Gel or acrylics?

[pure]

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?

Gel and acrylic offer two different solutions depending on the need of the client. If a client has hard, brittle nails they will benefit from the flexibility that gel provides. If however they have soft, bendy nails then the choice would be acrylic.
Neither gel nor acrylic are 'easy' to learn but with excellent training and products, followed by lots of practice and determination application should not be difficult.
As a nail technician it is our job to advise the client on what product will suit their nails best, so although you have to respect client choice they will generally follow expert advice.
Nail art can be applied just as easy and with equal results to either product.

Are gel extensions harder to soak off than acrylic?

Which lasts longer?

Thanks

Gel generally requires buffing off whereas acrylic can be buffed and then soaked off. Depending on the quality of the gel this can vary in the length of time it takes.

- Gel Nails are much more natural looking than Acrylic.
With top quality products and expert application it would be very difficult to be able to tell the difference visually.
- Acrylics have a stong odour, and you as the nail tech have to deal with it. Low odour acrylics are readily available on the market.
- Also, Pregnant woman are advised against having Acrylic nails due to acrylic being toxic.
This is simply untrue - there is no scientific or medical reason that a pregnant woman should not be able to enjoy beautiful nails with either gel or acrylic.
- Acrylics are more prone to damage as they are extremely inflexible.
If they are applied to the correct type of nail ie soft, bendy nails, then this is untrue. This is where having a full, scientific understanding of your product helps us make the right choices for our clients.
- They require more fill in's than Gel nails.
Infills are determined by the rate of growth of the natural nail, NOT the product applied.
- Gels have a great glossy finish to them.
Acrylics applied and finished correctly, by buffing through the grits, a high mirror like shine is easy to achieve. They can also be finished with a gel top coat with the same result.
- Gels dry quicker and are less hazardous and easier to apply.
Acrylic is dry as soon as the curing process begins, which is why we can file and buff them - if they were wet we wouldn't be able to do that.

I do apologise for correcting your entire post above but it is full of inaccurate information. It is important for others reading this site that the information they are reading is scientifically correct. I would recommend you read Doug Schoon's book which explains all the knowledge a nail technician should need in order to know their products and be able to advise their clients correctly.

To the OP - there are now so many different options available to us and our clients that it can be very confusing when starting out. But if you are looking to provide nail enhancements, as opposed to a gel/power polish then there are some very good brands which you can start looking into.

I personally use CND, but other respected companies include NSI, OPI, IBD, Youngs Nails amongst others. It might be better (and you will get accurate information) if you contact some of these companies who can then provide you details of products, costs and training.

I think it is also important to add that providing the correct application method is used then neither gel nor acrylic are damaging to the natural nail, damage is caused by the technician not the product.
Good luck with your search!

 

[Rinn]

100% agree with everything Biljana and Pure have said.

I just wanted to add that people generally wear masks to minimize inhaling dusts...although their efficiency is minimal.

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

 

[pure]

Pros of Acrylic Nails:[/B]

-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.
A non qualified person would not be able to repair either gel or acrylic 'at home' safely r adequately. This comment shouldn't even come into consideration.
-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
Acrylics are normally finished to a very high shine either by buffing or using a gel top coat.
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.
See above re the 'at home' comment!
Any product incorrectly applied and maintained can lead to problems.
-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.
We are always taught to work in a suitably ventilated area, when using any product the tech should follow the correct best practice.
-The acrylic is also toxic and is advised that pregnant women do not get acrylic nails during pregnancy.
This is untrue - acrylic is perfectly safe to use on pregnant women.
-Their strength can be a drawback sometimes. They are more prone to damage since they are more inflexible.
All enhancements can be broken,, however, when built with the correct structure and being a suitable length for the client's lifestyle they should be no more prone to damage than gel.
-Don’t look as realistic as gel nails and can be bulky and clearly fake.
Expertly applied acrylic can still look natural.
-Require more fillings than gel nails.
Infills are determined by the rate the natural nails grows NOT the product applied.


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.
Untrue. See comment above re pregnant women.
-They are more realistic and natural looking.
See above.
-Have a glossy finish to them, again this falls under personal taste and preference.
See above
-They are more slender than acrylic nails which adds to the realism and natural look.
How slender a nail is depends on the skill of the technician not the product.
-Generally the process of applying gel nails can be easier and less hazardous. They dry quicker as well.
Acrylic nails are never wet - which is why we an file and buff them almost immediately.
-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.
Length of wear is mainly down to application and aftercare by the client, not product.
-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
It has been shown time and again by different scientific studies that nail lamps pose no UV risk whatsoever.
-They are less durable and weaker. This means they tend to shatter rather than crack. This can make repair extremely difficult or even impossible.

There are many mis-leading and incorrect facts in this post.

Can I recommend that you check out this site Biography of Doug Schoon, founder of Schoon Scientific, LLC, providing technical consulting services to the beauty product industry.
You will find it full of scientific information which you should find helpful as a nail technician. You can also sign up for regular emails which are full of helpful information which answers many common myths about our industry and products.

 

[miss evo]

okay i quickly did some research and NSI which is a credible source has this to say
The Differences Between Acrylic & Gel: The Truths | Nail Product Chemistry Information from NSI
Any ways i was giving my personal opinion and i know a lot of people would agree with me. For exmple if you walk into a discounted salon the fumes are so strong! but i do understand there is odourless

 

[ChicaHolly]

But miss evo a lot of those discounted stores are using MMA which shouldn't be used on nails and the smell is terrible. Salons that use the correct acrylic (EMA) is safer and like others have said pose no risk to pregnant women. Are you then saying that a pregnant nail tech should stop working? Doug shoons book is great and I trust his advice


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[miss evo]

But miss evo a lot of those discounted stores are using MMA which shouldn't be used on nails and the smell is terrible. Salons that use the correct acrylic (EMA) is safer and like others have said pose no risk to pregnant women. Are you then saying that a pregnant nail tech should stop working? Doug shoons book is great and I trust his advice


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Personally if i was pregnant i would not work with acrylic products without wearing gloves and a mask because i believe to much exposure could do something. I'd rather be safe than sorry x

 

[kankan]

There are a lot of 'discounted salons' that use Mma instead of ema monomer for acrylics which has a stronger odour. I'm sure there's threads on here to the difference between the 2. Mma in my opinion gives acrylics a bad name as they are extremely hard to remove, and generally harder than acrylics made with ema monomer. Which is why people nails end up damaged, the removal process is very hard. Which goes back to it's not the product that causes damage it's the tech! Haven't come across any myself yet but there are lots of threads on here. Every tech dreads a client with Mma acrylic coming in for a removal!!!

 

[sal365]

As I understand it nail coatings of any kind are not recommended towards the end of pregnancy, not because they are harmful but because they can effect the readings from the monitors they clip onto your fingers whilst you are in labour. Correct me if I'm wrong?

 

[kankan]

But miss evo a lot of those discounted stores are using MMA which shouldn't be used on nails and the smell is terrible. Salons that use the correct acrylic (EMA) is safer and like others have said pose no risk to pregnant women. Are you then saying that a pregnant nail tech should stop working? Doug shoons book is great and I trust his advice


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Haha must have been typing as you posted!!

 

[pure]

Personally if i was pregnant i would not work with acrylic products without wearing gloves and a mask because i believe to much exposure could do something. I'd rather be safe than sorry x

And that is exactly one of the myths which damage our industry! Can I ask are you qualified in nail enhancements? If you are then you should be familiar with your product chemistry and how it can and can't interact with our physiology. Correctly using legitimate nail enhancement products DO NOT harm women or their unborn babies.

 

[kankan]

As I understand it nail coatings of any kind are not recommended towards the end of pregnancy, not because they are harmful but because they can effect the readings from the monitors they clip onto your fingers whilst you are in labour. Correct me if I'm wrong?

I think it's generally ok in a straight forward labour, but if it becomes an emergency and op is needed such as c section then the aneathetist will need access to nails so they can monitor blood pressure etc though them, they look for colour of nail bed I think. Which could end up them removing it for you!! Ouch!

 

[miss evo]

And that is exactly one of the myths which damage our industry! Can I ask are you qualified in nail enhancements? If you are then you should be familiar with your product chemistry and how it can and can't interact with our physiology. Correctly using legitimate nail enhancement products DO NOT harm women or their unborn babies.

I am qualified its just my personal opinion which i have every right to. :sad:

 

[Mrs Jess]

Crikey.....lots of replies and lots of very handy information - thank you very much

I'm going to speak to some course instructors before I make my decision but I'm still struggling, I'm kind of swaying to gel for the reasons:

- I have done a bit of market research in my area and more techs seem to be using acrylic rather than gel - so maybe more room for a gel tech
- I have asked my clients on my facebook and the majority of them have said gel.
- and going back to intertwining the lamp thing for both the gel polish and gel extension lol

The only thing I worry about is if I advertise 'Gel extensions' customers may automatically think it is gel polish - gellux/gelish/shellac etc.........any one have trouble with that?

And can I ask (sorry if stupid) so is 'hard gel' the extensions and the other gel is the polish yes?

Thanks again xx

 

[pure]

I am qualified its just my personal opinion which i have every right to. :sad:

But surely as a professional you should be quoting FACTS and not opinion - we are all entitled to have an opinion but how can you argue with something which is scientifically proven?

I'm really sorry, I promise you I'm not picking on you :hug: but we do have to stick to the facts here.

 

[Biljana]

But surely as a professional you should be quoting FACTS and not opinion - we are all entitled to have an opinion but how can you argue with something which is scientifically proven?

I'm really sorry, I promise you I'm not picking on you :hug: but we do have to stick to the facts here.

Precisely! As nail techs we need to strive to give our clients only the best, by educating ourselves about the product science and facts, not our opinions. Opinion is stated when you as a professional can say to your client which product is best suited for their nails, not tell them that acrylics are damaging and bad because you don't offer the service

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[Biljana]

Client just literally walked out with her CND Retention+ L&P this is what she gets every 2 weeks and claims no one ever can tell that she even wears enhancements let alone acrylic! Gasp

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[miss evo]

Crikey.....lots of replies and lots of very handy information - thank you very much

I'm going to speak to some course instructors before I make my decision but I'm still struggling, I'm kind of swaying to gel for the reasons:

- I have done a bit of market research in my area and more techs seem to be using acrylic rather than gel - so maybe more room for a gel tech
- I have asked my clients on my facebook and the majority of them have said gel.
- and going back to intertwining the lamp thing for both the gel polish and gel extension lol

The only thing I worry about is if I advertise 'Gel extensions' customers may automatically think it is gel polish - gellux/gelish/shellac etc.........any one have trouble with that?

And can I ask (sorry if stupid) so is 'hard gel' the extensions and the other gel is the polish yes?

Thanks again xx

when you advertise you say gel polish £.... then gel enhancement prices which is extensions£...., sculpture £...., overlay £..... and repair/infillls £....
the difference between hard gel and soak of gel used for the extentions and overlay is hard gel has to be buffed off and cant be soaked. I personally dont use it and stick with soak off i dont see much difference in the products.But soak off means preventing less damadge as no filing is really required it can come off with a soak off solution applied on cotton wool onto the nail bed and wrapped in foil just like the gel polish. xx

 

[miss evo]

But surely as a professional you should be quoting FACTS and not opinion - we are all entitled to have an opinion but how can you argue with something which is scientifically proven?

I'm really sorry, I promise you I'm not picking on you :hug: but we do have to stick to the facts here.

its ok:hug: i know. But personal opinions are allowed on this website are they not? And science says there is no god but some people beg to differ. This topic can go deep loool :lick: And tbh i do know even scientists have and different theories and facts. T he facts on drugs used, uv lamps, chemicals, things we eat, drink ect ect can all be debated xx

 

[pure]

its ok:hug: i know. But personal opinions are allowed on this website are they not? And science says there is no god but some people beg to differ. This topic can go deep loool :lick: And tbh i do know even scientists have and different theories and facts. T he facts on drugs used, uv lamps, chemicals, things we eat, drink ect ect can all be debated xx

Nooooooo don't start on religion :Scared: lol

Seriously tho have a search through some of the articles and tutorials on here and google independent sites too for information, especially on the issue of acrylic and pregnancy. We work in an industry which is dominated by women offering services to women and for all our benefit it is vital that we get this information correct both for our clients reassurance and for the benefit of our businesses :hug: We don't want to needlessly scare our clients away!

 

[kankan]

Nooooooo don't start on religion :Scared: lol

Seriously tho have a search through some of the articles and tutorials on here and google independent sites too for information, especially on the issue of acrylic and pregnancy. We work in an industry which is dominated by women offering services to women and for all our benefit it is vital that we get this information correct both for our clients reassurance and for the benefit of our businesses :hug: We don't want to needlessly scare our clients away!

I agree, I have learnt soooo much from here and YouTube, googling articles and following Doug on fb. It's amazing the info that is about and easily accessible.

And no no no don't even touch religion!! That's like mentioning a certain gel polish beginning with B and ends in sky hahaha