Q&A With My Nail Tech

On Wednesday last week I posed a question on my Instagram stories: what are your questions about getting your nails professionally done? Below are all of the questions you all asked and my nail techs answers! Her name is Caity and you can find her on instagram at @nails.by.caity . She works at Honey Comb Salon and Spa here in Eugene! If you’re local go give them a look and maybe book them for your next manicure or hair cut!

I hope you enjoy!

Q: I’ve never gotten my nails professionally done, what should I know before coming in?

A: I guess I would just say know what is is your wanting, like if you want length added to your nails or if your just wanting like a basic manicure but that being said, that is actually something that your nail tech should go over with you as a first time nail client before the service even gets started. If you’ve never had your nails done before thats something that your nail tech should go over with you. Definitely know if you are wanting length added because it will take that nail tech more time. Like adding length with tips or hard gel or acrylics. 

Q: How do you know if the nail salon is hygienic?

A: That’s actually a really good question. If you see little jars that say “barbacide” on them or a lot of nail salons will use a lot of plastic containers that have things called cabicide, that have high level/low level disinfectants in them, and if you see those then you know that your nail tech is disinfecting their implements and tools. If you look around and see if its dusty, or really dirty looking, then its probably not all that clean. Granted, there will be some nail dust  because nail techs just make a lot of dust, but as long as that table is looking like it is being wiped off and wiped down, you know look at the floors and make sure the floors look clean. And then look at the implements, and if they look like they have dirt on them, then they probably do. Those are the biggest things I look for when I got get my nails done somewhere. 

Q: What is the difference between, gel, dip, and then a hard gel?

A: So a hard gel is very similar to an acrylic other than it is an odorless product, and a product used to create enhancements to the nails, things like forms and or tips to create that length to the nail. A gel manicure is just an un-sumdgable polish that goes on and then is cured by light. Dip is kind of as if gel and acrylic had a baby. It’s like the by-product of that. Its a powdered polish that goes over your nail and is chip proof. Sometimes it is cured by the light if they use a gel top coat, or it can be cured by air if they use a dip top coat. Either one is perfectly acceptable, it’s just the nail techs preference. If you are someone who has very sensitive nails, a gel is better because it is more of a flexible product, verse dip or even hard gel, which is more of a dense product, a little heavier. So if you’re not used to it, gel is a better way to go. If you have thin brittle nails, I strongly urge dip, just because it does make your nails so much stronger and healthier as long as it is removed properly. If you are picking it off, or peeling it off then its not going to do anything for you. 

Q: How do you know which one is best for you? 

A: Personal preference. But your nail tech should also be able to answer that for you. Like if you say you have thin nails, then I would personally never recommend a gel to someone because its a waste fo their money, its probably not going to stay on and its not going to give them what they are looking for. But it mostly is a personal preference on whether you are wanting that length added or not, whether you have thin or weak nails. I have some clients that do gel manicures and they stay on beautifully and I have others that goes on and peals off a day later, so they would be more a of a dip candidate. 

Q: I have super weak nails, can I sill get gel manicures?

A: Yeah you absolutely can, just be aware that it is probably going to be more likely to peel on you and will not give you the strength you are looking for. A gel manicure isn’t really going to add any strength to your nail, but it is going to be a chip proof, longer lasting, polish. But they dip would be better if you have thin, weaker nails it adds strength and its also a chip proof, long lasting polish look. 

Q: Does gel actually harm your nails? Is it safer than any other ones? 

A: Well yes and no. Gel and dip is going to be safer just because you are not breathing in the monomer that is used to cure acrylic. Acrylic can harm your nails if it is a bad acrylic that is being used. There is different types of acrylic; if it is an MMA acrylic then it is going to cause damage to your nails. If it is not an MMA acrylic and you are going to a very reputable nail salon like “Laqured Up”(thats where we send everyone for acrylic). They use good quality acrylic that isn’t going to hurt your nails. What can hurt your nails is how the nail tech is prepping your nails. If they are going to deep, that’s going to cause some damage. The other thing that can damage your nails is peeling off anything, whatever it is you put on. Peeling it off, I’m just going to make up these numbers, let’s say you have 100 layers on your nails. Peeling anything off takes 25 layers off. So a quarter of your nail is getting peeled off whenever you peel product off, even regular nail polish. That is what causes the damage, not the actual product on your nails, unless it is a bad acrylic. 

Q: So there are a lot of articles out in the world about the curing light being dangerous……

A: It is no more dangerous than walking around outside with your hands in the  sunshine. Essentially you hands are in it for a grand total of 4 minutes, pretty sure you spend more than 4 minutes outside in the sun everyday. Once every two weeks, it will not hurt you.

Q: Acrylic vs. hard gel?

A: Totally personal preference, as long as the acrylic being used is good acrylic. If it is the crappy acrylic you are getting at the mall, it’s not going to be good for you. If it is good acrylic from a reputable nail salon, it wild no more damage than a hard gel. What it also comes dow too is how oily your nails are, and then it’s just trial and error which one is going to be better for you. If one is lifting super easily and quickly, then the other would be a better option for you. 

Q: How do you know if you are overpaying for a manicure?

A: Thats a good question. If the nail tech just kind of slaps product on you and send you on your way. A lot of places places won’t give you lotion and a massage afterwards, but then your only paying $20 for it, that would be acceptable. But if you are paying $30 for a manicure, I would expect lotion and cuticle oil afterwards and pushing and trimming your cuticles. If you are paying that much and they are just slapping product on there and sending you on your way, you are overpaying. 

Q: What are some things you can do to get your nails stronger?

A: Your nails are only going to get stronger from the inside, just like your hair. To make your nails grow it’s what is going inside; good skin, hair, and nails vitamin. I personally like the one from Safeway, I think its called Natures Bounty, they are little pink gummies. Hydration; kind of like with everything else, if you are drinking enough water everything else is going to be healthier. And then when your nails are done, don’t pick them. Well, don’t them in general but thats whats going to help them get stronger. If you are picking you nails, they are never going to get healthy. 

I hope this was helpful and if you have any other questions, leave them in the comments below and I’ll pose them to my nail tech!

Madey