Polygel nails vs Acrylic & Gel nails

I have been having my nails done for the past year now and I thought I would share my knowledge (learnt from asking professional nail technicians) and experiences on all of the options available for anyone who would like some insight on the topic, as I know it can be a bit confusing at first.

POLYGEL NAILS

Polygel is new to the nail game and I have a feeling it is going to slowly takeover. Polygel nails are almost like acrylics but also have certain properties of gel nails, making it a hybrid between the two. Polygel is a solution (comes in a tube) that comes in many different colours and is used with a slip solution to apply. Like gel polygel cannot dry unless it is cured under the UV light (unlike acrylic which starts drying as it is painted on). The polygel is painted inside of a dual-form (clear plastic nail shaped mold) with a brush and then placed over your nail and pressed down to remove any air bubbles, the excess is removed around the edges, and the nail is placed under the UV light for 60 seconds. Once the nail is cured the dual form is wedged side to side and it pops off, leaving behind a the polygel nail which is then buffed, shaped and painted.

The difference between polygel and acrylics are: polygel is more flexible, it will bend more before it just snaps whereas acrylics can snap and break quite easily at times, polygel can only dry under a UV light - it will not air dry, there is less waste as only a certain amount is used out of the tube, no plastic tips are stuck on to your own nails, there are no harsh chemical smells, they feel way more lightweight than acrylics, there is no powder and mess as it is a gel-like solution and not a powder solution used which means there is also less mess when buffing the nails, polygel is said to be a bit healthier for your nails than acrylics, and polygel is said to last a bit longer & better than acrylics making them quite durable. Polygel is not available in many salons yet as it is still new, my nail technician offers the polygel from R340-R400 and around R200+ for a refill.

MY EXPERIENCE & OPINION ON POLYGEL NAILS:

I decided to try polygel nails because I had seen them offered by my nail tech but never knew what they were, so I researched them and I was quite intrigued. When I arrived for my nail appointment my nail tech won me over by explaining what they were and why she recommended them over acrylics. Now that I have had my polygel set for about five weeks I must say I am so pleased with these nails and I don't think I will ever go back to acrylics. To me, the regrowth is not as noticeable considering it has been five weeks (you can see my regrowth currently in the pictures above) and I have noticed how they bond to my own nails a lot better than my acrylics usually did. When I used to do acrylics, I would experience some lifting by the third week of having them, and some of them would even crack or just fall of - but I must also admit I can be rough and knock my nails at times. This was just what I noticed after doing acrylics for months and now that I have tried the polygel nails I am honestly so impressed by them as I have not noticed any cracking or damage (considering I can be rough with my nails and I still do everything with them), they have not lifted, and it really feels like I don't even have any nails on because they are so lightweight. Another thing I prefer about the polygel is that they seem to look more naturally shaped look as they are cured in a mold instead of being painted on. Like acrylic and gel, polygel needs to be removed with an acetone soak off and polygel can be refilled, which is usually my personal preference as using acetone too often can thin your nails out and make them brittle. I highly recommend trying polygel nails if you are thinking about it and if your nail technician offers it. I was really stuck on doing acrylics as I was a little skeptical about the polygel, and I have definitely changed my mind because they are like acrylics but only way better.

ACRYLIC NAILS

Acrylic nails are made using a powder and liquid to create the acrylic solution which is then placed as an overlay over your own nails, or over a tip/extension that is glued on top of your own nail, or the acrylic solution is painted over a template making it sculptured, no tip is placed underneath for the extension (the nail is only acrylic). Acrylic solution dries as it is painted on and is then buffed and shaped to your preference, and a colour or gel polish can be applied on top. Acrylic is a chemical and it has an intense and strong smell while it is being applied, the smell goes away as it dries.

Acrylic nails can be refilled after a few weeks and to remove acrylics they need to be soaked off with acetone. Most nail salons charge around R300-R400 for acrylic nails and a refill is usually a lot less.

MY EXPERIENCE & OPINION ON ACRYLIC NAILS:

I loved my acrylics for a long time and I had acrylic nails done from July 2019 up until January 2020 (with breaks in between). My only negative feedback about acrylics is that they are not as durable as my polygel nails. They would crack at times or lift after about 2-3 weeks of wear and personally I need my nails to last up to a month or a little bit longer as I still do everything with my nails on so they need to be able to last, which the polygel has lasted very well.

GEL NAILS

Gel nails are essentially a gel polish overlay on top of your natural nails, which is cured under a UV light giving it a gel finish. Gelish is perfect for anyone who prefers their natural nails and shape or shorter nails but you still want your nails to look amazing and last long. Gel nail polishes come in a huge variety of colours as well as glitters. Gel polishes are also used over acrylic and polygel for colour and nail art, as well as being durable (gelish does not chip or become damaged once it is cured under the UV light). Gel nails grow out just like polygel and acrylic nails do but has to be soaked off and not refilled (I have been told that a gelish refill is not hygienic). Most nail salons offer gel nails from around R200-R300.

MY EXPERIENCE & OPINION ON GEL NAILS:

I only tried gel nails a few times at the beginning of 2019 and I did enjoy them at the time but I know that my preference is definitely having longer nails.

MY TIPS FOR TAKING CARE OF YOUR NATURAL NAILS WHILE DOING POLYGEL/ACRYLIC/GEL

1. Give your nails a break - I usually give my nails a 2-4 week break every couple of months, as they still need to breathe and too much of anything is never a good thing. This will also help keep your nails healthy enough to continue having them done when you would like to instead of having them become damaged beyond repair which takes years for them to recover.

2. Get a cuticle oil - while you are giving your nails a break make sure you use a good cuticle oil that helps strengthen your nails and cuticles so that they stay healthy. I highly recommend the Lulu & Marula cuticle oil, which retails for R120 on their website.

3. Always remove your nails correctly - the only way you should be removing your nails is with a soak off using acetone, which you can either do at home or have done at your nail salon. Pulling of nails or peeling gelish off is never a good idea as it ends up tearing layers of your own nail off which ends up damaging them way more than what the acetone will. To do an at home soak off you start off by trimming your nails, then soak pieces of cotton wool in acetone which you will place over your nail and wrap in foil, you can keep the foils on for about 20-30 minutes (keep checking them) and then remove them.

4. Try doing a refill on either your acrylics or polygel nails - I usually only do one or two refills on one set of nails and then start fresh (you keep the same set on for two or three months and then remove and start fresh or take a break). I prefer refills because acetone does make your nails thinner the more you use it and doing a refill means you don't soak your nails off as often which keeps your nails from becoming really thin and brittle. Refills don't damage your nails and I have noticed how much more resilient and strong my nails have stayed since I have not used a lot of acetone on them.

DREAMING NAIL SALON

I have started doing my nails at Dreaming Nails in Muizenberg and I am so pleased that I discovered this salon as it is right in my neighbourhood and the service is just amazing! Stephanie (the beauty technician) offers nails, brows and lashes, her nail work is literally perfect and I am so pleased with my nails and my experience in her salon. I can definitely say I have found my go-to nail place and I highly recommend Dreaming nails salon to anyone in the Muizenberg and close surrounding areas who are looking for a good quality nail technician. You can contact Stephanie on the number provided on the picture of the business card above, and you can also take a look at her stunning work on her Instagram (Instagram handle is also provided on the business card).