March 31, 2009

Solar Power


I am amazed...I got a ton of comments/emails about solar nails!  A lot of people had never heard of them and they are definitely one of my beauty faves.  I know these exist in the North but they are way more prevalent in the South.  Now for my "Solar Nails 101."

*Solar nails are an updated version of acrylic nails and are usually a two step process (which makes them a tiny bit more expensive).  Most of the time, I leave mine with French or American manicure and skip the paint...for this, BOTH pink and white powder are used so no need for french paint.  Goodbye paint peeling!

*Acrylic nails are more opaque and less natural looking and can yellow over time.  It is usually best to paint acrylic nails after your first set for this reason.  Solar nails dry crystal clear and do not yellow with sun or tanning bed exposure (perfect for summer).

*Solar nails are much more durable than acrylic so unless a freak accident occurs, you should not expect any breakage.  Depending on how quickly your nails grow, you could wait almost 3 weeks before needing a refill - I go every other week but my nails grow super fast.

*Solar nails are much easier to shape.  I like mine square/round and usually keep them relatively short.

So there you have it, Solar Nails 101.  I thought I would throw it out there for those of you that asked.  DO NOT be fooled by the hideous pictures on the web...they are so EXTREME and nothing like what good nails should look like.

XOXO

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks for the Solar Nails 101. I hope I'm not alone... :)

GingerSnap said...

How much should we expect to pay for a full set?

Sarah Glova said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sarah Glova said...

What a great 101! Very well explained-- and they do sound perfect for summer!!

Thank you so much for your comment on my blog!! But who are we kidding-- your blog layout is ADORABLE!! I didn't design mine, I found it here (just if you wanted to look): http://www.falconhive.com/

I subscribed to your blog-- too many adorable topics not to! Good luck with the WW goal-- we're ALL doing the same before summer!!!!!

Jackie said...

Hi Ashley! I just scrolled through your blog--- it's very sweet and your outgoing (well, seemingly, at least!) personality definitely shines through. :)

Darci White said...

I've had solar nails for a LONG time......and I'm addicted to them. However, I'm really thinking about taking them off. I have great natural nails and am sick of having to get my solar nails filled every 2 weeks.

Hmmmmmm. I just don't know if I can get rid of them. I've done it before and they just don't look as good ya know?

Jane said...

i think on the west coast they are called pink and whites... i could be wrong but they sound very similar.

Rob and Amy said...

I loveeeeee me some solar nails!!! And to Ginger Snap, it really depends on your salon, but I would expect to pay around $10-$15 more for solar nails than regular acrylics. but I PROMISE you it's worth it. (fills are a little more expensive too...but again totally worth is)

Sarah Elizabeth said...

solar nails are my favorite and what I get when i get my nails done, but my nails grow really fast, so they're not the most practical for me! I keep them short and polished most of the time strictly because of how fast my nails grow! ♥