Nails...gel or acrylic?

Knottie52555298

Hey everyone,
What are your thoughts on gel nails versus acrylics? I will be doing a French manicure, but don't know what to get.

justsie

Depends on what you would like. If you have nails that break really easily/want more length I'd go with acrylics. If you have nails that are stronger/the right length I'd go with gels. 

lachattefatale

I just had this conversation with my FSIL and FSMIL today. Both of them suggested gels because in their experience they last longer. FSMIL's are pretty long. I have no first-hand experience and am, at the moment, wearing Essie polish that is starting to chip after 48 hours.

I will weigh in with personal experience on french manicures, though. Take some time to figure out which pink base looks most natural on you because it comes in a bazillion shades and not all of them will look good on all people. It's not something I'd thought about before having it done at a salon; if I did it at home, I used whichever generic pink came in a kit. Since then, I've been doing them at home but I buy my white and pink separately so I can get a warmer pink.

lildropofsunshine

A million times, GEL!

Gel lasts longer, looks more natural, can be created to any length, is lighter and more flexible (doesn't chip as easily!), and easier on your natural nails than acrylic. 

I used to get acrylics all the time but then my FSIL told me about gels and I got hooked! It's true that [in most cases] a good gel set will cost more than an acrylic set, but it's worth it 100%! And don't get scammed either. If there is any powder used at all, you are getting acrylics, not gel! Don't get pulled in to the "powder gel" trap because there is no such thing -- gel is just that -- gel! It's fine if they say it's acrylic with a gel overlay, because at least that's not falsely advertising acrylics as gels, but don't pay for that scam either because other than the longer lasting shine, you won't get any benefits from the gel overlay but they'll charge you as much as an actual gel set.

STARMOON44

None of the above. French manicures are really dated, especially acrylics, and gel is murder on your nails. Get a normal manicure in a pretty color the day before, give it plenty of time to dry, and don't do any dishes between then and the wedding

ShesSoCold

I like pink and whites best for a French manicure look. A lot of nail salons have different shades of the pink so you might want to see which one you like best. Edited to add that p & w is acrylic. They're a little more expensive and can look really bad if not done well. Make sure you're going to a good salon.

lildropofsunshine

ShesSoCold said:

I like pink and whites best for a French manicure look. A lot of nail salons have different shades of the pink so you might want to see which one you like best. Edited to add that p & w is acrylic. They're a little more expensive and can look really bad if not done well. Make sure you're going to a good salon.

Just FYI, there's pink and white gel too, and it's done in the same way as the old school acrylics

Knottie52555298

Thanks, all!! So my next question is....are the gels you girls mentioned the same as a shellac polish? Now I'm thinking I was talking about shellac instead. But the gel sounds really good. I don't get manicures often and I've never gotten acrylics. Shellac, yes.

lachattefatale

STARMOON44 said:

None of the above. French manicures are really dated, especially acrylics, and gel is murder on your nails. Get a normal manicure in a pretty color the day before, give it plenty of time to dry, and don't do any dishes between then and the wedding

Please explain.

STARMOON44

? They've been out of style for years. Especially those dreadful pink and white acrylics. Arguably they are coming back in, some of the runways were showing them this spring, but they're not yet a chic option. To me they belong with bad spray tans and perms.

ShesSoCold

lildropofsunshine said:

ShesSoCold said:

I like pink and whites best for a French manicure look. A lot of nail salons have different shades of the pink so you might want to see which one you like best. Edited to add that p & w is acrylic. They're a little more expensive and can look really bad if not done well. Make sure you're going to a good salon.

Just FYI, there's pink and white gel too, and it's done in the same way as the old school acrylics

Ahh - news to me, thank you! I got a manicure at a new place recently and saw like five or six different types of fakies and I had no idea what any of them were. I got P&Ws for years and loved them, but I've seen a lot of really bad ones. 

emmaaa

I got shellac for my wedding. Acrylics and gels both tear my nails up and cause them to break for months down the road. I guess if you always have on the acrylic or the gel, then it isn't a problem.

When I used to get artificial nails, I preferred acrylic. In my experience, every time I had gel nails, they broke within a few days. I am very rough on my hands to begin with by acrylics seems to last better.

I like the shellac much better. It is like putting regular nail polish on your nails but thicker and harder so it lasts longer. Like I said, I am rough on my hands but my shellac usually last two weeks. You can do a french manicure if you want or pick out a pretty color. I did a light pink color and was very happy with my decison. 

lildropofsunshine

Knottie52555298 said:

Thanks, all!! So my next question is....are the gels you girls mentioned the same as a shellac polish? Now I'm thinking I was talking about shellac instead. But the gel sounds really good. I don't get manicures often and I've never gotten acrylics. Shellac, yes.

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Are you looking to get fake nails, or just polish? There are acrylic and gel sets (fake nails), but there is also Shellac and gel polish which is more like a regular manicure but lasts longer.

lachattefatale

STARMOON44 said:

? They've been out of style for years. Especially those dreadful pink and white acrylics. Arguably they are coming back in, some of the runways were showing them this spring, but they're not yet a chic option. To me they belong with bad spray tans and perms.

Yes. Those are out of style. Good french manicures, on the other hand, basically cannot look dated because nails still grow like that. Also, chic is not a pure synonym for trendy. But french manicures, good or bad, are apparently not your thing, which is totally okay.

climbingsingle

Don't get fake nails! You can get a gel manicure and it will look great.

Knottie52555298

Okay. Thanks everyone! I'm thinking of just sticking with the shellac. That way, I won't have to worry about chipping for the day or the honeymoon.

Midwest2Texas

Shellac is a brand, not a type. Shellac is just a brand of gel. I personally use gel all the time. The only time it has damaged my nails is when I peeled it off instead of soaking it. From what I have read, make sure the gel you use is a soak off formula. The kind that does not soak off will damage your nails.

I bought a Gellish starter kit at Sally Beauty almost 2 years ago and learned to do them myself. A lot or reading pointed me toward their system because it is a brand used in a lot of salons. It took a bit of practice, but I get around 2 weeks per manicure. Even with the initial cost to get the system, and the more expensive polishes ($12-$15 per bottle), I've saved money in the long run.... and my nails look more professional than they did when I used regular nail polish (those always chipped within 24 hrs, regardless of brand or if it was done in a salon).