WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GEL,SNS & BIAB

Treating yourself to a manicure is as much about making yourself feel good as it is looking after yourself. What you choose to wear on your nails can have a lasting impact on the health of your nail bed, so it’s important to be aware of all options. While some of us choose to paint our nails at home, there’s nothing quite like a salon-quality finish.

Considering there are plenty of options, here we take you through what is available; Gel, SNS and BIAB, so you’re well informed for your next appointment.

WHAT IS GEL?

One of the many benefits of gel nails is that you don’t need to account for any drying time as each layer, first, a base coat, followed by multiple layers of polish and finished with a top coat and cuticle oil, is cured as you go. So it’s perfect if you’re short on time. Around 45 minutes is all you’ll need.

The gel treatment is quite flexible however, because of this, they tend to only last around 2 weeks before you need another appointment. This is because they’re very soft and can quite easily chip or breakaway, especially when they’ve been exposed to regular household chemicals such as soaps and cleaning products. Gel nails do not last long on very soft or “bendy” nails. The bonus with gels over SNS and BIAB is that it can be used on toenails also

WHAT IS SNS?

SNS stands for ‘signature nail system’. SNS is a well-known brand of a powder dipping treatment, where you first apply a base coat and then dip your nails in the desired colour powder of your choice, and set with a topcoat. If you’re after strength and durability, SNS is a great option. Compared to gel, it doesn’t chip as easily and can typically last up to 2 – 3 weeks before it appears to lift at the edge or starts to grow out from underneath.

This is ideal for people who do not like the UV lamp!

WHAT ARE BIAB NAILS? 

Similar to a gel, BIAB (which stands for Builder In A Bottle) is the latest product innovation from The Gel Bottle Inc. Its unique formula mimics the strength and durability you find with SNS and acrylic but is by far much healthier for your nail plate underneath.

Where SNS and acrylic can be quite restrictive and harsh on your nails, often leaving your nail plate extremely weak, dry and dehydrated, BIAB on the other hand, can last longer than a typical gel mani (anywhere up to 3-4 weeks) and combines all the benefits people know and love from these treatments, including flexibility, strength and durability, without impacting the health of the nail.

With BIAB you don’t need to book in for a soak off each time, much like acrylics, you can get infills every 3 weeks.

Click here for an interesting article in Glamour Magazine about BIAB

With all of the above systems we highly recommend having them removed in the salon to minimise damage and a strengthener applied.