anyone get gel nails?

msange727

hi girls,

we're getting our engagement pics taken in a couple of weeks, so i definitely need to get my nails done. i work in a salon, so normal polish will definitely not stay put on my nails, so i'm planning to get either acrylics or gels.

my question is  - do gels seem like they last better, or damage the natural nail less? does the gel come in different colors, like acrylics do? i'm familiar with the acrylic process, but i've never seen gels done, so sorry if these are silly questions!

thanks :]

wenawinter

I've been getting gels for about 8 months now and I love it.  Acrylic is just so bad for your nails, and ruin them.
I pretty much do the french gels.  They don't have polish gel, but you can still have them polish your nails with regular polish. Just use non-acetone to take it off if you want to so it doesn't ruin the gel. 
It's a bit pricey (at least where I am) and you have to get them filled in about every 3 weeks.  But it looks so pretty!

msange727

ohhh ok - thanks! so is there a tip under the gel, like the acrylics, or will it grow with my natural nails?

wenawinter

For me ( I have no nails, they never grow, just break) they had to put the tips on. But once they grow out, it's your own nails under the gel, which I really like.  I almost never break a nail with these, they are strong!

msange727

wow - great, thanks for the help! i know most of the nail places around me offer the gels, so i think that's what i'm going to get.

staceytaylor0704

I used to get them, and loved them.. they made my nails so weak underneath though.
They did last longer than regular acrylics for sure (less breakage, etc)

heyimbren

I've always heard gels are better for your nails than acrylics.

doc1026

Have you heard of Opi Axxium? Its gel that goes over your real nail and it come in the OPI colors. You dont normally wear a tip with it or you can have them put it over your gel or acrylic nails. The color last up to two weeks. I loved it and if you don't really want to use a tip on your nails its great.

msange727

true true - i'm going to look into that! thanks :]

Schawna

i've done both...i like acrylic just because it's a little pinker in color than the gel...to me the gel looks kinda yellow after a while, also gels don't stay on my nails as well.  but that may just be my body.  my mom gets gels and they work great for her.