Happy Tuesday, fam! Into my adult life here, I have been pretty consistent with getting my nails done once a month. It’s something I value as part of my “self-care”, plus you guys are really into my nail pictures so I’m here for that, too. I always feel SO much more put together when I have my nails done. I switch back and forth all the time between acrylic and gel nails, and I’ve had a few questions regarding which is better for your nails, what the difference is, etc. SO. I’m going to answer all your questions and share the pros and cons of each. Let’s dive into this.


Gel Nails vs Acrylic Nails: The Pros & Cons

Gel Nails vs Acrylic Nails: The Pros & Cons

Gel Nails

What are Gel nails?

Gel nails are a way of “curing” nail polish with UV light to extend the life of the nail polish. Two to three layers of gel nail polish are applied with each layer being set under the UV lamp. The nail is filed and polished according to the client. They guarantee up to 2 weeks of chip-free nail polish. 

Pros & Cons:

Pros: Gel nails are your natural nails. They are just a different type of polish. You don’t add any extension to your nails, and you don’t have to file down your actual nail bed. Gel nails have a more natural and glossy finish than regular polish. Unlike with acrylics, there is typically no damage done to the nail bed at all once you remove the polish. Gel nails are flexible with your regular nails and can easily be removed at home.

Cons: Because there is UV light involved, there are some concerns about premature aging skin and skin cancer. While there have been no studies stating this directly, it is something to think about. Gel is not as strong as acrylic, and gel nails are sometimes prone to peeling sooner than acrylic nails would. They also tend to fade and crack more easily at the tip of your nails because of the flexibility. If you get an inexperience tech, you can end up with bumpy and thick nails. Gel nails should not be thick OR bumpy at all.

Gel Nails vs Acrylic Nails: The Pros & Cons

Gel Nails vs Acrylic Nails: The Pros & Cons

Acrylic Nails

What are Acrylic nails?

Acrylics are by far the most popular artificial nail. They are a combination of liquid and powder that dries to create a hard, protective layers on top of your natural nail. A nail tip is applied to extend the nail length and then painted with nail polish to cover the artificial tip and nail bed.

Pros & Cons:

Pros: They are very popular and have been around for ages. Most nail salons will offer this service (called a “full set”). Many technicians are highly experienced in acrylics so it isn’t difficult to find a good salon. The biggest PRO of acrylic nails are their extreme durability. Acrylics are so strong, and they have, by far, less cracks, breaks and lifting because of their resiliency. They also give you the option to extend your natural nail length if you find it difficult to grow your own nails to a desirable length.

Cons: If you are working with an inexperienced tech, they can be very thick and bulky, and as a result, look unnatural on your nails. They are also extremely difficult to remove without damaging your nails. This means you either have to keep up with refills every 2-3 weeks or go through the 4-6 month grow out period of your damaged natural nails. 

So…which is better?

In my experience, they both cost about the same. So in terms of price, they’re pretty much equal. I pay around $40-45 with tip at my nail salon either way. I go back and forth all the time between Acrylic and Gel and I like them both. Gel nails definitely do not damage my nails nearly as much as acrylics. I always have nail peeling and nail bed damage after removing my acrylic nails, and I don’t have that with gel nails. However, I don’t always mind because I love the look of long, beautiful nails. 

My typical solution is to do acrylics for special occasions, and then gels in between. It keeps my nails looking pretty and the gel covers up the grow out period of my nails from the acrylics so you can’t really tell. It seems to work just fine for me and once my nails grow out, they aren’t any worse for wear. 

What it basically comes down to is your personal preference. MOST people are opting for gel nails nowadays because they aren’t long, there is no damage and you don’t have to refill them to keep them looking nice – you just remove and get a new color!

Gel Nails vs Acrylic Nails: The Pros & Cons

Gel Nails vs Acrylic Nails: The Pros & Cons

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Gel Nails vs Acrylic Nails: The Pros & Cons


Gel Nails vs Acrylic Nails: The Pros & Cons

I hope this has been super helpful in determining which direction you want to go with getting your nails done at the salon this time around. My sister and I are going this weekend for my birthday and am SO excited. I love getting them done and it’s always a lot of fun to have a girls day and feel pampered. I am probably going to go a natural gel color with some sparkle. That’s what I’ve been doing lately and it’s been a great way to help my nails grow out from Thanksgiving while still feeling festive. 🙂 Stay tuned on my IG stories this weekend to see which color I go with!

Do you like gel or acrylic? Let me know in the comments below!

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8 Comments

  1. I’m definitely a gel manicure kind of girl. I’ve gotten acrylics once and I just didn’t like the way they looked on my fingers, and I hated that bulky feeling on my nails too. Gel lasts longer than just regular nail polish anyway so that’s good enough for me!

  2. I’ve never been a fan of acrylics. With gel nails I have a love-hate relationship. But I do love how long lasting they are. 🙂

    Xx, Nailil
    thirtyminusone.com

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