There are a LOT of different types of products and brands out there that do slightly different things.

It’s up to you what nails you want to have, but it’s down the the professionals to know which products will suit your specific needs.

Nail talk can get confusing if you don’t know the difference between your UV’s and LED’s, acrylics and hard gels and your soak-able soft gels. I’ve tried to make it easier for you to see which services are on offer in my studio… ready??

Extensions

These are perfect if you want to leave the nail studio with longer nails than when you walked in. You choose the length. Anything from Extra long nails to feeling fancy to juuust long enough to stop biting your nails.

Introducing…(*DRUM ROLL PLEASE*)

Après Gel-X - These are a thin but strong nail that is shaped and fitted on top of your natural nail. They are set with gel and an LED light. This way of doing extensions has been around since 2015 so it’s pretty new and it’s my favourite. It’s quick, it’s beautiful and it’s easy to remove. They are soaked off with nail wraps after 4ish weeks and a fresh set is applied every time you have them done.

Acrylic - There is no strength in the tips that are applied with these, so this is why they also need something on top to make them strong. These are created using a liquid and powder mix which sets hard and will keep those extensions from breaking too quickly. These can also be known as “DIP” but it’s still acrylic and powder, my friends! You can read more about them here.

BIAB Gel (Builder In A Bottle) Gel - This does a similar job to acrylic but it is cured (or set) with an LED lamp. They are rebalanced every 3-4 weeks. They can be easily soaked off with nail wraps when you want to remove them. I always recommend by a pro (especially the first time) but incase of emergencies, home removal is fine. Both acrylic and BIAB gel are soak off but BIAB takes 20 minutes, whereas acrylic can take much longer.

BIAB doesn’t have the chemical smell during application.

It’s toxic-chemical-free.

Not tested on animals.

Win win win

Overlays

This is when acrylic or BIAB Gel is applied over the natural nail length, without an extension.

BIAB Gel is my new favourite for these. It provides a stronger layer over the natural nail to prevent breakages. It’s perfect if you want to grow your natural nails but they’re not strong enough on their own. Shellac or TGB (The Gel Bottle) colour gel can then be applied over the top for long lasting colour. Add a sprinkling of nail art and you, my friend, are living your best life.

After 2-3 weeks, a rebalance is needed (when I freshen up the shape, length, regrowth and colour).

Shellac Manicure

Shellac is a brand of soft (soak-off) gel. Who hasn’t got time to let their nails dry? Who would like to see their nail colour last longer than a week? Who want’s their nail art to last as long as it can? Who doesn’t need extensions or overlays? If you thought YES to any of these then this is for you. I would recommend using Shellac allllll ddaaaayyyyy over nail paint.

You can read more about it here.

Manicure with Nail Paint

Ahhh, the classic, the OG, the best friend we have all had by our side since before we can remember. A fresh lick of paint after some nail shaping and cuticle work is enough to give us a boost sometimes, and you can easily remove it yourself at home. Nail art can also be added with nail paint, no problem, but it will only last UP TO a week before chipping.

Living day to day using these hands of ours can cause the colour to chip or to wear away at the tips.

Some nails pop off and some nails break.

It’s ok. They grow back. They can be fixed. They’re tough little things.

*Click here if you want some tips on making them last*

I take as much pride in doing your nails as much as you take pride in showing them off. I want you to have healthy nails as well as using the latest, most efficient nail products and systems on them. Let’s see what we can do…