Types of Manicures With Tips

A professionally done manicure will enhance the natural nails and overall appearance. However, selecting the appropriate nail treatment from among all of those available in today’s beauty industry can be daunting task.

Basic manicures involve grooming the natural nails in multiple steps, from trimming and shaping them, pushing back cuticles, giving a hand massage, and ultimately finishing off with polish.

Acrylic

Acrylic nails are typically recommended to those with shorter natural nails or those that are brittle, as it consists of a powder and liquid mixture applied directly onto fingernails. Once applied, acrylics can then be shaped, polished and decorated with nail polish or gel as desired.

Nail techs typically start by dehydrating your nail beds using a soaking brush or prep product such as Modelones Nail Prep Dehydrator & Nail Primer ($17). This step helps eliminate moisture that might interfere with adhesion of an acrylic mixture and can compromise adhesion between tips. Finally, they apply and glue a set of appropriate-sized nail tips onto each fingernail for proper adhesion of acrylic mixture.

Nail tips come in various shapes and widths to accommodate for every nail shape and width, so finding one that best matches your own will take some trial-and-error. Once chosen, a technician will apply primer to help adhere the acrylic nail to its nail polish or gel substrate and “filler” may be applied around the cuticle to fill any cracks or lines that appear as your nails expand over time.

Gel

Gel manicures are one of the latest innovations in nail treatments. A photo-initiated polymer cures under LED or UV lighting to produce a strong, chip-resistant finish. A gel-X manicure takes this technology one step further by providing strength of nails with tips while offering length of acrylics without causing damage to natural nails, according to Eunice Park, licensed nail technician and research and development manager for Apres Nail.

“First, your tech applies a builder gel to shape and extend the surface,” according to Allure. Then you choose your preferred gel polish shade!

Like acrylics, gel nails require regular rehydration between appointments to avoid brittleness and chipping, according to Mar Y Sol, the self-described nail expert behind Bella Hadid and Lil Nas X’s manicures. She suggests getting them filled every two or three weeks for best results and health of nails.

Press-on

Press-on nails are typically composed of acrylic or gel and come in various shapes and sizes for effortless application, lasting up to two weeks when done right. Perfect for those without the time or motivation for salon visits who just want an instant change in style!

Start off your press-on manicure right by performing thorough nail prep. Push back cuticles and clean natural nails using an alcohol prep pad (e.g. imPRESS is a 2021 Good Housekeeping Institute beauty Lab Best Buy winner and includes such a pad). This will enable a better bond between adhesive and nail.

Next, apply a small dab of glue to both of your natural nails and the back of the press-on nail. Working one finger at a time, place the press-on nail directly beneath your cuticle at an angle, ensuring its smooth edge is under your cuticle. Lastly, trim away any extra nail length and file down its tip for an all-natural appearance.

Dip powder

If you find it tedious to have to get your nails redone every two weeks, a dip powder manicure may be just what’s needed to alleviate that frustration. Lasting longer than gel and needing less maintenance than traditional manicures while not necessitating UV light curing eliminates risk of skin damage altogether.

Nail technicians clean, shape, and buff natural nails before dipping them in a pot of finely milled powder. Next comes application of base coat, color coat and top coat; typically taking between 45 minutes to an hour at $35-$50 each session.

Dip powder manicures can weaken natural nails over time if not handled carefully, so use nail strengthener and moisturize your hands regularly with hand cream to keep them in optimal health. It is also important to visit a salon with high hygiene standards as any infected nails could arise due to multiple customers dipping their nails in one jar of powder at the same time!