A common question asked by young women is whether acrylic nails are better suited than gel nails or vice versa. Now, if you are hearing about both for the first time, a better suited question would be about their basic difference and also why you would need them in the first place.
A good question indeed, that takes us to the basics of taking care of the oft-neglected nails. You can take as much pride as you can in taking care of your skin care, hair care, makeup, attire, but if your nails look improper and bitten, it can pour cold water over all your hard work.
Imagine the sheer paranoia you would be subject yourself to if you happen to pass on a glance to your broken nails on the eleventh hour of your wedding! In fact, several seemingly picture-perfect wedding ‘appearances’ get tarnished precisely due to this reason.
If you’re on the verge of screaming, ‘Yeah right, I get the point, so what’s next’, you’d be thrilled to know that gel and acrylic nails are nothing but artificial enhancements done to your nails. In other words, they can make your nails shorter, slender, neat and stronger.
Simplistic as that sounds, there’s always more than meets the eye.
Choosing between Acrylic Nails vs Gel Nails
Gel Nails
According to beauty guru Jamie White, gel nails are unique in that they provide the benefits of acrylic nails while looking natural.
Gel nails are very much like nail polish in terms of ingredients and preparations. Gel nail polish on natural nails at home is a good idea if you want to avoid spending money to a saloon trip.
They are subject to the usual chemical bonding process to the natural nail, which allows you to have a glossier look. Gen nails don’t produce any bad odor and their curing time is lightning quick. Furthermore, they don’t require too much in shaping or filling up while applying.
That being said, they have some drawbacks too. Gel nails are fairly expensive and are not as durable as acrylic nails. This means that even if you want to explore some simple nail art designs for gel nails, you can expect to shell out sizeable chunk of money from your pocket.
Another drawback is that gel nails can sometimes cause damage to your natural nails and require ultraviolet rays for curing.
Acrylic Nails
Acrylic nails have been around for a long time, and are offered in nearly all decent saloons. If however, you plan to apply them at home, make sure you order a professional acrylic nail kit with nail tips.
Acrylic nails are very easy to apply, cure and even fix (yes, they can get broken) by yourself. Not only are they cheaper than gel nails, but are also more durable. For removal, all you need to do is to soak and fill them. If applied properly, they don’t cause too much damage to your natural nails and are also very sturdy.
On the downside, they are capable of attracting bacteria and fungus and are less natural looking than gel nails. Acrylic nails also have limited range of options, so don’t expect too many glitter acrylic nail designs. Finally, they entail extensive usage of strong chemicals, which may cause adverse reactions to some.
