Sculpture vs. Tips
WHAT IS A NAIL TIP?
A nail tip is a piece of moulded plastic that is a fake nail. Nail tips are glued onto the nail plate. Some nail tips fully cover the nail plate whereas others only cover a portion of the nail. Acrylics or gel products are then applied over the nail tip for a thicker and stronger nail.
WHAT ARE NAIL FORMS?
Nail forms are large stickers that is applied to the nail plate. Nail forms can be disposable or re-useable. Nail forms - for different nail shapes: extreme and salon shapes. Strong adhesion, optimal arch. The Crystal Clawz nail forms are perfect to create both extreme and salon shapes. The forms come with guidelines, which make the nail sculpting easier. Sculpture nail forms are among the most essential tools of sculpting artificial nails. When sculpting gel nails, nail forms are perfect alternatives for nail tips, as you can place them underneath the free edge, resulting in an extended free edge structure. You can apply both acrylics and gels on nail forms, and easily remove them after the materials have cured. The biggest upside of throwaways is that you can tailor them to any nail shape and they do not conduct heat as much as their metal versions. They can be used for both Gel and Acrylic. Thanks to their outstanding adhesion, they give you the confidence you need to unleash your nail sculpting creativity both at competitions and in a salon environment.
WHICH IS BETTER?
Personally, it simply comes down to the nail tech’s preference and comfort levels what he/she chooses to work with or what the client prefers on his/her nails. Some people believe that nail tips are stronger than nail forms because there is a fundamental structure under the nail. On the other hand, others believe that nail forms are better because they do not put as much pressure on the nail plate and are less likely to break or damage the natural nail. I prefer sculpting forms because nail tips require a bit more work and must be precisely measured, filed and shaped in order to have a longer lasting set. The stress point is not as strong when using nail glue and sometimes causes damage to the natural nail bed. I do believe that sculpting the nails takes a bit more practice because you are starting from nothing and building an entire nail. However, once this technique is learned, it is faster. With nail tips, you have a foundation to follow and lay the acrylic on top of!