Should you get gel or acrylic nails?

First, which gel do you mean?

The word gel covers three different services, and each one compares with acrylic in its own way. Gel polish is thin color cured under a lamp on your natural nail. Builder gel is a thicker layer that adds structure. Soft gel tips, such as Aprés Gel-X, are full-cover extensions attached with gel.

Gel polish doesn't really compete with acrylic, since it adds no length and little strength. If color on your own nails is all you want, book the Gel Manicure and skip the rest. The real contest is between acrylic and the other two.

• Gel Manicure (color only): from $45, about 45 minutes
• Builder Gel Full Set (added structure): from $70, about 60 minutes
• Aprés Gel-X Full Set (soft gel length): from $75, about 60 minutes
• Color Acrylic Full Set (sculpted length): from $60, about 60 minutes

Durability from day to day

Acrylic is the hardest of the group. It handles keys, typing and housework without fuss and keeps a long shape rigid, and when it fails, it cracks instead of bending. Gel products flex, which feels more natural but can't support as much length. Gel polish on a bendy nail tends to split right where the nail flexes.

Expect about two to three weeks from gel polish before growth or wear shows. Acrylic usually needs a fill on about the same schedule, but one set can be kept going that way for a long stretch, as can builder gel.

Look, feel and smell

Gel has a high natural shine and a slim edge, so it reads as a polished nail. Acrylic reads as an enhancement unless it is shaped very thin, and that's an advantage if you want dramatic length, sharp points or raised art that needs a sturdy base.

You'll also notice the weight. A fresh acrylic set can feel heavy for a day or two before you stop thinking about it. Acrylic liquid has a strong odor during application and gel has very little, which matters if scents bother you.

Short nails are where gel has the clearest advantage. A thin coat looks tidy at any length, while short acrylic can look thick and wide along the sides unless it is filed down carefully.

What you'll spend over a few months

On day one, Color Acrylic sits between a simple Gel Manicure and the gel extension services. Upkeep is where to look next. A Color Acrylic Fill starts at $50 and a Builder Gel Fill at $60, each about 60 minutes.

Gel polish has no fill, because it comes off and goes back on. Take off with a service starts at $10 and adds about 15 minutes, so a repeat Gel Manicure starts around $55 per visit, close to what an acrylic fill costs. For about the same money, gel polish leaves you with a thin, natural nail and acrylic keeps you in length.

Removal, and how to decide

Gel polish releases in acetone in about ten to fifteen minutes once the top coat is broken. Acrylic takes much longer, with more filing first and a longer soak, and soft gel tips land somewhere in between. Whichever you wear, book the take off instead of picking at it.

Choose gel polish if your natural nails are healthy and you want color that stays put for a few weeks. Choose builder gel or soft gel tips for support or length with a light feel. Choose acrylic if you want the longest, hardest set you can get, or if gel has never lasted on your nails.

Questions guests ask

Is gel cheaper than acrylic?

It depends on the gel. At Element, the Gel Manicure from $45 costs less than a Color Acrylic Full Set from $60, while builder gel from $70 and Aprés Gel-X from $75 cost more.

Which looks more natural, gel or acrylic?

Gel usually looks more natural, because the layers are thin and glossy and follow your nail. Acrylic can look natural in skilled hands, but it needs more thickness to stay strong, especially as length increases.

Is gel or acrylic worse for your nails?

Neither one is bad by nature. Problems usually come from aggressive filing, rushed removal or peeling off product. If you notice pain, swelling or a nail that changes color, ask your doctor before your next set.