I Got Acrylic Nails For the First Time in a Decade, and Here's What I Wish I'd Known

Updated on 9/22/2019 at 7:20 PM

POPSUGAR Photography | Jesa Marie Calaor

Prom night was not only the most anticlimactic experience of my high school career (my evening was, admittedly, very boring), but it was also the last time I had gotten acrylic nails until very recently. I'd asked my manicurist for a full set with french tips . . . and that is all I remember of the beauty treatment.

I was recently inspired to get nail extensions because of the looks I'd been seeing on Instagram — particularly Kylie Jenner's recent looks by her go-to artist, Chaun Legend. I decided to get my first set of acrylics in almost a decade at the very salon that many of the Kardashian-Jenners have gone to for their manicures: Modern Pamper Salon in Los Angeles.

It came with a few hesitations. They were mostly concerns I had surrounding how much the process would damage my nails and how the actual nails would make parts of my everyday routine harder.

Now that I have the manicure, there are a few things I wish I'd known before going through the experience.

Parts of my routine that I thought would be difficult with tips on (like working out with free weights or, erm, using the restroom) didn't get any harder.
Typing with acrylic tips, however, took some getting used to.
Putting in contact lenses was only difficult if I let it be. Once I got over the idea of a pointy nail hovering over my eyeball, I was able to get my lenses in seamlessly.
Play-fighting with my partner became a dangerous sport (and he has the scratches to prove it).
The process of getting them was uncomfortable but completely worth it. The tips elongate my fingers (which are otherwise very short) and the design I got is just a delight to look at.

Learn more about what it took to get the acrylic tips ahead.

Creating the Perfect Canvas

To create the perfect canvas for the extensions, my manicurist filed down my nailbeds to ensure the surface was even and trimmed my nails. Then, he glued plastic tips to each of my nails. There was a lot of tugging and a bit of discomfort when they were being filed down. While my nails were healthy prior to the appointment, they are now thin and weak underneath the acrylic gel.

Laying Down the Gel

Acrylic is a synthetic polymer made with acrylic acid or acrylates. The acrylic used on nails is created with a powder and a liquid that, when mixed together, creates a gel can be molded into the nail's shape. My manicurist worked quickly to lay down thick coats of the material to each of my nails, before filing them down into their final shape.

Picking a Nail Design

The most fun part of the experience was picking out my nail design. For this, I'd created a mood board on my Instagram account of my favorite nail looks. I decided on a look inspired by Jenner's butterfly manicure by Legend.

Salons have differing rates when it comes to nail art. While some charge based on the amount of time you spend getting your nails done, others might do so based on how many nails you decide to get a design on. Modern Pamper Salon did the latter. Each nail with a design cost me $10, and my entire manicure came out to a shocking $85. The price tag is less than those that I'd received from the salons I've visited in New York.

Getting the Nail Art

Hand-painting the butterfly designs took less than one hour, and in that hour I barely breathed. Though my nail artist was a pro, I didn't want to make any sudden movements that would disrupt his work.

The Final Manicure

"Oh no, I'm going to have to portion a part of my paycheck for this new habit," I immediately told my boyfriend, post-appointment. I didn't expect to love the look of my acrylic nails this much and hope they last the full three weeks my manicurist said they would.