Getting your nails done is the best.

I’m not talking about a simple file and polish job here, but gel nails that give your natural ones extra strength and perfect opaque colour that lasts for weeks.

In the periods between lockdowns, getting my nails done made me feel civilised again, more so than getting a haircut or threading eyebrows. Perhaps it’s because I tap away at a keyboard all day long, but the sight of ‘done’ nails makes me feel, ever so slightly, like I have my stuff together.

So when they inevitably chip, my mood takes a small but distinct nosedive. Suddenly my hands look tatty and the gel must come off ASAP. While many salons offer removal, they come at a cost - one that you needn’t shell out for if you can find a decent DIY home solution.

Interchangeable with gel, Shellac is harder and longer lasting than traditional nail varnish. Once a base has been applied, coats of colour spend around 30-60 seconds under a UV or LED lamp to set, or cure, them. You can leave the second your manicure is over, unlike traditional polish which you must wait around in front of a fan or flapping your hands to help them dry naturally. Done right, they can last up to two weeks.

Whatever you do, don’t give in to the temptation to peel off your gel nails. You’ll tear off the top layers of your natural nails in the process, leaving them weak, uneven and brittle.