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...