Manicure
A manicure is a beauty treatment of the hands. Your nails will be cut, filed, and shaped. You will then have your cuticles pushed back and tidied, and then enjoy a hand massage. The final step will be the painting of the nails with a colour of your choice.
Different Types of Manicure:
Hard Gel
Hard gel is lightweight, yet strong and durable. It has a tightly woven structure which is why it can’t be soaked off with acetone. [1]
It is also odorless, hypoallergenic, and safe for pregnant women.
Pros
Cons
Soft Gel
Soft gel is also called soak-off gel because it can be removed by soaking in acetone.
It’s not strong enough to hold up an extension, but it does provide strength to natural nails that are short to mid-length.
It’s consistency is somewhere between hard gel and gel polish. It’s applied with a brush and cures under a UV or LED light in about 30 seconds.
It can be used alone as it comes in many colours, or under or over gel polish (to provide strength).
A soft gel service is usually about 1.5 hours and will cost about $45. They can last and look decent for about 2-4 weeks, but there will be wear on the free edges.
Pros
Cons
Gel Polish
Gel polish is sometimes called Shellac, which isn’t entirely accurate since Shellac is a product line made by the CND brand. [3]
It has a runny consistency, similar to regular polish. However, like the other gels we’ve discussed, it also needs to be cured under a UV or LED light for 30 seconds.
Gel polish applies the thinnest layers compared to other gels, and because of this, it doesn’t provide any strength to the natural nail. It’s just a longer lasting, smudge proof nail colour.
It can be directly applied to natural nails or over hard gel or soft gel.
When applied to natural nails, it can last anywhere from 2-3 weeks and cost about $45.
When it’s time to remove your gel polish, it’s best to go to the salon. However, if you’re in a pinch, it’s possible to do it safely at home.
