Nails Guide

Many who feel it looks chic and stylish unlike those who feel it is outdated and unfashionable perform French manicure. However very few will deny the fact that it looks extremely simple, natural, sober, clean and elegant. It is basically a style where the entire body of the nail is painted in pale pink, beige or transparent coat of nail paint except the nail tips, which are painted in white.

Before one performs a French manicure the old nail polish should be removed and the nails should be cleaned and trimmed. A thin base coat is then applied to prevent the nail from yellowing and chipping. After the base coat dries a tip guide has to be put on the nail concealing the lower part and following the shape and curvature of the tip of the nail. Then a thin layer of white nail paint has to be applied on the tips and after this layer dries the tip guide has to be removed. If the layer of white is too thick it will look too flashy and loud.

After this the entire length of the nail has to be painted with either a beige, pink or transparent paint giving two coats if necessary. Then a topcoat is applied and left to dry completely. The more frequently you apply the topcoat the better groomed the nails appear. French manicure when performed on nails, which are short or medium length, looks the best. If the hand is not steady enough then avoid applying paint from one end to the other. Instead try applying it with tiny strokes extending towards the tips.

Performing French manicure is no big deal these days with the easy availability of ready to use, assembled kits that are available in the market. However these kits often limit the buyer in terms of the shades of pinks and beiges that are available in them. Therefore it is advisable to buy the shades separately for a wider range of options. The pink or the beige used should in no way overpower the white. Nail white pencils are also available which can be dipped in water and used directly on tips. They have the added advantage of saving time, drying quickly and better grip.

It is possible to perform French manicure without using polish as well. For this a buffer has to be used on the nails for a smooth surface and a chamois polisher for a high gloss effect. With the increasing availability of do it yourself options in the market women’s dependence on parlors is fast reducing. So get yourself perform French manicure on your hands in a jiffy.

One may be driven to get solar nails done due to their superior quality and advantages that they bring along with them. Solar nails are basically a variant of acrylic nails but of upgraded quality. They are very similar to French manicured nails and are pink and white just like them. The white tip provides durability and the topcoat of gel when cured under UV lamp gives a luster that does not fade. They are extremely durable and do not become yellow.

Solar nails are not mere extensions as they are literally placed on the natural nails keeping their luster intact. They are attached in two stages:-

1) The natural nail plate is first made ready by cleaning and filing it and only then is the white part placed on the nail and stuck to it using nail glue applying it from end to end. Though the process of attaching solar nails takes time it is worth it because they are not brittle and delicate and do not break easily.

2) After this the pink part of the solar nail is placed slowly on the bed of the nail. It is acrylic and though artificial it looks very real.

After the above two steps are followed properly half the battle of doing solar nails is won. After the glue is fully dried the nails should be cut to the desired length. The best thing about them is that even when exposed to the sun’s ultra-violet rays they do not turn yellow. After they are cut to the desired length a primer is applied to the entire nail width and the excess is cleaned. After this coat dries a filer has to be used to shape them. A buffer can also be used to give them a instant shine.

Just knowing how to do solar nails is not enough. It is necessary to know how to remove them when need be. It is advisable to get them removed professionally from the parlor but if you are running short of time it is possible to remove them at home though this needs to be done carefully and with a lot of patience.

First the nails have to be soaked in acetone for half an hour at least. Then they have to be slowly scraped from the edges till they come off. Being too hard can damage your own nails. Doing solar nails is economical and convenient if done patiently.

Flaunting gel nails with a neat coat of paint can get you all the attention you want but if not applied following particular stages and precautions they can look disastrous. Here is a look at the 4 main stages in which they should be applied.

1) Preparatory stage.
Firstly prepare the natural nail bed for the application of the synthetic nail. Push back the nail cuticles and with a 180-grit nail filer remove all the shine from the nails giving it a matt look. After this clean the dust with a lint free nail wipe and apply nail glue to attach the tips of the synthetic nail to the natural nail. The synthetic nail is generally very long therefore you may cut the tip as per the desired length using a nail cutter. After this file the tips to remove all shine and give it a matt look.

2) Bonding stage.
In this stage a thin layer of clear base gel has to be applied starting from the cuticles to the tips for it to stick properly. Care must be taken that the gel doesn’t touch the skin. After this is the hand has to be placed in a machine where the nails are exposed to UV light for 1 minute. We are now left with the last two important stages in the application of gel nails.

3) Building stage.
After the curing under UV light a builder gel coat is applied. It has to be applied starting from the centre of the nail moving the hand from side to side from the cuticle to the nail tip. To give it an arch place some more builder gel in the centre but not too thick or the gel won’t cure under the UV light. Again the hands have to be exposed to UV light this time for 3 minutes. Following this apply a second coat of builder gel; clean off the excess and again cure the nails in UV light for 3 minutes. After curing remove the above sticky layer with a lint free cloth dipped in alcohol. We are finally at the last stage in application of gel nails.

4) Finishing stage.
The last stage involves filing and shaping of nails. After that is done a thin coat of finishing gel is applied which gives the nails a shine. They are again cured in UV light for 3 minutes after which the excess gel is removed. In the end cuticle oil is applied. After the application of gel nails they can be left natural or can be painted with the nail polish.

Gel nails vs. acrylic nails, what exactly is the difference between the two? Well they are as different as chalk and cheese. Acrylic nails came into origin much before gel nails making them easily available as compared to the latter. The basic composition of these two also varies drastically. Acrylic nails comprise of a liquid and a powder like substance (ethyl methacrylate), which is expensive but less harmful. On the other hand gel nails are made of clear gel that is sticky like honey making them softer and more flexible than the hard, durable acrylic nails which comprise of monomers and polymers.

Artificial nails always get with them the risk of chipping. The characteristics of each in the gel nails vs. acrylic nails battle is starkly different. Acrylic nails if broken are easy to maintain and can be fixed at home which is not the case with gel nails. The wonderful varieties and shades of nail polish available in the market last longer on acrylic nails than gel nails. Gel nails need to be filed regularly whereas acrylic nails do not get damaged even if they come in contact with acetone. If we differentiate between the two on the basis of luster and shine, gel nails emerge as a clear winner. Acrylic nails on the other hand need to be buffed and polished.

Beauticians in spas and salons are exposed to the gel nails vs. acrylic nail debate regularly but they claim to have more expertise in the application and removal of acrylic nails due to their existence much before gel nails. From the aesthetic point of view gel nails look more natural and appealing than acrylic nails which look synthetic on closer viewing. Gel nails have no odor, unlike the odor that strong chemicals impart to the acrylic nails. The curing time for gel nails is much lesser than acrylic nails when exposed to UV light. The strong chemicals used in the acrylic nails are harmful and may cause damage to the nails and their cuticles in the long run.

Being a relatively new concept gel nails are expensive an affair as compared to their acrylic counter-parts. Therefore as is obvious both have their set own set of advantages and limitations. One needs to consider many factors like individual taste, aesthetic appeal, time in hand and the budget before narrowing down on either one of these options. However with the growing priority given to external appearances, nails are not behind in this league anymore. Ultimately in this gel nails vs. acrylic nail debate who would miss a pair of well-manicured hands?

Acrylic nails are artificial nails that when attached to your own nails give it the desired length and shape. They are very durable and relatively easy to fix and remove. By knowing to do acrylic nails yourself you will save a lot of time and money and with practice they will look professionally done too. Here are some of the things that are needed to do acrylic nails by you.

· Nail polish remover
· Nail filer
· Nail trimmer
· Artificial nail tips (suitable size for your nails)
· Acrylic powder
· Liquid acrylic (ethyl methacrylate)
· Brush
· Nail oil

Before starting off the do it yourself acrylic nails exercise it is necessary to cut nails short so that if the acrylic nail chips off it will not cause the natural nail to break with it. Then the excess oil and dirt have to be removed by cleaning the nails with a nail polish remover. After that a cuticle pusher has to be used to push the cuticles gently inwards without hurting yourself.

File the nails and roughen them in their corners followed by which start sticking the nails with glue from the tips. These nails are originally very long, therefore after the glue dries cut them to the desired length with a nail trimmer. After this is done pour liquid acrylic and the powder acrylic in two separate bowls. Dip the brush in the liquid acrylic and then in the powder. Automatically a lump will form on the brush. Ensure that it is not too watery and also ensure that the room in which you are doing the do it yourself acrylic exercise is well ventilated, because the strong chemicals used in the acrylic liquid can cause headaches.

The brush containing this mixture is then supposed to be run along the entire length of the acrylic tip and your own nail in an even, thin layer. Do not apply the mixture on the cuticles as it may result in an infection. It will take about ten minutes for this layer to dry. Only after it dries should you file the nails and shape them to look natural. Wash your hands with soap water to remove any dust. It is necessary to apply nail oil to the cuticle to regain its lost moisture. Remember this do it yourself acrylic nail exercise is not over just yet because once every two weeks an acrylic layer needs to be re-applied.