Secrets of using acrylic powder to strengthen the nails

Acrylic powder is a product of the beauty industry, which will strengthen the nails, enhance them, make a permanent manicure with any type of design. Journalists interviewed the leading masters of nail art and learned all the advantages of this material, its disadvantages, types, features of application.

What is this material, how is it used in nail art

Acrylic powder is a synthetic, that is not a natural material. In fact, this is a powder made of plastic, from artificial polymers. Previously, this substance contained a very harmful component for the human body – methyl methacrylate. This substance contributed to allergic reactions, adversely affects the internal organs – kidneys, liver, CNS. In the modern production of acrylic powder methyl methacrylate replaced by another component, it is better and safer, or rather, almost harmless. This component is called ethyl methacrylate.

Acrylic powder, applied to the nail plate in a simple technique, protects the surface from the negative effects, promotes strengthening and growth, helps to form the correct shape or lengthen the nails.

What are the advantages of this product

Acrylic powder is a modern material for nail art and manicure,Which has a lot of advantages:

1. Using this material, a woman has the opportunity to have well-groomed hands. Nails even if they are done with nail extensions look as natural as possible.

2. Wide range of applications, versatility in solving a wide variety of problems.

3. Ease of use and application. Acrylic powder can be applied in a beauty salon, and in the nail bar, and at home with a private master, and independently – at home.

4. Remover is also easy, in the process the surface of the nail plate is not damaged.

5. Incredible choice of colors – from transparent to highly pigmented bright red and black. It gives an opportunity to realize any design, no matter how original it may be.

6. Sufficiently porous structure, which allows the nail plates to breathe under the dense polymer coating.

7. Protection of tissues from negative environmental factors – ultraviolet rays, dirt, frost, chlorinated water and household chemicals.

8. composition safe for nails. The use of acrylic powder does not cause allergic reactions, intoxications by chemicals or other complications in 95-97% of the visitors of beauty salons. Use this material for manicure can be used by women of any age, even teenagers and pregnant, breastfeeding moms. However, during pregnancy and lactation is desirable to do acrylic manicure is not on their own, and in the salon, after making sure that the master will use only high quality material with a safe composition.

9. The optimum consistency – the powder does not spread over the nail surface, does not block the lateral folds, does not flow on the cuticle, which not only spoils the appearance, but also reduces the quality and durability of manicure.

10. Increased strength of the material, which contributes not only to the protection of nails, but also extends the “life” of the manicure. Acrylic powder coating does not splinter, crack, delaminate or otherwise damage for a long time. Therefore, a woman can count on the fact that a manicure made with acrylic powder will last as long as necessary, and all this time will look great.

11. If acrylic powder is used, you can always repair or correct your manicure. If the surface of the polymer coating for some reason is damaged (cracked, chipped), you can make an appointment for correction and fix the defect.

12. As nails grow out, it is possible to carry out corrective measures, without removing the main layer of coverage. This allows the nails to be stressed less, and does not subject the nails to unnecessary stress.

13. To use acrylic powder, it is not necessary to have a special drying lamp. This distinguishes this material from shellac and gel-lac, which are also used to strengthen nails and manicure.

14. Acrylic powder consumption is very economical. Experts say that 20 grams of powder is enough to carry out 20 to 30 procedures to strengthen or build up nails. Half of this preparation is enough to make from 10 to 15 colored french.

15. The powder is available in packages of different volumes, which is very convenient from the economic side and in terms of comfort of use. Small jars are suitable for use at home, large – a great solution for salons with a large flow of clients.

16. Working with acrylic powder does not take much time. Curing, that is, the polymerization of the material is a matter of minutes, especially if you use a powder labeled high speed, which dries faster than others. However, to work with such a material must be very fast, it must be used by people with appropriate skills.

Disadvantages of the material

The disadvantages of acrylic powder are not too many, but you should be aware of them, deciding to use or not this material for manicure:

1. When working with some types of acrylic powder can produce a pungent, very unpleasant smell, which can even stupefy. Therefore, this substance should only be used in a well-ventilated room, and using a medical mask. However, today such products are found in the sale increasingly rare, they are actively replaced by acrylic powders that have a neutral odor.

2. This substance is quite expensive, which often discourages those wishing to make a manicure with acrylic coating. However, it is worth bearing in mind that one can of powder is enough for a long time, especially when it comes to manicure at home.

3. Work with diluted acrylic powder must be promptly, otherwise you can not do without the need to remake the result. The average curing time of acrylic mass – half a minute.

4. The acrylic mass can chip off the nail plate. However, the main reason for such trouble is the inexperience or negligence of the master who did the manicure.

5. Strengthening and nail extensions with acrylics can take a long time – about 1.5-2 hours. The duration of the procedure depends on the skill of the master and the complexity of finishing techniques. However, you should take into account that the procedure is carried out quite rarely – once every few weeks, so its duration should not cause much discomfort.

6. The nail plate can be traumatized during the removal of the material. This problem also occurs because of inexperience and lack of skill in handling abrasive tools and cutters.

No other disadvantages of acrylic powder, so it is widely used both in beauty salons and at home, making life more comfortable for women.

Types of acrylic material for strengthening nails and manicure

There are several types of acrylic powder, each of which finds its own application in manicure and nail care.The main types of this material:

1. Universal transparent powder. Such powder has a wide range of applications, but is mainly used to strengthen the nail plate, as well as to increase (lengthen) the natural nails. If we consider the function of transparent acrylic powder in decorative manicure, it is excellent for performing the technique French. In a transparent mass, you can add a variety of pigments, giving it the desired shade, varying the saturation of color. Additives such as glitter, rhinestones and other decorative elements can also be used. The finish of transparent powder can be both glossy and matte.

2. Camouflaging acrylic powder, usually flesh-colored, close to the natural shade. It is used mainly to cover up aesthetic defects, unevenness, and damages of nail plate structure. This material is slightly denser than the clear powder. But it has excellent plasticity, malleability, flexibility. It allows to strengthen the most weakened nail plates effectively.

3. Colored product – used to strengthen nails and at the same time for design, decoration.

4. Neon powder – used for decorative festive nail coating.

5. The preparation for performing the finishing coat. This material is used to give a manicure a complete look, to achieve the desired aesthetic effect, to give the coverage a gloss and luster. Such powder can be modeled well, it is easy and pleasant to work with, and is perfectly amenable to processing with professional tools.

Indications for use

Acrylic powderHelps to solve many problems with the condition of the nail plates:

1. Thin, brittle nails.

2. Unevenness of the nail plate, the presence of bumps or other defects.

3. Changes in the color of the nails, the appearance of partial pigmentation, stains.

4. Nails poorly hold any decorative coating, including durable, on the type of shellac.

5. Also acrylic powder can be used on healthy nails in order to perform nail art of any degree of complexity.

Contraindications for the use of acrylic powder

There are no special contraindications to the use of this material. Exceptions are cases of individual intolerance to the composition of the drug, as well as the presence of diseases of the nail plates, for example, fungus.

What is needed in order to use acrylic powder

Working with the product, as with any other nail art material, requires a specific set of tools. If you want to use the substance at home, you can buy a ready-made kit or buy what is listed below, separately.

A set of necessary tools and materials to work with acrylic powder:

1. Powder with the type of powder you want.

2. The liquid with which you need to dilute acrylic powder. It is called liquid and is a monomer containing plasticizers. The liquid does not change the original shade of the substance.

3. Nail primer and nail boner. Applying a primer will get a permanent coating, as well as eliminate microorganisms that live on the nails, prevent the development of fungal lesions on the nail plates. Primer can be acid or acid-free. The first is suitable if a woman often has sweaty hands. It has a drying effect. The second is used if the condition of the nails leaves much to be desired. It optimizes the structure of thin and sensitive nail plates. The boner will create a roughened surface, which will promote better adhesion of the materials.

4. A special brush that has a flat shape.

5. Molds for nail extension (if you plan to do such procedures).

6. Special files, buffs, which will be used as a material for grinding.

7. Liquid, which can be used to degrease the nail plates, prepare them thus for the application of acrylic powder. If the degreaser is not used, the adhesion (bonding) of the material to the nail surface will not be of sufficient quality.

8. It is important to buy all tools and materials exclusively from official outlets and verified sites. Otherwise, you can easily get a counterfeit, expired, just low-quality product, which will not give the desired effect and can be harmful to health.

How to use acrylic powder to strengthen the nails

To simply strengthen the nails without significantly changing the shape and size of the plates,You need to act in this sequence:

1. The day before the procedure you need to make a regular hygienic manicure. That is, wash your hands, trim the length of your nails, adjust the shape with a brush, trim the cuticle and keratinized tissue on the sides of your nails. Do not forget to disinfect the tools beforehand.

2. Degrease the surface with a special liquid or ordinary alcohol.

3. Apply a primer, which will improve the durability of the manicure.

4. Apply the base, you can use the one that is used in conjunction with the gel polish.

5. Take a sheet of paper, place your fingers over it. With a small spatula fill the powder and sprinkle it on the raw base coat. Dry this layer with an LED or UV lamp. Pour the rest of the crumbled powder back into the jar. The procedure can be carried out directly over the container with the powder, then you do not have to pour the powder over.

6. If necessary, if the nails are very weakened and brittle, you can make not one but several layers of acrylic powder. Afterwards, the surface is sanded and a pigmented finishing coat is applied.

7. The second, easier way to strengthen the nails, without using the lamp-dryer – to apply the acrylic mass (powder, diluted liquid) to the prepared surface, carefully smooth out, give the mass the desired shape. Then, when the substance hardens, polish it and cover it with a finish.

8. To strengthen the nails, it is not necessary to apply the material to the entire surface. In some cases, you can apply the preparation only on the free edge and side edges. So you can save powder and protect your nails if they tend to break all the time.

How to use this product for nail extensions

Acrylic powder can be used for nail extension, and the additional strengthening of nail plates will occur. However, in the process of building up, a little difficulty can arise. The fact that this material loses its plasticity in the air, that is, it dries out, which complicates all manipulations. Therefore, experts strongly recommend – before the first build-up, you need to practice on the layout and get the right experience, build up your hand.

Sequence of action for nail extensions with acrylic powder:

1. Wash your hands and do the usual hygienic manicure as described above (one day before the build-up).

2. Degrease the nail plates, let dry.

3. Apply nail primer, let dry in the air.

4. Apply a bonder (a preparation used to bind the natural nail and the artificial material), dry this layer with a drying lamp.

5. Pour a small amount of the fluid used to dissolve the acrylic powder into a small container. You can use a shot glass.

6. Fix the forms for nail plate extensions in the correct position.

7. Immerse the tip of the brush in the liquid, and then in the jar with the powder to draw a small amount of the substance.

8. Quickly apply the mixture to the surface of the nail, using a brush, distribute the substance evenly, including over the fixed form for extensions. All movements should be clear, as time for correction is limited, the acrylic mixture begins to thicken, harden.

9. Once the extension procedure is over, the form should be carefully removed and bring the nails to the desired shape with files and buff. Take off the inflated nails from acrylic powder can be by the method of sawing.

Possible options for removing acrylic manicure

If your nails are grown on, the preferred way to return them to their original state is to file them off. You can use regular abrasive nail files or resort to filing with a special machine.

If you used acrylic powder as a nail-strengthening coating, you can remove it by a shadier method – by soaking in a special solvent. You can saw off a thin layer of coating beforehand, so that the solvent will work faster. Then proceed as follows:

1. Take five cotton pads, cut each one in half.

2. Impregnate discs with a special acrylic dissolving liquid (can be bought in the same place where you bought the powder).

3. Apply one half of the disk to each nail, taking care that the absorbent cotton soaked in the liquid does not come into contact with the skin of the fingers.

4. Fix the discs with pieces of ordinary foil. Or use special nail tips for this purpose. Wait 10-20 minutes.

5. Remove one disc, treat the nail with a soft orange wand, removing the remnants of the product from the plate. Only after that you can proceed to clean the second nail and all the following. The nails waiting for treatment should be placed under the disc and foil (tip).

6. After the acrylic layer removal procedure is over, the hands should be washed, the cuticle and nails should be restored with a restorative.

Is it possible to extend the life of acrylic powder

Using acrylic powder to strengthen, build up or design and decorate nails is not cheap. Even if you carry out the procedure yourself, without going to a beauty salon. And the cost of services of a good specialist is even more. Therefore, women who often use acrylic powder for manicure, begin to wonder whether it is possible to somehow extend the time during which this protective-decorative material holds on the surface of nails. Indeed, gentle handling and care can contribute to the fact that the coating lasts much longer. What you can do:

1. Try not to expose the nails to any chemical or natural, but aggressive substances. If you wash the floor or dishes, wash with your hands, always use thick rubber gloves.

2. Do not expose the nail plates to mechanical impact. This means that you should not use your nails as a scratching tool or for other similar purposes.

3. Do not expose nail plates to sudden temperature changes. For example, you should not immerse your hands, which were in hot water, in ice water, otherwise the acrylic coating can crack.

By following these simple guidelines, you don’t have to worry about your acrylic manicure cracking or fading.

What is better to buy – the original or analogues

Specialists in manicure and nail art masters recommend, if financially possible, to buy products from well-known brands and in reputable stores. The products of such companies as Kodi, Irisk Professional, TNL, InGarden, RuNail, INM, EzFlow Nail Systems, CND will not cause any damage to your health and allow you to get a quality permanent result.

However, the products of these brands can be too expensive, not all women can allocate appropriate amounts from the family budget to spend them “on their nails”. In this case, you can consider buying an analogue of the original acrylic powder. This product can be ordered on a Chinese or Korean website. And even find options with free shipping, saving on this point as well. However, making such a purchase, you risk buying not just a cheaper fake, but a product that can harm your nails and your body as a whole. The fact that in China, Korea, the dangerous methyl methacrylate is still used in the production of cosmetics. It is not banned in these countries. As a result, saving on the purchase of powder, you get an unpredictable effect and the risk of intoxication.

How to check the quality of the product if you doubt its safety:

1. Carefully read the information on the packaging, if it is written in a foreign language, you can use, for example, google-translator. Make sure you are not using any harmful products, especially methyl methacrylate.

2. Assess what acrylic powder smells like, there should not be a strong chemical smell.

3. Before using the material on your fingers, experiment with the layout. The substance should not spread or create bumps and lumps. If there is the slightest doubt, it is better to refuse to use such a product.

4. And still it is better to use the original products of the companies listed above. In the range of modern online stores beauty products can be found quite acceptable proposals in different price categories – from 200 to 1000 rubles for a bottle weighing 15-40 grams.

Feedback from users about acrylic powder

Acrylic powder and the appropriateness of its use to strengthen nails – one of the most discussed topics in the field of nail art. This product gets a lot of reviews, mostly contradictory and ambiguous. Acrylic fans, as well as masters who prefer to work with this material, claim that the nail plates are well protected, acrylic-based manicure holds excellent, built-up nails have a natural flexibility and at the same time increased strength. Additional positive feedback arises from the fact that the manicure can be corrected without having to remove the previously applied material completely.

Negative comments are mainly concerned with such things:

1. Under the dense coating, pathogens multiply, there is a high probability of infection with a fungal disease.

2. The acrylic material strengthens the nails, but in the process of its removal, which is carried out by quite aggressive methods, the tissue is damaged and they need some time to rest and recover. That’s why you can’t get a new manicure or wear long nails for a couple of weeks after removing the permanent coverage.

3. Acrylic powder is often counterfeited, as the product is very popular. In addition, if you get a manicure in the salon or nail bar, it is not always possible to control the quality and safety of materials used.

As you can see, both fans and defenders of this material have significant arguments in defense of their opinion. You have to weigh all the pros and cons, and, if so, to experiment with the substance at home or to book a procedure in a beauty salon.