2023? We don’t know her.
New year, new you — or new nails at least.
There are so many different types of manicures available now that it can be difficult to know which to pick. From aesthetics to nail health to durability, there’s a lot to consider. We’re here to guide you through our seven picks for 2024.
1. Basic Manicure
We’re kicking things off with the classic. A basic manicure includes trimming, shaping, filing, and buffing your natural nails. It may also include cuticle treatment in the form of trimming or an oil treatment, as well as a hand massage if you’re lucky.
At the end, you may opt to get a nail polish application, though this is optional. If you are getting a polish added, where possible choose a dry manicure instead of a soak. It’ll help your polish last chip-free for longer.
A basic manicure will cost you anywhere between $10 to $40, depending on the salon you go to. It’ll take anywhere between half an hour to an hour of your time, depending on whether you opt for a nail polish application.
Generally speaking, basic manicures with regular nail polish are renowned for chipping quickly. You will generally get a few days up to a week if you’re lucky.
For those who don’t mind a regular trip to the salon, this isn’t an issue. But for those who need a bit more longevity, a basic manicure might not be the best choice.
2. Vinylux Manicure
Upgrading a little, vinylux is a professional nail polish brand used in salons, but also available for home use. The application is a two-part process. First a self-adhering color coat followed by a protective topcoat.
When applied correctly by a professional, you can expect at least seven days out of your vinylux manicure. When chips do eventually happen, you can remove vinylux with any regular acetone-based nail polish remover.
You can expect to pay a little more for a vinylux manicure than a basic manicure. But it’s well worth it for the extra durability in our opinion. Vinylux is also much gentler on your natural nails than some other manicure types.
3. Acrylics
Bringing the drama, acrylic nails have soared in popularity over the last few years. Acrylics are made up of liquid monomer and powder polymer. When these mix, they create a hard acrylic which can then be shaped and styled as you see fit.
We can thank acrylics for the rise of incredible nail art you see on Instagram and more. From snowmen to coffins, there’s a festive acrylic for every season.
An acrylic nail appointment will take between an hour to two hours, depending on how extra you’re going with the design. Prices will vary depending on the salon, but they can be as little as $25 or as much as $100.
One of the big upsides to acrylics is how long they last. It’ll depend on how quickly your natural nails grow, but many women get up to a month’s use out of their acrylics.
Of course, with all upsides comes a downside. If your acrylics are pulled or knocked off, they’ll damage your natural nails underneath. To get them removed without damage, you’ll need to get a nail tech to do the job properly.
4. Gel Manicure
There are two types of gel manicures — soft and hard.
Soft gel, or gel polish, is more like high-quality nail polish than false nails. To remove, it’s soaked off in the salon and comes off quite easily.
Hard gel, on the other hand, is more akin to acrylics than polish. It’s great for sculpting and getting creative, but hard to remove. They can be used in combination or separately.
Gel manicures will cost you between $20 to $65, depending on your location. For hard gel nail art, you should expect to pay more. They’ve got great longevity though and you can expect to get around three weeks to use out of the maximum.
We say maximum because gel manicures are a bit rough on your nails. You should get them redone at least every three weeks because after this point they’re harder to get off and may cause more damage.
5. Shellac
Shellac often gets confused with gel. This is because it’s the original product from CND that made gel manicures so popular in salons.
Because of its high quality, it offers no nail damage and you don’t need to take breaks between applications. Though we should add that removal should be done by a professional for this claim to hold true.
You can expect your Shellac nails to last over two weeks. It’ll cost you between $45 to $60, or higher if you’re getting embellishments or nail art.
6. Dip Powder Manicure
The clue is in the name here. In a dip powder manicure, the powder is dipped or poured over the nails. This is then sealed with layers of adhesive. It’s all done completely dry.
It’s not dissimilar to acrylics, other than the chemicals used. A dip powder manicure will last between two to four weeks, but most salons will recommend a fortnightly removal to keep your nails in good health.
Dip powder manicures are a little rough on the nails, though with a good salon damage can be minimized. It’s still recommended to give your nails a breather every two to three months to keep them in good health.
This kind of manicure will cost you anywhere between $35 to $54, depending on location.
7. Paraffin Manicure
Last, but by no means least, the paraffin manicure. For those with dry or rough hands, a paraffin manicure is absolutely in order. It’s like a pamper for your palms.
The manicure involves a luxurious hand massage with oils. Then your hands are dipped into warm, melted paraffin wax, before being removed and left to dry. This process is done around seven times, then your hands are rested for half an hour before the wax is removed.
You’ll be amazed at how soft your hands are after. You can then go on to get your regular manicure with beautiful, healthy hands.
This additional treatment costs between $10 to $15. We’d highly recommend anyone give it a try!
Different Types of Manicures
Other types of manicures that didn’t quite make our list, but are well worth a mention include french manicure, reverse french manicure, and gel extensions. All of these are well worth a look depending on what you’re looking for. Do your research, there are loads of great manicure tips available.
Stay Beautiful!
With so many different types of manicures to pick from, it can be hard to pick just one. So don’t. We recommend trying them all out and seeing which one you love the most.
You can find more beauty tips on our blog.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at Blufashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2018. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
