Acrylic Nail Polish
Long, shapely nails are on the wish list of every woman who cares a lot about the beauty of her hands. However, not everyone can successfully grow fingernails to the desired length and maintain them. Often, soft, brittle nails break easily and can result in lot of physical and mental pain. Maintaining long fingernails is indeed challenging with a demanding lifestyle that forces you to use your hands for numerous things. For those women (and some men as well!) who find it impossible to grow their fingernails, acrylic nails are turning out to be a blessing. Not only you can flaunt your long nails without bothering about breaking them, but you can also paint them in attractive colors with the help of acrylic nail polish.
Enamel Based
Acrylic nail polish is mostly made from enamel. Dry enamel acid is mixed with alcohol to get nail polish for acrylic nails. Tiny fibers or resins float in the enamel mixture. A special solvent then evaporates, thereby curing the resin through oxidation. A tough, flexible fiber based color is left behind as a result of the chemical reaction. Enamel based acrylic color has given rise to certain environmental concerns, due to the hazardous nature of enamel. Moreover, enamel based nail polish is a bit tough to get off your nails.
Water Based
Water based acrylic nail polish was formulated way back in 2003. Due to the environmental threat posed by the enamel based nail polish, it was soon replaced by water based nail polish. The water based formula is called acrylic polymer emulsion. Similar to enamel based, it also contains tiny resins, which suspend freely in water solution. When applied on acrylic nails, part of water gets evaporated, whereas the remaining part of water gets absorbed in the fingernail. As a result, a strong polish is left behind due to the fusion of the resins. Water based polish dries fast and is easy to remove as it peels off completely.
How to Apply Acrylic Nail Polish
Although, you can get the job done at salon or nail bar, you might end up spending a lot more than you intend to. Also, the job is very time-consuming at a salon. Hence, the best option is to paint your acrylic nails yourself. To start with, remove any old nail polish from your acrylic nails. Always use an acetone free nail polish remover for the job. Next, file the top portion of your nails with a nail file. As the nail polish remover might make your acrylic nails rough and sticky, it is important to buff them. Using a 4 sided nail buffer, start working on rough sides to remove thickness. Apply the nail polish in the same manner as your natural nails. There is no need for a base coat, as acrylic nails hold the polish in a better way. Complete the paint in three strokes for each nail. Apply a second coat, once the first coat dries completely. Although, nail polish is less likely to chip off the acrylic nails, you may apply a top coat to seal it and add shine.
Reviews
Since you are likely to get your first acrylic nail job done at a salon, the nail expert will recommend you a brand by studying your nails. Ideally, you should stick to the brand that you start with. Currently, Avon, OPI, Sally Hansen are some leading brands that deal in acrylic nail polish.
Acrylic nail polish may be slightly more expensive than your usual nail polish. However, it is a sure shot method to ensure the beauty and health of your nails.
