Everything You Need To Know About Gel Nail Extensions

Very few things are more satisfying and relaxing for me than a nail salon trip for a fresh set of acrylic nails. It’s the little things that I look forward to that make it so sweet: Picking a nail polish color, the buzzing sound of the electric nail drill smoothing out any roughness on my nail, and, of course, walking away with freshly coated nails to tap, tap, tap on every surface I pass. Then comes the not-so-satisfying parts like the nail breaking, the sometimes painful removal process, and the thin, brittle nails I’m left to nurse back to health for weeks on end. Press-ons are a significantly less expensive option, but they don't last as long as a professionally-applied set. So what to do when you want the look of long acrylic nails without the risk or damage? Enter: gel nail extensions.

What are gel extensions?

What separates gel and acrylics nails is the material that each is made of. An acrylic tip is made of plastic and requires a monomer liquid and polymer powder to create the sculpted nail. In contrast, gel nail extensions are “pre-shaped nail tips that are made completely out of the gel and cover the entire nail,” Trenna Seney, NYC freelance nail manicurist, tells ELLE.com. Think press-on—sans nail glue—but more durable and versatile. Gel nails are a healthier alternative to acrylic nails; they are quicker to apply and even quicker to remove—damage-free. Although you may be tempted to channel your inner nail artist, Seney recommends resisting the urge to do gel extensions yourself, and instead, go see a professional. Until then, here’s a guide of everything you need to know about gel extensions.

Are gel extensions better than regular acrylic?

What makes gel extensions superior in this situation is that it’s not only made of gel for long-wear and durability, but it doesn’t require any harsh chemicals. “There are plenty of benefits, including no damage to your natural nails, the tips are lightweight, there are no fumes, strong odors, and heavy filing," Seney adds. "When my clients remove their gel extensions, their natural nails are longer and stronger.” With acrylic tips, on the other hand, the removal process involves drilling, soaking, and filing. Removing gel extensions simply requires soaking your nails in acetone, which helps the gel tips dissolve. You don’t have to worry about gel extensions preventing you from doing your everyday tasks, either. “The gel tips are pretty strong, so you can do normal daily things without being worried your nail will pop off or lift. I tell my clients try not to touch too much-rubbing alcohol or acetone,” Seney adds, as alcohol and acetone can weaken the gel tip.

How long do gel nail extensions last?

When done professionally, Seney says gel extensions can last up to three to four weeks. Seney adds that if quality products are used you can extend the wear-time for up to five weeks. Seney uses the popular Apres Gel-X system and Medusa Gel Polish for her nail art designs.

How much do gel extensions typically cost?

Gel extensions should run you only a few extra dollars more than the normal acrylic tips. The price is comparable because of how strong and long-lasting gel extensions are. Seney explains that “rates depend on the nail tech’s level of expertise and what the client wants on the nails. Swarovski crystals, hand-painted designs, charms, etc. all come with a hefty price tag. Gel extensions range from $85-$350, the more intricate [the design], the pricier it gets.”

How are gel extensions applied?

• Step 1: Prep the nails. The nail tech will file the client’s nails, push cuticles back, trim dead cuticles, and buff nails. The nails must be clean (and dry) before application.

• Step 2: Find the right size. Take each finger and find the correct size tip that fits. All the nails in a kit of tips have numbers to compare for each hand.

• Step 3: Depending on your nail tech’s skill level, file the inside of the nail tips or apply a layer of acetone. This will create a bit of grip for the adhesive.

• Step 4: Apply bonder liquid to natural nails. Bonder is a dehydrator and you want to make sure your natural nails are as dry as possible with no oils or debris.

• Step 5: Apply primer liquid to natural nails. Primer makes your nails sticky so that it’s easier for the gel to attach. (Both the bonder and primer are included in the Apres Gel X kit)

• Step 6: Apply a thin layer of extend gel to the natural nails. (Clear gel liquid also included in the kit)

• Step 7: Put your hand in the UV/LED lamp for 60 seconds.

• Step 8: Apply some gel to the underside of the tips. Make sure the client’s hand is straight. Apply the gel tip to the natural nail, and press down. As one hand is holding the tip on the client's hand, take your other hand holding a handheld LED light shine it directly on the nail for 30 seconds. Have the client place her hand inside the UV/LED lamp for 60 seconds.

• Step 9: Repeat on all fingers

• Step 10: All done!

Couture Took Us To Infinity And Beyond

Style Points is a weekly column about how fashion intersects with the wider world.

The worlds of sci-fi and couture might not, initially, seem to have much overlap. Except, of course, for the fact that both are rarefied realms with obsessive devotees who gather periodically with Comic Con-level enthusiasm, and where the most minute details are endlessly fixated upon. But that's where the similarities usually end. Which is why it was such a delightful surprise to see references typically reserved for the D&D table pop up at the most recent couture shows.

Take Fendi, where Kim Jones cited the house's home city ("the eternity of Rome, the spirituality of Rome, the celestial Rome") as his primary inspiration, but also drew on the lore of Dune and Star Wars. Jones recently made his way through the 800-page behemoth that is Frank Herbert's book, and, he told WWD, "I’ve always loved Star Wars. I still have Star Wars toys all over my study.” The show opened with a glittering cassock-like gown that Padmé Amidala might've worn, backgrounded by a moody sci-fi set.

Another Dune convert was Daniel Roseberry of Schiaparelli, who took the house's trademark Surrealism in a sci-fi direction with his first physical show since the beginning of the pandemic. "After two years of thinking about the Surreal," Roseberry explained in his show notes, "I found myself instead thinking about the empyreal: The heavens as a place to escape from the chaos of our planet, but also the home of a mythical high priestess, at once goddess and alien, who might in fact walk among us." His alien goddesses wore Barbarella-by-way-of-Madonna pointy breastplates, or massive disks around their heads and wrists; a Saturn-like ring of gold literally orbited one model.

Science fiction is the ultimate escapist genre (and it helps that lockdown gave many the time to finally pick up volumes like Herbert's.) With the recent remake of Dune, the latest chapter in the Matrix saga, and upcoming releases like After Yang, we seem to be in a boom time for the genre at the multiplex. For moviegoers, the appeal of imagining alternate worlds right now hardly needs explanation—for designers, whose job is in a sense to create their own fantasy realms, it's no surprise that reference points from Blade Runner to 2001: A Space Odyssey pop up all the time.

But science fiction, for all its escapism, has also smuggled in metaphors for some of the darkest parts of our existence, from climate change to American imperialism. Roseberry found himself pondering how to create in such a fraught time, explaining that his last couture collection, an exuberant yawp of gold and otherworldly florals, "was conceived in a brief period of hope: It was April. Vaccines were becoming widely available. Travel was becoming a possibility once again. We could begin to imagine that our collective nightmare was behind us, or at least would soon be.

"And yet, now, braided with that hope is a sense of loss. The loss of people, most wrenchingly. But also, the loss of certainty; our loss of surety; the loss of our collective future. There is also the pervasive sense of exhaustion we all feel: That churn of red-carpet appearances, award shows, even fashion presentations—something about it feels lackluster. Aren’t we all exhausted by all of it? Fashion has insisted upon its relevance over these past two years, and yet I can feel that even some of its practitioners are no longer convinced. What does fashion mean, what does fashion have to say, in an era in which everything is in flux? And, with regards to this Maison, what does surrealism mean when reality itself has been redefined?"

When imagining the future feels so charged, sometimes it's comforting to go back to rosier past visions of what it would be like. While Jones and Roseberry delved into the planetary darkness and uncertainty of this time, other couture collections time-traveled to a more optimistic era, namely the '60's embrace of space travel and its attendant Space Age design. The '60's-fest we saw at spring 2022 ready-to-wear continued here, with Mod white suits at Dior, space cadet cutout leggings at Valentino, and a ruffled gown at Giambattista Valli that was spliced together with a silver leg—Princess Leia meets C-3PO. Remember optimism? Excitement? Technology filling us with a sense of hope as opposed to existential dread? Not since NASA-wear briefly took over fashion circa 2016 has the space race felt this au courant.

Victoria’s Secret Sells 49 Percent of China Business in Joint Venture

Victoria’s Secret & Co has sold 49 percent of its China business to Hong Kong-based lingerie company Regina Miracle for 45 million dollars in cash.

The two companies have formed a joint venture that aims to help Victoria’s Secret expand in the Chinese market.

Under the joint venture, Regina Miracle will operate all Victoria’s Secret stores and the related online business in China.

“I am delighted to announce this partnership with Regina Miracle, who has been a valued merchandise supplier partner for more than twenty years,” said Victoria’s Secret CEO Martin Waters in a statement.

He said he expects the partnership to “positively impact the speed and agility of the business to benefit consumers and provide us with a platform for a strong future in this important market”.

‘Promising China market’

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2022.

Victoria’s Secret said it doesn’t expect the deal to have a “material impact” on its operating income and earnings per share guidance for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021.

YY Hung, the chair, CEO and executive director of Regina Miracle, said: “We are honoured and excited to be elevating our long-standing partnership with Victoria’s Secret through the formation of this joint venture in the promising China market.

“We are confident that our highly complementary strengths - Regina Miracle’s industry-leading innovation capabilities and market foresight as an innovative design manufacturer, and Victoria’s Secret’s undisputed brand leadership, retailing and marketing expertise - will perfectly position this partnership in capturing the growth opportunities in China.”

The news comes after Victoria’s Secret completed its separation from Bath & Body Works in the summer, becoming a newly independent public company.

In Victoria’s Secret’s most recent trading update, for the third quarter ended October 30, the company reported net revenue of 1.4 billion dollars, up 7 percent compared to a year earlier, but still 9 percent below pre-pandemic 2019 levels.

Its net income came in at 75.2 million dollars, down from 143.4 million dollars a year earlier.

Savage x Fenty secures $125 Million In Funding as it Opens First Store

Savage X Fenty, the inclusive lingerie brand founded by pop star Rihanna, has reportedly secured 125 million dollars in fresh funding.

It comes via a Series C funding round led by Neuberger Berman, along with participation from previous investors L Catterton, Avenir, Sunley House Capital, Advent International, and Jay Z’s Marcy Venture Partners, Forbes reports.

New investors include LionTree, Abu Dhabi Growth Fund (ADG) and Multiply Group.

It brings the total venture capital funding raised by Savage X Fenty to 310 million dollars, following a 115 million dollar Series B round in February.

Savage X Fenty was launched in 2018 as a joint venture between Rhianna and Fabletics owner TechStyle Fashion Group.

Physical store debut

The brand, which holds an annual star-studded runway show presented through Amazon Prime, announced earlier this month plans to take its first foray into physical retail, with the first store - in Las Vegas - opening this week.

In an Instagram post, Rhianna revealed the other four locations: LA, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington DC.

Also this month, the brand’s co-president and chief merchandising Christiane Pendarvis, told Bloomberg that “retail is an important part of our growth strategy”, due to the need for customers to test the products’ fit and comfort.

Pendarvis said that following the US openings, store openings in Europe could follow at a later date.