How are artificial nails made
The most popular form of nail decoration today is artificial nails, which give the wearer an aesthetic look. However, only a few people know how exactly artificial nails are made, and what are the supplies needed to make them at home. From this post, you can learn how and what tools are needed to make your artificial nails, whether you make them yourself at home or want to follow the creative process in the salon.
What will this post be about?
How artificial nails are made?
What do you need to make artificial nails?
Artificial nail construction tools
Time of artificial nail construction
Artificial nails with tip
How artificial nails are made?
Artificial nails can basically be made with two techniques, tip or construction.
Built-up artificial nails are more common because they are much stronger, more durable and machinable. Built-up artificial nails can be made out of gel or acrylic, which are applied to the templates used as base. The template provides a base for shaping and lengthening the nail during construction, as it can be shaped and cut as desired.
A fundamental difference between the two types is that gel artificial nail is prefabricated material that dries to UV light after application. During the construction of gel artificial nails, every layer applied should bind under the UV lamp, including the last cover coat as well.
In contrast to that, in the case of building an acrylic artificial nail, two components, the acrylic powder and liquid, are mixed, which are applied to the nails with a brush and molded with the template or freehand. It is important to know that acrylic binds to the air, so it is worth working precisely and quickly.
In both methods, the preparation processes also play an important role, as this establishes the durability of the artificial nail and prevents the possible damage and contamination of the natural nails. The preparation also includes cleaning the nails, restoring the cuticle and removing the adhering skin, filing, disinfecting and degreasing.
To learn more about the differences between gel and acrylic artificial nails, read my post on the subject!
What do you need to make artificial nails?
To make artificial nails , you need different types of ingredients and tools:
Preparation
For the proper cleaning and preparation of your nails, you’ll need the following materials:
- Disinfectant liquid, for the removal of contaminations
- Skin solvent liquid, for the removal of adherent skin
- Primer, for the protection of your nails and for long-lasting adhesion
Decorating, polishing
The materials are needed for decoration and lacquering depends on the technique used.
What you need for gel artificial nail building:
- Base gel to strengthen the artificial nail, with which you can increase its durability
- Building gel
- Cover gel that seals the artificial nail and forms a protective layer on its surface
- Colored gel for decorating and bright colors
What you need for acrylic artificial nail building:
- Building acrylic powder
- Liquid
- Colored acrylic powder
The powder and liquid must be mixed in the right proportions to achieve the correct shape and effect.
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Artificial nail construction tools
If you want to build artificial nails for yourself or someone else at home, you should get the following accessories. The better the quality, the easier it is to work with them.
Preparation tools:
- Cuticle pusher, for pushing back the cuticle and the nail bed
- 180 file
- Dusting brush
- Cuticle scissors
- Nail prep preparation fluid
- Primer
Tools needed for the construction of artificial nails:
- Template, that used as a base during construction
- Template cutting scissors
- Acrylic or gel brush
- UV/LED lamp, if you use gel
- Non-fibrous wipes for materials that require fixation, such as gel
- Silk fiber to correct any mistakes or reinforce stress points
- A harder and a lighter file
- In the case of acrylic nails, a buffer and a polisher
Time of artificial nail construction
As with everything, artificial nail building can be developed best and fastest through practice and gaining experience. The completion time of artificial nail construction depends on the length, shape, technique and possible decoration. In general the construction of simpler, shorter artificial nails is about 1.5-2 hours, while longer, more extreme, decorated nails can be prepared for up to 3-3.5 hours.
Artificial nails with tip
Nowadays only a few people choose this technique, it used to be popular in the past.
In the case of tip artificial nails, prefabricated plastic forms are glued to the natural nails and decorated. You can choose from different types and length of forms. However, tip artificial nails are difficult to work with. Furthermore, if the gluing is not precise, they are less durable, can break off easily, and can damage the layer of natural nails when removed.
