Do Latex Gloves Ruin Nail Polish?

If you work in a laboratory or if your work requires you to wear latex gloves all the time, and you use nail polish, then you will want to know the answer to, “Do latex gloves ruin nail polish?” 

We will answer this question in the next paragraph, then provide other relevant, useful information.

Do Latex Gloves Ruin Nail Polish? 

Yes, they do. Latex gloves can ruin nail polish as they cause your hands to sweat and create a humid environment where moisture saturates the nails, causing the layers to swell then contract, and thereby, separate or break apart polish. 

Their tight fit can also push against the tips of your nails. Consistent pressure, as a result, can weaken the nails (with polish) over time and, eventually, drive them to break or chip. 

How Exactly Do Latex Gloves Ruin Nail Polish? 

Latex is a type of rubber. Rubber gloves are not breathable; rather, they trap heat and cause your donned hands to sweat. Latex gloves provide such an ultra-close fit that they are also called “a second skin.”

The tight fit traps moisture right on the surfaces of your nails. This saturates the nails, which then swell and contract. The action prompts the layers to separate and any nail polish to break apart. 

At the same time, the tight fit puts pressure against the tips of the fingernails. It weakens the nails along with the polish and pushes them to break or chip. So, in these ways, latex gloves ruin nail polish. 

9 Tips to Maintain Your Nail Polish While Wearing Latex Gloves

Keep your nail polish layers thin

This dives a bit into the technical know-how and application. But it is important to note. The thinner your nail polish layers are, the less likely they are peeled as a result of external pressure, like the tight fit of latex gloves.

With this in mind, it is best to practice thinning down the layers you apply during your manicure. 

Put a fresh layer of top coat on your nail polish each day 

The top coat is applied to seal the color of your nail polish. In a sense, it acts like a shield to protect your nail polish from chipping or cracking. 

But over time the original top coat layer applied during your manicure can wear away and thus, be less effective at performing its job than before. To prevent this and ensure it continues to safeguard your nail polish, you can make it a habit to put on a fresh layer each day. 

Make sure your coat of polish is completely dry before you proceed to brush on a layer of top coat. When you do, apply it all the way to the tips. Then, go around the nail’s top. 

Since this part of the nail tends to chip first, it is essential that you do not forget this. It will prevent color from wearing and at the same time, offer extra strength and support for your nails (especially if they are long).

Put baby powder on your hands to absorb the sweat 

Before donning latex gloves, you can apply baby powder to your hands to absorb the sweat. Since baby powder is made from talc, which is an astringent, it is able to also react and create a constricting dry surface. 

As a result, it will keep your hands and nails cooler when they are trapped under the tight fit of latex gloves. Consequently, the chances of a humid environment ruining your nails are lowered. 

Use 70% ethanol on your gloved hands to absorb the sweat

70% ethanol can do many things, including absorbing sweat. If you apply ethanol to your gloved hands, you should be able to feel a cooling sensation after several seconds.

However, it is essential to note that you should not use 70% ethanol on ungloved hands as it may result in dry skin.  

Use gold bond powder on your hands to absorb the sweat

Gold bond powder is another option for absorbing sweat. It has 3 key ingredients — talc, menthol, and zinc.

Talc helps dry, while menthol cools, and zinc heals. As a result, gold powder delivers a complete treatment for your gloved hands. 

Caution: But you need to remember that it should not be used on broken skin. 

Gold bond powder is also a lot pickier than other types of powder for the skin. As such, it may not be suitable for you.

If you notice burning sensations or itchiness after using it, stop instantly and look for an alternative. Make sure you only use it within the recommended quantity. 

Make sure your fingertips are filled evenly and not jaggedly cut 

If the tips of your nails are not evenly filled and are jaggedly cut, they resist more against the tight fit of latex gloves. Then, they are susceptible to breaking as well as chipping from pressure.

To avoid this from happening, during your manicure, see to it that your fingertips are filled evenly and trimmed smoothly. 

Make sure you prep your nails properly before your manicure 

Prepping your nails properly may be an added step that takes time and money, but it is worth it. The procedure of using a nail dehydrator, bonder, then primer will make a difference in the adhesion of your nail enhancements. 

The oils on your nails will be removed, so they cannot wear out the polish. They enable nail polish to be applied smoothly and therefore, prevent the color from chipping. Then, ultimately, the lifespan of your manicure will be lengthened. 

Buffing your nails is also a step you should not skip. It ensures that your nail bed is a “clean canvas” before the base coat is applied. Without it, sediments, grime, and oil can persist on the surface and interfere with the adhesion of your layer polish and any other nail enhancement. 

Cleanse your nail cuticles thoroughly 

Your cuticles need to be cleaned extra carefully with more than just some quick dusting with a brush. The correct process is this: 

1. Soak your fingers in soapy water for about five minutes. If your cuticles are stained, scrub with soap and water using a nail brush or toothbrush before your soak. 
2. Apply cuticle remover to all your nail beds. Give it 15 seconds to work its magic. Then, wipe it off with a clean cotton ball or cotton pad. 
3. Push back your cuticles with the flat end of a wooden orange stick. 
4. Move the orange stick around in circles to remove bits of dead skin. 
5. Moisturize with a thin layer of cuticle cream. If you do not have cuticle cream, you can use petroleum jelly. 

Change your latex gloves regularly 

This is a simple way to minimize the effects of latex gloves on your nail polish. It can help you avoid sweaty hands. Also, if you can, after removing the gloves and before donning new ones, wash your hands and dry them carefully with a fresh towel. 

You should change gloves when (1) beginning a new task, (2) moving to another client, (3) after handling biohazards, (4) after handling chemicals, (4) your gloves show signs of punctures or tears. 

Even though there is no hard limit on how long you should wear gloves, it is vital that you change them throughout the day and not wait until they are ripped and have holes. 

You must also change your gloves properly to avoid contamination. Here is how you do it: 

1. Grab the outside of one glove with your other hand.
2. Peel it away from your body and turn it inside out as you go. 
3. Finish with a fully inside-out glove and ball or fold it in your gloved hand. 
4. Slip your ungloved fingers inside the remaining glove cuff.
5. Peel the glove away from your skin, but do not touch the outside of it.
6. Leave the first glove in the second one, as you peel it off, to discard. 
7. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. Scrub every nook and cranny.
8. Dry your hands with a clean tissue or paper towel.

And here is how you don new gloves: 

1. Unwrap your gloves’ package without touching the outside of the gloves. 
2.  Hold the glove from the inside of the cuff and pull it on.Do this for your dominant hand first. 
3. Repeat step 3 for your non-dominant hand. 

Caution: Do not set the gloves on unsterilized surfaces. 

Conclusion 

By now, you should know that the answer to, “Do latex gloves ruin nail polish?” is yes.

It would be easy if we could just ditch the latex gloves to preserve our nails. But, more often than not, our jobs make them mandatory.

In that case, give our 9 tips a try and let us know in the comments, which worked best for you.