Gel or acrylics?

[Mrs Jess]

Hi geeks.

I have come over from the skin geek and am completely new to nails

I appreciate that this question may have come across many many times, I have done a search but can't really find the answers I want

In your opinion - which is a better extension? Gel or acrylic? And why?
Which is easier? Which do you think the client prefers?
Is there flexibility nail art wise?

If I've missed a thread, please could you post it for me.

Thanks in advance x

 

[sal365]

Hi, I am trying to decide this too at the moment. Someone the other day said acrylic is much better for weak or bendy nails and gel is better for brittle nails.
HTH

 

[sal365]

As for nail art you can pretty much do the same on them as natural nails

 

[Mrs Jess]

Thanks sal

I'm thinking gel because then when I train to do gel polish (shellac/gellux) I will already have the lamp.....right??
It's all soo confusing lol x

 

[Dexy]

If you are wanting to use CND shellac then you will need the CND lamp but it can be used to cure other brands xx

 

[sal365]

If you do the cnd gel enhancement course you get the lamp included in the price, can't tell you about the others tho

 

[Mrs Jess]

If you are wanting to use CND shellac then you will need the CND lamp but it can be used to cure other brands xx

Great thanks dexy ....... This is the sort of info I need lol

So if I were to use gellux (or similair) could I use the uv lamp that I would use for gel extensions?

Are gel extensions harder to soak off than acrylic?

Which lasts longer?

Thanks

 

[Kimgora]

I recently also had to ask myself this very question, my decision was to go with the Gel nails..

- Gel Nails are much more natural looking than Acrylic.
- Acrylics have a stong odour, and you as the nail tech have to deal with it.
- Also, Pregnant woman are advised against having Acrylic nails due to acrylic being toxic.
- Acrylics are more prone to damage as they are extremely inflexible.
- They require more fill in's than Gel nails.
- Gels have a great glossy finish to them.
- Gels dry quicker and are less hazardous and easier to apply.

With the above info I made the choice to go Gel, even though they are more costly, the information I found led to my choice.

Hope this helps Gals

 

[miss evo]

Hi there, i to agree with Kimgora as for the reasons she stated above. When i was choosing to do a nail course the same question passed my mind because i trained with essential nails and you could not opt for both. I choose the career path in gels. I came to my decision because acrylics are old school now and gel is the way forward and if you right down the pros and cons of both gel weighs out more good than acrylics. Art wise you can do exactly the same work on both. Price wise you would make more on gel. And your clients nails will grow strong an healthy eventually not needing extentions and having a simple overlay looking nice and natural and ur health is not at risk to x

 

[BPampered]

Great thanks dexy ....... This is the sort of info I need lol

So if I were to use gellux (or similair) could I use the uv lamp that I would use for gel extensions?

Are gel extensions harder to soak off than acrylic?

Which lasts longer?

Thanks

As long as u can cure ur gel polish product and hard gel product under uv light u can use the same lamp, lilewise if they bofe cure under led u can use the same lamp if u buy led.

As far as the best one to choose, I offer both and prefer gel because of the reasons already mentioned. However I very rarely do them, with my client all they want is acrylics as this is all they know, I do try and educate them however more dont want to change. So one thing I think is worth thinking about is what ur clients would lile u to offer x

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

 

[Biljana]

I recently also had to ask myself this very question, my decision was to go with the Gel nails..

- Gel Nails are much more natural looking than Acrylic.
- Acrylics have a stong odour, and you as the nail tech have to deal with it.
- Also, Pregnant woman are advised against having Acrylic nails due to acrylic being toxic.
- Acrylics are more prone to damage as they are extremely inflexible.
- They require more fill in's than Gel nails.
- Gels have a great glossy finish to them.
- Gels dry quicker and are less hazardous and easier to apply.

With the above info I made the choice to go Gel, even though they are more costly, the information I found led to my choice.

Hope this helps Gals

All of these reasons are totally incorrect.
I will get back to it once I have more time to properly reply

Sent from my SGH-I337M using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[kankan]

I trained in gels first but have now come to realise everyone wants acrylic, I'm now training in acrylics but have had alot of people go elsewhere because I don't offer acrylic yet! People don't seem to know a lot about gel and as a precious poster said like to stick with what they know.

 

[Dexy]

Great thanks dexy ....... This is the sort of info I need lol

So if I were to use gellux (or similair) could I use the uv lamp that I would use for gel extensions?

Are gel extensions harder to soak off than acrylic?

Which lasts longer?

Thanks

I don't use Gellux but it can be cured in uv or led lamp, I'm sure a geek who uses Gellux will give you more info , but I'm almost certain it's not a soak off gel I think it's a buff off , again someone who uses it will be able to tell you more, I use CND brisa lite which is a soak off gel with the added bonus you don't buff the natural nail, I switched from NSI to CND and love it, polish wise I use Shellac and IBD just gel polish , I use my CND lamp to cure both although I have an LED for the IBD, by the time I've got the free hand ready 2 minutes has passed so hardly use the LED, best thing I did was just use the search facility on here and read as many reviews on the different brands ! Lots of reading lol xx

 

[miss evo]

i use gellux and they do soak off

here is pros and cons for both

ACRYLIC
Pros of Acrylic Nails:

-Acrylic Nails are very strong and long lasting.
-They are easier to repair at home due to their strength where the crack rather than shatter. As always it is advised that you visit a professional nail technician for the nail related issues instead of tackling them by yourself.
-They are generally cheaper than gel nails which is important in these times.
-There is a higher availability of them in america, meaning you will find more nail salons offering acrylic nails. Gel nails are only starting to pick up in popularity in america. This is not the case in Europe.
-They have a matte finish to them, this is up to personal taste and preference

CONS
Cons of Acrylic Nails:

-If done poorly there is a high risk of damage towards the natural nail. This can lead to nasty things such as fungus and infection. This can be a problem if you wish to apply them by yourself at home If this ever happens immediately get in touch with your doctor. When it comes to nails it is no joking matter.
-A strong odor is emitted when applying the acrylic over the acrylic nail. The fumes can be potentially hazardous if you are not located in a well-ventilated area.
-The acrylic is also toxic and is advised that pregnant women do not get acrylic nails during pregnancy.
-Their strength can be a drawback sometimes. They are more prone to damage since they are more inflexible.
-Don’t look as realistic as gel nails and can be bulky and clearly fake.
-Require more fillings than gel nails.


GEL
Pros of Gel Nails:

-When having gel nails applied the process is odorless unlike acrylic nails.
-They are non-toxic so that pregnant women are not sidelined and are able to enjoy them as well.
-They are more realistic and natural looking.
-Have a glossy finish to them, again this falls under personal taste and preference.
-They are more slender than acrylic nails which adds to the realism and natural look.
-Generally the process of applying gel nails can be easier and less hazardous. They dry quicker as well.
-Less filing and shaping is required during the process which I know can be a big plus for some people.
-They generally last longer than acrylic nails and require less fillings.
-Are more flexible which makes them less prone to damage.

CONS
Cons of Gel Nails:

-They are more expensive which can be big minus point in these economic times.
Are less available in america. It is harder to find nail salons that offer them.
-The UV dryer has been debated as to being harmful however it has been researched and using a uv lamp every 2wks is equivalent to being in the sun for 2mins. Some technicians offer sunblock to the clients before using the lamp
-They are less durable and weaker. This means they tend to shatter rather than crack. This can make repair extremely difficult or even impossible.

Conclusion

There you go, the difference between gel and acrylic nails. Armed with this information I hope you will have an easier time choosing the between the two as well as discerning between them in the debate of gel nails vs acrylic nails. I personally prefer gel nails

 

[Biljana]

All of these reasons are totally incorrect.
I will get back to it once I have more time to properly reply

Sent from my SGH-I337M using SalonGeek mobile app

Okay.
So, I can think rationally now to elaborate on my previous response.
Acrylic is NOT better or worse than Gel. In the end they are from the same family applied in different methods. It is incorrect and misleading to tell clients and new techs that it smells, damages, is harder to apply, takes longer to cure, is toxic..etc.. none of these are correct. If a nail technician doesn't offer acrylic it is their own fault and bad mouthing one product in order to gain a client is detrimental to our industry
My professional opinion is for every nail tech is to train with a reputable company in both systems so that you are able to offer both services because not every client is suited to acrylic and not every client is suited to gel. It is our job to be able to skillfully apply what is best for that specific client.
Please, stop bad mouthing one system over the other because of your lack of knowledge. Education is key

Sent from my Nexus 7 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[miss evo]

its not bad mouthing it is facts. Why do you think pregnant women cant have acrylic nails? and alot of people wear masks when applying product and need to be in a well ventilated area

 

[Dexy]

Thanks Miss Evo
Not sure if Op was referring to the hard builder
Gel for enhancements which on packaging says non soak off ?
Like I said I don't use it I went with Brisa Lite , but was curious about this because the Gellux builder hard gel on Salon Services in the black tubs says non soak off ?

 

[kankan]

its not bad mouthing it is facts. Why do you think pregnant women cant have acrylic nails? and alot of people wear masks when applying product and need to be in a well ventilated area

I maybe wrong and I don't want to get involved in an argument and I am only a newbie to nails but I'm sure I read from Doug schoon (not sure if I spelt that right!!) that nails are perfectly safe to pregnant woman and it is also fine to apply them as a tech whilst pregnant.
And I have to say I'm training in acrylics but already trained in gels and much prefer the acrylic application personally, except the odour!! But everyone is different on their preference.

 

[shazbaby]

Biljana is absolutely right.
Acrylics are not harmful to the nail, nor do they damage the nail...as long as the proper technique is used. The proper technique should come from being trained by a good company.
The same could be said for filing off hard gels. In your opinion would this not damage the natural nail? No, it wouldn't...as long as the technician is properly trained in what they are doing.
As for being toxic during pregnancy, the system I use has shown no proof that this is true. I see many pregnant ladies wearing liquid and powder acrylics.
Also, a high shine is also achievable with liquid and powder acrylics by using a gloss top coat or buffing to high shine.
Bottom line, liquid and powder and gels are both as good as each other, providing they are both used by a trained technician and according to the clients needs.

 

[miss evo]

Thanks Miss Evo
Not sure if Op was referring to the hard builder
Gel for enhancements which on packaging says non soak off ?
Like I said I don't use it I went with Brisa Lite , but was curious about this because the Gellux builder hard gel on Salon Services in the black tubs says non soak off ?

Ahhh Dexy yes i only use the polishes i must of misread. I use dream from essential nails for extensions and overlays also star nails they are soak offs but ur right gellux isn't. xx