What do you do when you want the look of long acrylic nails without the risk or damage?

Hard-gel nail extensions.

 What is ‘Hard Gel’?

Hard-gel nails were introduced to the beauty market back in the 1980s as traditional gels, and are for those who are looking to extend the length of their nails or keep their long, natural nails. They have a more glossy appearance than acrylic nails, and are much sturdier. The curing process consists of placing the polished nails underneath a UV lamp for a few minutes, and the removal process requires the hard-gel being filed off as it cannot be soaked off. As time went on, new variations were introduced that were weakened formulas of hard gels, also known as soft gels and gel polishes.

Hard-Gel Vs. Acrylic?

What separates gel and acrylics nails is the structure of the nail. An acrylic tip is made of plastic and requires a monomer liquid and polymer powder to create the sculpted nail. In contrast, gel nail extensions are made entirely out of the gel and cover the entire nail.

During application, hard gel extensions are built without plastic tips. Instead, they are sculpted and customized to the client’s desired shape above a paper nail form which is removed following the curing process. Although there lacks a tip beneath the gel, there is no need to worry about breakage or damage. Despite being incredibly lightweight, hard-gel is the toughest form of gel polish out there, and is both more flexible and more durable than acrylic extensions. Someone who is used to acrylic may feel as though hard-gel is weaker, but that is untrue. Hard gel can withstand greater pressure and it is less likely to break or crack than acrylic is. Of course, gel can crack if it is flexed beyond its stretching point. However, because it has more flexibility, it will cause less trauma when cracked than when an acrylic nail cracks.

What makes gel extensions the superior in this situation is that it’s not only made of gel for long-wear and durability, but it doesn’t require any harsh chemicals. There is no damage to your natural nails, the nails are light, and there are no fumes or strong odours. Additionally, it is hypoallergenic and safe for pregnant women.