Best Acrylic Nails Near Me in Lightwater, Reading

Acrylic overlays. They’re applied to the top of your nails and tend to look more natural. They can be thinner than a full set of acrylic nails and don’t extend beyond the length of your natural nails.

They don’t. Human nails grow at around 3mm (1/8”) every month whether you wear artificial nails or not. Acrylic nails don’t make your natural nails grow faster, but because of their length, they can give the impression that your own nails have grown more quickly.

It’s unlikely. You can still wash, swim, and shower when you’re wearing acrylic nails, but prolonged exposure to water could cause them to lift.

Acrylic nails can damage your natural nails, so it’s always best to minimise any damage by seeking out an experienced nail technician to apply, fill, and remove them for you.

Quite a lot - we’ve listed the main points below:

Nail strength - if you’ve got weak or brittle nails, wait to get them in optimal health before you get acrylics. You can boost your nail health by moisturising them daily with a natural nail strengthening oil, like jojoba.

Shape - decide on your shape and length pre-application. If it’s your first time, don’t plump for super-long nails; begin short so you can get used to the weight and feel.

Prep - perfect nail prep helps prevent discomfort, lifting, and breakage. Your nails must be filed (but not overly) and sanitised before application.

Infections - prevent infections by ensuring that the acrylic manicure instruments used are properly sterilised first and that your nails are applied and removed by an experienced acrylic nail technician.

Fills - you’ll need fills to touch-up regrowth every 2-3 weeks. It’s advisable to only have one set of fills before removing the whole set of acrylic nails.

Popping-off - acrylic nails can pop off if they hit hard surfaces and if you tap your hands repeatedly (e.g. if you do a lot of typing). They can also pop off if your nail wasn’t properly prepped.

Time - application and removal of acrylics take around an hour each. Make sure you book a professional to minimise damage.

Costs - prices vary, but as a rule of thumb, the more colours and greater intricacy of design you go for, the higher the cost.

We always recommend asking a professional nail technician to remove your acrylic nails for you, but if you are planning on removing them yourself, follow these steps to minimise damage to your natural nails

1. File off as much of the acrylic nail as you can using a coarse 100-grit nail file. Take care not to go down to your natural nail, though.

2. Soak 10 cotton wool balls in 100% acetone, then apply 5 of them to your nails, securing them in position by wrapping a strip of foil around each fingertip. Leave them on for 20 minutes, then remove, and repeat on your other hand.

TIP: Avoid soaking your fingertips in a bowl of acetone - it’s a strong chemical and will dry your skin.

3. Take a wooden cuticle stick and gently push the acrylic and glue off your nail. Buff any remnants away with a soft foam nail buffer and moisturise your nails with a natural oil, like jojoba.

Acrylic nails, like gels, are artificial - which ones you consider better is really down to personal preference.

Gels give a more natural, glossier finish than acrylics, but acrylics tend to be stronger. Gel nails cure under a UV lamp; acrylics start curing as soon as they’re exposed to air. They can both be used to lengthen nails. Gels last for 2 weeks and should then be removed; Acrylic nails last 6-8 weeks, but will need fills after 2-3 weeks to hide regrowth. Both can damage your natural nails, so it’s always best to seek out an experienced nail technician who can do the application, filling and removal for you.