Nails enhancement using nail forms

Artificial nails on forms or still on tips? Which one is better? Acrylic or gel? These questions are most often asked by clients. In this article I will try to explain the difference between these concepts and methods for those who are outside of the nail industry, but need some advices to make a right choice for themselves.
Well-groomed and beautiful nails nowadays are like business card for women. But what if we haven't been born with beautiful and strong nails? First of all, nail artist should answer main questions, explaining to customers what procedures are available for nail enhancement, which technique is preferable in each individual case.
But it is unlikely to find an unequivocal answer to that question. Because each artist has its own experience and point of view, based on a daily practice and developed skills.

Basically, artificial nails can only be gel or acrylic. But modeling can be done in two ways:

• Using nail tips;
• Using nail forms.

Nail Tip is an artificial part of the nail, the durability of which depends on the quality of the glue, the quality of the plastic and material that is used for overlay.
Most importantly – tips should be of a very good quality, plastic should be flexible, elastic, and fit well to the nail (it is very important for the sides formation of the artificial nail).
Tips also should have a minimum contact zone (zone that sticks directly to the natural nail). Besides, nail tips from different manufacturers have different arch (c-bend) – it also should be considered when choosing tips for the client. Natural nails can be flat or convex, may be curved (so-called cat nails) or straight, tips also vary in color – transparent, milk or white (french-tips).
There are also tips for toenails. And of course, among diversity of the natural nails types and variety of tips, it is very difficult for a nail artist to keep a huge arsenal of different tips that will fit to any customer and to any type of the natural nail. That is why paper forms are an ideal solution to this problem. Forms can be reusable – made of thin metal and disposable (paper). Nail artist can choose among variety offered from different manufacturers.

Of course tips have differences:

• Hardness (density).
• Tackiness.
• Contact zone size.

Nail forms also can be different based on natural nail shape:

• Square – designed for the nails with a strong straight stress line, flat wide nails, trapezoidal nails;
• Oval – for narrow, long natural nails, with overgrown inner hyponychium;
• Universal – suitable for standard nails. Commonly used among nail artists. Nail artist can easily cut and shape universal forms for oval or square natural nails.

It is certainly more difficult to adjust reusable forms compare to paper forms. They are only used for standard nails with no obvious disadvantages. If you do not prune the form, we will create discomfort and pain clients. As we can’t cut it, it might bring some discomfort to a client with not standard nails.
Certainly, nail forms have a lot of advantages:

• It perfectly fit under the natural nail;
• No glue required (glue can be washed away with water which badly affect durability of the nails);
• Nails are modeled with gel or acrylic, perfectly continuing the growth of the natural nails. So artificial nails will be durable and look very natural;
• Nail artist can create any length and any shape of the nails;
• Arches are done effortlessly. To do the same with tips you need to have a very flexible nail tips and spend a lot of time to make it thin, bendable and amenable.

All types of non-classical forms like Stiletto, Pipe, Edge, Bridget and others can be created only using nail forms. When the nail artist can masterly create acrylic nails on forms (video) or gel nails, it will save a lot of time both for him and the client giving a greater opportunity for modeling without spending extra money.
Which option to select for nail modeling in each particular case depends on the shape of the natural nails and desired shape and length. Basically, nails modeled on the forms look more natural.
And such nails are more durable than those made on tips, as technique allows to "hide" the thickness in the nail architecture without making nails look bulky.
It is unprofitable to buy tips. Modern materials for modeling (gel and acrylic system) are more flexible, durable, and have wider range of features compared to its predecessors. Gels, which were brought to Russia in the early 90s were very liquid, it was impossible to model strong nails without the tips. It was only possible to overlay tips, not to create a solid architecture of the nail.
Acrylics, in its turn, were very loose, brittle, and not flexible. Polymerization time was too short for nail artist to be able to make beautiful nails on forms where you need flexible materials.

Over the past decade, acrylic composition has been significantly improved: harmful components (such as methyl methacrylate) are replaced by harmless ones (ethyl methacrylate), besides components for color stabilizers and elasticity were added.
The modeling technique has also changed and professionally done acrylic nails can hardly be distinguished from the natural. Acrylic is a versatile material, which works perfectly with any nails, allowing removal of any defects while modeling in minutes.
Acrylic nails are very durable; nail artist can easily satisfy any desire of the client. They rarely break down, and usually perfectly stay on the nails for around 4-6 weeks.  In addition, besides of classic modeling, acrylic allows to create various designs that enthrall fashionistas who want to stand out of the crowd.
Nail plate is a keratinized porous part of the skin. Gel and acrylic are also porous materials, so they are completely combinable with the nail plate.
In contrast to common misconception, acrylic and gel does not "seal" the nail and do not prevent penetration of necessary elements, as the nail is fed in the growth zone called matrix, and artificial material doesn’t touch that zone.
Some nail artists confuse the definition and composition of gels and acrylics. Basically, acrylic and gel are monomers; the polymer – is the result of polymerization. Polymerization (curing process) – is the process which convert monomers into polymers under the influence of UV light or chemical substance.

Nail extensions using forms – is an absolute necessity today. In modern rhythm and tempo of the life, professional nail artist must have this service in his service portfolio. And it doesn’t matter whether this is gel or acrylic nails. As for me, I do nail extensions on the forms as it saves my time and helps to create beautiful nails for my clients.

You can see photos and videos of my artworks made on hands in the relevant sections.