Want to look like a Hollywood star, but don’t have the time or money for those expensive acrylic nails?

Well, that can easily be done by using artificial nails. And the best part about it is that you can apply them yourself at home and not worry about spending huge dollars at the salons!

But if you are not careful, applying acrylic nails incorrectly can cause severe damage to your natural nails.

I’ve been an esthetician for more than 10 years and I’ve seen so many women make these mistakes when doing their own acrylic nails at home. Here are 5 important things you must know before getting acrylic nails:

By now, you’ve heard the good and the bad. There are many anti-acrylic blogs out there. But do they give you all of the facts? I wanted to provide a little more insight into these fake nails that women love.

1. Acrylic is a combination of liquid monomer and powder polymer that creates a hard protective layer over your natural nail. This hard layer does NOT allow your nail to breathe or receive nutrients from your blood stream (as some blogs claim). If you take care of your natural nails, acrylics will not ruin them. If you have weak nails, acrylics will not help them grow stronger. They are simply an alternative to natural nails if you prefer long nails.

2. Acrylics are very durable but they can break or chip if you abuse them; just like a real nail would.

3. If you’re going to get acrylics, make sure they are done at a salon by a licensed esthetician or professional nail tech! Be suspicious of unlicensed individuals who charge less than $25 for full sets or $12 for fills. It’s illegal in most states and practice without proper training could result in injury or infection due to lack of knowledge on sanitation and product composition. Also, if your tech is

As you know, I’ve been a licensed esthetician for about 20 years now, and have had the pleasure of working in both skincare and nail salons. For those of you who are not familiar with my background, I actually went to school to be an esthetician so that I could make money while I was in college, but ended up loving it so much that I decided to become a nail tech.

And because I’ve been doing nails for such a long time, I wanted to share some things with you that most professionals in the industry wish customers knew before they got their acrylic nails done!

1. How to Properly Remove Acrylic Nails At Home

I know that it can be tempting to pick at your acrylic nails until they eventually fall off on their own (because who wants to pay someone to take them off?) but this can be extremely damaging to your nails (and your cuticles) if you don’t know how to do it correctly.

You should never remove acrylic nails by simply peeling them off. This will damage your actual fingernail and possibly cause infection as well. Instead, use a good quality acetone (found at any beauty supply store) and pour enough into an acet

There are so many things to know about acrylic nail enhancements, but have no fear! We’re going to break it down for you. Here are 5 things you must know before getting acrylic nails.

1. Acrylic Nails Are Not Gel Nails

Acrylic nails are not gel nails and vise versa. They both work as extensions for your natural nails and are applied in the same way. However, they are made of different materials. Acrylic is a blend of a powder and liquid that is created into a paste once combined. This blend hardens when exposed to air. Gel is a thick liquid that has to be cured under a UV or LED lamp.

There is also another nail enhancement out there called “gel polish.” Gel polish is a type of color that goes on the nail just like regular polish and dries under a UV or LED lamp, but can typically last 2-3 weeks if applied properly.

2. Your Natural Nail Must Be Healthy

Before applying any nail enhancement, your natural nail must be healthy and clean. Ideally, you should not have any broken nails because it’s easier to apply enhancements onto long, strong nails. Also, if you have an untreated infection, that could cause problems down the line once you get your

I had acrylic nails for almost 15 years and would get an acrylic fill every 2-3 weeks. I usually spent about $50 a pop. Late last year I finally decided to let my nails grow out so I could see how long they would get. It took about 8 months to grow them out completely.

While growing them out, I tried to take good care of them and keep them polished but they still looked awful because they were thin and weak and broke easily. The polish looked terrible because the nails never stayed flat enough to look smooth and even.

I have always been afraid of damaging my nails further by trying to cut them down or file them myself so after trying to “fix” them at home for a few months, I decided it was time to see a professional.

I went to a nail salon (that is not the one where I used to get my acrylic nails done) and asked for help with getting my nails back into shape. The nail tech told me that she could cut down my acrylics (which was all that was left on my fingernails by then) as well as buff the rest of the acrylic off of my natural nails so that we could start fresh with my own strong, healthy, smooth fingernails.

She started

It’s a very common question I get from people, “I’m thinking about getting acrylic gel nails, what do you think?” I usually get this from someone who has never had them done before. My answer is always the same. “I wouldn’t recommend it.” It’s not that there is anything wrong with acrylic gels per say, it’s just that if you’ve never had them done before, you are in for a shock.

Acrylic gel nails are thicker than your average nail polish. They are applied using a liquid solution and then a powder of some sort to create an artificial nail. The nail technician will first use a brush to apply the liquid solution to your nails and then dip each nail into a powder to set the liquid. This will create an artificial nail which will be built up on top of your real nail. Now this process sounds simple enough, but there is more to it than meets the eye. Here are some things you should know before getting acrylic gel nails:

1) Acrylic gels can deteriorate your natural nail if not removed properly or left on for long periods of time (months). If you have weak or brittle nails, this isn’t right for you.

2) This type of manicure should only be done by

Acrylic nails are an artificial nail enhancement. They are a mixture of a liquid monomer and a powder polymer. These two ingredients are mixed together to form a thick paste (a.k.a the acrylic) that is then applied to the natural fingernail using an applicator brush or in some cases a spatula. This acrylic paste is then sculpted over the natural nail into the desired shape, it can be designed with various nail art techniques such as glitter, rhinestones, 3D flowers and much more! Acrylic nails can also be painted with a gel polish if you don’t want any designs on your fingers.

Acrylics are perfect for people who have weak nails that break easily, have short nails, or just love having long nails. I personally love acrylics for my short and weak nails because it allows me to have longer and stronger nails; however this is dependent on how well you take care of your own nails! The key to having strong and healthy acrylics is cuticle oil!

Cuticle oil is essential in maintaining healthy acrylic nails. The main ingredient used in most acrylic nail products is ethyl methacrylate which causes your natural nail to dry out at a rapid rate if used without cuticle oil. It’s also