The Pros and Cons of Gel Extension Manicures

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By Webdesk


What are the benefits of Gel-X?

One of the main reasons people choose Gel-X is because of its natural look and durability. They are much thinner than an acrylic nail and can be shaped to fit your specific nail shape. In addition, they are much gentler on your natural nails because non-acidic products are used.

“All gel products are made of soft gel, so Gel-X sets can easily be soaked off,” said Tokyo. “And for a nail technician, Gel-X saves us a lot of time – all the hard work of extensions is already done for me.” Depending on the complexity of the nail art you get, you will be done with your Gel-X nail appointment within an hour.

Why should you choose Gel-X over acrylic paint?

While both gel extensions and acrylic can be used to create a similar effect, there are some key differences. The most important is the application process. An acrylic application requires the nail artist to mix a liquid called a monomer and a powder polymer to actually form the top layer of the nail. There is a strong chemical smell and a lot of dust that comes with the process, plus some imperfections that come with manually shaping the nail. “Gel-X has no strong monomer odor and can be applied quickly with little mess,” said Tokyo, and the Gel-X overlays are already formed.

Acrylic nails are also much thicker and harder than gel extensions, making them less comfortable to wear. In addition, the removal process with acrylics is much more labor intensive and can damage the natural nail as they need to be buffed off, weakening the nail underneath.

How are gel nail extensions applied?

First, the nail technician does the preparatory work for each manicure: filing, cleaning and polishing. Tokyo then matches the Gel-X shapes to each nail and pre-files them to fit your nail shape perfectly. Your natural nail then gets a layer of pH bonder (to dry the nail) and a layer of non-acidic primer to make your nails tacky. The natural nail is then covered with a layer of clear gel polish, which cures for 30 seconds under the LED lamp.

The next step is to apply the actual Gel-X nail shape. Tokyo scrubs the underside of the Gel-X tip for better adhesion, then adds a drop of gel and presses the tip onto the nail at a 45-degree angle. She then cures each nail under the lamp for 15 seconds. Once the whole hand is done, fully cure under the LED for 30 seconds. Now it’s time for the fun part – Polish.





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