Manicure Vs Gel Manicure

Hands have become an important focus in beauty lately, and manicures have long been considered the go-to treatment to keep them healthy. Now however, options such as gel and dip powder nails have become more and more prevalent for keeping hands beautiful.

Opposite of traditional nail polish, acrylic nails are non-damaging to natural nails but should be removed correctly or they could lead to brittle and peeling nails.

Long-Lasting

If you regularly get manicures that chip within days (if not hours), consider giving gel polish a try. This revolutionary technique uses polishes cured under UV or LED light – providing long-term wear without dryness or chipping, according to cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson.

Gel manicures utilize all of the same procedures as traditional nail treatments, including filing and shaping the nails before removing existing polish. However, special attention should be taken in taking extra good care with these nails so as to prolong their results for as long as possible.

Lim suggests using cuticle oil regularly to hydrate nails and keep them looking their best. She advises keeping a mini nail file and clear top coat in your purse for quick touch ups when needed.

To protect against nail damage, it is best to have your gel manicure professionally removed after 14 days and always choose acetone-free polishes that do not contain potentially toxic chemicals such as dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde and toluene.

Easy to Apply

Gel nail polish requires UV curing light for proper setting, exposing hands to harmful UV rays that some experts believe may contribute to skin aging and cancer; new LED curing lamps claim to mitigate these side effects.

At a salon, a manicure begins by trimming and buffing nails before applying a base coat to provide a solid base for color application. “It is vital not to skip this step,” advises Nagy, who recommends Zoya Naked Manicure Buff Protector as an excellent basecoat product. Once the foundation is in place, add color using Zoya’s Naked Manicure Buff Protector or any of your own favorite hues! Finally, finish up by adding any necessary layers.

To prevent staining, Miss Pop suggests applying top coat such as No Chips Ahead or Gel Couture to seal in your look and avoid staining. Also avoid cutting your cuticles as this can result in bumpy, unattractive-looking skin around the nails causing them to appear less healthy and beautiful.

More Expensive

Gel manicures typically cost $10-$20 more than their polish counterparts, with nail art adding even further expense. Because gel manicures require special curing and removal techniques that may damage natural nails, most salons charge additional fees or include it into your appointment price for this service.

Gel polishes contain photo-initiated polymers that are activated by light curing processes to seal color onto nails, according to Ashlie Johnson of Manicurist Studio in Dallas. When left on for too long without being properly removed however, the polymers can start lifting off your nails, leading them to become weaker over time and weaken them further.

Prevent this from happening by wearing sunscreen when getting a gel manicure and not picking at or using tools to remove the polish from your nails. Cuticle oil, gloves when washing dishes or doing chores and using an acetone-free remover can all help extend the lifespan of your manicure and preserve its quality for longer.

Time-Consuming

A gel manicure is similar to traditional manicures in that your nails will be shaped and cleaned before getting painted with color, with each coat of polish being cured under UV or LED lights after application – although the duration of treatment varies between treatments.

Removing gel polish takes more time and care to remove than traditional nail polish, but as long as it is carefully done by a salon technician and not scraped or picked at, it should not damage natural nails.

Soft gel manicures (such as polygel manicures) have been shown to be less damaging to nails than hard gels, provided that monomer (acrylate) in the polish does not remain on for too long and your technician uses a low-pressure curing system. You should ask your technician whether tools used on you between clients are sterilized.