While I've decided I don't really like Acrylic Nails, I value the experience there because just watching them was a learning experience on how I might do this at home.
Here is how my nails turned out. I was pretty happy with them.
This wasn't a cheap trip. The total cost was about $70. The nail tech started by filing the tops of my nails down then gluing on the tips. I can't remember if she used a bonder/primer before applying the acrylic or not but anyways she applied a few layers of acrylic, cured in the lamp, then filed that down to even them out using an electric nail drill/file, then applied the gems and white nail polish and finished with a top coat of gel overlay also cured in a lamp.
A couple of my gems fell out after 4 or 5 days but other than that the nails were very sturdy and lasted a total of 4 weeks before I decided to remove the acrylic completely.
Now they say you go to get a fill-in every 3-4 weeks ($35), but that's not true. Both me and my gf needed a fills after 2 weeks. You can imagine how expensive that is then for the upkeep of salon nails....and I also like to change up my nails, I get bored of the same thing after a week or two so if you're like me and like to change your nails then acrylics are not the nails for you.
I removed them using the process I explained in my previous post. My nails underneath were thin and a bit stained. I've also heard horror stories about unsanitized nail tools at salons that promote nail fungus and other infections...so that scared me off a bit from the salon as well.
Anyway that's when I started doing research on gel and whats available and I ran into IBD soak-off nail products which I will explain in my next posts. I'm still in the process of testing out my IBD nails so keep following along!!
~Gwen S~
