Everyone who has walked past a nail salon is familiar with the harmful odors of acrylic nails, varnishes, and solvents. Clients with manicures and pedicures endure the smell temporarily, but manicures that inhale these evaporating chemicals for hours are subject to health risks. At Nail Care, we eliminated the odor and used minor chemical products to make your visit pleasantly healthy and welcoming. That is the difference in our salon's uniqueness because we do not provide Acrylic Services or fake nails. Instead, we chose natural nails over acrylics because we work in a healthy atmosphere and have purely breathed in the environment. So, you are safe with our salon for not using those toxins chemicals. Many people consider cosmetics a relatively safe profession, but it is not. We found that exposures to aromatic hydrocarbons like benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes – collectively referred to as BTEX – resembled those previously reported in studies of petroleum refinery workers and auto garage technicians.

Polish, Shellac, Gel, OPI, DIP, GEL-X/HARD GEL and Acrylic

What’s the difference?

Different countries have different definitions of the same term. The term “Gel” can mean a very different thing in the UK to US or Australia and even within the same country.

Here at NAIL CARE, we offer a number of different services and we will try and explain, the difference, benefits, and limitations of each.

Normal Polish (Nail Lacquer)

Simple to put on, simple to take off, we use the OPI brand of nail polish, which is a quality brand, but out of all our services will have the shortest lasting finish. (See Below - How long will my polish last?)

With the humidity in this region, normal polish can take an hour or longer to dry hard and you should consider this when deciding on normal polish for your nails. A walk along the beach shortly after leaving the salon can ruin your perfect pedicure, or for that matter, a swim in the lagoon will ruin your manicure!

Gel Polish (OPI Gel and Gelish OR any other Gel brand)

Gel Polish is applied like regular nail polish onto natural nails, but uses a special base coat, 2 or 3 coats of color, and a special top coat. Each layer is cured under a LED light. There is zero dry time.

It cannot be used to extend your natural nail length, however, the gel component in it does add strength and durability to the nail.

Gel polish will last longer than normal polish (lacquer); we estimate three times longer.

In summary, Gel polish is a great pop of color that stays looking great for longer than regular nail polish, and maintains a protective layer for the surface of your nails.

Shellac Polish

Shellac is actually a brand name and product of the company CND, it is essentially the same system as Gel Polish. (Above)

Acrylic Nails-----WHICH IS, WE ARE NOT PROVIDING THIS SERVICE. Unfortunately, we have found problems with HARSH CHEMICAL FUME so it is one service we do not offer.

When you want longer nails or want to change the shape of your existing nails, we offer acrylic extensions.

​Usually, for an initial full set, tips are applied (think 'fake nails'), and then the acrylic, which is a polymer powder, and monomer liquid, are used together to overlay over the top. The acrylic hardens as it is exposed to the air. Your nails can then be shaped as long as you want. Finally, your nails are then painted. (We always recommend a gel polish or even SNS over the top – See below).

The upkeep is to have an 'infill' every two-three weeks, as opposed to removal and reapplication.

Gel Extensions (Hard Based Gel)

Around the world, Hard Based Gel provides added length and strength to your nails and is more flexible than acrylic and SNS.

DIPPING POWDER Nails

NEXGEN/SNS, short for Signature Nail System, is a powder dipping system.

First, your nails are prepped and primed in exactly the same way that they are for acrylic applications. If you want extra length, tips are glued on at this stage exactly the same as acrylics (above)

 A base coat is applied, followed by the nail being ‘dipped’ into a colored powder. This process is repeated a number of times to create the required strength and structure.

There is no ‘curing’ or ‘setting’ under a LED or UV light. Because the powder is colored no painting is required and there is zero dry time.

We do not infill SNS nails, so when you have regrowth you will have to do a full removal and re-application. It is removed by soaking, in a similar way that gel is removed.

SNS provides a bit of extra strength and length to your nails, whilst maintaining a lightweight feel. It is much thinner than acrylic but thicker than gel polish. It’s a great way of getting a bit of extra strength in your nails, whilst maintaining a more “natural-looking” finish.

How long does it take

·        Nail Polish Lacquers – 15 to 20 Minutes

·        Gel Polish – 20 Minutes

·        DIP POWDER– 1 Hour

           GEL-X/ HARD GEL/ BUILDER GEL --1 HOUR

·        Gel Polish Removal- 15 to 20 Minutes

·        SNS Removal  - 15 to 20 Minutes

·        Acrylic Removal – 30 to 45 Minutes

How long will my polish last?

This is the biggest question of them all, with so many variables depending on what you do, how you treat your nails, and the condition of your own nails when you come in.

The times here are ONLY an average, depending on many factors (see below) your nails may last longer or shorter

·        Nail Polish Lacquers – 1 Week

·        Gel Polish – 2 Weeks

·        HARD GEL/GEL-X – 3 Weeks

·        NEXGEN/SNS/DIP – 2-3 Weeks

Why doesn’t my Polish last as long as I expect?

Unfortunately, the time frames given above are averages only.

·        Your toes in Melbourne in socks and shoes are protected and Gel Polish may last 4-6 weeks

·        Walking on Whitehaven Beach, with fine sand exfoliating your toes and feet, followed by a perfect afternoon of swimming in the ocean, then dinner out in Airlie and dancing the night away in your jandals, flip flops, and thongs; then you can understand your Gel Polish won't last as long, and could well start to chip or lift within 5-6 days.

·        If you have soft and flexible nails, (either naturally or from constant nail drilling in nail bars) you may find your polish does not flex as much as your own nail and they will lift or peel off, much quicker than normal.

·        Unfortunately some of us have oily nail beds at different times of our lives, and although Gel will stick to oily nail beds much better than normal polish, it is not a miracle solution.

·        Sometimes we don’t know the explanation, but if you have a problem, do come back in and let us help, it could just be one nail lifted and we will always help whenever we can.

How do I take the polish off?

With the exception of normal nail polish, we recommend all other finishes are professionally removed.

·        Nail Polish Lacquers – Nail Polish Remover – Just wipe over

·        Gel Polish – A light buff to break the surface of the gel and then soak in acetone

·        DIP POWDER – A gentle drilling of the acrylic ONLY to break the surface and then soaking in acetone

·        GEL-X/HARD GEL – Soak in acetone, generally no filing or buffing is required

What’s the best for my nails?

There is very little evidence that any product is any better or worse for your nails than the other.

 What causes damage to your natural nails is not the product itself, but the application and removal process.  There are certain things you should avoid.

·        Don’t pick your gel polish off – Gel polish sticks to the top layer of your nails, picking this off removes the top layer and weakens them.

·        Use caution with a nail bar drilling your acrylics or gel off. We see too many cases of people’s nails scarred and ruined by excessive use of nail drills. This damage can take many months to grow out and your nails can only be drilled so far, or they become hyper-sensitive and super thin. It will make any further nail finishes much harder to keep looking good.

Why are your prices so different from home?

We appreciate in different parts of the world and countries people pay different prices for nail services. This can be because of the cost of living, expense of wages, rents, and differences in products used.

We pride ourselves on paying our staff properly, using quality products, and spending time cleaning, sanitizing, and replacing our equipment.

We have set our prices at a sustainable level for us, obviously, you can find cheaper services elsewhere and of course, you are welcome to use any service that fits your needs and budget.

LED and UV Lights

There has been recent discussion over how safe the lamps that cure gel polish

It is a personal decision and if you are worried you should research further and take additional precautions. We have noted through the reading of other's research

·        Both LED and UV lights emit UV radiation (Similar to the sun's rays)

·        We only use LED lights

·        LED is generally thought to emit fewer UVA rays (The damaging ones)

·        LED sets Gel Polish quicker so you are exposed to fewer UVA rays

·        The UV rays you are exposed to, during a manicure are negligible compared to the UV rays you are exposed to in your daily life

·        If you do have any concerns, you can limit your exposure by putting sunscreen on your hands and fingers prior to your manicure. You can also wear fingerless gloves to reduce exposure. WE DO HAVE UV GLOVES TO PROTECT YOUR HANDS FOR YOU. JUST ASK US FOR IT.