Information About Nail Extensions

What are nail extensions?

Nail extensions are where your natural nail length is artificially enhanced to some degree. This may be by quite a small amount all the way through to fairly extreme, as in the picture here.

Nail extensions can be temporary for a special event or more permanent if regularly maintained.

What are nail extensions made out of?

There are lots of possibilities; acrylic, gel or acrygel can be used, on their own or in combination with preformed plastic tips, silk and now, the latest craze, fully formed false nails made of pure gel!

How are nail extensions made?

Tip and overlay, a popular nail bar technique

This is where a plastic tip is glued to the ends of your nails as a platform to build a nail extension on to. Personally this is not my favourite; The idea of incorporating glue and plastic into extensions gives me concern simply because I'm a 'less is more' fan and don't like to add extra components where they aren't needed.

Also it's not the best system if you have a twist in any of your fingers/nails that needs disguising as a fixed shape tip will only enhance the fault.

Finally, for nail biters, there is no room for glue! A nail extension needs to be as fully attached as possible to whatever natural nail there is, from cuticle to tip.

Sculpting, my preferred method

With sculpted nails there are no extra components. A single use flexible 'form' is fitted to your nail, slipping just under your natural tip, and the extension is built straight off your nail and on to the form. Perfect for nail biters!

Forms can be tailored to each individual nail to ensure any faults are disguised, then once the extension is set the form is removed and discarded.

Using forms allows for infinite variability, allowing for every style and also shaping for extra strength. The picture shown is a more extreme style called Russian Almond. This could only be achieved using forms!

'Full cover' extensions, very quick and convenient

Fully formed entire nail covers built to a set length, these extensions are built from pure hard gel and are attached to your nails with a soak off gel. They are surprisingly durable and come in different nail tip shapes; squared, oval, almond and stiletto. They can be shortened and also customised to make a good fit to your natural nails, They are great for trying out extensions without fully committing as they can be easily removed.

How are nail extensions maintained?

When nails have grown out about 2cms (in two to three weeks) you can have extensions infilled. This involves removing old gel polish, applying fresh product at the cuticle and reshaping the nails ready for a new gel polish. Regular maintenance is important, you can read more about it here.

Hard gel classic pink and white french.j

Book your extensions at Care and Flair

If you would like a set of tailor-made sculpted nail enhancements, choose Sculpted Extensions with Gel Polish here. There's also a French option for classic 'pink and whites' where the white tip is built into the nail extension instead of painted on, pure class! For this option choose French or Smile Line Sculpted Extensions.