What's the difference between l&p, acrylic and gel nails?

i'm confused!What's the difference between l%26amp;p, acrylic and gel nails?
L%26amp;P is short for liquid and powder.This term is often used to refer to acrylic nails. Thus, L%26amp;P nails = acrylic nails. They are the same thing. Acrylic nails are applied using a liquid (the 'monomer'), and a powder (the 'polymer'). A brush is first dipped into the monomer, and then into the polymer. This mixture is then applied to your nails. It takes an average of about 1-3 minutes for it to harden. When it hardens, it forms a chemical bond with your natural nails and that is what makes it adhere so well. Many people will tell you that a glue 'holds' the acrylic onto the natural nail. This is not true. It is the chemical process of polymerization which makes a strong bond on your natural nails possible.


UV nail gel is part of the acrylic family of chemicals. It is closely related chemically, but is formulated a little differently. UV nail gels come in the form of - well, a gel! A UV gel looks exactly like this, though it is available in many colors - but this is what it looks like anyway:


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The UV gels contain a chemical called photoinitiators which, when placed under a UV lamp, will 'cure' in about 2 minutes, usually. Some gels may take up to three minutes, but two minutes is the norm. When the UV gels have been cured, this means that the gel will be hardened completely. Compared to acrylic nails - which take 24-48 hours to completely harden, this is a very fast process indeed.


Some people prefer acrylic nails becuause they are less expensive than UV gel nails, and the acrylics of yesterday used to be more durable than gels. Now, that has changed quite a bit, and UV gels are - for the most part, just as durable as acrylic nails. They are also more flexible, which means less breakage, and less cracking of the nail enhancement. They are also non-toxic, the better brands are non-yellowing and more natural looking than acrylic nails. They look and feel natural, when applied correctly by a highly skilled tech using top quality products. I say this because while UV gel nails are somewhat easy to do, they are very difficult to master. So, a tech may be able to apply them, but is the finished product going to be good - or excellent? That depends on the skill level, and expertise of the technician in applying UV gel, and also in part by the products she uses. There are good gels, there are excellent gels (lots more expensive to buy), and there are also - well, very poor quality gels (cheap to buy). It really makes a big difference which product line the nail tech is using in terms of the final results - what your finished nails look like, and how long they will last are two major factors determined mainly by the quality of the gels themselves, and also the skill of the tech as well.


Either way, regular maintenance is required for either acrylic, or gel nails. A full set of gel nails typically run in the range of $45-$85 - depending on a few variables. A full set of acrylics generally run about $48. This is the average cost for a full set of acrylic nails in the U.S. right now. Sure, you can go to some discount salon, and get a full set for like $25 or less, but I'll tell you this much - the quality of those nails will be nowhere as good as when done by a highly skilled tech using top quality products. With nails, you get what you pay for. You pay for cheap nails, you will get cheap nails. Simple as that.


I hope this helps to answer your question!


Edit: I beg to differ with the other answer. Gels are NOT easier to apply, nor are they quicker to apply. This is not true at all. Sure, just about any tech can slop on gel and simply apply it like nail polish, but the end result will be very flat, odd looking nails. You always need to create a well structured nail, which of course includes building a properly formed apex. This is essential for both strength, and also to create natural looking nails. Flat nails are not pretty to look at, nor do they have any strength, and will result in premature service breakdown just about every time. This same principle applies to acrylic nails. Creating properly structured nails is always a key element with any type of nail enhancements! And fiberglass wraps are not strong at all. In fact, they are very weak compared to either gel, or acrylic nails. I will agree that they look realistic, but they are only recommended for people with weak and/or brittle nails. People who are rough with their hands will find them breaking apart into pieces quickly. Besides that, wraps are cyanoacrylate based. And this chemical - which is the main ingredient in super glue, is not water resistant. Water will dissolve these nails somewhat easily when exposed to it for extended periods of time.This same reaction does not occur with gel, or acrylic nails because they are not cyanoacrylate based nail enhancements.What's the difference between l%26amp;p, acrylic and gel nails?
Flexibility mainly.





Acrylic are generally the least expensive.





Gel are the quickest and easiest to do but I would avoid them unless you are very gentle with your nails as they aren't as strong as acrylic and cost a bit more.





Fiberglass are the most expensive but look most realistic (thin) and are extremely strong. They are also relatively quick to fill.





I was a nail tech for 2 years in a high-end salon.


Hope this helps =)