Acrylic nails are a renowned name in the beauty world, and pretty much anyone with the keen “glamour” eye can see that.
But are acrylic nails safe, hurt during the application, or long-lasting? And what are they even made of anyway?
It is understandable if you have heard a lot of acrylics but never got to experience them personally.
The concept of “fake” nails has been around for decades but only had a reboot in recent years thanks to celebrity Instagram and our collective nail art obsession.
If you are looking for adding length and strength to your natural nails, acrylics can work its magic through the evenly shaped canvas of intricate designs.
What Even Are Acrylic Nails?
According to Nails magazine’s research, acrylic nails are nail enhancement products made by combining a liquid and non-liquid acrylic concoction.
The two chemical compounds, namely polymer and monomer, mixed together form a softball that is moulded into a nail shape. Once this acrylic is applied to the client’s nails, they harden and become stronger. The next step is to buff and file it into form based on the customer’s liking.
According to the stats shown above, in the United States, salons charged 29 dollars on average for acrylic toes between 2011 and 2014. For a fashion phenomenon developed in 1934 by a dentist named Maxwell Lappe to curb people’s nail-biting habit, the current cost of getting nails revamped is indeed intriguing.
Because chemists have formulated much better ways to make acrylics appear more natural, it does not come as a surprise that this beauty treatment dominates the self-care market to this day.
The big benefits
Natural nails tend to be prone to easy cracks and chips, some of which can be incredibly damaging. Acrylic nails are a great way to have appealing, easily maintained, and personalized nails without the fear of breakage. Mentioned ahead are the five most promising benefits of applying acrylics.
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Intricate Details and Numerous Designs
Acrylic nails can either cover an entire nail or act as an extension at the end of it. The more than a six-decade-old method remains the only profound one of having your natural bits take any length or shape – creating another outlet for you to flex your sense of creativity aside from just graphic polishing.
At the nail salon in Schertz, for instance, you have the option of having a proper French tip manicure or picking a design that can be pasted on the nails. Once you get bored with the current pattern, which could take a few months, you can remove the nails and have a brand new motif slapped on. That is why the best acrylic nail designs are real masterpieces with no color or composition being off-limits.
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They Look Pretty Natural
At first, acrylic nails might seem a separate entity, too foreign for your body. That would make perfect sense since, after all, they are “fake” tools, only used to enhance the look of your fingers. However, changing the mindset to think of your acrylics as an extension of your fingers would make their usage much simpler.
To make the fake nail experience more comfortable, use your acrylics to your advantage whenever you can. For example, utilize them in the place of a comb while styling your hair. When you need to cut tape for a box or break a bottle seal, leave the pliers out of it and use your fingers instead.
Just like real nails, remember not to add too much pressure on them as that could cause them to snap earlier than they are supposed to.
Depending on how you choose to paint the nails, acrylics can look just like the real thing. It is especially true when you have a nail technician do the job for you.
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Lasting Long Enough
Another reason behind acrylic nails’ popularity is their long-lasting quality. They are more resistant to breakage than natural nails. Many nail experts prefer using gel polish, so acrylics can last even longer than expected. The former tends to take away extra minutes of drying time since people are often in a hurry to use their hands for work.
As we have already learned, acrylics are an investment, so only spend money and time on nail paints that prolong their lives rather than shorten it. Moreover, fake nails have been around long enough for nail experts to make the whole experience worthwhile.
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Curbing the Habit: Nail Biting
If you are a chronic nail biter and looking for a way to curb the habit, you might want to fake it for a little while. That is, consider the efficiency of fake nail products such as acrylics. Don’t worry about getting stigmatized for sporting the faux fingertips – you don’t need a job at the DMV to show off a brilliant set of fake nails. In the contemporary fashion forge, a pretty falsie collection is as cool as gold jewellery and an essential black leather jacket.
Fake nails do not only look nice but also do an excellent job of preventing you from biting off your nails. They are safe for your real nails, too, considering you get the job done by a technician at a salon. These beauty institutes are more likely to follow the hygiene standards to reduce the chances of infection caused by external skin tools.
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Maintaining Them isn’t Hard
It is easy to keep up to date with infills, keeping hands and nails clean by avoiding prolonged exposure to water. The critical bit is to take more caution while doing activities that can knock your nails off the surface. Whether that includes typing away at the computer or going to the gym, the longer you choose your nails to stay in their best condition affects how careful you will be and get used to it.
Izabelle Bellamy, a beautician and nail expert at WAH Nails in the UK, talked about how simple acrylic maintenance can be with the correct preparation, aftercare, and appropriate removal procedures. The only real damage is caused by heavy-handed nail technicians that do not vary in drilling and over-filling the spaces. These mistakes can cause weak and peeling nails with painful results.
All in all
Choosing to wear acrylic nails is entirely personal and should be taken up with careful thought. People who have worn them for quite some time have had positive experiences. If you plan to get yours done soon, book an expert from one of the specialized centers with a well-ventilated space.
Make sure to analyse any ailment or change regarding your fingers. It is also essential to let your natural nails rest at least six months to oxygenate before booking your second nail appointment.
