The term "Acrylic"

[Envy]

Hi All

I thought I'd post this as it's something that really hits home personally for me.
I'm not trying to teach anyone to suck eggs, any of us who have been around a while already know this stuff... I just finished compiling this piece and thought it would be useful info for the newbies on the site (I notice a lot of them lately)

Early nail enhancements grew out of the dental industry and were labeled “acrylic nails”. These products lacked the quality, durability and wearability of modern nail enhancement systems. This combined with poor hygiene and work practices created a negative and damaging reputation for the nail enhancement industry.

The name “acrylic” that was given to these products is not accurate and is now the “slang” term associated with Liquid and Powder enhancements.


What most people don’t realize is that all nail enhancements are based on the same chemical family the acrylics, whether UV gel or Liquid & Powder. Nail enhancements are a distant relation to acrylic and are far more chemically complex. To call them such is quite inaccurate as they are not literally made of acrylic. A standard television remote would be a good example of an acrylic plastic, hard and inflexible and not particularly suited to the nail enhancement industry. The term “acrylic” is an outdated and historically negative phrase.


A more accurate and positive approach is needed to help move forward and leave behind the negatives of the past. The most technically correct term is “Organic resin” to replace the term “acrylic” and “enhancements” to replace “artificial”


As the industry evolves and changes new terms are being added to help shed itself of the past problems. A great example is the introduction of the Custom Blended Manicure by Creative Nail Design. This has clients who had sworn off ever having “acrylic nails” flocking back to salons to specifically request this new service.

Hope you found it an interesting read - Envy

 

[mum]

Hi Envy

Yes it is an interesting read and I agree with you in principle.

Acrylic is an inaccurate term if only referring to a liquid and powder system and, you're right, it can have some historically negative associations. I don't think a more accurate example of acrylic is a remote control though. Virtually all the products used in artificial nails are part of the huge acrylic family, including tips and adhesive.

The trouble with trying to change it (and i do agree that change would be better) is that it is so entrenched in the specific system, more relevantly with consumers who don't actually care about accurate terminology. It does have bad associations but I think changing that attitude by better work is more important. You have used a very good example of how a brand name can also help this (Custom Blend Manicure). When I used to have a salon potential clients would call and ask for Backscratchers nails. They had no idea that it was a fibreglass system and didn't care.

I don't, however, agree that 'organic resin' is more accurate. Yes it is organic but not the type of organic that the general public associate with the term (e.g occuring in nature or in connection with food etc). It is the chemical group that includes carbon and opposite to inorganic. So this is misleading and has been used in some advertising to suggest 'natural'.

A similar situation to resin. Yes there are acrylic resins that are sticky and set hard but there are many other types of resins too (e.g epoxy resin and natural resins). There are obviously resins used in this industry but this refers more to the viscosity of the cyanoacrylate than anything. There is nothing very natural about the majority of products, they are all man made.

After all this opinionising, I don't actually have an alternative suggestion other that what I have already said.

I personally don't have a problem with the term 'artificial' either because we are referring to something that is not real. Enhancements is a good term and pretty descriptive. I do think it was 'coined' by a particular brand and maybe they would like a general take-up as a generic description but maybe they wouldn't!

What do other Geeks think?

 

[scattyfox]

The term Acrylic to me conjurers up a picture of a big thick ugly nail extension.

When customers say to me acrylic I ask them which one as all the systems belong to the same family and I try to educate them into useing the terms Liquid & powder, Gel or Fibreglass.

I prefer the word enhancement i must admit as this gives the illusion of something pretty that makes your nails and hands look better.

 

[Bryony]

I don't, however, agree that 'organic resin' is more accurate. Yes it is organic but not the type of organic that the general public associate with the term (e.g occuring in nature or in connection with food etc). It is the chemical group that includes carbon and opposite to inorganic. So this is misleading and has been used in some advertising to suggest 'natural'.

I was going to say the same!!
Although organic means made from/ containing carbon, most people associate it with 'better for you', 'healthier' etc. We need focus on educating the public that one product isn't healthier or better for you than another but that it's down to the skill of the technician applying it.

As for the phrase enhancements, maybe if this were more widely used the public would get into the idea that they should be expecting something better than what nature sometimes gives and NOT to accept accept shoddy, thick, unnattractive, ARTIFICIAL nails. They may also be more receptive to the idea that you don't JUST have enhancemets to make nails longer, that you can improve their appearance and still keep them short if you wish. (In an ideal world - shall I come back down to earth! LOL!)

 

[geeg]

As for the phrase enhancements, maybe if this were more widely used the public would get into the idea that they should be expecting something better than what nature sometimes gives and NOT to accept accept shoddy, thick, unnattractive, ARTIFICIAL nails. They may also be more receptive to the idea that you don't JUST have enhancemets to make nails longer, that you can improve their appearance and still keep them short if you wish. (In an ideal world - shall I come back down to earth! LOL!)

As you say, the concept that the nail technician's job is to enhance the appearance of the clients' nails rather than just extending them, was exactly what Jan Nordstrom Arnold (Founder of Creative Nail Design) had in mind when she coined the phrase a few years ago now. The Creative Custom bBended Manicure is also Jan's concept. Continuing to higher the conception and the inception of what we a professionals do.

 

[Bryony]

So Creative won't mind if the rest of us nab the phrase then and use to educate our clients?

 

[Mrs Geek]

So Creative won't mind if the rest of us nab the phrase then and use to educate our clients?

the rest of the industry already has B! :biggrin: Nearly all nail companies use the term 'enhancment' now!!

Let me quickly tell you where it came;:biggrin:
Jan Arnold was having a desk side PR meeting with the Beauty Director of Harpers Bazaar in New York! She said things were going great, the lady in question was listening and asking questions about various treatments, enamels etc...

Jan (being on a roll) changed tack and started discussing 'EXTENSIONS' and in Jan's own words... 'I looked at her and the lights had just gone out!! From being riveted and interested in what I was discussing... now she looked distant and blank'....
so, what did Jan do???
She said to the HB Editor (don't remember her name) 'I just lost you... what did I say, what happened???'

The HB Ed said.... 'it's just that word EXTENSION.... it sounds so, so 'fake' it reminds me of a prosthetic limb or something'....

Jan responds...' you know what, you are soooo right - what word would you use that sounds more reader/wearer friendly?'

HB Ed says.... 'how about 'enhancement'....

AND THAT, LADIES & GENTS IS WHERE 'Enhancement' comes from.

In true Jan style, she started using the new term immediately and we all followed suit.... now look where we are...

If we keep it up with the term Liquid & Powder, the public will eventually follow suit... I so HATE the term acrylic for L+P...even more I really hate the term GLUE for ADHESIVE!!

Hope you Enjoyed my little story!!! :hug:

 

[Rose143]

Very Interesting Mrs Geek, I love stories ....

xxxx

 

[Boogaloo]

Cool story, I am this way thinking now! was not always like that.


P.s. like using the word abrasives for files too.