Nextgen Nails

 Anyone who follows our instagram (if you don't , shameless plug, follow us here) will know that about a fortnight ago I got Nextgen nails done. I'm normally an acrylics type of girl, because I love the cheap shop where you can get them done in Liverpool and also because ... Ok, I'll just admit it, I love having prinny nails. Girly nails just make you feel better, take it from me.

This time, though, a friend convinced me I should go nextgen instead , a kind of gel (not unlike Shellac) that covers your nail, whilst infusing it with nutrients that help it grow. I'll admit, I was dubious but I agreed and settled for white tips and a baby pink polish (essentially forming a high end acrylic but, you know... without the acrylic). Now I've had my nails done many a time so I don't normally pay attention , but this was very different and kind of fascinating. First, she added a plastic white tip, clipped it to size, buffed and filed my nails; so far, so normal. Now came the strange bit, out came a tiny pot of baby pink powder, my nail was covered in a mystery liquid dipped in the powder and the excess was shaken off. More mystery liquid, more powder, then one more time, then more buffing, and a topcoat. Not what I was expecting , but ... Well I was impressed, to begin with. (The picture above is taken on my iphone right after I got them done, to show how gel like they actually looked.)

 The result was glossy and did actually look like a thick gel, but was tough to the touch. It was even, of the colour I'd picked the tips were quite obvious in a way that they never are with acrylics, but that was mainly due to the colour I'd picked. The novelty ran off pretty quickly though, along with the sheen off the top , which seemed to flake off in patches after a few days. Although the edges Didn't chip like my acrylics have done in the past, they just looked a bit ... Tatty from about a week in , and I didn't lose them long after (I can get closer to a month out of acrylics, even when I'm in work.)

 All in all , although they were a poorer quality than acrylics , when they came off my nails actually were longer, and they weren't brittle and broken like they usually are post acrylics. Next time I might hang up my princess nails addiction and try getting nextgen powdered straight onto my nails (but I really doubt I'll be getting rid of my acrylics forever!!)

 Nextgen and tips isn't something I'd reccomend over acrylic nails, but in terms of vs shellac I'd say go for the nextgen, when it comes off your nails will be better than ever (results may vary...)   

Sammy xo

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