Last Updated on August 26, 2022 by SulaBeauty Staff
If you are new to the world of acrylic nails, this question has been in your mind for some time now? Isn’t it? You have been searching for an answer to whether you can paint over acrylic nails or not.
But you don’t have to worry anymore since we will answer all those doubts that are coming to your mind related to the question ‘can you paint over acrylic nails’? All in this article.
Don’t worry; we will clear everything about painting acrylic nails here. So to know more about how to repaint acrylic nails in detail, continue reading further.
Is It Okay to Paint Over Acrylic Nails?
As long as you ensure that you follow the right procedures, you can paint over your acrylics as often as you want. The good news is it will not harm your acrylics at all. You can paint over a new set of acrylic nails with no color.
Another incredible part is that you can even paint over if your acrylics have any design. Isn’t it amazing?
Can You Paint Acrylic Nails With Normal Nail Polish?
Yes, you can, as long as you ensure a few things. Make sure your acrylic nails have a top coat applied to them. Some nail polishes have certain chemicals, so if your acrylic nails do not have a top coat on them, these chemicals might interfere with your acrylic nails and damage them, causing the formation of some ugly-looking lumps.
You just have to ensure the presence of the top coat, and you are good to go. In fact, the best part is nail polish applied on top of acrylic nails looks better than applied on your natural nails.
The reason behind it is that acrylic nails provide a smoother surface for the even application of nail polish, thus giving a better finish.
How Long Does Regular Polish Last on Acrylic Nails?
Regular nail polish can last on your acrylics for as long as three weeks. But there are a few things that can happen. Firstly you might get bored of the same color for a long time, and secondly, your regular nail polish will start coming out in two weeks’ time.
If any of these two things start to happen, you can again apply a new color to your acrylic nails.
Why Would You Want to Paint Over Your Acrylics?
There will be a lot of reasons behind it. The top reason for it can be that you only love the length that the acrylic nails provide; you do not like the color and design of it. So hence you want your own nail color over your acrylic nails.
The other reason can be if you are among those people who get bored of things very soon. So if you are bored of your current acrylic nail design, you will definitely want something new.
Hence, the best idea for you would be to paint over it with new nail polish on acrylic nails.
Can You Paint Over Acrylic Nails With Gel Polish?
Yes, you can also apply gel polish above your acrylic nails. Gel polish and normal nail polish work despite their different chemical composition. The only problem which people face in the case of gel polish is its removal.
To remove gel polish from acrylic nails, you need acetone, which also melts your acrylic nails. So if you are only looking for a temporary change, then acrylic nails will not be a good choice for you.
You will also have to buff your acrylic nails at first since gel nail polish cannot be properly applied on a smooth surface. We would advise you to book a professional nail technician to complete this procedure.
This is not as simple as it might sound and would require an experienced nail technician to help you apply gel polish on acrylic nails.
Can You Paint Over French Tip Acrylic Nails?
Yes, you can paint over french tip acrylic nails. The only thing you have to ensure is using an opaque nail paint color so that the colored tips are easily visible from the top.
Do you know that the french tip acrylic nails are slightly above the natural nail bed? Hence you can paint over this soft substance quite conveniently.
How to Repaint Over Acrylic Nails in 5 Easy Steps
You might think painting over acrylic nails will be just as simple as applying regular nail polish. Right? But you are going a bit wrong here. If you do not properly paint your nails, then a lot of things can go wrong.
That’s why we have shared with you the steps to do it correctly.
Step 1: Removing Your Old Nail Polish:
Removing your old nail is important to provide an even surface for application; otherwise, you will have bumpy and uneven-looking nails.
The only thing to ensure here is using an acetone-free nail polish remover and not those normal nail polish removers. Using a remover containing acetone might weaken your acrylics, too, as acetone dissolves acrylics.
If you are looking for a good quality acetone-free remover, the ella+mila”Soy Nail Polish Remover is the best option.
Step 2: Washing & Drying Your Acrylic Nails:
Properly clean your nails and hands after removing all the previously applied nail polish. Be gentle while cleaning so that you don’t harm your acrylic nails. It is best to use wipes as they will clean your hands gently.
If you are washing your hands, ensure not to keep them in water for long as it might start dissolving them, making your acrylic nails weaker. Drying your hands properly is extremely important; if any moisture is left, you might catch a fungal infection.
Step 3: Applying Your Base Coat:
This step is worth doing if you want your manicure to last longer. Generally, nail polishes contain certain harsh chemicals. When these harsh chemicals react with acrylic nails, they may lead to the formation of lumps on the nails, completely ruining the look and feel of your artificial nails.
So, applying a base coat first is best to protect your acrylic nails underneath from harm. A base coat will also ensure an even smoother acrylic paint application.
Step 4: Repainting Your Acrylic Nails:
After the base coat dries out, you can apply your favorite color. If you want your nail coat to last longer, you should apply two coats of it.
The only thing you have to be cautious about is that the base coat should completely dry out before you apply another acrylic paint over it; otherwise, your nails will start looking messy.
If you want to go a little more creative, you can try nail art too on top of your nail polish. The best part is it won’t affect your acrylics if you apply them above your nail polish.
Step 5: Applying Top Coat Layer:
Applying the top coat is extremely important to seal the previously applied coat. It will also ensure that there is not much cracking and chipping.
You can even apply one more coat on top of it for even better durability, but again the only thing to care about is that the previously applied coat should completely dry out to avoid a messy look.
Dos and Don’ts of Repainting Acrylic Nails
You must be careful about certain things while repainting your acrylic nails. You will be getting a lot better results if you keep these in mind.
Do Not Use Acetone:
Stay very cautious about the nail polish remover you will use. By any chance, it shouldn’t contain acetone. Always invest in an acetone-free nail polish remover. When acetone comes in contact with the acrylic nails, it will start dissolving them. Find out Can Nail Polish Remover Remove Acrylic Nails?
Use Acrylic Nail Products:
Make sure to use those products which are specifically meant for acrylics. Like find out a good quality acetone-free remover and apply only that. Here is a list of acrylic nail supplies for home.
Never go for the regular nail polish remover. No matter what experiments you do for your nail art design, it shouldn’t cause any harm to your acrylic nails.
Be Gentle:
It would be best if you never forgot that you are working on artificial nails. So remember to be gentle while you are doing all the scrubbing and cleaning.
If you do not stay gentle, you will not only harm your acrylic nails, but you might also end up harming your natural nails underneath.
Work With Coverage:
Using a good quality full, coverage nail polish to paint over acrylic will be best. We know this will not be appropriate for every occasion, but it will be the best solution to hide your nails stained from the previously applied old nail polish.
Cuccio Colour Nail Polish – Gala – Nail Lacquer for Manicures & Pedicures will be a good choice in full coverage nail polish on acrylic nails.
Don’t Skip Base or Top Coat:
If you want your nail polish to stick properly to your acrylics, don’t forget to apply a base coat. You will get a smoother-looking salon-like finish because of it. A base coat makes a huge difference in the look and feel of your manicure.
Consider Lighter/neutral:
This tip contradicts our previous one, but if you have properly removed the nail polish applied earlier, using a lighter and neutral shade of regular nail polish is the best option.
The best thing about neutral colors is that they hide application flaws quite nicely than darker and vibrant colors. OPI Nail Lacquer, Neutral Nail Polish will be the best to consider in neutral options currently available in the market.
Here is a complete step by step guide to do acrylic nails.
Conclusion
Thus, painting over your acrylic nails is not a big deal if you are careful about specific steps and products to use. After reading everything here, we hope that all your confusion has gone and you will now make the best decision for your nails. We wish you all the very best may you get the dream manicure you always desired.