What the Difference in Fake Nail Types

I can speak for silk/linen wraps vs. acrylics since I've had both. This is a layperson's (customer's) explanation, not a professional's!

With acrylics, the acrylic material is actually a sort of liquid plastic that is applied to either your nails or your nails + plastic tips (if your natural nails are very short). The acrylic bonding dries nice and hard, creating a smooth, strong surface for painting.

Silk or linen wraps are these little square pieces of material that are glued to your natural nails (or nails + tips). Then glues &/or gels are applied on top of the wraps, creating a strong, smooth surface for painting.

I find acrylics much easier and more economical than the wraps. One of the main reasons is that the wraps need to be soaked off and changed every eight weeks, where the acrylics don't: my nail guy just pops them off as needed, when needed. Some weeks none get changed, some weeks only one or two. But never a complete set change like with wraps (and that used to cost me $70 every eight weeks). And the wraps HURT when they are pulled off.

My nail guy tends not to charge me for changing an acrylic, because really there's nothing "new" being applied. Some old acrylic material is being popped off, and the new stuff is painted on, same as it would be if the acrylic wasn't being "changed". So in that regard, it's much much cheaper than wraps. I pay about $21 a visit, no matter what is going on. I go every two weeks. When I had wraps, I paid about $25 every two weeks, then $70 once every eight weeks. Ouch!

I also find that the acrylic filling process is easier and faster.

Wraps tend to pop up more than acrylics, in my experience.

In general, I've enjoyed the whole manicure experience a heck of a lot more since I switched to acrylics. And it's faster! I spend about 45 minutes in the chair now, vs. an hour or more (closer to two when wraps were being changed!)

I would be interested in hearing about others' experiences with the different materials. Good topic!

I've worn both acrylic and silk tips. It's true that acrylic is cheaper, but personally I find that silk looks so much more natural and beautiful than the acrylic. Acrylics, to me, usually look fake, but my silk nails looked totally natural. The experience and expertise of the nail technician can make a huge difference, as well.

agreed with above post.

I really like UV Gel nails!! Unfortunately, in my area (near D.C.), they cost $60 for a full set and $40 for fills. I couldn't afford to keep that up, so I went back to natural.

The UV Gels are different from either silks or acrylics. A different kind of stuff (the liquid that gets brushed on) is applied to either your nails or nails+tips, then you put your fingers under an ultr-violet (UV) light while the stuff hardens. The UV light actually feels like it is burning your fingernails so it is kind of uncomfortable.....BUT, the result are nails that are ultra strong and thin enough to be mistaken for natural and they shine like clear glass even when unpolished!!

When I get promoted at work and start making a little more money, I will probably go back to UV Gels :)

I've tried silk wraps too and I could see little lines in my nails from the fiber and I was always breaking them. I won't do those again....