Be it a high fashion cocktail party, a warm and firm handshake with your superiors at work or a pat on the cheeks of any cute, little kid you meet; the first thing people are going to notice about you are your nails. And what better way to catch the eyeballs other than using false/fake nails. Over the past two decades, usage of fake nails and nail arts have become as common and as popular as tattoos.
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In fact, fake nails remain one of the most economical and pain free mode of body art. But, whenever you decide to have a go at them, you’d be thrown with two questions – whether to go for acrylic or gel nails?
Acrylic nails, the more popular one between the two, automatically hardens when it is exposed to air. A liquid monomer is applied to your natural nails which is followed by the application of powder polymer to let the fake nail get attached to the natural one quickly.
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Whereas, gel nails require the use of base coat, colour polish and a top coat to stick up with your natural nail. Acrylic nail takes up the hard exterior only after being exposed to UV light. Hence, each coat (layer) is treated in UV light for a couple of minutes.
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Both the nails give your nail a slenderer and attractive look. But, there remains a few differences between the two. Take a look:
Expense
- Acrylic Nails: These nails can last up to 7-8 months without any trouble and thus save you a huge amount of money.
- Gel Nails: These nails need to be repaired/fixed/changed within a fortnight or latest by a month. Hence, not an economical option.
Removal
- Acrylic Nails: They can be soaked off to remove easily.
- Gel Nails: They need constant filing. Some soak versions are available are not that skin or pocket friendly.
Repair
- Acrylic Nails: Fixing a broken nail at home is quite easy. A glue is your best ally to fix a broken nail.
- Gel Nails: No matter how hard you try, to get that complete nail look you’ll have to go to a manicurist every time your nail breaks.
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Application
- Acrylic Nails: Because of the fumes, and a strong odour, it is not advisable for pregnant women.
- Gel Nails: Since there are no fumes and odour, it is a much eco-friendly option.
Shelf life
- Acrylic Nails: They can easily last up to 7-8 months with proper care.
- Gel Nails: They need constant visits to the manicurist. Can last upto a month if properly taken care of.
Strength
- Acrylic Nails: These nails are strong but have almost no flexibility. Hence chances of them breaking are far more than Gel nails.
- Gel Nails: They are not only stronger than Acrylic nails but are also a little flexible. Hence, chances of them breaking every now and then are not that high.
Look
- Acrylic Nails: Acrylics tend to look a little less natural than Gel nails.
- Gel Nails: Gel nails lend quite a natural and shinier look to the nails.
Damage to nails
- Acrylic Nails: By damaging the nail bed due to constant and elongated application, these nails become home to various fungal infections on your nail beds.
- Gel Nails: With Gel nails too, the damage is equal. Your nail tends to become dry and loses its moisture. It also erodes your nail wall.
Durability
- Acrylic Nails: With constant exposure to water or any other liquid, acrylic tends to come off.
- Gel Nails: If you tend to immerse your fingers in water or touch water every now and then, gel nails will prove out to be a better option.
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Now this is not something that we would want you to spend time thinking or debating about. We hope that this small list of the pros and cons of both types of nails might have given you a better picture.