No service is 100% odourless, and in the case of wraps and gels, there is a faint whiff of scent. I assure you, its not at all bad and nothing like traditional acrylic!! The acrylic that I use, Ultimate Lyte is virtually odourless and non-evaporating. It requires a UV light, just as the gel does. This cuts down not only on the overpowering smell of more traditional products, but it also greatly reduces the amount of airborne dust.
MMA is the abbreviation of the chemical Methylmethacrylate. It used to be the basis for acrylic nail technology as well as dental technology but has been largely discarded as it has shown to be dangerous to technicians and clients alike in its "uncured" (ie: the paste balls that are placed on nails during the acrylic procedure) state. Some salons still use this product due to either ignorance or economy, as it is very cheap. However, you get what you pay for. MMA nails yellow very quickly, do not file well (clients generally have very thick "chicklet nails" after a few visits because this substance is difficult to thin out) and are extremely difficult to remove, even with acetone. MMA was not meant to be used in temporary nail cosmetics, it was designed to be a permanent plastic for dental work.
What is a wrap?
Wraps are artificial nails that are created using a resin (type of glue) and a fabric such as silk, fibreglass, or linen. They can be applied over tips, natural nails, and if using linen, sculpted on their own. Wraps are every bit as nice looking as acrylic and gel, although they can not be "back-filled" at the free edge. They must be soaked off every 8 weeks and re-applied in full. They remove easily, though, much more easily than do gels or acrylics, and can be worn by virtually everyone.
What are acrylics?
Acrylic nails are the most popular type of artificial nail. If someone is "getting their nails put on", chances are they are getting acrylic, although this is changing. Acrylic nails are a type of plastic created with a monomer (liquid) and powder. Traditional acrylics generally smell very strong, which is why I do not use them in my salon, as we have to live here at the end of the day! Many odourless acrylics do not perform as well as the traditional "smelly" brands, however, I have found that Star's Ultimate Lyte doesn't yellow, lift, or cloud up and performs every bit as well as the normal kind.
What is gel?
Gel is a chemical cousin of acrylic. If you are allergic to one, then you most likely can't wear either and should consider wraps. This is a rare occurrence, though. Unlike most acrylics, which are air cured, gel nails must be cured under a UV light. Photoinitiators in the gel are activated, and the product hardens with various degrees of flexibility depending on the type of gel and the manufacturer.
UV gel can not be removed with acetone, it must be filed off. If removed, you will not get it all at once, and you should not try to, or you may risk damaging the natural nail.
What sort of nails should I get?
That depends on your lifestyle and the condition of your nails at the time of the appointment. If you have some free edge then you can have tips applied (my personal favorite is the French Express!). If you have minimal free edge and some time, you can get your nails sculpted on with acrylic, gel, or linen.
How long does it take?
That also depends on the state of your hands at the time of the appointment!! Nice clean hands with nice clean nails in relatively good shape take less time to do than hands that were just digging weeds out of the garden!!
I tend to book about 2 hours for the first appointment, but I have yet to actually take up that whole time. An expected amount of service time would be 45 minutes to 90 minutes.
