Who told me to try this

While watching a nail tutorial video...

I got the bright idea to try my hand at doing my own acrylic overlay with tips and a gel polish finish. Mind you I am not a nail tech, the most nail art I know how to do is straight lines and polka dots. So why did I think it was OK to do a full acrylic set of nails. I don't know I tried it anyway.


I purchased two Kiss New York nail products an acrylic kit  and a brush on gel set.  I purchased the acrylic set at a local beauty supply store and the brush on gel set at CVS.  Both of them as pictured to the left.

I tried the lighting speed brush on glue set first. It included: tips, brush on gel, acrylic dip powder, spray gel activator, buffer, cuticle stick, and a double sided file. It was super easy to use, you do not need a led light with this gel nail application, directions are straight to the point and the results achieved are nice for a beginner.

Then I watched some more YouTube videos and got the other bright idea to put acrylic tips on my nails along with the brush on gel.

Yeah, that was a good idea in theory however, the application and my results were about a C- at best.  As for the acrylic kit it comes with everything that you need to apply a full set of acrylic nails (acrylic powder & liquid, sable brush, buffer, file, tips, cup for acrylic liquid, nail glue, nail forms, cuticle stick and tips).

The instructions are straight forward as the brush on gel, however the acrylic wasn't as an easy application as the brush on gel kit.
Well I know it's my first time ever doing something like this. However, the brush wasn't big enough so it didn't allow for a smooth application. Which resulted in me filing and buffing a lot to give the appearance of an even finish.

Other than it being my first time applying acrylic overlay and it coming out so-so. I will try it one more time probably buy a bigger nail brush, 100/150 nail file, and buffers.

Overall it wasn't a bad experience even though the tip on my right ring finger broke after the nail glue harden and the acrylic set...ugh. I sum it up to  how much experience you have in applying acrylic overlay. If you have zero stick to the brush on gel nail set saves you the heart ache but if you have steady hands, patience, and have done some research you should be good to go.

I would recommend both kits to an experimental beginner or novice at acrylic overlay. At the end of the day if the results are that bad you can soak off the overlay and tips and go on as though nothing ever happened.

I will update you when I do it again.


This was Afrikah's Perspective
Stay Blessed.