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Acrylic nails are the definition of glamour in the beauty world, and pretty much anyone with eyes can see that. But are fake nails safe? Do acrylic nails hurt? How much do acrylic nails cost? And what are acrylic nails even made of, anyway? If you’re curious about acrylics and have never tried them before, it’s totally understandable if you have some reservations about the beauty treatment. Find out if acrylic nails are right for you after reading our answers to all your questions about the unique manicure below, and then get inspired by some of the prettiest acrylic nails on the internet today.

Acrylic nails are nail enhancements made by combining a liquid acrylic product with a powdered acrylic product, according to Nails magazine. The two products (known as a monomer and a polymer, respectively) together form a soft ball that can be fashioned into a nail shape. Once a nail technician applies this acrylic to a client’s nails, the material hardens and becomes much stronger. And then it can be buffed and filed to the customer’s liking.

But wait: Who invented acrylic nails? You might be surprised to learn that acrylics as we know them today were first developed in 1934 by a dentist named Maxwell Lappe. He created these artificial nails in order to help nail-biters curb their habit. Who would’ve guessed that they’d become such a huge fashion statement in the decades following? Considering the fact that chemists have developed much better techniques to make acrylic nails look more natural, it’s no surprise that this beauty treatment still has such an enormous staying power to this day.

After all, the professionals are the ones that are most experienced in knowing exactly how to soak off acrylic nails and file them down in an efficient manner. However, sometimes going to the salon right away isn’t possible and you absolutely need to know how to remove acrylic nails at home for one reason or another. (Hey, life happens!) If you must learn how to take off acrylic nails at home, you want to be sure you do it safely: Beauty experts at Makeup.com say your best move is to soak your nails into acetone until they’re totally soft and then file the acrylics off one by one. As you can imagine, these instructions about how to get acrylic nails off can take quite a bit of time to complete in real life. But it’s a much better method of removing acrylic nails than trying to pull them off manually. Overall, trying to learn how to remove acrylic nails without acetone or a file is a pretty bad idea. If you try to do that — especially while your acrylics are still hard — you can say hello to some seriously brittle and weak natural nails in the future. No one wants that!

How are acrylic nails applied?

After you choose your preferred nail shape, length, and color, your technician should begin your acrylics appointment by cleaning, soaking, and filing your natural nails. If you requested length to be added to your nails, they’ll add artificial tips after that. (If you requested very short acrylic nails, they will skip this step.) Next, nail techs will apply an adhesive before attaching the acrylic nails to all your nail beds. Then, they sand down and shape the acrylics. Finally, they add any additional polish, accessories, or nail art that you asked for at the beginning of the appointment.

If you’re wondering how to apply acrylic nails at home, this can vary depending on what type you’re using. Luckily most kits, such as Kiss Products Salon Acrylic French Nail Kit ($6.49, Amazon), include instructions about how to do acrylic nails safely and effectively on your own.

Gel Nails vs. Acrylic Nails: Should I get acrylic nails?

If you’re considering getting acrylic nails, you’ve probably heard some folks suggest that you try gel nails instead. Considering that gel nails are often grouped in the same type of beauty treatment as acrylic nails, it’s easy to confuse the two, or even mistake them as terms that could be used interchangeably. In reality, they’re quite a bit different — and they both have pros and cons.