Gel polish over acrylic nails?

ittyreen · ‎03-11-2010

I've had both gel polish and acrylic nails but today I met a young woman who does BOTH! She said it lasts a month and she doesn't have to wait for the 'soaking off' of the gel polish. They just grind it off like on regular acrylics. Anyone else do this? Do you think the benefits are worth the extra cost? TIA!

F1wild · ‎11-30-2011

I've had this done for years, but you have to have a good manicurist who can do nails tha don't lift. If your nails are short they can put a tip on first, then acrylic, then gel.

I've just removed my acrylic and gel so to have natural nails for a dermatologist appointment tomorrow since you can get skin cancer under your nails in the nail bed.

As soon as I'm clear I'm going to get my regular nails back on. Upon recommendations for nail strengtheners, I purchased Nailtiques, as it seemed to be the favorite. But I miss my fuchsia pink nails to match my fuchsia pink hair peekaboo. I love getting my nails done and not having to wait for them to dry and pray you don't touch anything to mar the finish. Plus, my nails stay great, shiny and in one piece for weeks (this is where the no lifting comes in).

Fiver · ‎01-15-2013

I have pink acrylic on top of my natural nails and I also have gel polish on top of the acrylic. I wouldn't dare try this combination if I didn't have an excellent nail salon with great technicians. My advice is to use a light or natural colored gel polish. Then the growth line near your cuticles won't be so obvious. Best wishes to you!

F1wild · ‎11-30-2011

On 10/28/2014 Fiver said:
I have pink acrylic on top of my natural nails and I also have gel polish on top of the acrylic. I wouldn't dare try this combination if I didn't have an excellent nail salon with great technicians. My advice is to use a light or natural colored gel polish. Then the growth line near your cuticles won't be so obvious. Best wishes to you!

Interesting, so you have your color from the acrylic then clear gel? I've not done that. My technician is so good about making the acrylic near my cuticles so thin you can't see that regrowth, only from my gel color. I can see where yours' would work better. I've gone in with the intention of switching to a more demure color, but then we all agree it doesn't match my personality very well.

Stacismom · ‎03-09-2010

They can also put a clear gel coat over a French manicure on acrylic nails. Makes it look brand new for weeks!

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

I have acrylic nails with gel polish. I have been doing it for about a year now. They charge $5.00 extra at my salon to do this. When I go for a fill, they use the electric file and file the color off. No soaking it off like a regular gel manicure.

I go to an Asian salon and will only allow the 2 owners to touch my nails. They both do a fantastic job. If my nails weren't grown out, I'd be able to go 4 weeks in between fills because I have absolutely no lifting of my acrylics at all.

The pros of having the gel polish over the top:

It dries so quickly. It cures under the light and I walk out the door. No siting there for 20 minutes waiting for my nails to dry only to get a ding in one when I open my car door.

My polish stays shiny until I have it removed at my next fill.

My polish doesn't come off at the tips which all other polishes did on my acrylic nails, even OPI.

The cons:

The extra $5.00 cost if that is a concern. Some places in my area charge an extra $10.00.

You can't change colors easily between manicures if you want to.

Because I can't change colors, I have to get fills more frequently rather than being able to remove my polish and polish with a light, natural color to hide the regrowth and get another week out of my nails. However, even with gel, I only go every 3 weeks to get my nails done.

Color selection is more limited, although still plentiful.

A clear gel coat is different than gel polish. I used to get gel over a French and I personally had nothing but problems. The clear gel always popped off at the corners in a week.

F1wild · ‎11-30-2011

Here here!!

I had my Melanoma derm check, which includes toe & finger nail beds and I'm all clear - the outside anyways.

The first thing I did after was trot over to my nail salon for my nails - gel over acrylic - in my favorite hotter than hot pink. I'm whole again!! ${#emotions_dlg.thumbup}$

catwoman48 · ‎07-02-2011

LipstickDiva, we could be twins! Maybe we go to the same salon. I had my last fill on March 14, so as you can imagine my nails are ready for a fill, as they grow very fast. Neither of my nail ladies - the owners - is able to work now. What on earth can I do? I don't want to have to remove the acrylics. I can file - and file - but it will take months for the acrylic nails to grow all the way out.

I can do a regular manicure, but forget about doing my own acrylics, or gel. My natural nails have never been strong enough to grow out without splitting on the sides. They even continue to split once they are down to the quick. I have been doing this for probably 20 years. Any suggestions appreciated!! Who thought this could happen?

I am still oxox · ‎03-09-2010

I use the dip polish over acrylic nails I have not had my nails filled since, March 2 and they are really starting to grow out, my tech used a drill to grind off the old polish, which I can not do at home.

If I use acetone I might hurt my nails underneath.

Not sure what to do right now

I posted a very similar thread yesterday

Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being positive what could go right.

juperier3 · ‎10-07-2019

@ittyreen I'm not a nail tech, just educated myself because I'm a nerd and find the topic interesting.

Lots of people wear various types of products. I echo the comments I've read on this thread regarding going to a well qualified nail tech.

Yes, gel polish can be filed off using a E-File. I can't imagine many techs being able to do so if the only product on the nail is the soak off gel polish in the bottles (like regular nail polish). There are also gels that come in pots, in all sorts of colors and are applied with a brush. These are often "hard" gel, meaning they need to be filed off. Honestly, there are many, many types of products. They all depend on some type of chemical reaction. Combining them can lead to unexpected results, hence the importance of going to a expert tech.