Whether you are a nail technician or a regular person who wants beautiful nails, it can be challenging having to choose from the vast sea of manicure options available. Also, if you have been seeking a longer-lasting manicure over your regular nail polish, chances are that you’ve thought about gel vs. acrylic nails.
Gel vs. acrylic nails differ in their organic composition, physical appearance, and finish, application and drying process, flexibility, and cost. Gel nails require strictly UV or LED light for curing and have a more glossy appearance. Acrylic nails are air dry, yielding a sturdier artificial appearance with the potential to form a hybrid when you apply gel or other nail polish on them.
Gel nails tend to be more natural, blending effortlessly with your natural nails, while acrylic nails are more artificial and favour those seeking more dramatic looks. Nonetheless, comparing gel and acrylic nails remains a hot topic among nail enthusiasts. In this article, we will comprehensively compare both types of manicures. Keep reading to learn more.
Gel vs. Acrylic Nails-What’s the Difference, and Which Is Better?
Deciding on the perfect manicure goes beyond choosing nail polish colours, shapes, or designs. Several other criteria like your lifestyle, the occasion for which you require a manicure, your job, your budget, and how much time you have to spend at the nail salon or home by yourself and on your nails influence what type of nails you wear.
You can only appreciate the difference between both types of nails when you understand them separately. Therefore the following sections will discuss gel and acrylic nails individually.
What Are Gel Nails?
Gel nails are obtained by applying a base coat, the gel polish, and a top coat over your natural nails and allowing them to cure under UV or LED lights to give them a glossy and smudge-free finish. They are the perfect choice for colourful light wear as gel nails flex with your natural nails. As a result, you don’t feel like you have any nail additions on.
Due to the curing and chemical plasticization, the solid substance formed increases the nail flexibility such that it blends into and, in most cases, mimics your natural nails. However, it requires a separate process for removal involving an initial filing and soaking in acetone for 15 minutes.
While gel nails are adorable, it is essential to know that prolonged or frequent wear can weaken and predispose your natural nails to breakage, cracks, and in severe cases, fungal infections. The reason is that you do not get sufficient time to give attention to proper nail cleaning
Manufacturing Chemicals
The chemicals for manufacturing nail polish serve as a critical index for differentiating between nail polish types.
Bio Gel Chemicals
Bio gel is a thick gel used for overlaying weak and brittle nails. However, it is a significant ingredient for making gel polish and ensuring its flexibility and long-lasting quality. A primary difference between biogel chemicals and acrylic nails is that they are healthier and less harsh.
Pros and Cons of Gel Nails
Even though gel nails are trending, they may not be the perfect manicure for everyone. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of having gel nails to make your decision process less stressful:
| Pros of Gel Nails | Cons of Gel Nails |
| They appear and feel more natural and glossy due to their high flexibility and plasticity. | They are slightly pricier. |
| They are quick-drying and do not need any touch-ups. | The UV light for curing is potentially hazardous to health. |
| They come in several options and colours. | They are not ready-to-wear nails. |
| They are not penetrable and so do not stain easily. | Removal requires soaking in acetone which is harmful to health. |
| They encourage creativity as you can experiment with different styles, designs and patterns. |
What Are Acrylic Nails?
Acrylic nails are also known as artificial nails because they are “ready-to-wear” and made by combining liquid and powder monomers (methacrylate) and polymers (poly methyl methacrylate) to produce an intricate solid complex looking like fingernails which you place over your natural nails.
You can further decorate acrylic nails by applying regular nail polish for a more glossy appearance. Also, if you don’t appreciate the nail length or thickness, you can file them down to look even more natural and give them your desired shape and length. However, they can weaken your natural nails with prolonged use and continuous wear.
Fun fact: Gel and acrylic nails can be mixed to yield a hybrid manicure with more style, gloss, and extended wear. This is achieved by first fixing the acrylic nails and then applying gel nail polish over them for a glossy finish.
Acrylic chemicals
Acrylic nails are made from acrylic monomers and polymers (liquid and powder) with easily stained and porous surfaces. As a result, they are established by fixing artificial nails made from a mixture of solute and solvent to make a paste to form a hard outer layer over your natural nails resulting from the powder and liquid mixture.
Pros and Cons of Acrylic Nails
Acrylic nails are not for everyone, especially considering how dramatic they can be. So, now that you understand what acrylic nails are, and the steps involved in wearing them, it is time to consider their advantages and disadvantages.
| Pros of Acrylic Nails | Cons of Acrylic Nails |
| They are super durable and long-lasting due to their chemical composition. | They are highly artificial and may not satisfy a person opting for a more natural look. |
| The hard layer of the manicure could serve as a means of protection for your natural nails when correctly done. | They take significant time to dry. |
| They are readily available and cheaper to afford. | They are harder and not as flexible due to the absence of plasticization. |
| They dry fast due to rapid evaporation. | They require significant skill and know-how to fix or apply them. |
| They are easier to remove because of their porous nature. | They can damage your natural nail beds with constant or prolonged wear. |
| You can create a hybrid out of it by painting it with any colour and type of nail polish of your choice (gel or regular). | Removal requires soaking in acetone which is not health-friendly. |
Even though gel and acrylic nails yield similar results, they are somewhat different. Below are other indices for differentiating gel nails from acrylic nails besides their definition, pros and cons.
Gel and Acrylic Nails – A Head-to-Head Comparison
Nail Curing
Curing refers to the solidification or drying of nail polish through the effect of UV or LED light. The action of these curing lights chemically enhances the process of the photoinitiator component of the nail polish to make it dry.
Bio gel curing process
Gel nail polish is formed from the chemical combination of methacrylate compounds and some photoinitiators like benzoyl peroxide to adhere to your natural nails with the help of UV or LED light.
Acrylic curing process
Acrylic nails are universal when you describe their curing process. Generally, acrylic nails air dry, but if you coat it with a gel polish, you will require a UV or LED lamp to cure it.
Nail Lasting
Nail lasting, known as nail polish duration, refers to how long your freshly done manicure lasts before chipping or appearing old. While some types or brands of nail polish last longer, others have shorter staying power. Also, gel nails last longer than acrylic nails because of the chemically enhanced curing process.
A Comparison Table of Gel vs. Acrylic Nails
| Comparison Metric | Gel Nails | Acrylic Nails |
| Nail Texture and composition | They are composed of methacrylate polymers, and their surfaces are impenetrable and not easily stained. | They are composed of acrylic monomers and polymers (liquid and powder) with easily stained and porous surfaces. |
| Physical appearance | They appear natural and glossy. | They appear less natural and thicker. |
| Nail Drying process | They dry by a chemical process called curing, which happens solely under UV or LED light. | They dry by evaporation during exposure to air. |
| Nail Application | Application is by brush coating of an initial base coat, followed by nail polish and ending with a top layer. | The application is by fixing the solid mixture and coating it with regular nail polish and air drying. |
| Nail Flexibility | They are more flexible and similar to natural nails. | They are less flexible, harder and obviously artificial. |
| Cost of application | They are slightly pricier, costing about $25 to $60 | They are slightly cheaper. |
Fun fact: Acrylic nails entered the spotlight in the 70s and gained popularity for satisfying the needs of women who liked the idea of having instantly long polished nails without having to wait for theirs to grow.
Final Thoughts
Even though gel and acrylic nails share some similarities, their differences are pretty obvious. However, deciding which is better comes down to a game of personal preference, but you can only know for sure when you try both nail types. It is best to do your research before wearing each nail type. Hopefully, the information in this piece gives you a head start!
