DIY acrylic nails may sound some work, but practice should ease things quite a bit. To get started, you would need some drugstore supplies and patience. Before rolling, it’s important to learn what the risks are and get educated about other related aspects.
Purchasing Acrylic Nail Supplies
An acrylic nail setup should come in handy if doing acrylic nails for the first time. The nail kit comprises everything you require to start and also comprises detailed instructions that help attain the desired look. Ensure you buy a monomer that doesn’t contain methyl methacrylate (MMA), which is essentially a dental acrylic that’s comes too hard on a natural nail. The ingredient to look for is ethyl methacrylate (EMA). Also, it’s always safe to buy a kit recommended by most people.
Supplies Should Be Purchased Separately
Supplies must be bought separately if you’d like to have more control on how your acrylics look. This should also help when trying to reapply acrylic post the nails grow out. The supplies required are nail tips and glue, clippers and files, acrylic liquid and powder, and acrylic brush and acrylic bowl. Since there are strong chemicals at play, it’s always safe to practice application on something that won’t get hurt. The first 10 tries, at least, should be on a training hand or finger. Once the application doesn’t spread to the skin anymore, it means one is ready for serious application.
Getting the Nails Ready
Acrylic must be applied to nails that are clean and devoid of any layers, such as nail polish. If the fingernails already have nail polish on them, an oil-free, acetone-based polish remover can help clear the canvas. Trimming the nails, buffing them, pushing back the cuticles, and using nail primer are other things that help get the nails ready.
Acrylic Application
The tip should fit the nail perfectly. If it doesn’t, it must be filed down. Minimal glue must be used to ensure there’s no contact with the skin. The acrylic mixture can be applied with the acrylic brush. Once done, the acrylic should be left to dry. The drying process should not take more than 10 minutes.
Finishing
The finishing aspect entails shaping the tips using a nail file, and painting the nails or applying a coat of clear or coloured nail polish. Maintenance is key as well. The nails would typically grow out after a couple of weeks. At this stage, one could opt to remove the acrylic or reapply it. In case the nails are yellow or green or look unhealthy, acrylic application is not recommended. Remember, nail conditions such as fungus will not go away and warrant treatment.
