Artificial nails, or acrylic nails, are very pretty. You can have them at any length and at any color. You can indulge in the whimsical and have designs painted on them. You can even have artificial nails pierced and wear nail rings.What are acrylic nails? Acrylic nails are also known as fake nails, artificial nails that are glued onto the real nails. A lot of women like wearing them for various reasons. Some women feel that wearing long nails make them feel pretty and feminine, but they find that letting their real nails grow longer instead of wearing acrylic nails can be too much of a hassle. Real nails, after all, can get very brittle if allowed to grow long, and they chip off.

Some women, on the other hand, wish to look their best for a certain special event or occasion, and that includes doing up their nails. Acrylic fingernails painted with an elaborate design are an instant standout.

There are also some women who deliberately go for artificial fingernails in order to put a stop to their nail-biting habits. Acrylic nails, after all, are not that easy to come by, and a nail-biter would definitely think twice before chewing on her exquisitely done nails.

Types of Artificial Nails

• Sculptured Nails

In this process, acrylic, gel or fiberglass is applied to your nails, and the material is lengthened and sculpted over metal or foil. Or, a plastic nail tip can be applied with glue, and then gel, fiberglass, silk or acrylic can be laid over the entire nail. As the natural nail grows out, your manicurist will fill in the base and file down the artificial tip. Eventually, you will end up with just the overlay on your natural nail.

• Acrylic Nails

Acrylic nails are the strongest and last the longest of all the nail overlays. But, if it’s not done well, these nails can look thick and very artificial. Find a manicurist who is an expert at applying acrylic nails, and you can get a very thin, natural-looking nail. They usually need to be filled in every two to three weeks as your nails grow, but depending on how hard you are on your nails, you may need to see the manicurist sooner to avoid nail loosening, which can lead to mildew if water gets trapped underneath. And, if a professional removes them properly, the acrylic nails should cause little weakening to the nail plate. One factor that might make you choose acrylic: It is the most commonly-used artificial nail; if you travel a great deal, it will be easier for you to find a place to repair or fill in your manicure.

• Silk, Linen and Fiber Wraps

Wraps are pieces of silk, linen or fiberglass that have been cut to the desired shape and glued to the nail plate. This adds strength, and sometimes length, to the nail. Though done on natural nails, wraps are most commonly used to strengthen tips. Silk is the most natural-looking wrap and provides a lot of flexibility, but it is often too delicate for those with an active lifestyle. Linen is stronger, but it is not transparent and appears quite thick. Fiberglass is the best of both worlds, since it provides the natural look of silk and the strength of linen.

• Gel Nails

Once, these nails were made of dental porcelain gel-powder. Now, manicurists use a Mylar form to sculpt your nail, and then cure, or set, it under an ultraviolet light. Because of this process, gel nails may need to be filled in less often than acrylic nails, though fill-ins are still necessary, and a professional must remove the tips.

Step-by-Step Process to Getting Artificial Nails:

Clean your nails. Make sure that your cuticles are pushed back and that whatever old polish you have on your natural nails are removed. You should also trim your natural nails as close as possible, but not too close. In case you snag your acrylic nails, the fake nails can tear away a part of your natural nails as well. Such an injury is not only very painful but can also lead to infections. Besides, having natural nails visible underneath the acrylic nails do not look neat.Some nail experts claim that you should rough up your nails by rubbing a grit filing block on them first before applying the acrylic tips to make sure the tips adhere closely. Some, however, do not think this is necessary at all. Whether you choose to rough up your nails or not, keep in mind that roughing up the nails can damage your natural nail bed.

Once your nails are clean and dry, put some nail glue on your nails and then drop the acrylic tips. Make sure that the tips fit your nail bed as closely as they can. If they do not fit the size of your nails, file them until they do. Adjust the nails quickly before the glue dries so they would not appear crooked. In case the nail glue dries before you could get the fake nail off, you would just have to soak the finger in a nail soak to get it off and repeat the process.

Trim the acrylic nails to your desired length. If this is your first time to put acrylic nails on, start with a moderate length just to get used to the feel and to avoid injuring yourself.

Mix the liquid acrylic with the powder acrylic in a dampen dish, and then carefully apply the mixture to your fake nails like you would a nail polish. Take care not to put any of the mixture on your natural nail bed, or else it could lead to the development of fungi on your nails.

When you are done with that, the last step would be to buff your nails and put on nail polish.

Artificial nails are very pretty, and they last longer than nail polish on natural nails – two to four weeks for the acrylic ones compared to two to five days on polished natural nails. If you need to remove your fake nails, what you need to do is to soak your nails in a nail soak, which often consists of acetone. Soaking can be done in half an hour. Never, ever snap your acrylic nails off because it might tear away some of your natural nails in the process.

If you have acrylic nails, you will need to apply nail oil on them once a day. Also, try not to apply too much pressure on your nails to avoid injuring yourself, and wear gloves whenever you are doing housework. The chemicals in most household cleaning products cause the acrylic to weaken and discolor.

Artificial Nail Tips & Tricks

• When choosing a length, keep in mind that artificial nails will “grow” as your natural nail does. If you plan on getting a fill every 2-3 weeks, your nails will become quite long in the meantime. Go for a slightly shorter length then desired.
• Never use Acetone nail polish remover on artificial nails. This will eat your nails. Use non-acetone to remove nail polish instead.
• Keep a small bottle of nail glue with you at all times. If your artificial nails begin to lift, fill the crack with glue till you can make it to your next appointment.
• If artificial nails begin to lift, have them fixed immediately. Artificial nails are highly susceptible to fungus growth if not repaired right away.
• If you plan on getting artificial nails, be prepared to maintain them. You should pre-book your appointments ahead of time.

Popularity: 9% [?]