Difference between gel, gel polish, acrylic gel and acrylic

July 4, 2024 Amber D'Halluin

Verschil tussen gel, gellak, acrygel en acryl

1. What is UV gel?

UV gel is a thick liquid substance used to create artificial nails. It hardens under the UV radiation of a UV/LED lamp. UV gel provides a reinforcement of the natural nails. It is an ideal product for women with thin, short and brittle nails, but also for women who want long nails.

1.1 Advantages

With UV gel you can extend your natural nail plate.
Gel nails stay beautiful on the nails for three to four weeks.

1.2 Disadvantages

Removing gel nails takes some time.
Gel must be cured in a UV/LED lamp.

2. What is gel polish?

Gel polish is becoming increasingly popular in the nail world. It is a manicure that lasts on your nails for 2 to 5 weeks. Gel polish has a more runny consistency compared to other nail products. It can be compared to nail polish, except that gel polish needs to be cured in a nail lamp which gives it a longer durability.

2.1 Advantages

Gel polish lasts on your nails for up to five weeks.
Gel polish nails look very natural.

2.2 Disadvantages

The cost is a bit higher than regular nail polish.
Gel polish nails are less durable than other nail products.

3. What is acrylic?

Acrylic is a polymer (acrylic powder) that you combine with a monomer (acrylic liquid). Acrylic nails harden automatically thanks to the oxidation process (under the influence of air). It takes 48 hours for acrylic nails to fully harden, after which they get their final shape and shine. One of the most well-known characteristics of acrylic is that it has an exceptional strength and resistance to external damage.

Acrylic nails are best for people with nails that are prone to cracking, damage and bumps. It is also suitable for people who have short nails.

3.1 Benefits

Acrylic nails are very durable and have high resistance.
Acrylic nails can be soaked, which makes removal easier.

3.2 Disadvantages

Acrylic has a very intense and unpleasant odor.
To be able to perform an acrylic manicure you need to have a lot of practice.

4. What is acrylic gel ?

Acrylic gel is one of the latest evolutions in the nail world. It is a completely new formula that combines the flexibility of gel and the durability of acrylic. Polygel is used to extend, build and model nails.

4.1 Benefits

It combines the flexibility of gel and the durability of acrylic.
You can continue modeling, acrylic gel only hardens under the lamp.

4.2 Disadvantages

If applied incorrectly, acrylic gel causes heat spikes.
Polygel nails are a bit more expensive than other treatments.

5. What is the difference between these nail products?

One of the biggest differences is that acrylic does not harden under the lamp, unlike gel, polygel and gel polish. With each nail product you need a different brush, except for gel polish. Gel polish comes in a jar with a brush. Gel polish has a runny consistency, unlike other nail products, so you have to model much less or not at all.

6. Summary

Which method to choose? My preference would be polygel, because polygel contains the most important properties of gel and acrylic. Which increases the durability of the manicure. What you should choose is difficult to determine, this all depends on your personal preference. For someone who prefers natural nails without a curve, gel polish is ideal. Gel, acrylic and polygel are perfect for people with brittle and short nails. By using these methods you can easily extend your natural nails.