So you have given your client a stunning set of acrylic nails, but before you know it, they are coming back again either wanting a touch-up or asking for the nails to be painted over so they can get a whole new design.
Repainting acrylics is not the same or quite as simple as repainting regular nail polish, but when you carry out the steps with caution and care, you can give your clients numerous nail options and whatever gorgeous looks they want, whenever they want. Read on to let us at V Beauty Pure tell you everything you need to know about repainting acrylic nails now.
What Are Acrylic Nails?
Acrylic nails are a blend of a powder polymer and liquid monomer that are mixed together into a doughy, blob-like adhesive that is brushed onto your client’s nails before drying out on their own; no need for a lamp or any extra heat.
Acrylics will help you easily alter the shape and length of the nail to the specifications and preferences of each client, making for an extremely dynamic and satisfying beauty technique.
Some popular shapes and styles for acrylic nails include:
- Almond
- Round
- Square
- Squoval
- Mountain Peak
- Coffin/Ballerina
- Stiletto
- Lipstick
- Flare
With so many glamorous and beautiful looks to choose from, it is no wonder why acrylic nails are so popular. Unfortunately, no great thing can last forever. It is important to know the longevity of the average acrylic nail in order to have a good sense of when you will need to repaint your client’s acrylics, and how much work will need to be done.
How Long Do Acrylics Last?
Acrylic nails can last anywhere between two to eight weeks depending on the type and how well you apply them. These nails do need upkeep in the form of plenty of refills, so you will most likely see a lot of your clients that want to follow this trend.
This means that you are also likely to see them often enough that they will come to you for updates and repaints of their acrylic nails to keep things fresh as seasons and tastes change.
While some clients may feel like two weeks does not seem a long time for these fab nails to last, you can assure them that at least in that period the nails will be durable and healthy as long as they are treating them properly.
Another positive about the shorter end of the acrylic lifespan is that it just means that your clients have more opportunities to repaint their nails and switch up their style.
With constantly changing acrylic nails, there is no way that you or your clients will ever get bored!
Application Tips and Tricks
- Properly prep the nail: This usually consists of pushing the cuticles back, using a buffing block, and removing any debris or dust that may be under or near the nail
- Finish it off with cuticle oil: Cuticle oil is a fantastic product for hydrating and fortifying any and all nail work as a finishing touch. Having a trustworthy one on hand just may be the difference between a satisfactory salon experience and the best acrylic look of your client’s life.
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Take your time: Sometimes you may get a client who has something to do or somewhere to be after the appointment, which is fine; it happens, but don’t let that have too much of an impact on your pace.
Take your time applying acrylics and shake off any potential external pressure or factors that may encourage you to speed the whole thing up. Ultimately, both you and your client will leave satisfied since the extra time will only be dedicated to making the acrylic nails look as good as they possibly can.
Upkeep 101
Make Them Last
You can help your client to make their acrylic nails last and stay healthy with some of these key nuggets of wisdom and advice:
- Don’t put too much pressure on the nails: And we don’t just mean emotionally (a good pair of acrylics can boost confidence, after all, but just don’t tell your clients to expect these bad boys to completely change their lives overnight). What we are really getting at here, though, is that physically applying too much pressure to the nails may hasten their need for replacement. Encourage your clients to use their fingertips rather than the nail as much as possible.
- Take care when doing chores: When doing chores or other housework, your client should be careful to avoid strong or harsh chemicals that may be damaging to your nails. While acrylics are fairly durable, they still won’t do well if they are pushed too hard with wear and tear, or even if they soak too long in soapy water.
- Use a top coat: Invest in a trustworthy top coat to give every acrylic nail repaint a smooth, glossy, and durable finish. Top coats will not only help to seal your client’s nails with a shiny glow but will also hydrate and improve the overall health and longevity of the nail and acrylic.
Give Acrylics Some TLC
Once you have given your clients their awesome acrylic nail work, both of you will want to make it last as long as possible. Even after your work has been done, it is up to each of your clients to give their acrylics the attention they need once they step out of your salon or work’s door.
Here are some pointers for you and your client on giving those acrylic nails some quality tender loving care:
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: One of the best ways to keep acrylic nails healthy and strong for as long as possible is to keep them hydrated. Proteins and rejuvenating oils (olive oil, for one!) help to restore nail health and build them up to be sturdy enough to support your acrylics for as long as possible.
- Eat vitamins and nutrients: Just like our bodies, our nails need the right fuel to grow healthy and strong. Biotin-rich foods like eggs, avocados, almonds, and sweet potatoes, as well as omega-3 rich foods like salmon, soybeans, flax seeds, and spinach, are all especially great for growing sturdy nails.
- Patience is key: One of the kindest things that your clients can do for their nails may seem like not doing anything at all. Rather, a responsible thing they can do for their acrylics and natural nails is to give them time. Waiting around is hard, but sometimes the best thing that can be done for nail health is to just press pause and let weak or unhealthy nails be naturally replaced by healthy ones.
How To Repaint
Since you know the full low-down on acrylic nails and how to take care of them, we can finally get into the need-to-know on repainting them. We want to share with you the things you will need as well as the steps to take in order to give your clients the repainting of a lifetime.
Read below for everything you should know about repainting acrylic nails.
What You Will Need
- Acrylic powder and liquid monomer
- Base coat or primer
- Top coat
- Acrylic nail tips
- A trusted nail file
- An acetone-free nail polish remover
- Cotton balls
- Desired nail polish, decorations, and additional accessories or design tools
A Step-by-Step Guide
- Remove old polish: Dab a cotton ball with acetone-free nail polish to remove any and all nail polish on the acrylic (and then the acrylics, themselves, if you need to refill them). Make sure they are both totally free of old polish and completely dry before moving onto the next step. This can be accomplished by solid washing and drying after removing the polish, which has the added bonus of preventing nail infections and bacteria.
- File ‘em up: Begin by carefully filing and buffing where the acrylic nail meets the natural nail, since this is where the fill-in acrylic will go, so you want the area to be as smooth, clean, and dry as possible.
- Prime the nails: Before doing anything else, priming the nails with a primer polish or base coat is a must. This will help to ensure that your client’s nails are strong enough to handle the acrylics, and will also just generally keep the nails healthy and long-lasting. If possible, use a base coat meant specifically for acrylic nails.
- Apply new acrylics (if needed): If your client needs a complete or partial refill in addition to repainting, this will be the time to mix the monomer and polymer to create the acrylic paste. Brush this onto the nail before applying the acrylic nail tip, drying the nail and acrylics, and finishing it off with another good buffing and filing session.
- Apply the polish: Now that your client’s acrylic nails are strong, shaped, and primed, they are ready to be repainted with whatever polish and design your client wants. We recommend trying not to use more than three coats of polish, since you won’t want to weigh down those acrylics too much.
- Top it off: After the nail polish has dried, finish the whole thing with one or two layers of top coat to seal the look and ensure the repainted acrylics remain durable, hydrated, and healthy. This leaves your client with perfect and beautiful repainted nails that look just as good as the first set did (if not better)!
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