Nail Tip Types - Plastic, Gel & Molds

Back in the day, when the nail industry was very young, there was only one main method of extending nails - using acrylics and plastic nail tips. So much has changed since, with the invention of hard gels for extending nails, which also gave birth to new nail tip types - each one for a different gel nail extension method.

What are nail tips, and which different kinds are there?

Nail tips are an artificial extension, usually already shaped like a nail in long length. There are two main ways of grouping differeny nail tip types: General Use and Specific Style.

The main difference between nail tip types is the type of extension product used and the type of extension done.

The main types of nail tips are plastic tips, gel tips (often called Gel X) and dual forms. Within these groups, nail tips can come in different nail shapes (e.g. almond, coffin, square) and in different length and styles (usually medium and long length.

Plastic Nail Tips

Plastic nail tips are used with acrylics as an extension product. They are made of plastic, and they are glued to the natural nail with a special strong glue. They must be attached to short natural nails, which were shaped like a very short smile line. These plastic nail tips will have a marking for where the smile line of the natural nail should meet the plastic nail tip, usually in the middle of the nail around the apex.

After a few seconds of letting the glue dry, we apply acrylics on top of the nail tip, to give it structure and durability. These plastic nail tips remain inside the structured nail.

You can gel plastic nail tips in different length and shapes, the most common will be long squares.

Gelly Tips, AKA Gel X

Gelly tips are rather new in the nail extension world, bringing a lot of innovation and ease of use. These nail tips are made of gel just like the gel product which is usually used along with them in nail extension with Gel X tips. They blend very well with other gel products and that makes them very versatile and a top option for quick extension of full sets and especially borken nails.

These tips are applied to the natural nail with a soft gel coat or rubber base coat which is cured under a UV gel lamp. They can then be covered in soft gel or hard gel for structure and durability. They actually have some structure to them so it's very easy to shape gel over them.

Gel X tips also remain inside your manicure, similar to plastic tips, so you always have to replenish your stock of nail tips.

These tips can come in many different lengths, including short, and in many different shapes and sizes. Lately many people started buying pre designed Gel X tips which already have an art design on them.

This nail tip type has taken over the world by storm, due to its ease of use, even when it's not the most durable manicure (less durable them acrylics with plastic tips for sure).

Dual Forms, AKA Molds

Dual forms are also a new addition to the nail tech selection of systems and methods for nail extension with gel products. The dual forms nail tip type, is probably the best of all worlds, in terms of use and durability. These molds are made from a thick kind of plastic (much thicker than the plastic nail tips mentioned above), and they are unique in how they are only used as a mold for the product applied, and they don't actually remain within the structured manicure.

The nail tip type of these molds is used by applying product into the mold, then laying that prodcut on the entire nail, covering it with product in an even and structured way. Then, when that product is cured under the mold, it pops off easily. That keeps a strong layer of product already on your nails, without the actual mold used, so you can reuse each mold many many times and don't need to replenish their stock so often.

Another special thing about dual forms is that they can be used for cool embedded designs inside the gel itself, as you can mold the product and mix into it before laying on the nail.

Dual Forms Nail Tips with Builder Gel