Gel or Acrylic Nails

[MsDisney23]

Hi ladies,

Tell me which one your prefer and why. I'd love to see some photos of your nails.
How often to do get a fill and most importantly the cost. What does a full set cost you and then the fills.

 

[SingingMUA]

If you go to a reputable salon (and not a hole-in-the-wall storefront), then acrylics and gels usually run in the same price range. In my area, that means about $55-65 for an acrylic full set and $65-75 for a gel full set.

Gels are less damaging to your natural nail, but take little bit longer to do. Acrylics can usually be done a little quicker than gels, but can cause weakening of the natural nail. Most salons who have nail techs worth their salt can do an acrylic full set in about an hour or sometimes less (pink and white/forever french), and gels in maybe an hour to an hour and fifteen mins (sometimes less).

Fill-ins with each probably take about the same amount of time. When you get pink and whites/forever french, fill-ins can sometimes be a tiny bit more involved. Assuming you would go about every two weeks to keep them up, then your first fill in would be just filling in the pink portion at the bottom of the nail. Then your second fill in would involve filling in the white AND pink portion, and this process would alternate every two weeks or so.

If it were my choice, I would go with gels. But either way MAKE SURE YOU GO TO A REPUTABLE SALON/SPA! It will cost a bit more than the store fronts that seem to pop up on every corner (at least around here), but a reputable place that values safety, sanitation, customer service, and quality products is worth the extra cost.

Good luck in your search!

 

[lilmissdisney216]

I've had acrylic more than gel and honestly, I like the gel nails better. They hold up better (at least I've found and I work alot with my hands). I think the gel is a little prettier than the acrylic.

For a full set of gel (at least here and it depends on where you go), I think it runs about 40 sometimes. Some places I've seen can offer a full set of gel with a french manicure for about 25 (and that's on a good day). For a full set of acrylic (the last set of nails I had done), it was about 35 with the french manicure and a custom painted design on it (it was Christmas and I had a snowflake painted on both my thumb nails).

As far as a fill in, I've had to have a fill in about once every 3 weeks (my natural nail grows super quickly). You can usually tell when you would need a fill. Around here, a fill in can go for about 10-15 bucks.

Hope this helped at least a little. I'm only going on personal experience. Good luck on your manicure!!!

Meredith

 

[golfgal]

What is the difference between the two? I have had acrylics where they sand down your nails, put the tip on and fill in with that stuff. My natural nails are thin to begin with so I either have to always have the acrylics or suffer for a year to regrow my nails minus the sanding. I stopped doing acrylics a long time ago because of that (they get in the way when I golf so I would use the acrylics in the winter/nothing in the summer). How do gels differ?

 

[lilmissdisney216]

I wanna say that for the gel nails they let the material set under a UV light and not under a fan like I'm used to for acrylic.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I had gel nails a few times when I used to get my nails done. I liked the gel much more than the acrylic, it seemed much more durable.

I miss getting my nails done!

 

[lilmissdisney216]

I've found that too. Too many broken nails with the acrylics and on top of that I left mine on too long and my natural nail beds were a mess. Eek what I found when I took my nails off finally.

 

[jsmith]

I disagree that gels wear better than acrylics-but-i have a job that is very very hard on my nails-im an IT tech and i pull alot of wire in conditions where it is dusty or outright dirty and thats basically like continually running a nail file thru your hands-i was having to get repairs on my gels every week-and they are not good if you have your hands in water alot -they will lift.
They do look more natural but sometimes can do as many fun things-i do mine in the 'forever french' but instead of white tips i usually have some color of glitter-at the moment bright blue-in the tips-the gel wont hold glitter or holo film like acrylic will. -as for what they cost-55 for a full set-thirty to rebase-i rebase every three weeks.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I've been getting my nails done for a really long time. I've always had acrylic which run about $15 for a fill every 2 weeks. I switched to gel briefly about 4 months ago because of all the raves. It cost me $75 to have them switched. OK so yes, the polish did last better but to me they grew out exactly the same way, and so needed to be refilled every 2 weeks just the same, for $20. So the cost was higher but the product didn't justify the expense so after about 2 months I just told them to go back to the acrylics. I just don't get what everyone has been raving about

 

[MickeySP]

Gel nails here. I would never go back to regular acrylics, the gel wears better and look more natural. They do cost about $7-10 more but worth it.

I get mine filled about every 14 -16 days. It does take a bit longer but they dry faster & harder. No more nicks & redos by the nail techs.

 

[Arielle22]

I have had acrylics for 5+ years. I don't know anyone with experience with gel so I can't comment on the difference.

I spend $20 plus tip every other Sat for the fill. If I wait longer than that my nails get too long and I can't handle my contact lenses. I don't like French manicures so I don't worry if my naked nails look natural. The last time (over a year ago) that I had the full set replaced it was $55.

I think the key is a good manicurist. I went to one who took forever and my nails would break. Another had my nails too thick and I couldn't use the nails to pick anything up (sliding my nail under a credit card for example).

My current manicurist is great. She does them in about 40 minutes and then I dry for 10 minutes. The only time my color chips is if I are rough on them in the 2 hours after my appt.

Last Sat was the first time in months that I had to have part of a nail replaced and that was because I caught it in my door handle.

I do find if I am in clorinated water for several days at a time (say on vacation) that my nails may lift.

 

[momrek06]

I had acrylics for a long time ... had an amazing manicurist ... she was extremely reputable in my community and always a wait to get her IF you did not have an appt w/her.

After about 3 years with the acrylics, never a problem with them at all. She looked at me and said, "let's take them off and leave them off for a bit"! She wanted to see my nails and make a determination as to how my real nails looked, etc. After soaking and taking everything off, she said that I needed to indeed take a break from the acrylics and just come in for manicures for a while. My nails were soooooooooo tender after the acrylics came off.

I took her advice, went in weekly for manicures and it has now been FIVE years and have never put anything; gels or acrylics back on. My nails have never been healthier.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE acrylics and LOVE the look but the fact that my nails looks so awesome w/o them, I doubt I will ever go back.

I really think, everyone should take them off from time to time, let your nails breathe and then decide if you want them back on. JMHO.

 

[jsmith]

another option worth exploring-i have a friend who does it and im considering it-both OPI and Creative Nails now make a polish that is actually a gel over coat-you get a new mani ever couple of weeks just like getting a fill on artificial nails-but the stuff is sturdy and lasting-Chele says hers never chips-and her natural nails have grown out underneath this stuff to a lenghth about equal to my acrylics. I dont know how it work under my conditions but if you dont have a job that is hard on nails it has to be better for your nails.

 

[mamacatnv]

Hands down no question gel. I have never seen a gel nail polished, they either use a colored gel or glitters or pink and whites. Gels cannot be airbrushed like an acrylic nail. Be wary of salons that use acrylic (liquid and powder) then put a thin "gel" coating over the top and cure with a UV light - That is not a true gel nail.

Gels are superior IMO for the following reasons:

More durable
Hold their shine
Ink from pens does not stain
The "polish" does not wear off of the tips like with an acrylic
Do not lift like an acrylic
Are not brittle like an acrylic
Do not wear down on the edges as quickly as an acrylic
Hold their shine, hold their shine, hold their shine!

 

[jel0511]

At my salon here in NJ a full set of gels (which I have and LOVE) is about 60, and fills cost 30. I get a fill every 2-3 weeks depending on wear. Just be warned when getting gels on, you feel a slightly burning sensation when the gel is curing.

 

[golfgal]

soooo, what is the difference between gel and acrylic?