Choosing what artificial nail system is best for you can be a hard decision to make. There are so many products and usually nail technicians don’t educate customers about their options. The best course of action is to educate yourself about each type of application so you can decide which method you want to experience.

First you need to think about what is most important to you when it comes to nails. Do you want your nails to look really natural or is it more important that your nails are strong and won’t break? Do you work a lot with your hands or does your job have restrictions on the style of nails you can wear? These are all things you should take into considerations. All artificial nails can become infected and destroy your natural nails if they are not applied correctly by a reputable professional.

Acrylic nails are the most popular artificial nail system used in nail salons in the United States. The average price for a full set of nails varies widely, but it is usually ranges from $25 to $60. Any nail salon that charges less than $25 is using MMA, which is a very dangerous chemical. The process of acrylic nails starts with the filing and trimming of your natural nail. After that a plastic nail enhancement called a “tip” is glued to your natural nail with nail glue. After the tip is glued on it is also filed and trimmed. Then an acrylic powder and acrylic liquid are mixed together to make a thick gel like substance, which is used to form a nail.

This is the most durable type of fake nail and it can last for over a month with out a refill. Without nail polish, these nails can look natural, if a skilled technician applies them. Most people don’t experience damage to their nails unless too much primer is used or if the nail tech files their natural nail too much.

Silk nails are similar to acrylic nails except instead of using a powder/liquid mixture, it uses a sheet of fabric. The average price of a silk nail set is $50 to $100, which is why this form of artificial nail enhancement is less popular. The fabric can be made of silk fibers or fiberglass material. If applied by a skilled technician they can look more natural then acrylic nails, however most nail salon don’t offer this service. The correct way to wear silk nails is to have the entire nail soaked off after two weeks. Refills are not recommended with this type of nail extension. Tips can be used with this type of artificial nails. If you wash your hands a lot or wash dishes by hand, silk nails are not a good choice for you.

Gel nails are different from acrylic and silk nails because they use several layers of gel to create a longer nail. First a base layer gel is applied to the nail. Next a form sticker is wrapped around the finger and used to create a nail extension with a second layer of gel. Since the extension have to be built, it’s very important that you go to an experienced professional. Gel nails are the weakest type of artificial nail extensions and are slightly more fragile. If you want the most natural looking nails, get gel nails. This is one of the newest forms of nail extensions so it may be hard to find someone who can do a great job.

Hopefully this information will make it easier for you to choose which artificial nail system is best for you.