Types of Manicure

Once upon a time, visiting a nail salon meant choosing from among an assortment of nail polish colors or Lee press-on nails that suited your lifestyle. But today, beauty salons provide comprehensive manicure services tailored to every nail goal imaginable.

Here is what you should know about each type of manicure polish: basic, gel (including Shellac ), acrylic and dip powder.

Basic

Basic manicures use traditional nail polish to coat nails. They are less costly than longer-wearing manicures and much kinder on natural nails.

Typical manicure procedures involve nail cleaning, filing and shaping before the application of base and top coats – followed by the addition of color of choice.

This mani uses UV light-cured gel polish, eliminating the soaking off time associated with traditional manicures. It lasts two to three weeks without chips.

CND created “Shellac” for their long-wear gel manicure that can be sculpted and shaped similar to acrylics. As it’s a hybrid between gel and regular polish, removal requires only acetone; its price point remains comparable.

French

French manicure is a timeless look with its signature white tips on a natural-looking base that never goes out of style. The classic version utilizes either a nude or pale pink base with straight strokes of white polish across each tip, but for something more natural-looking you could also go for curvier nails by adding curves for more of a natural feel.

Though not actually originated in France, the French manicure earned its name from actresses who used it during filming to speed up wardrobe changes more quickly. Fashion editors and celebrity stylists soon adopted it before Jeff Pink released his French manicure kit and allowed people like you to achieve this look at home using simple stencils to achieve consistent lines every time.

Gel

If you require regular touchups of your manicure, gel polish may not be for you. Gel nail polish is a form of colored gel that looks similar to regular polish but dries quickly, providing quick access for daily touch-ups.

It requires UV lighting for proper curing, and contains only high-grade ingredients (no DBP, formaldehyde or toluene) that are safe for nails.

Estheticians will buff and shape your nails before applying a base coat, color, and top coat cured under UV lighting – typically taking one hour per layer – which may last three weeks before being removed by soaking your nails in acetone before wiping dry and applying cuticle oil moisturizer.

Acrylic

Hands have recently become a central aspect of beauty, so keeping them hydrated and looking their best is of vital importance. Manicures also allow you to experiment with new nail color trends without making permanent commitments like full manicures or cutting short your nails.

As there are so many choices out there, it can be difficult to narrow down which manicure will best meet your needs. Selecting an appropriate product requires considering more than just color or shape – durability should also be considered when making this decision. There are three durable manicure options to consider: acrylic, gel and soft gel manicures each offer their own distinct advantages that might fit your lifestyle and nail shape preferences best.

Dip Powder

Dip powder manicures use a jar of colored nail polish powder that clients dip their finger into to change color of their nails, then after dunking all nails, manicurists brush away excess polish and seal with resin-like gel sealant to complete the effect.

Substantial less damaging than acrylic nails, powder manicures are stronger polymers used in their hardening than their gel counterparts – with one potential drawback: Over time it may become brittle – making sure you alternate it with other manicure techniques for the best results.

Dip powder nails not only look chic, they last up to three weeks of wear without needing UV light curing and can be removed using the same foil-wrap soak-off method used with gel polish.