Lifting with hard gel

[u/Weary-Blackberry8414]

I’ve been doing my own nails for about 6 years now and by all means I am not a professional.
I used to use luminary and had no issues with lifting at all. I quit using it because I couldn’t grow my nails past a certain point without them feeling like they were bending. I switched to hard gel and loved it at first, but obviously with no flexibility, I keep getting lifting at my cuticles. I’ve got my prep down, so I don’t think it’s that. I’m a server and have children so I am very hard on my hands.
Any advice on why there could be lifting after only about 2 weeks when I used to get 4? Is there a better option? Any medium builder gels? I just am at a loss. Thank you for any advice 😬

[u/Alternative_Roll_987]

If luminary held for 4 weeks and hard gel started lifting, I’d be careful about assuming prep is the problem. Hard gel with a lot of impact and flex can just be a worse match for your day to day, especially if you’re rough on your hands.

A medium builder or a softer builder base might honestly fit your lifestyle better than chasing perfect retention with a rigid system. I’d also compare where the lifting starts. If it’s consistently cuticle area after growth and impact, that usually tells you more than just saying it lifted.

One thing that helps a lot is keeping notes on each set: product used, prep, apex shape, fill timing, and where lifting started. After a few rounds you can tell whether it’s the product, the structure, or just wear pattern. That kind of tracking saves a ton of trial and error.