Acrylic Nails: Everything You Need to Know

Acrylic Nails: Everything You Need to Know

Today due to a lot of exposure to chemicals, a lot of women have natural nails that often break easily, or simply don't grow to the desired shape. To solve that problem, acrylic nails and nails were born. So what is nail acrylic?

What are acrylic nails?

Nail Acrylic is a type of artificial nail placed on natural nails that uses a polymer (powder) and a monomer (liquid). The combination of liquid and powder creates a hard plastic. Acrylic attaches to nails without using any lights.

It is important that the nails are clean and dry, so the nail technician will trim and polish the nails, then remove the dead skin and apply an artificial nail tip.

The nail technician will dip a brush in a monomer to wet the brush. A monomer consisting of ethyl methacrylate, a catalyst, an inhibitor that helps keep the monomer from hardening before it is mixed with the powder, prevents UV absorption to prevent nails from yellowing, and wetting to improve adhesion.

The monomers are then joined with a polymer to create a small bead that is placed on the nail and used to blend the natural nail and the tip together. Polymers are composed of UV absorbers to block nail yellowing, colorants to give the powder a pale pink color, or titanium dioxide to give nails a white color.

If not applied properly, the nails can appear lumpy, thick, uneven or crooked. If applied correctly, the nails will harden when air-dried. The technician will polish the nails, and apply nail art.

How Are Acrylic Nails Different Than Gel Nails and Natural nails?

Women always want to look good and with this in mind, entrepreneurs and manufacturers have developed many products to meet the needs of women. Fashion accessories such as bags, shoes, jewelry and even nail accessories are available in most boutiques and boutiques anywhere in the world.

Nail extensions, false nails, false nails or whatever you want to call these accessories are fast becoming a trend. They are nail coatings and some are made to look like normal nails with designs. There are many materials that can be made into artificial nails; The two most widely used artificial nails are gel nails and acrylic nails. So How Are Acrylic Nails Different Than Gel Nails and Natural nails?

Gel Nails

Nail gel and acrylic nails are made of the same material, monomer and polymer powder. The difference is that gel nails contain oligomers, which are short-chain monomers that make artificial nails more flexible.

You may have gel nails, in which the fingers are placed under ultraviolet light for two minutes to harden; This is called light curing gel nails. Non-light gel nails are also available and are accomplished by applying or spraying the nail with a special gel activator or by dipping the nail in water.

Gel nails look very similar to natural nails. They are thin and glossy and odorless. Because of its thinness, nails tend to break easily and even though they don't polish well. Also, they are more expensive than other artificial nails and when they break and you have to fix them, you will need professional help. 

Natural nails

Natural nails are a modified form of skin, made up of a tough layer of keratin that grows from the dorsal cuticles of the fingers and toes.

Natural nails have a protective function, helping the dense neural network in the extremities from being damaged, and they also work to increase the sensitivity of touch in the fingertips and feet. Besides, it is also a weapon for self-defense, attack, and nails also reflect the health status of the body.

In healthy people, each day the nails grow about 0.1-0.15 mm long, fingernails grow faster than toenails, the growth rate depends on different individuals (increasing rapidly in children and young people). , decreased in the elderly) and also varied between nails. Besides, the weather also shows a certain influence, specifically, the nail will grow faster in summer than in winter. The average growth time of the nail from the eponychium to the nail margin is about 6 months.

natural nails

Acrylic Nails

Acrylic nails are the most commonly used false nails. They are more affordable and you can put them on yourself. All you need is a special glue designed to apply the nails. Putting designs on acrylic nails is too easy; All you need is a little artistic touch.

Acrylic nails are often worn to help hide broken, damaged, or ugly nails. It also protects the nail from further breakage and division. The durability of acrylic nails makes them perfect for this purpose.

In addition to acrylic nails, the function can also enhance the appearance of nails. You can put polish and designs on them to make them look attractive. You can deposit them in circles, squares or pearls and you can wear them long or short.

acrylic nail

How Are Acrylic Nails Applied?

Is the process of applying gel and acrylic paint at home as complicated as you think? If your nails are growing and the old polish has peeled off but you don't want to go to the nail salon, try doing it at home. Buy a manicure kit from your own beauty store. We will share the easiest way to help you achieve the best and most lasting results when using:

Step 1

Use nail spacers to smooth out excess acrylic. Rub a buffer over the end of the acrylic where it comes into contact with your natural nail. Continue polishing the nail until the top layer of the nail is smooth. Make sure you're only smoothing the acrylic, not the natural nail.

Step 2

Apply 1 to 3 thin coats of primer. Dip the brush into the nail primer and apply 1 drop to the natural part of the nail. Allow the primer to dry completely before applying 1 to 2 more coats, if desired. The primer will protect your nails and make the polish smoother. Avoid getting the primer on your fingers or cuticles as it can burn or irritate the skin.

Step 3

Combine acrylic powder with acrylic liquid on brush tip. Place the acrylic liquid in one small dish and the acrylic powder in another. Dip the acrylic nail brush in the liquid and dip it in the acrylic powder 4 to 5 times. You can use this mixture to cover your nails.

Step 4

Apply the acrylic mixture on the natural part of the nail. Dip an acrylic nail brush into the mixture, and place 1 drop on the tip of the brush. Dab a drop of the acrylic blend in the center of your natural nail and use the brush to dab it all over your natural nail.

Step 5

Let the nails dry. It may take 5 to 20 minutes for your nails to dry completely. Avoid smudging your nails while they are drying.

Step 6

Polish or file your nails until they are smooth. Use a nail file or nail spacer to smooth and shape the ends of your nails. If you want, you can also polish the surface of your nails to make them smooth.

Step 7

Apply 1 to 3 coats of nail polish. Spread a base coat over acrylic nails and let dry completely before applying nail polish. This process can take anywhere from 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of polish you use. For a lighter color or stronger nails, you can apply 1 to 2 more coats of polish. After the top coats have dried, spread a top coat to protect your nails.

How Long Do Acrylic Nails Last?

A question many women have when applying acrylic nail is how long acrylic nail will last. Actually, this is a question with no definite answer. Because the durability of the nails will depend a lot on your aftercare and the skill of the manicurist.

Besides, the quality of the acrylic nail will also directly affect the durability of the nail. If the manicurist is skilled and the quality of the powder is good, the retention time will be longer.

Normally, the average time to keep acrylic in the nail falls between 10 and 15 days. If you can take better care, this time can be extended by a few days.

After you've done your nails, your manicurist will show you a few things to keep in mind for your nails. Follow the advice of experts. At that time, your acrylic nail will be kept for a long time.

acrylic nail polish

What's the Best Way to Remove Acrylics?

Many women love the luxurious and glamorous look of long acrylic nails. Acrylic powder nails are usually brushed and bonded very quickly to your natural nails with glue. When it starts to peel off or has thickened from repeated coatings, it's time to take it off. Here are three methods that show you how to remove acrylic nails: soaking in acetone, filing by hand, or using dental floss.

Cut your nails short

Use a nail clipper to shorten the acrylic nail. Trim off as much of the acrylic nail as possible. If you have difficulty in this step due to the thickness of your nails, use a coarse file to file them away. But be careful not to file the nail as it will bleed.

File the coating on the nail surface

Use a good quality nail file sponge to file the polish and try to file this acrylic nail as much as possible. Filing long lines the length of the nail is best.
Pour acetone into a bowl.

Pour into about half a medium-sized acetone glass bowl.

Some people prefer to warm the acetone by placing the bowl of acetone in a larger bowl of warm water. Never put acetone in the microwave or use it near a high heat source. Acetone is extremely flammable:

  • Make sure your room is well ventilated and ventilated, as acetone evaporates very strongly.
  • Never light a cigarette near acetone.

Apply Vaseline to the skin around your nails

Acetone can break down plastic and also have a bad effect on the skin, so it's better to protect your hands. This step will help protect your hands from being irritated by the acetone, especially if you have a mangosteen scratch.

  • Pay attention not to apply too much vaseline on the nail, so that the acetone can affect and decompose the nail powder.
  • A cotton swab can be used to accurately sweep Vaseline onto the skin of the hands.

Soak your nails in acetone

Take a few cotton balls soaked in warm acetone, then place the cotton pad on your fingertips. Use foil to tightly wrap the cotton pad to the acrylic nail. Next, let your nails soak in the acetone for about 30 minutes.

  • You can also use non-plastic adhesive tapes to wrap in case you don't have foil.
  • More simply, you can also soak your nails in acetone if you're sure it won't irritate your skin.

Remove the foil and cotton pad from your fingertips

The cotton pad will pull the acrylic nail layer and come off easily.

  • If you soak your nails in acetone, use an orange stick to pry the nail off and gently remove the nail polish.
  • If the acrylic nail polish is still firmly attached to the nail, repeat the above soaking process for another 20 minutes and try removing the powder again.

Use a soft sponge to file away any remaining acrylic nail polish

Now that the acrylic powder layer has become softer after being soaked in acetone, you should use this opportunity to file them away. If in the meantime the acrylic layer becomes hard, use a cotton pad soaked in acetone to soften it.

Reshape your natural nail

Use a nail clipper and file to smooth the edges. Use the pad to gently wipe your nails from the base to the tip.

  • To avoid damaging the nail, you should file in only one direction, avoid pulling the saw.
  • It is possible that the top few layers of the nail surface have been removed with the acrylic. Be careful during the cleaning process to avoid tearing or damaging the nail.

Restore moisture to your hands

Acetone makes the skin of the hands extremely dry. Wash the acetone off with soap and water. Then pat dry and apply lotion, olive oil or moisturizer to restore your skin.

Are Acrylic Nails Safe?

Acrylic nails are an extremely classy choice for nail lovers. There are some who see it as a solution to cover up weak and bad nails; Others see it as a more trendy trend than regular nail designs. Regardless of the reason, you need to be aware of the risks and harms when using this type of nail.

One thing to note: even with proper use of acrylic nails, they are not perfect. They look nice, but they can cause disease and in some cases, they can damage your nails.

The biggest harm to acrylic nail polishes is that they contain harmful chemicals like ethyl methacrylate and dibutyl that cause natural nails to crack, so it's important to avoid contact with these two substances.

Oxygen deficiency

Oxygen is essential to maintain strong and healthy natural nails. When applying acrylic paint, your nails will be deprived of the necessary amount of oxygen and the base will become weaker. In the long run, acrylic paint will seriously damage your nails and you will not be able to keep your nails moist – one of the important factors for nail care.

Contact lenses

That's right. If you don't like wearing glasses, then you have no choice but to wear contact lenses. However, if used for a long time, it will easily cause scratches and eye pain, and damage the contact lens surface. So it's better to wear glasses. The same goes for acrylic nails.

Fragile

Acrylic nails are extremely thin and fragile, so it will be difficult to use them often. When wearing this nail set, you have to be extremely careful when opening the car door, putting on a coat or simply washing your hands, because when you damage acrylic nails, you are ruining the natural nail.

Extremely painful

As mentioned above, you have to be very careful with acrylic nails, otherwise you will feel pain and bleed a lot. Once the acrylic is dry on your nails, it will be as hard as natural acrylic, so even a small crack in the acrylic nail can cause pain.

Expensive nail repair

Each type of acrylic nail is usually extremely expensive. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, after a manicure, you must visit the nail salon regularly for several months to get your nails fixed, because acrylic nails will grow over time along with natural nails. However, this will be an extremely difficult decision for those with limited expenses.

In short, acrylic nails are absolutely harmful to your natural nails – in the long run you will feel the pain and by the time you realize it, it will be too late. However, there is a way to restore the damaged nail.

Acrylic nails are really gorgeous, but if left on for a long time, there will be huge consequences. If you consider this your experience, that's okay, it's important to know how to save money to keep your nails healthy.

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