Who does not like to have a perfect manicure that looks beautiful and lasts long? Traditional nail polish does look gorgeous with its brilliant colors, but they tend to fade away soon. A dip powder manicure is a good option, but it is not ideal for short nails. So, you are left with either a gel or an acrylic manicure. This article discusses these aspects and compares manicures to help you decide the best option.
Before we compare the procedures, let us discuss them in brief.
Acrylic Nails
Dip powder nails have become a fashion recently. Otherwise, acrylic nails and gel nails are regular nail procedures. Acrylic nails are usually artificial extensions people have on short and stubby nails. This procedure is the best for people who have short or damaged nails. The extension masks the imperfections and makes your nails look beautiful.
The procedure involves mixing a monomer liquid and polymer acrylic powder to form a thick emulsion. Next, you use a brush to create a bead from the emulsion and spread it over your natural nails and the extension seamlessly. Then, you have a base coat to help the acrylic powder stick to the nail. Next, you can file your nails into shape and apply your preferred color polish. Finally, the topcoat application seals the manicure. Drying is the last step in the manicure. Unfortunately, drying takes a long time, making the acrylic nail manicure the most prolonged process.
Gel Nails
Gel nail manicure is the most straightforward of all manicures. You do not need much experience because practicing the procedure can make you perfect within no time. This process is divided into three parts.
The first step in the procedure is applying the base coat because the gel sticks to the base coat, not the nail. The second step is the gel application. You can have your favorite colors and as many coats as you like. But please ensure to cure each gel polish layer under the UV lamp. Finally, you can have the topcoat and cure the layers under a UV lamp for 30 to 90 seconds to get a gorgeous manicure.
Gel Vs. Acrylic – Which is Better?
Various factors come into play when comparing gel and acrylic powder nails. Your lifestyles, preferences, nail health, budget, time, etc., determine whether you go for a gel or an acrylic manicure.
People with short nails prefer an acrylic manicure to gel polish because acrylic nail manicures involve having nail extensions.
Similarly, acrylic nails are better from the durability angle. Gel manicures last for two to three weeks. Natural nail growth requires you to have touchup jobs to maintain the shine. Acrylic manicures do not need touchups because natural nail growth happens below the extension.
Acrylic nails do not peel or get damaged unnecessarily. However, gel polish can peel off after some time.
If you look at the flexibility angle, gel nails are better because you do not have artificial extensions that can get damaged if you perform challenging tasks. However, acrylic nails are more robust and solid compared to gel nails.
Gel and acrylic manicures are similar from the beauty angle. Acrylic nail extensions allow you to have long nails and shape them in various ways. Gel manicures are comparatively glossier because you can have multiple topcoat layers and cure them accordingly.
Acrylic extensions are comparatively heavier than gel manicures because you have an artificial attachment to your natural nails. On the other hand, gel manicures require you to have additional polish coats. So they are more comfortable.
Removing gel manicures is a comparatively more straightforward process. You can file the polish layer and use the acetone soak method to remove gel polish. On the contrary, acrylic manicures are more challenging to remove. Besides the polish coat, you have to remove the attachments. People usually visit a nail salon for a professional job.
Gel polish does not contain harmful chemicals that can cause nail damage. However, acrylic manicures use nail glue to stick the extension. Unfortunately, nail glue can contain harmful ingredients. So, we advise users to check for toxic chemicals before deciding on the nail manicure process.
Gel polish manicures do not give offensive odors, whereas acrylic manicures involve chemicals that give out fumes and foul odors. Therefore, adequate ventilation is necessary when you go for acrylic manicures. So if you have respiratory problems, it is better to go for a gel manicure.
So, depending on your preferences and circumstances, you can go for the acrylic or gel manicure. But if durability is the prime characteristic, acrylic nails are the best because they are the most durable.
Final Thoughts
We have compared acrylic nails with gel manicures. Both these manicures help enhance your beauty and make you look gorgeous. But if you have to choose between these two options, you can select the one you are most comfortable with, depending on the situation.