Gel or semi-permanent? This is THE question we inevitably ask before booking a salon manicure or splurging on a home kit. tenue, shine, removal, effects on nails… Let's compare the two techniques to clarify and help you make the right choice, according to your profile and desires.
To remember :
- tenue and shine: 4 weeks with gel, 3 weeks with semi-permanent, 3 weeks with Xtrem Flash™.
- Application: in salon for gel, at home or in salon for semi-permanent, complete DIY kit for Green Flash™.
- Removal: sanding for gel, acetone for semi-permanent, peel-off without acetone for Green Flash™.
- Respect for the nail: sensitivity and aggressive removal with gels and semi-permanent, bio-sourced formula and gentle removal with Green Flash™.
Understanding the basics
Before distinguishing between semi-permanent and gel, let's start by clearly defining the products in question.
What is semi-permanent polish?
Appearing in the 2010s, semi-permanent polish shook up the nail polish world by promising a long-lasting manicure as easy to apply as a classic polish. A revolution made possible by a formula based on photosensitive resins and monomers that cure under UV or LED lamp to form a hard and resistant film. Result: vibrant color, intense shine, and a natural domed finish that lasts two to three weeks.
The application is ultra simple and does not require any special technical skill. Semi-permanent polish is fluid and is applied on bare, prepared nails in a few brush strokes, like traditional nail polish. The application is done in 4 layers, each needing to be cured under a LED/UV lamp:
- 1 layer of base coat
- 2 thin layers of color
- 1 layer of top coat
Finally, the removal is done by filing, sanding, or using an acetone-based remover.
While it has many advantages that made it successful, semi-permanent polish also has its limits. Intensive use can cause sensitivity and allergies, caused by ingredients risky to human health, such as methylacrylate monomers (HEMA and DI-HEMA-TMHDC) and other substances. classified as CMR (banned by European regulations in cosmetics produced and sold in the EU). Not to mention the weakening of nails caused by aggressive removals.
Formulas have therefore evolved and a new generation of semi-permanent polish has appeared, like Manucurist’s Green Flash™ polish. Gone are controversial or banned ingredients, replaced by bio-sourced and vegan components. The formulas are now more respectful of the nail and allow gentle removal, without filing or acetone.
Discover the new generation of safe and bio-sourced semi-permanent polish with Green Flash™.
What is gel / acrygel?
Gel is a thick resin that primarily promotes the strengthening of natural nails. Coloring is secondary here. Its viscosity allows working on the structure to mask imperfections and add volume and length with nail extensions, for example. Gel nails offer resistance up to 4 weeks, far superior to semi-permanent polish. An ideal choice when you want to stop biting your nails or protect broken or damaged nails while sporting a perfect manicure.
The gel nail application technique is longer and more complex, and is most often done in a salon by a nail technician. Gel manicure is done in 3 steps:
- application of a base gel
- shaping the building gel
- finishing with a top coat
Some gels combine the 3 phases in a single product. The drying of the different layers is done under a UV/LED lamp for building gels or in open air for acrylic gels.
Removal is the weak point of UV gels. Some UV soak off gels are removed with an acetone-based remover. As for most gels, removal is generally done with an electric file or nail file, which can permanently damage the nail plate.
Comparison: tenue, resistance and effects on nails
| Criteria | Polish semi-permanent |
Gel / Acrygel | Green Flash™ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌿Composition | Resins, monomers or polymers, pigments, photo-initiators (petrochemical components) | Resins, polymers, pigments, photo-initiators (petrochemical components) | Copolymers, pigments, resins and photo-initiators (up to 84% bio-sourced ingredients) |
| ⏱️Application time | 30 to 45 min depending on lamp power | 2h and more | 30 to 45 min depending on lamp power |
| 📅Manicure duration | 2 to 3 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks | 12 days (Green Flash™ routine) / 21 days (Xtrem Flash™ routine) |
| 🍃Removal | Acetone remover in 10 to 15 min per hand | Filing or sanding in 10 min per hand, acetone for soak off gels |
Green Flash™: 1 to 2 min per hand, without filing or acetone Xtrem Flash™: 10 min per hand, without filing or acetone |
| ✨Finish | Natural bulge, intense shine and color | Enhanced bulge, possible extensions, extreme shine | Natural bulge, intense color and shine |
| 🛡️Risks for the nail | Possible cuticle drying with acetone | Nail plate damage from filing/sanding, cuticle drying with acetone | 0 risk with Green Flash™! |
💡Did you know? With the Top Coat Xtrem Flash™, Green Flash™ promises a long tenue manicure up to 21 days and becomes the gentle alternative to traditional semi-permanent polishes and gel nails. The results of the clinical test conducted by Manucurist under dermatological control on a panel of 26 people validate comparable performance without the drawbacks:
- From application, 100% of users observe a mirror shine and 85% notice a bulging gel effect.
- After 21 days, 85% report extreme resistance, 85% find the removal simple and gentle and 88% find their nails strong after removal.
Which technique best suits your needs?
For a quick and simple manicure routine
The semi-permanent polish is made for you! Easy to apply at home, affordable in terms of budget and equipment, it suits all profiles.
For an even simpler and more respectful experience for your nails, choose the LED polish Green Flash™: a bio-sourced formula, available in over 100 shades, which strengthens the nail under the color and removes in less than 2 minutes without filing or acetone. An ideal choice to change color according to your desires, without compromising on tenue and nail care.
For a strong manicure and extra long tenue
If you have soft or brittle nails for which polishes chip within a few days or if you want to space out your manicure sessions as much as possible, gel / acrygel is a good option to have flawless and ultra-resistant nails.
And for those who want a long-lasting manicure without going through gel, there is the solution Green Flash™ x Top coat Xtrem Flash™. This Xtrem Flash™ manicure guarantees:
- extreme shine
- domed gel-like effect
- perfect resistance up to 21 days
- gentle removal without risk to nails
With Xtrem Flash™, enjoy the shine and long tenue of semi-permanent without the drawbacks of removal.
For a manicure that does not damage your nails
This is the great strength of Green Flash™! With its non-toxic formula, bio-sourced up to 84%, and peel-off removal, without electric file or acetone, it is the ideal solution to preserve natural nails, fragile or not.
Unlike gel whose removal requires sanding and filing, or classic semi-permanent which involves prolonged exposure to acetone, Green Flash™ respects the nail plate at every step. It notably benefits from the patented KeraHCE+ technology contained in the Vitamin-enriched Base Coat Green Flash™. By combining hexanal, vitamin C, and E, this innovative formula allows to protect and strengthen the keratin layers under the color.
Result: from the first use, 96% of users find their nails harder and 88% find them more beautiful and better protected (clinical study conducted under dermatological control on a panel of 26 people)
To distinguish between gel and semi-permanent, know that if you want a simple manicure, quick to apply and remove at home, semi-permanent polish will be your best ally. However, if you prefer ultra long tenue, intense shine, and a pronounced domed effect, with the bonus of nail strengthening, gel will be the technique best suited to your needs. Finally, if you want the best of both worlds, in other words a premium, safe, easy, and long-lasting manicure, the LED polish Green Flash™ is made for you. Let yourself be dazzled by Green Flash™ and discover the lifestyle and wellness manicure experience made by Manucurist.
To summarize:
- Semi-permanent polish: the perfect at-home manicure routine for easily changing polish.
- UV gels: a good solution for a very long-lasting shiny manicure and strengthening fragile nails.
- Green Flash™: high-performance, safe, easy, and long-lasting manicure.
