Nail Extensions

When considering getting nail extensions you are most likely going to do some research and see a dizzying array of terms, such as, gel, UV curing, acrylic, fiberglass, and overlay. Nail extensions have come a long way from the days of press on nails, however, one basic concept still remains in their application, and that is the use of a nail tip. When you hear the term tip, what is being discussed is a piece of plastic that is fastened to your nail, cut, shaped to your desire, and then covered with gel, acrylic, or fiberglass. A nail can also be formed on your natural nail, in this process no tip is used. This forming is often called sculpting and can also be considered an extension. So how do you tell the difference between a gel, acrylic, and fiberglass nail extension job? The answer lies in the products that each process uses.

Perhaps, the most common type of nail extension is an acrylic nail extension, however, this may be quickly replaced by gel extensions. An acrylic extension uses an acrylic that is applied over the nail tip. The acrylic is created by mixing a powder and a liquid to create a substance that can essentially be painted over the nail tip that will eventually harden. One of the ways you know you are getting acrylic nails is that you will see the mixing of powder and liquid. Don’t be fooled when someone tells you the product is gel when it is actually acrylic. This acrylic will air dry to a hard finish and does not need to be cured by a light. Acrylic extensions need to be buffed to give them a nice clear finish as they will be cloudy before buffing occurs. Acrylic extensions can be removed by soaking the nail in acetone, while UV gel nails must be buffed to remove the gel, they will not come off with acetone.

Gel extensions, also known as UV gel extensions, differ from acrylic extensions in that there is no mixing involved to create the gel. The gel should already be created in a jar, and it should look like hair gel. The gel does not have a strong smell to it as the acrylic mix will. Additionally, the gel needs to be cured with a UV light, thus the oft used reference, UV gel. Gel extensions have a clearer finish when completed and do not need to be buffed thoroughly.

Fiberglass extensions utilize a fiberglass mesh or fabric that is placed on the nail and then treated with resin to make the fiberglass clear. After the application of the resin, an activator is usually sprayed to cure the resin which provides a hard finish. One of the appealing aspects of fiberglass extensions is that they are water soluble and can be removed by simply applying some water.

It is important to note that an overlay is when a person wishes to have no length added to their nail, but desires protection for the nail. For this process the nail technician will apply some type of acrylic substance over the nail, it does not have to necessarily be the two part acrylic. Gel, Fiberglass, and “Acrylic” nails all use some type of acrylic substance, even though only the two part mixed acrylic is referred to as “acrylic” nails. An overlay is more of a nail enhancement than a nail extension. However, nail extensions do fall under the category of nail enhancement. A nail sculpting is also considered extending the nail, but, this process uses no tip to elongate the nail, rather a nail is created out of various substances(sometimes an acrylic). This sculpting is truly an amazing process and can be done much faster than applying tips if done by a skilled technician.

All types of extensions should be around the same price range, $55. Gel nails should not be much more expensive than acrylic nails. Price may vary from $40-$160, with prices being dependent on area of country and the audience that the salon is targeting.