Acrylic nails are made up of a mixture of polymer powder and acrylic liquid cured under UV light or an LED lamp.
Nail tips or nail forms are applied with the help of nail glue before applying the acrylic nail application.
Getting acrylic nails done, on average, may take up to about 45 minutes.
Whereas you may get the entire process done in 15-20 minutes if you go to an experienced nail technician.
How Long Do Acrylic Nails Take To Get Done?
How long it takes to get acrylic nails done depends upon several points. Here goes the list of those points explaining the reason behind it.
Depends on the Experience Level of Nail Tech
If you wish to get your acrylic nails done at home, it won’t take less than 3-4 hours!
This time may vary if you visit a nail salon and get acrylic nails done by a nail technician.
A new nail technician may take around 45-60 minutes, while an experienced nail technician requires just 15-20 minutes.
This time is for basic structure only; nail art, designs, gel polish, etc., require more time.
Prepping The Natural Nails
Prepping your nails isn’t a big task. It includes buffing and filing the nail bed and removing dead skin from the cuticle area.
However, if you have long nails or your natural nail bed is a bit rough/damaged, it may take some more time to get your acrylic nails done before applying a set of acrylic nails.
Desired Nail Shape
Another factor that affects the time taken is the desired shape of the artificial nails.
If you want your acrylic nails to be as basic as round or almond nails, they take the least possible time.
But if you wish to go for any other uncommon or special shapes, such as a coffin or something else, your nail tech may require more time than usual.
Desired Length
This also plays an important role in deciding the time your acrylic nails will consume.
Short nails, obviously, require lesser time.
Longer nails, on the contrary, may require more time by your nail techs.
The length of your fingernail surfaces can be increased by using nail tips or nail forms and then applying acrylics.
Type of Nail Polish and Nail Art
They won’t charge you any extra time if you go for regular nail polish. They air-dry quickly and look beautiful on acrylic nails.
Regular nail polish saves more time as compared to gel polish.
Since gel nails must be cured under artificial lights, the average time required may increase.
If you want nail art too, the nail technician may take a few more hours than usual (up to 2-3 hours).
The smaller the nail art design, the more time required for it.
How Much Does It Cost To Get Acrylic Nails?
Acrylic nails start from Rs. 2000 (between $35 to $50).
Hard gels, nail files, acrylic nails, nail forms, nail designs, long acrylic nails, short acrylic nails, acrylic tips, acrylic brush, acrylic powder material, etc. All of these are added to this average price range once you get your nails done.
Basic acrylic nails (short nails) may range from $10 to $ 30.
But if you wish to get your acrylic nail done at a high-end nail salon, then nail technicians may charge up to $100 you.
How Long Do Acrylic Nails Take To Dry?
If you want to air dry your acrylic nails, it may take up to two hours to dry completely.
But, under a UV light or an LED lamp, it takes just 10 minutes.
There are alternatives for drying your acrylic nails fast and without using any external light.
Most salons use a non-UV gel polish on your acrylic nails and apply a drying agent to your nails or soak them in ice-cold water after the final shaping is done.
How Long Do Acrylic Nails Take To Soak Off?
The longer it takes to soak off your acrylic nails may take up to 20-30 minutes.
Soak your nails in 100% pure acetone or dip cotton balls in acetone, place them over your acrylic nails, and cover them with foil. Let sit for about 20 minutes.
Depending upon your manicure’s thickness, length, and nail design, you may need to repeat the same step one or two more times.
Also, ensure that the nail glue is completely removed from your natural nails and apply cuticle oil.
How Long Does It Take For A Salon To Do Gel Nails?
Most salons may take up to 45 minutes to get your gel manicure done.
The most basic manicure requires 30 minutes, including filing, buffing, shaping, and preparing them for a further manicure.
Gel polishes take another 15 minutes. After a total of 45 minutes, the gel manicure process ends.
But this time may extend if you want to go for different nail shapes and designs.
Conclusion
Acrylic nails are a great option whenever you want to go for a different look for a get-together or just to flaunt your social media feed.
If done by a good nail tech, acrylic nail application is an easy process that gives you desired nail designs and nail tips.
Usually, such nails last up to six to eight weeks, but they require proper care.
Since nails grow fast, acrylic manicure requires filling every two to three weeks.
Most salons hire freshers for work. Their sloppy work may sometimes not look the same as you wanted the finished look.
Getting your nails done from a well-known nail studio or salon is always advised. And if you are willing to do them at home, you may need a lot of practice.
Also, if you are on the list of nail biters, these fake nails are not meant for you, as the fake nail and nail products applied on the nail beds may affect your health.
If you want to keep your natural nails healthy, even after getting acrylic nails, you must take great care of them.
There are safer and healthier options, too, available for your nails. At such a point, nail polish can be the best if you just want to paint your nails in different colors.