How Many Types of Manicures Are There?

Manicures are beauty treatments that include fingernails and hands. A manicure provides a clean and polished look, and can boost confidence by giving them the appearance of being properly cared for.

Manicure services typically involve soaking the nails, trimming and shaping their free edges, pushing back cuticles with clippers, moisturizing, and finally polishing the nails. There are numerous different forms of manicure.

Basic Manicure

Basic manicures are the classic type, where nails are trimmed, shaped and polished before receiving a relaxing hand massage and standard nail polish application.

At home or at a salon, this manicure involves applying a clear base coat, two layers of color and then finishing off with a quick-dry topcoat for an easy nail look that lasts several days before needing maintenance.

Hot oil manicures focus on moisturizing cuticles using mineral, olive, or commercial preparation oils to soften and strengthen nails while trimming back cuticles, without cutting. It is an ideal way to soften and strengthen them as well.

Gel Manicure

Gel manicures have gained immense popularity over recent years, offering a semi-permanent finish with extended chip-free polish life. Similar to a traditional manicure, the nails must first be cleaned and prepared by buffing and filing before being covered in a special basecoat that cures under UV or LED lights.

Gel polish is applied and cured to achieve an efficient manicure experience, eliminating any need for lengthy drying times and saving you time with this approach.

Soft gels (sometimes known as soak-off gels) are an easy and quick way to change up the look of your nails without damaging them, while still being flexible enough for everyday life. Perfect for weak or brittle nails. However, improper removal may lead to nail plate thinning which harbors bacteria and leads to fungal infection; so always follow proper techniques when applying and removing soft gels.

Shellac Manicure

Shellac gel nail polish by CND features its trademark shine, and CND claims that it is easier on nails than traditional gel manicures due to a unique drying technology that creates tiny tunnels in the dried polish so acetone can easily sink into it for removal without damaging nails.

Shellac manicures typically last two weeks and should be removed when your nails begin to look dull, ridged, or when their color lifts. Like any gel manicure, however, shellac may damage nails if over-cured, under-cured, or removed improperly.

Shellac nails require longer drying times, which can weaken natural nails over time. According to Dunne, with proper care (such as taking breaks between manicures) and selecting quality nail care products it’s possible to get long-term chip-free beauty in nails that last.

Acrylic Manicure

Acrylic nails were once the go-to fake nails before gels, dips and socially acceptable press-ons were available. While acrylic manicures often get bad reviews for being damaging to natural nails, proper application and removal can have minimal adverse impacts.

A standard set of acrylics typically costs $40-$100 depending on where you live and the details of your design. They generally last three to four weeks with regular fill-in appointments every two to three weeks to keep them looking their best.

To perform a fill, a nail technician will file down your natural nails before applying an acrylic tip that sits snugly at the base of each one of your nails. A small amount of glue is applied at its tip before adhering it securely onto your nail bed. Finally, she’ll apply color and top coat. Regular acrylic applications will help your nails look their best without lifting over time.