How to use acrylic for nails: types of acrylic, technique, necessary materials and tools, pros and cons of use

• July 29, 2018
• Nail care
• Lazareva Valeria

A neat manicure gives a girl, or rather her hands, a well-groomed look. However, not every lady has perfect nails. They can flake, break, be uneven, etc. That is why acrylic for manicure is used to give the nails the desired shape. This material is often used for building or strengthening. Having familiarized yourself with the technique of use in detail, you can perform the procedure yourself.

What is acrylic used for?

The effect is noticeable immediately after covering the nails with the material. They become denser and stronger. Thanks to its unique properties, acrylic applied to nails protects them from mechanical stress, ultraviolet radiation, exposure to cold and aggressive household chemicals, as well as from dirt and dust. That is why the plate is strengthened under acrylic, and delamination occurs less often.

You need to understand that this is a synthetic material. Therefore, strengthening of nails does not occur due to the penetration of nutrients. The whole effect is achieved thanks to a kind of acrylic shell. If everything is done correctly, the material does not flow onto the cuticle or side ridges, and detachments do not appear.

Minuses

There are surprisingly few of them. Like any synthetic material, acrylic can cause allergies. However, according to statistics, this occurs in no more than 5% of clients. However, this does not mean that you can neglect safety rules. Before you are interested in how to use acrylic for nails, you need to make sure that you are not allergic.

In addition, the material has a rather pungent and unpleasant odor, which may be unbearable for some. Not all girls are ready to endure discomfort. Even to get the nails of your dreams. You need to work with acrylic in rooms with good ventilation.

Recommendations

Acrylic paints are very economical, but dry quickly. In order for them to last for a longer time, several rules should be followed.

For acrylic you need:

• comply with the storage conditions specified by the manufacturer;
• check the expiration date before purchasing;
• squeeze out of the tube in small portions.

Acrylic in tubes still dries out over time - then it is diluted with water, just like in cans.

To independently master nail painting techniques at home and surprise others with small masterpieces, you should listen to the advice of professionals.

Recommendations from nail design specialists:

1. The hand should lie motionless. To do this you need to choose a convenient place.
2. When painting, do not press the brush with force. Masks should be lightweight.
3. For beginners, it is better to choose designs that are easy to perform.
4. First, the outline is drawn, then it is shaded.
5. If a complex pattern is taken, then it must be performed on one finger. The rest are made of simple overlapping fragments.
6. Another fashionable trend: they take one finger of each hand and draw two overlapping scenes on them. And on the rest - just a monochromatic coating.
7. A special fixative is applied to the finished miniature to fix the design.

If errors occur during the drawing process, excess layers of paint can be removed with water. To do this, use a regular cotton swab.

After work, you should not leave acrylic on the brush. It will be almost impossible to wash.

Beginners are advised to practice on plain paper. Try mixing and applying paints, work with painting patterns, study the results of applying paints to each other.

Types of acrylic

To understand how to use acrylic nails, you need to know what types of material are on the market.

• Transparent powder is considered universal. It is used for both building and strengthening. This is also a great option for creating a classic French manicure. Nail artists use transparent powder for decoration, creating beautiful designs and sculpting. To achieve the desired result, transparent acrylic powder is mixed with glitter, dyes and other decorative elements.
• Camouflage powder is useful to disguise defects or hide unevenness. Typically, this acrylic has a beige tint, reminiscent of skin color. This allows you to imitate a natural nail. Camouflage acrylic has a denser structure. It is incredibly convenient to use due to its flexibility and plasticity. This allows you to use it even on thin or damaged nails.
• Finishing acrylic powder is recommended if a glossy top coat is desired. It's quite easy to use. After hardening, the nails acquire a mesmerizing glossy tint.

Review of popular manufacturers

When purchasing dyes, it is best to opt for trusted manufacturers. You can check with your manicurist what brand he uses and choose a similar option.

Products from Chinese and domestic manufacturers are on sale. It is better to buy them in specialized stores.

Severina (Severina)

This is a product of a Russian company. It has good quality and a very wide range of shades, there are even metallics and ones that glow under UV light. You can assemble your own palette. The average cost of one tube is 105 rubles. The necessary set will cost about one and a half thousand.

Planet Nails

The product is produced in tubes, the country of origin is China. It features bright, rich colors and dense texture.

This is a very economical option: a set of 24 tubes of 12 ml will cost 415 rubles. But there is a drawback: if the design is complex and a large layer of paint is applied, it may crack.

Lady Victory

Some of the cheapest paints. A set of 12 colors will cost 360-390 rubles. You can even find 18 shades on sale. Suitable for nail design at home. But professionals prefer to take other options - they note problems with the durability of the coating.

Oumaxi

An inexpensive palette for nail design from this Chinese manufacturer can be purchased for 300-390 rubles.

There are even fluorescent and metallic colors available in soft, non-metallic tubes. Masters note that they are dense, with a bright pigment and fit very well on the nail, even in one layer.

They are also used in the stamping technique - this is a method of applying a design using special plates, a kind of nail stamps.

Irisk

These sets are not cheap. One tube costs about 40 rubles. The material is excellent for working with both natural and artificial surfaces. It is dense and the color is rich. Requires additional topcoat.

Masters categorically do not advise using French paint on artificial nails with this paint: the surface will crack and come off.

At the initial stage, you can buy a ready-made offer: one such set contains 12 colors. Each tube has a volume of 20 ml. The set will cost 1219 rubles.

Which acrylic to choose?

Before you learn how to use acrylic nails, you need to decide what type of material to use. The choice should not be random. Start from what result you need to get.

• If you need to straighten your nails, use camouflage powder. It will do the job perfectly and provide your manicure with a natural effect. Those around you are unlikely to realize that the surface is actually artificial.
• If you want to strengthen your nail plates, choose transparent acrylic.
• To create a spectacular design, choose finishing acrylic powder in combination with rhinestones, iridescent sparkles and mirror glitters. The amazing effect will pleasantly surprise you.

What is necessary

• Base;
• base varnish;
• acrylic paints (powder, gel);
• brushes of different sizes: thin for drawing lines, thick for painting and applying glitter;
• glass of water;
• palette for mixing colors and obtaining new shades;
• napkin.

If you prepare everything you need in advance, you won't have to worry about distractions during the design process.

Peculiarities

One of the functions of acrylic is nail extension. He copes with it perfectly. No matter how long your nails are, they won’t break under acrylic. It allows you to maintain a flawless manicure for a long time. It is enough just to make the correction in time. Because as nails grow, the coating loses its freshness and attractiveness. That's why you need to make timely corrections.

There are many options for how to use acrylic nails. This is thanks to the amazing variety of shades and textures. Hundreds of design options have been invented: aquarium, artistic, “knitted”, etc. If you have a certain skill, you can create and implement a variety of ideas. Acrylic is quite pliable. This creates limitless scope for imagination and the embodiment of talent.

For those who are interested in how to use acrylic nail powder, the biggest surprise is the fact that the design, extension or strengthening process does not take much time. If you have the skills, everything is done in a matter of minutes. You can speed up the creation of the coating even more if you choose acrylic with the inscription high speed. This means that the material hardens faster than its analogues. However, to use it you will need high speed.

Required materials and tools

Whatever nail procedures you perform, you cannot do without auxiliary products. It is advisable to purchase all materials from trusted sellers so as not to waste time and money.

• Acrylic Powder. Can be purchased immediately as a set.
• Liquid. It may also be called liquidity. Needed to dilute dry powder. It does not change the shade of acrylic. The composition contains plasticizers that add stickiness and remove dust.
• Flat brush.
• Degreasing agent. Needed to clean your nails and increase adhesion to the material.
• Buffs and files. Useful for grinding.

It must be said that acrylic powder is not cheap. This can be intimidating for newbies. However, by purchasing just one jar of dry acrylic, you can complete not one, but several coatings. In the end it will be quite economical.

Advantages of decor

The advantages of acrylic paints are as follows:

1. Variety of colors. This paint allows you to mix shades with each other to get the color you need.
2. Drawings can be applied to natural or artificial surfaces.
3. Drawings with acrylic paints dry quickly enough in the open air.
4. Acrylic paints are low cost and material consumption is low.
5. The material is completely non-toxic. The paint is odorless, and its base is ordinary water.
6. When the drawing is blurred or does not turn out very well, you can erase it with a sponge and drinking water.
7. The technique of applying acrylic paints is quite simple and does not require additional equipment.

Considering all the advantages of acrylic mixtures, you can safely choose this material for applying high-quality manicure.

Execution technique

It is very important to know how to use acrylic nail extensions. If you work with the material incorrectly, chips, cracks, and detachments are possible in the future. All these defects spoil the appearance of the acrylic coating. To avoid having to learn from mistakes, you need to immediately find out all the nuances. Knowing how to properly dilute, use, apply and remove acrylic will prevent you from making mistakes.

Is it necessary to use a primer for acrylic nail extensions? One of the popular questions among those who begin to use this material. The primer is applied to the nail plate after degreasing. It forms a thin, rough film that improves the adhesion of the acrylic material to the nail. Professionals consider the use of a primer mandatory. It dries the surface before applying the material and destroys microbes.

Combination with other procedures

The use of silk can be combined with other procedures, such as strengthening nails with biogel or design with gel polish. The sequence of each procedure will be unique, but the main rule remains unchanged: the silk is placed on a clean, grease-free plate without first applying any basic products.

Classic manicure

A classic manicure is a simple nail polish and design. It does not involve activator liquids or the use of UV lamps. Silk fits into this procedure as follows:

1. First, a medical manicure is done. The nail plate is leveled and the cuticle is removed.
2. Then a silk patch or reinforcement with silk cloth is made.
3. The fabric is polished with a buff until the nail plate is leveled.
4. Base varnish is applied. This can be a means to level the nail plate.
5. Then the design is done. Plain coating, patterns or the use of decorative elements.
6. A fixative or a simple colorless varnish is applied on top.

Silk can slightly extend the life of a classic manicure. But for the most part, the lifespan of polish depends on lifestyle and the quality of materials.

Gel polish

If you're a fan of gel polish, silk enhancement is still available to you. In this procedure, the order remains virtually unchanged:

1. First, the usual nail treatment is performed. The cuticle is removed, the shape of the nail plate is created and the free edge is formed.
2. Then a silk patch or strengthening of the entire plate is made.
3. After smoothing the nail texture, apply a base product on top. Additional degreasing is not required, because it was carried out before using silk.

Then the procedure is completed in the usual way with drying in a lamp and the sequential creation of layers of products.

Manicurists claim that the silk coating increases the wear time of gel polish several times. You can check whether this is true or not at your next visit to the manicurist. In any case, this possibility cannot be completely ruled out. Even after careful polishing, silk retains its texture. It probably provides better adhesion between the nail and the base product.

Strengthening with biogel

Strengthening with biogel in combination with silk gives excellent results. Designs made on this basis last much longer. Biogel and silk can be combined with the application of gel polish to make the manicure extremely durable. The procedure is very simple:

1. Remove the cuticle and shape the free edge of the nail
2. Degrease the nail plate.
3. Apply silk and soak it with special glue.
4. After the glue has dried, polish the nail plate to even out its texture.
5. Apply the first layer of biogel and dry it.
6. At this point, you can immediately apply the colored gel polish. When using biogel, a base is no longer required. Dry the color layer.
7. Apply sealer and dry your nails again.

As you can see, anyone can repeat the procedure. You just need to purchase the necessary tools and practice a little.

Acrylic for strengthening

Girls with fragile, peeling nails know how difficult it is to grow their length. Reinforcement with acrylic will make them denser and protect them from mechanical stress.

How to use dry acrylic nails? If your goal is strengthening, you need to follow these steps.

1. Get a hygienic manicure.
2. Apply primer.
3. Cover with gel polish base.
4. Using a spatula, sprinkle acrylic powder onto the uncured base. First, place your nail over a jar or other surface where the remaining powder will be poured.
5. Dry in a lamp.
6. The final stage is surface grinding. Then you need to apply a colored coating and secure it with a top coat.

By following a simple sequence of actions, you will not make mistakes when working with acrylic.

It is important to know that the powder dries out quite quickly, so it is recommended to practice in advance, for example, on tips. It may be necessary to apply acrylic powder in several layers to achieve the desired result.

Step-by-step instruction

Before you move on to the actual process, carefully file each nail and remove the shiny top layer - nothing should interfere with the adhesion of the gel polish. Next, do everything according to the following technology:

• Wipe the polished surface with disinfectant liquid.
• Dry thoroughly.
• Apply several thin coats of basecoat.
• After this layer has dried, slowly cover the entire plate with glue using a brush.
• Make sure that the composition lies evenly and not thickly.
• Now open the jar of powder and dip your finger into it.
• Remember that this must be done immediately after applying the adhesive.
• Brush off any excess with a special fan brush.
• Wait 3-5 minutes until completely dry.
• Make the surface smooth using a base coat.
• Cover with decorative colored shellac.
• Dry under a UV lamp.

Building up

Before the procedure, it is recommended to decide in advance what color and texture you will use. You may need to learn how to use liquid acrylic nails in advance.

1. You need to perform a hygienic manicure.
2. Treat your nails with a degreasing liquid.
3. Apply primer.
4. Liquid for acrylic is poured into a small container.
5. Place the nail extension molds.
6. Dip the pre-prepared brush into the liquid and then into the powder.
7. Apply the mixture to the nail and shape, forming the desired length. It is very important to perform all actions quickly so that the solution does not have time to dry out.
8. After the acrylic mixture has hardened, the molds are removed and the nails are sanded, making the surface perfect.
9. Polishing is completed with a fine buff to remove all roughness.

Design of long extended nails: photo 2021-2022

Nail extensions are one of the most popular and favorite ways to make your nails longer and stronger. While any length and shape gives us a ton of manicure options, sometimes the goal is to simply add long, strong tips or even provide more space for nail art.

If you want your nails to be super stylish and stand out, consider adding length to them. Oval, almond, square and pointed nails are versatile when it comes to manicures and designs because the length allows you to play around a little and create a chic design in 2021-2022.

Photo of manicure design for oval extended nails

A manicure is a great way to show off what you love, so don't be afraid to try bright colors or unusual designs. The oval shape of extended nails looks very beautiful; it is characterized by parallel side lines, equal in width and along the entire length of the nail, as well as rounded tips.

The oval shape makes wide nail plates more miniature and neat, and as for design, we have collected the most stylish ideas for the 2021-2022 season.

Photo of almond shaped nail extension design

Almond nails are a beautiful and versatile nail shape. On extended nails, the almond shape requires good length and the correct conical shape of the nail plate.

Almond shaped nails are the perfect canvas for a wide variety of colors, patterns and nail designs. We have collected the hottest new products of the 2021-2022 season in our photo selection:

Photo of design of square extended nails

For many years in the nail industry, the square shape of nails has been considered the most successful and perfect.

The square shape of extended nails consists of nail plates with parallel, uniform nail widths and a straight tip with rather sharp corners. A correctly selected design for square nails will help not only decorate your hands, but also complement the look as a whole.

Photo of sharp nail extensions design

Sharp extended nails are for bold girls, and the design on them should be no less bold. Sharp nail shapes look best on long nails.

How to remove acrylic coating?

If the material was used to strengthen nails, it is easy to remove. It is enough to simply dissolve the old coating using a special liquid. Thanks to the small thickness of the acrylic layer, this is easy to do. It is enough to apply a small piece of cotton pad soaked in the product to each nail. Then wrap in foil and leave for ten minutes.

If acrylic was used for extensions, the coating will have to be cut off.

Acrylic for nails performs several different functions - extension, strengthening, decoration.