Salon Acrylics at Home

Rio's Professional Quick Dip Acrylics (£19.99) are a life saver for all those ladies out there who love the look of beautiful nails but can't afford to splurge out on regular salon visits.

I bought this acrylics set a while back as I was curious as to the results and since I will begin training as a nail technician later this year, I figured that it would also turn out to be good practise.

The set contains: 40 nail extension tips, resin, acrylic powder, nail glue, spray-on activator, 2 in 1 top coat, 3 stage buffer files, grit file, sanding block, hoof stick, spare resin brushes, instructions and step-by-step dvd.

Rio says: Professional Quick Dip Acrylics uses a newly developed acrylic dipping powder to give thin, strong, natural-looking nails quickly and easily. The professional finish looks beautiful with or without nail polish. Can be used on nail tips or natural nails.
This is a very user-friendly set even for total beginners as both the dvd and instructions are very informative and easy to follow - practise, precision, patience and approximately 2 hours to spare is all you need to attain a professional looking result.

The tips that come with this set aren't the white ones but those similar to the natural nail - so if you're wanting white tips then you'll need to buy them separately. I personally find the clear tips to be more natural looking and versatile - as I can either keep them clear, give myself a french manicure or just a regular polish.

The dvd included not only shows you how to apply your acrylics but also how to fill them in after 2-3 weeks growth and contains some additional videos on nail wraps, art, foils, airbrush nails and the perfect pedicure - a real treat for nail enthusiasts.

This is how my nails turned out: 

They are very strong and long lasting - the longevity of your nails will of course depend on how you treat them and the sort of work you do on a daily basis. Make sure to wear gloves for all your housework. Mine tend to last a long time - in fact I get bored of them after a while and end up removing them while they're still in tip-top condition. I seem to have a love-hate relationship with my acrylics - when I have them on I get bored of them and long for my real, short nail style...then I get bored of my real nails and caring for them all the time and that's when all the thoughts arise at the back of my mind that I need to get the acrylics back on...weird...so just as well that I have this set.

This is a great kit to have for those who can't afford or just don't have the time for regular salon visits. If you're someone who's just into experimenting with artificial nails then you won't be disappointed either.

Acrylics will also benefit those who have weak nails prone to breaking easily as an acrylic overlay will make the nail stronger. The overlay would help guard your own nail against breakage while allowing any splits or weakened nails to be grown out. A layer of acrylic also helps to make nail polish stay on longer. So overall there's less maintenance involved with acrylics.

A lot of people worry about the damage that acrylics will do to their own natural nail and yes damage can be done if you're not careful about the way in which you apply and remove them. So take your time, be gentle during this process and follow the instructions to a tee. Remember to be gentle with your own nail plate and not to buff or file it vigorously. I've had these acrylics on a couple of times now and they haven't damaged my own nails in any way.

The kit is available from:

www.riobeauty.com
www.amazon.co.uk
www.argos.co.uk

Please let me know if you've tried these?