Hello, dear readers! We all want to have strong, healthy and beautiful nails, but not everyone has such a treasure. However, a modern woman has the opportunity to compensate for what nature has deprived her of by strengthening and extending her nails with acrylic. This technology uses one almost irreplaceable component - nail monomer. Nails extended with its help make you the owner of a chic manicure and this beauty remains unchanged for quite a long time.
What kind of material is this, how is it used in nail art?
Acrylic powder is a synthetic, that is, not a natural material. Essentially it is a powder made from plastic, from artificial polymers. Previously, this substance included a component very harmful to the human body - methyl methacrylate. This substance contributed to the occurrence of allergic reactions and had a negative effect on internal organs - kidneys, liver, central nervous system. In the modern production of acrylic powder, methyl methacrylate has been replaced with another component; it is of higher quality and safer, or rather, practically harmless. This component is called ethyl methacrylate.
Acrylic powder, applied to the nail plates using a simple technology, protects the surface from negative effects, promotes strengthening and growth, helps to form the correct shape or lengthen the nails.
Is it worth getting your nails done?
Many people consider the disadvantage of extended nails to be that corrections need to be made periodically as the natural nail begins to grow.
It is important to consider that a number of materials used in extensions can shrink during wear. They can provoke rejection of the nail bed.
You need to know that acrylic is an allergen. In case of individual intolerance, it can cause an allergic reaction.
Acrylic powder used in the nail industry is durable, allowing artists to create real masterpieces on their nails. The proposed alternative options for replacing such material have advantages and disadvantages; you should choose based on personal preferences and the body’s reaction to the material.
What are the advantages of this tool
Acrylic powder is a modern material for nail art and manicure, which has a lot of advantages:
- Using this material, a woman has the opportunity to have well-groomed hands. Nails, even with extensions, look as natural as possible.
- Wide range of applications, versatility in solving a wide variety of problems.
- Easy to apply and use. Acrylic powder can be applied in a beauty salon, in a nail bar, at home with a private master, or independently at home.
- The product is also easy to remove; the surface of the nail plate is not damaged in the process.
- An incredibly large selection of colors - from transparent to the most pigmented bright red and black. This makes it possible to implement any design, no matter how original it is.
- The structure is quite porous, which allows the nail plates to breathe under the dense polymer coating.
- Protecting fabrics from the effects of negative environmental factors - ultraviolet rays, dirt, frost, chlorinated water and household chemicals.
- Composition safe for nails. The use of acrylic powder does not cause allergic reactions, chemical intoxication or other complications in 95-97% of visitors to beauty salons. This material can be used for manicure by women of any age, even teenagers and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. However, during pregnancy and lactation, it is advisable to do an acrylic manicure not on your own, but in a salon, after making sure that the master will use only high-quality material with a safe composition.
- Optimal consistency - the powder does not spread over the surface of the nail, does not clog into the side rollers, does not flow onto the cuticle, which not only spoils the appearance, but also reduces the quality and durability of the manicure.
- Increased strength of the material, which not only helps protect nails, but also extends the “life” of the manicure. For a long time, the coating made of acrylic powder does not split, crack, delaminate, or undergo other damage. Therefore, a woman can count on the fact that a manicure made with acrylic powder will last as long as necessary, and will look great all this time.
- If acrylic powder is used, you can always repair or correct the manicure. If the surface of the polymer coating is damaged for some reason (cracked, chipped), you can sign up for correction and correct the defect.
- As the nails grow, corrective measures can be carried out without removing the main layer of coating. Thanks to this, the nails experience less stress and are not subject to unnecessary stress.
- To use acrylic powder, you do not need to have a special drying lamp. This distinguishes this material from shellac and gel polish, which are also used to strengthen nails and manicure.
- The consumption of acrylic powder is quite economical. Experts say that 20 grams of powder is enough to carry out 20 to 30 procedures to strengthen or extend nails. Half of this amount of the drug is enough to make from 10 to 15 colored Frenchies.
- The powder is available in packages of different sizes, which is very convenient both from an economic point of view and in terms of ease of use. Small jars are suitable for use at home, while large jars are an excellent solution for salons with high customer traffic.
- Working with acrylic powder does not take much time. Hardening, that is, polymerization of the material, takes a few minutes, especially if you use powder marked high speed, which dries faster than others. However, you have to work with such material very quickly; it must be used by people with appropriate qualifications.
Choosing a liquid for acrylic
First of all, all liquids are divided according to the drying time of the acrylic.
If you are a beginner nail extension artist, choose a liquid with a low hardening rate. You will have time to diligently, without rushing, form the perfect nail and lay out additional decor if there is such a wish from the client.
A monomer with an average hardening speed is widely used among professional nail extension artists; it has a high bond strength to the nail plate.
Quick-hardening liquids are suitable for experienced craftsmen. This material guarantees long-lasting color and durability of the manicure, but working with it requires practiced skills and speed.
There are other distinctive properties of special liquids for acrylic extensions:
The main thing when choosing is the quality of the composition of the liquid for acrylic extensions. It should not contain dangerous or harmful substances. This will allow you to take care not only of the beauty of your hands, but also of your health!
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Disadvantages of the material
There are not too many disadvantages of acrylic powder, but you need to know about them when deciding whether or not to use this material for manicure:
- When working with some types of acrylic powder, a sharp, very unpleasant odor may arise, which can even be intoxicating. Therefore, this substance should only be used in a well-ventilated area and using a medical mask. However, today such products are becoming less and less common on sale; they are being actively replaced by acrylic powders, which have a neutral odor.
- This substance is quite expensive, which often discourages those who want to get an acrylic manicure. However, it is worth considering that one jar of powder lasts a long time, especially when it comes to manicure at home.
- You need to work with diluted acrylic powder quickly, otherwise you will not be able to do without the need to redo the result. The average hardening time of the acrylic mass is half a minute.
- The acrylic mass may chip off the nail plate. However, the main reason for such troubles is the inexperience or negligence of the master who did the manicure.
- Strengthening and extending nails using acrylic mass can take a long time - approximately 1.5-2 hours. The duration of the procedure depends on the qualifications of the master and the complexity of finishing techniques. However, it should be borne in mind that the procedure is performed quite rarely - once every few weeks, so its duration should not cause much inconvenience.
- The nail plate may be injured during the process of removing the material. This problem also arises due to inexperience and lack of skill in handling abrasive tools and cutters.
Acrylic powder has no other disadvantages, so it is widely used both in beauty salons and at home, making women's lives more comfortable.
Advantages and disadvantages
Pros:
- well-groomed hands and natural appearance;
- elimination of cracks and microdamages;
- mechanical restoration and strengthening of the nail plate;
- does not require a lamp;
- can be safely removed without disturbing the nail surface;
- unusual design;
- simplicity of the procedure;
- polymerization rate;
- amenable to correction.
There are very few disadvantages and most of them arise due to the inexperience or negligence of the specialist:
- acrylic chips off the nail plate;
- an inexperienced master can injure the nail plate when removing the material;
- Removal is only possible by sawing.
Types of acrylic material for strengthening nails and manicure
There are several types of acrylic powder, each of which has its own application in manicure and nail care. The main types of this material:
- Universal transparent powder. This powder has a wide range of uses, but is mainly used to strengthen the nail plate, as well as to build up (lengthen) natural nails. If we consider the function of transparent acrylic powder in decorative manicure, then it is excellent for performing the French technique. You can add a variety of pigments to the transparent mass, giving it the desired shade, varying the color saturation. Additives such as glitter, rhinestones and other decorative elements can also be used. The finish of transparent powder can be either glossy or matte.
- Camouflage acrylic powder, usually in a flesh-colored, close to natural shade. It is used mainly to hide aesthetic defects, irregularities, and damage to the structure of the nail plates. This material is slightly denser than transparent powder. But it is distinguished by excellent plasticity, pliability, and flexibility. This allows you to effectively strengthen the weakest nail plates.
- Colored product - used to strengthen nails and at the same time for design and decoration.
- Neon powder - used for decorative holiday nail coating.
- Preparation for finishing coating. This material is used to give a manicure a finished look, achieve the desired aesthetic effect, and give the coating shine and gloss. This powder models well, is easy and pleasant to work with, and can be easily processed with professional tools.
Kinds
There are several types of powder:
- Transparent. Used to create the base of the nail and relief design elements. The coating corrects minor imperfections and can be glossy or matte.
- Colored. A huge selection of colors allows you to create a stylish and well-groomed manicure for every taste.
- Camouflage. The powder adapts to the color of the nail plate, thereby hiding some defects (cracks, white spots, unevenness, etc.). Color close to natural.
- Neon. The base contains an opaque substance that glows when exposed to ultraviolet rays.
- With sparkles. Translucent glitter designed for bright manicure. The base is complemented by sparkles of different shapes, colors and sizes.
