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What Are Acrylic Nails?

Everything You Need to Know About Acrylic Nails, Straight From Cardi B's Manicurist

What Are Acrylic Nails?
Image Source: Getty / Dan MacMedan

For some people, acrylic nails can be very intimidating and cause fears about weakening your natural nails. However, with celebrities like Cardi B, Ariana Grande, and Kylie Jenner wearing them almost religiously, it's no wonder people are increasingly interested in giving the treatment a try.

The technique is super versatile because you can add length to your nails, which then can be shaped into coffins, squares, stilettos, or almonds to suit your manicure tastes (more on how that's achieved ahead). They also create extra surface area to show off colour, nail art, or crystals, which is great for people with shorter nails. Another benefit to trying the trend is that you can conceal broken or damaged nails or kick your biting habit by covering your natural nails with acrylics. As with all manicures, it's important to find a salon that follows sanitary guidelines, and it's never a bad idea to bring your own tools to ensure you avoid infection.

To find out everything you need to know before making the leap, we reached out to Jenny Bui of Nails on 7th in New York City, aka the queen of acrylics (and Cardi B's go-to manicurist). Trust us, it's not as scary as it looks.

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