Acrylic vs. Gel Nails: Which is Right for You?

Question
I get Tammy Taylor pink & white acrylics.  Usually I go for about 3 weeks between fills.  Recently I have been told that the gels are better.  What's the difference, and are they???

Answer
Usually when a tech tells you that such and such product is better, they're either trying to get you to spend more money, or they want to switch you over to the product they like better.  The truth is, neither acrylic or gel is better than the other; they're actually from the same chemical family, called acrylates. If you're doing well with acrylic, there's no reason for you to switch to gel unless YOU choose to do so for whatever reason.  

Gel is quite a bit more flexible than acrylic, and can be a good choice for people who lift a lot, but it's also not quite as durable as acrylic (although the new gels are no lightweights when it comes to strength.). You also want to make sure that they're actually using *gel*, which has a honey-like consistancy and is applied in layers which are cured separately under a UV light.  Some nail shops use regular liquid and powder acrylic and use a gel topcoat on it, and call those gel nails. They're not--it's just a marketing ploy to get more money from you.

I hope this helps!