You want a quality manicure, and if you leave it to the professionals, you want to get your hard-earned money's worth, right? First you have to decide what kind of manicure you want. Nails have gone beyond fake vs. real. Do you want a relaxing, spa-like experience while getting your nails done, or do you simply want nice-looking hands quickly and cheaply? If it's the latter, then you can go to most any walk-in nail salon. A higher-end spa would offer more luxurious treatments, such as paraffin coatings, which moisturize skin, or hot stone manicures, which massage and revitalize hands. If you have weak nails that just don't seem to grow, then you may opt for tips. The technician will glue long tips onto the tops of your fingernails and clip and file them to the length and shape you prefer. From there, she will apply an overlay. There are a couple of types of overlays to choose from - they've evolved from only the nail-damaging acrylics. While acrylic overlays are available, so are gel overlays, which are thinner and less damaging to the nail bed when removed. Gel overlays are clear, so they allow the natural nail to show through, unlike acrylic overlays, which tend to be milky in color.
If you like French manicures, in which the tips of nails are white while the rest of the nail is pink or neutral-colored, then gel makes the color brighter and more natural. Gel is ideal for people whose natural nails may not be as strong as they'd like. The gel reinforces the natural nail, while making a manicure glossy and durable. There are a few down sides of having gel applied - they do tend to be more expensive than acrylics, and fewer technicians are trained to perform this new technique. A gel nail polish must be used, so it may be difficult to match a pedicure color to gel nails, not to mention making at-home touch-ups difficult. Both acrylic and gel nails require a technician to fill them about every 2-3 weeks, depending on nail growth. Nail a pretty look by knowing what you want out of your manicure.