Acrylic nails are an it thing now. Whether it is square, oval, round, dome, almond, square, squoval, or any other nail shape which you desire to have, your nails need to be in the pink (or whatever color you choose!) of health. No girl can resist the glamor of getting their nails done at the salon. If you are not endowed with the strongest nails, but still want to enjoy the beauty of getting a manicure done for your hands, then acrylic nails are a great option.
Acrylic nails make your hands look lovely, and you are sure to turn heads and catch eyeballs when you get a gorgeous set of nails at the salon. If you are not someone who frequents a salon often, then you may have many questions as to how much are acrylic nails. This is one of the most frequent questions any manicurist will be plied with once a customer visits to get their nails done.
If you have never got your nails done at the salon, we understand you may have some reservations about this treatment. If you are clueless about the cost, worry not, we have done the research for you and got it down pat. Before you visit the salon the next time, you know what’s in store for you. Just keep reading the article so that there are no surprises in store for you the next time you visit the salon for a set of fake nails.
The Average Price of Fake Nails
The price for a set of acrylic nails can depend on so many things. What is the service you want to appeal to? Whether you want acrylic nails, gel nails, or dip powder nails will determine the cost of your salon session.
On average, this is what you can expect to pay:
- A full set of acrylics will cost anywhere from $30 to $35.
- Dip Powder nails will cost around $45 on average.
- Gel Nails will cost about $55.
But the type of finish is not the only factor that determines the cost. The ambience of the salon, the manicurist who is going to do the job, the color and finish you want for your nails, any additional service and design for your nails, the location where the salon you are getting your nails done, and the city will all play a role in determining the cost.
You cannot get acrylic nails at home. You need to visit the salon for a full set of acrylic nails.
What exactly are acrylic nails, and what’s so wonderful about them? Let’s look more into them in the following sections.
What are Acrylic Nails?
According to Vogue Magazine, Acrylic nails are obtained by mixing a liquid acrylic substance with a powdered acrylic substance to give a sculpted product. The mixing of a monomer and polymer will give you a finished substance that takes on the form of a small bead or ball, which in turn can be fashioned into the nail shape you desire. Acrylic nails are shaped into your hands with the aid of a brush and then air-dried in the place of a lamp cure. The result? Nails that you cannot resist showing off!
Keep in mind, though, it requires an expert to do the job for you. Stylish and chic as they are, acrylic nails will not last longer than 3 weeks because your natural nails will naturally start to grow! The first sign is the appearance of a line that separates the natural nails from the acrylic nails. When this happens, you know that gaps have started to appear because of the growth of natural nails. Time to visit the salon, for sure! The general rule of thumb is to get the gaps filled with the help of a nail expert or technician once every 2 to 3 weeks. And of course, every 2 to 3 months, you must completely replace the acrylics and go for a new set altogether. Noticed your fake nails getting damaged or just plain flimsy? Or perhaps there is nothing to notice because they have simply fallen off! You will definitely need a new set under these circumstances.
Now there are times when we are a little clumsy, or perhaps a thoroughly unexpected accident happens, and our precious acrylic nails just break! What a heartbreak, right! But don’t beat yourself too much about it. The cost of repairing the nail will only be around $10 to $15 for a single nail repair. Moreover, since this service takes up very little time, most salons won’t require you to fix an appointment. You can simply walk into the salon and get your nails fixed.
If you want to take a bit of a break and just be fake-nails free for a few months, you might as well get your acrylic nails removed. Perhaps you may even want to do something different to your nails. Whatever be your reason for removing the acrylics, it’s something that’s best left in the hands of a nail expert. If you don’t do this right, you will be compromising the health of your natural nails in a very real way! It could take months to regrow nails. You can expect to pay between $10 and $15 for this. It’s totally worth it, considering the tradeoff is compromising the health of your nails.
The nail expert you opt for will clip the acrylic tips, then file the surface of the nails down with the help of an electric file. The next step will involve soaking the acrylic tips in acetone for 20 minutes. This will loosen up the tips, and any remaining acrylic can be simply scraped off.
How Much are Acrylic Nails?
Acrylic nails’ cost varies quite a bit. You can even get a complete acrylic set for something as low as $10, but if you expect the most exemplary service, the pampering and the whole works, you will only end up being disappointed. And we don’t even want to talk about the result; extreme disappointment will be in store for you if you expect a beautifully finished output at this cost. If you pick a medium salon or a spa, this is all you can expect for the budget. They may not have the technical expertise or quality products to give you the service you expect and your nails the look you desire.
Generally speaking, a full acrylic set will cost anywhere from $40 to $50. Do not, for any reason, pay more than $60 for simple and clear acrylic nails. That’s quite reasonable; anything beyond that is just not worth it! But this cost is only for acrylic nails and polish. If you want gel polish or add any design to your acrylics, then, it will cost you an additional $15 and $20. Remember, the gel polish will last longer than regular polish, so the additional cost is well worth it. So, be prepared to shell out a few extra dollars if you want to add some extra glamour to your nails.
We saw priorly that acrylic nails will last for around 3 weeks on average before they need a refill. It should come as a relief to you that acrylic nail filling cost is much less than the cost of getting a whole new set of acrylics. For a refill, you can expect to pay around $25.
Predominantly, there are three price range levels for getting acrylics based on where you are getting them.
- The lowest range of acrylics can be obtained at small, local shops. Consequently, the level of expertise and service will be proportional to the cost.
- You can expect mid-range pricing at medium spas and salons.
- The cost of nail services will be the highest in resorts, spa treatment facilities, and hotels.
If you want more designs to your nails, or perhaps additions like gems, charms, or stickers, it will cost you a whole lot more.
The Price of Designs, high brands and Nail Art
We already saw how much simple acrylics cost. If you want to add designs, it’s going to cost you more.
Do you love the classic pink nails with white for tips? We most certainly do! The pink and white set is not just timeless, but looks very natural too! It should cost you around $50 and $80 for this. It is because this will just take more time and resources. If you bring gel polish into the equation (we highly recommend it because it’s going to make the polish last a bit longer), you have to pay an additional 15 to 20 dollars.
Now, there are various design options for acrylic nail sets. These include french manicure, french tips, solar nails, bandana nails, watercolour effect pastel nails, floral designs, animal prints and checks, holiday and nature-themed nail art, dagger claws and many more. Don’t be surprised if you charged upward of $100 for coffin acrylic nails, holiday-themed acrylic nails. One thing is for sure; if you have the temptation to go with a budget set of acrylic nails, you will be paying a heavy price compromising the health and vitality of your nails. We strongly urge you not to do that!
Salons and spas will typically charge around $5 for a nail design. Although some designs like the classic french manicure could cost you twice as much. If you opt for a separate design on every nail, the cost could shoot up, and so, you could very well make use of an accent nail with a design rather than a design on every finger.
Now, the highly reputable salons will have high-quality brands in stock. These may include OPI, CND etc. If you want to go with such branded stuff, and we highly recommend you do, you can opt to do so, provided your salon gives you that option. This will cost you an extra $10.
Nail Length
Are you blessed with long and slender nails? You have two options under your belt (er, fingers). You could choose to cut your nails and pay what you usually do for a complete set of acrylics. But if you are reluctant to cut your nails and want to sport them long, then you may have to pay an extra $10. This is for the additional time and extra materials required to do the job.
Sculpted nails is another name for a full set of acrylic nails. You may as well decide to just do a manicure for the tip of your nails. The cost for this will be marginally less than for the entire nail processing. For acrylic tips though, you will have to trim your real nails.
Conclusion
A trip to the salon to get your nails done can not only be a relaxing and pampering experience, but it will also elevate your mood and confidence. If you think it’s worth it, then spending around $30 to $60 for acrylics is not much. And of course, if you are going with some unique theme or design, you may have to pay a little extra. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it. There are so many color options and designs that you can go with, and when you leave the salon, what you will have is dolled up nails that are sure to draw every eye! If you feel all of this is worth it, pop into a good salon and get those nails done the way you want them. Good luck!
Other Posts:
