports class, while playing, or if they try to peel it off themselves. Additionally, children and teenagers go through hormonal changes that affect the durability of overlays, meaning they won’t adhere well. It's also best to avoid exposing children's nails to UV/LED lamps or soaking them in acetone.
For all these reasons, we don’t offer nail application training to teenagers under 16 years old.
What to Use on Children's Nails
- Regular Nail Polish: This is ideal, especially professional polishes that dry quickly, such as Vinylux or Morgan Taylor. You can also use a nail polish dryer to speed up the drying process. For young kids, it adds a fun touch—they’ll feel like they’re getting a real manicure by placing their hands in the dryer. ;-)
- Nail Stickers: These are perfect for easy, quick, and safe nail art for kids. There are water decals and regular decals available. To make them last longer, apply a top coat on top.
- Stencils: Use stencils to create designs easily with regular nail polish or even paint! Kids can also simply draw on their nails with paint and a fine brush.
- Stamping: This technique is slightly more advanced but perfectly safe for children and teenagers. They can use stamping plates and stamping polish to create fun designs.
- Decorative Tapes and Foil Glue: You can also safely use decorative tapes and foil glue for creative nail art.
As you can see, there are plenty of safe products to use for children's nails. With a little imagination, they can enjoy a manicure experience just like yours!
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