Questioni have been going to the same nail salon for over 10 years. and i have always gotten acrylic. but here lately i decided to get the gel nails. they were a little more expensive but did not take as long. but the product that they use is a powder. i am a licensed cosmetologist but my main area is hair. so i have decided to ask you for your advise. is there a difference between what i have been getting. are they really gels just in powder form. or have i been played for a fool?
AnswerIt the general consensus of the professional nail industry, and my personal and professional opinion, that there is NO SUCH THING as "powder" gel.
Gel products are called "gel" because they are in gel form from the manufacturer right up until your hand goes into the UV light.
In addition to taking it up with the salon manager, you may also want to report the incident to your state board/salon licensing agency as incompetence (if they honestly don't know the difference) and/or fraud/false advertising.
I know many consumers don't want to report salons to the state board, but that's the best method available for making sure the salon gets the education they need to know the difference between the types of products they use and the services they offer and to protect future customers from being scammed.
BTW: genuine gel nails are applied with multiple layers of gel, each layer must be cured in a UV light before the next layer in applied. There is never a powder.
