Is Gel BETTER for you?

One question that comes up a lot:  which is better for you, gel or acrylic?  This is a tough one to answer, since it depends on a variety of factors.  First, I think it depends on what you're really asking!  Do you want to know which causes less damage to your natural nails, or which is better for you?  

Are Gel Nails More Natural?  Often you will hear that gel is "better" or more "natural" and thus more expensive.  First and foremost... gel and acrylic products are both in the ACRYLATE family, so gel is not "more natural" than acrylic.  Gel is, however, shinier than acrylic, which is why I include a Gel topcoat with all enhancement services.

Are Gel Nails better for you natural nails?  Any time you are getting nail enhancements, gel, acrylic, wrap, dip, etc. it requires a certain amount of nail preparation which causes some VERY MINOR "damage" to the natural nail.  Proper nail preparation is identical whether you are getting a Gel Manicure, Gel Nails, or Acrylic Nails.  The days of "roughing up" or "etching" the nails are past - so when done properly (and REMOVED properly), your enhancements should have no long-term effects regardless of which product you choose. 

But Acrylic smells!  Another common complaint is the smell of acrylics.  At PANACHE I use the Salon Pure Air (with triple filtration) at my table for dust and odor control.  Generally even during a service the odors are minimal.

Do Gel Nails cost more?  Gel products themselves do cost a bit more than acrylics, plus those UV lights are spendy, so there is some justification for a higher price.  I believe that the choice of Gel vs. Acrylic should be made based on the best product for your nails, lifestyle, and design choices, so I charge the same price for both.  Both gel and acrylic are strong and versatile products.  Gel is non-porous and so is often a better choice for you if you have your hands in water a lot or handle hair color.  However, a non-porous gel top-coat can be used over acrylics to give the same benefit!

Usually I will select the product best-suited for the design a client chooses.  Some things are easier to accomplish in gel, some are easier in acrylics.  It's difficult to do impressions in gel, and it's a bit trickier to marble acrylic...

SOLAR NAILS?!?

Ok, so I've had this conversation three times this month already, so it must need a blog entry!  Unfortunately there are terms in our industry that are being mis-used, which makes it very confusing for people when they are inquiring about services at a new nail salon.

SOLAR NAILS  This is actually a BRAND name for Pink & White acrylic products from Creative Nail Design.  If you are paying extra for these SOLAR NAILS - ask to see the properly labeled containers, and look for the names "Creative Nail Design" (company) and "Solarnail" (brand).  Unless your nail tech is using the actual products, they are simply using the term Solar Nails generically (like you would use "Coke" or "manila" envelope).

Today this term is still commonly being used in certain salons, sometimes as a term for Pink & Whites and sometimes meaning gel nails.  Either way, it is generally sold as something that is "better for your nails" or "a higher quality product" - and usually costs more.  Often, the actual SOLARNAIL products are not even being used.

So here's the skinny.  I do PINK & WHITES.  I do GEL nails (no extra charge).    So, in todays terms, maybe I DO do SolarNails???  Umm, ok, no - I don't... but the products  I offer are high quality professional products, mostly from YOUNG NAILS! 

Design Services

It seems lately that I've been doing a lot of sets with no smile lines.  This is a great option for those who like to extend the life of their designs, but I miss the crispness of having a nice clean smile line! 

The nails I am wearing right now contain quite a few design options: stilletto, liquid art ~ this is what gives the nails the cool stained glass effect, impressions, and multiple confetti's.

Other design options available include marbling, tie-dye, gel paint, spinners, polymer art, engraving, mylar... the possiblilies are endless!

POWDER GEL?!?

There are many misleading terms being used in the nail industry, either by nails techs who don't understand the services offered, or by less honest techs who are inflating their service price by making you think you're getting something "extra"!

One of the more common terms to be aware of:  POWDER GEL This term is often used by nail techs who are applying acrylic nails, but using a gel top coat.

There are several types of enhancements available to you, two of which are ACRYLIC (liquid & powder) and acrylic oligomer GEL (um, it's gel). Any time your nail tech dips their brush into a liquid (monomer) then into a powder (acrylic polymer), you are getting ACRYLICS! If you are getting gel nails, the substance used will look like a GEL! Typically when you are having a gel service done, you will be putting your hands into a UV light repeatedly throughout your service.

Gel nail Harvest design!

There is nothing wrong with having a service that includes acrylics with a gel top coat ~ that is one of the most common service I perform! It's almost impossible to tell the difference visually between acrylics & gels when the gel top coat is used. Just be aware of what you are paying for!

The industry standard seems to be that you will pay anywhere from $2-$8 extra for a gel top coat. It's also fairly standard to pay $10-$15 more for true gel nails.

At PANACHE your gel top coat is always included in the basic service cost, and there is no extra cost for gel nails.