What Type of Manicure is Best?

Visit one of our nail salons and let us guide you towards finding the right manicure type to fit both your lifestyle and nail health needs. We offer professional consultation services so you don’t feel overwhelmed by all the available choices! We can help find your ideal solution.

Soft gel manicures provide a natural-looking solution that’s easily removable, lasting two weeks or more without being damaging to the nails or skin. They’re less damaging than traditional polish and much easier on skin!

Regular or Classic

Regular manicures utilize traditional polish that dries quickly with oxygen, making it the best option if you prefer a quick process that includes base coat, polish color and top coat application.

Gel polishes are cured under UV light for an ultra-durable finish that resists chipping, making them an excellent option for long-term color and manicures that last 2-3 weeks. There are various styles available such as reverse French manicure or ombre; you could even add nail art or try paraffin manicure which uses melted paraffin wax to soften hands while locking in moisture.

Gel

Gel polish can be hardened using UV light, creating a long-term manicure. Some people may be concerned about its safety; however, the process is actually just as safe as any other nail treatment method and wearing gloves while receiving your gel manicure will provide extra protection from potentially harmful UV rays.

Soft gel manicures are an excellent solution for short natural nails that can be shaped using forms, lasting approximately three weeks before needing another fill-in session. While less damaging than acrylics, this service may require return visits every few weeks for refills.

Hard gel manicures offer longer-term extensions that look natural while being less damaging to nails, yet are more expensive than soft gels at $100+ per session.

Acrylic

Acrylic nails have long been the go-to solution for thicker, longer nails. Utilizing liquid monomer and powder polymer components that bond directly to natural nails for strength, length and thickness enhancement. Cardi B has been known to favor acrylics in her arsenal of fake nail solutions.

Dip-nails involve covering natural nails with a clear base coat and then dipping them in colored powder for the desired look. Dip nails have become popular due to their durability; typically lasting for at least a month before needing replacing.

“Acrylics often get a bad rep for damaging natural nails, but they’re no worse than other manicure enhancement options,” according to Dixon. She advises getting regular or gel manicure before trying acrylics in order to strengthen your natural nails first and always booking an appointment with a professional to avoid damage. Also remember to schedule touch up appointments every two or three weeks (fills).

Shellac

Shellac nail polish offers benefits of both gel and traditional nails. CND (Creative Nail Design) developed and created this patent product.

Shellac offers low odor and application without damaging natural nails. To preserve their lifespan and preserve the beauty of Shellac nails for extended periods, gloves should always be worn when performing activities that expose them to heat or water for prolonged periods.

To book a Shellac manicure, first locate your preferred salon and service by entering their name into both fields: service and location. From there, view their schedule to select an available time slot for an appointment that has now been confirmed!

Dip Powder

Dip powder nails have gained popularity because they’re seen as less harmful than gel or acrylic alternatives, according to Aaron. He explains how they work by applying bonder to your nails before dipping them in a tray or pot of powder which is then brushed off similar to nail polish application.

He recommends dipping your nails up to two more times for added opacity, using fresh containers of powder each time and brushing off any excess. Finally, topcoat should be added.

Dip powder manicures differ from traditional acrylic in that they do not require UV light for setting and are easier to remove than gel nail polish. Furthermore, they last up to one month; however, as with all artificial nails they may look bulky or cause an allergic reaction due to monomer (an allergen found in dip powder manicures). According to Stern they contain monomer which could cause an adverse reaction.