Who has "artificial" nails?

[gracie1]

I used to have them way back when (years ago) and I had a bad experience. I did have them on for a couple of years.
So I am thinking of getting them again. I think they just look great...but not sure what to get. Is the acrylic set the tips? What is the gel set??

Thanks for any info you can give me!!

 

[KAMKIM]

I used to have them way back when (years ago) and I had a bad experience. I did have them on for a couple of years.
So I am thinking of getting them again. I think they just look great...but not sure what to get. Is the acrylic set the tips? What is the gel set??

Thanks for any info you can give me!!

I used to get my nails done all the time but it seemed to me they looked horrible in between fills so I stopped getting them done.

I always got the white tips, and the acrylic. They would put the white tips on - cut them down, put pink acrylic powder on up to the tip - so basically it was a permanent french manicure.

I miss that - but it seems no matter where I went, they always looked obviously fake so I stopped going.

Not sure what the gel set is.

 

[gracie1]

Thanks for the info! I am going to look into it. I know what you mean about the nails growing out.

 

[mamacatnv]

A true gel nail looks amazing - they stay shiny, they do not lift and if done correctly there is no noticable line from the previous fill.

Gel is a clear (sometimes colored) product that is the consistency of thick glue. It is brushed on, should be very thin and then placed under a black light to set. Often the chemical reaction between the product and the lamps will cause the gel to get hot - remove your fingers until the sting goes away and replace them back under the light. I have noticed that in and around my period they really burn and at other times hardly at all.

If the manicurist uses a powder of any kind this is not a true gel nail. Many salons will put on acrylic nails and then put a gel top coat for the shine. Do not be fooled, these will not hold up like a true gel nail will.

I do gels in pink/white (french) and then sometimes I dip the tips in a colored glitter. Gel also comes in solid colors. Gel can be placed on tips or ones natural nail. Around here gels go for $45 full set and $35 fill

 

[gracie1]

A true gel nail looks amazing - they stay shiny, they do not lift and if done correctly there is no noticable line from the previous fill.

Gel is a clear (sometimes colored) product that is the consistency of thick glue. It is brushed on, should be very thin and then placed under a black light to set. Often the chemical reaction between the product and the lamps will cause the gel to get hot - remove your fingers until the sting goes away and replace them back under the light. I have noticed that in and around my period they really burn and at other times hardly at all.

If the manicurist uses a powder of any kind this is not a true gel nail. Many salons will put on acrylic nails and then put a gel top coat for the shine. Do not be fooled, these will not hold up like a true gel nail will.

I do gels in pink/white (french) and then sometimes I dip the tips in a colored glitter. Gel also comes in solid colors. Gel can be placed on tips or ones natural nail. Around here gels go for $45 full set and $35 fill

Ouch! I think I am going to go for the tips like I had before. Just knowing that the gel will start to sting from the heat is definately not for me. I am glad that you answered my questions though! Thanks!

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I started with getting acrylic nails but I like getting gel nails with white tips so much more. Especially because the white does not come off and once they're done at the salon you can just get up and go, not sit under the little fans/light for 15 minutes and still leave with partially dry nails. Gel is more expensive most of the time.

For the past month I've been getting Calgel nails. It's a gel that hardens that is done over your natural nail and there's no drilling. They're softer that acrylic or gel but (from what they say at the salon) they're breathable so it's healthier for your nail underneath. I like them so far. The only thing is that they paint the white on so I'm stuck waiting forever for them to dry. I really prefer the regular gel nails.

But I may be giving up getting my nails done soon . It's just getting so expensive. I have nice natural nails but nothing stands up to how rough I am on my nails and still look nice like artificial ones.

 

[gracie1]

I started with getting acrylic nails but I like getting gel nails with white tips so much more. Especially because the white does not come off and once they're done at the salon you can just get up and go, not sit under the little fans/light for 15 minutes and still leave with partially dry nails. Gel is more expensive most of the time.

For the past month I've been getting Calgel nails. It's a gel that hardens that is done over your natural nail and there's no drilling. They're softer that acrylic or gel but (from what they say at the salon) they're breathable so it's healthier for your nail underneath. I like them so far. The only thing is that they paint the white on so I'm stuck waiting forever for them to dry. I really prefer the regular gel nails.

But I may be giving up getting my nails done soon . It's just getting so expensive. I have nice natural nails but nothing stands up to how rough I am on my nails and still look nice like artificial ones.

Thanks for the info! When they do the gel, do they have a gel tip that they put on?

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Thanks for the info! When they do the gel, do they have a gel tip that they put on?

You're welcome No there's no tip. It's just done completely over your natural nail (which is nice because I don't like my fake nails long anyways) on the Calgel ones anyways.

Regular gel you usually get the option of clear or white tip (clear if you want a painted color over I'm assuming).

 

[gracie1]

Okay, last question I promise! The calgel just goes over your nail but the gel sets have tips that get put on? Maybe I will get those. I've seen many people with long nails that look so natural so it must be the gel sets that I see (or the calgels)
Thanks again for all the info!

 

[DMickey28]

I had them on and off for YEARS. I bite my nails so I always had to start with tips on the end but I get them cut very very short.

The ones I had for my wedding where by far the best one. I got them a few months before and they were straight gel. By the time my wedding came around and my natural nails grew out enough that the tip was gone, they looked completely natural. I miss them. I also always get the pink/white/french look. They would still get painted white on the tip with the gel but then another layer of gel on top would kind of seal it so I didn't have the chipping problem.

I also had them done in a rounded square tip ... to me nothing looks more fake then the hard square ends. I hate those!

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Okay, last question I promise! The calgel just goes over your nail but the gel sets have tips that get put on? Maybe I will get those. I've seen many people with long nails that look so natural so it must be the gel sets that I see (or the calgels)
Thanks again for all the info!

Correct, Calgel puts nothing on your nail except for the gooey gel (that then hardens under the UV light). Regular gel nails glue a tip on the end of your nail (like acrylics), they drill down the nail bed, put the gooey gel stuff on top, put your hands under UV light, then apply a top coat that seals the nail, basically. It varies from salon and if you want color/french, etc. The gel they use for both is different but hardens the same way.

 

[Sammy]

Wait....they DRILL??? What the heck do they drill? I was looking into getting a set of gels, but I never heard this before!

 

[JLKennedy]

Not a drill, but a dremel, instead of the massive amount of time with a nail file.

It is not a drill with a bit, but has a stone tip on something that resembles an electric screwdriver. The stone rotates and files down your nail to make it smooth.

 

[gracie1]

LOL! I thought the same thing about the drill! It's probably more like a sander type thing isn't it? That's what they used on me with acrylics. But the last salon did everything by hand. I found an awesome salon so I go for a waxing on Monday and I am going to talk to her so she can show me the process. If the gel sets last that long then it's better to have them. Normally I used to have to have my fillings every 2-3 weeks with acrylics.
Thanks again for all the help! It has been very informative

 

[mamacatnv]

Good salons IMO do not use Dremels or a drill to file the tops.
I have my gels filled every 3 weeks, I can go 4 but they really look grown out by then.

 

[Sammy]

Not a drill, but a dremel, instead of the massive amount of time with a nail file.

It is not a drill with a bit, but has a stone tip on something that resembles an electric screwdriver. The stone rotates and files down your nail to make it smooth.

Oh good!! That makes more sense!!

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Good salons IMO do not use Dremels or a drill to file the tops.
I have my gels filled every 3 weeks, I can go 4 but they really look grown out by then.

Exactly. There's a local spa that doesn't drill, hand does everything but they're a lot more pricey than the typical nail salon (but look so much better IMHO).

Sorry for the confusion! The people at the salons I've been to call it drilling so that's just what I refer to it as. It's really bad for your nails but helps the gel "stick" and is quicker (cheaper) than them doing it by hand.