It’s common to apply artificial nails over fingernails to enhance and protect the nails beneath. These fake nails, often called acrylics, can also be applied over toenails! Using acrylics over your toenails protects your natural nails and makes your toes look great.
If you’re interested in acrylics for toenails, there are a few things you’ll want to know before your next pedicure. Even though using artificial nails on toes is less common, it can give you amazing results. Once you know a little more about the process, you can change the look of your nails at any time.
What are the benefits of acrylic toenails?
They’re versatile
Using acrylics allows you to instantly change the look of your toenails. There are all kinds of options to choose from, ranging from plain white acrylic toenails to fake nails with bold designs. You can even mix and match nails with different designs, creating a distinct look.
They’re easy
Applying an even coat of nail polish to your toes can be tricky. If you’ve struggled to make your toes look nice when giving yourself a pedicure at home, acrylics are an amazing alternative. With acrylics, you won’t have to worry about smudging or getting polish on your cuticles. You’ll get great results every time.
They’re long-lasting
It can be frustrating to spend time on a pedicure only to have it chip after a few hours. Artificial nails are made from acrylic polymers, which are naturally resistant to damage. When you opt for acrylic toenails, your pedicure will look great for a long time.
Acrylics can protect your toe
If one of your toenails is broken, you can use an artificial nail to cover the damage and keep your toe safe while your nail grows back. You can apply artificial nails over all of your toenails or just use an acrylic to cover up the damaged nail. Damaged nails can be painful, but acrylics can keep your feet comfortable.
Can you give yourself an acrylic pedicure at home?
Many salons offer pedicures with acrylic toenails, but you can give yourself a pedicure with artificial nails in the comfort of your own home. Not only can the DIY approach save you money, but it allows you to choose the type of acrylics you want on your toes. When applying fake nails to your toes, you can choose from full cover nails or acrylics that you can overlay on the tips of your toes.
How to give yourself a home acrylic pedicure
In addition to a pack of artificial toenails, you’ll need a nail buffer, nail glue, cotton swabs, cotton pads, small scissors, and a manicure stick. Some of these items may be included with your acrylic nail kit. Kits include acrylics in a range of sizes, allowing you to choose nails that are the same size of your toes.
Try on the acrylics so that you can select the acrylics you want to use for your acrylic pedicure. You can use scissors to trim acrylics and get a better fit. Place the acrylics you’ve chosen in a safe location so that you’ll be able to grab them quickly when you’re ready to apply your nails.
Before you get started, you may want to use a nail primer to remove dirt from your toenails. Roughen up the surface of your toenails with your nail buffer so that your acrylics will be able to stick to your natural toenails. Use your manicure stick to pull back your toenails. Put cotton balls between your toes to keep your nails separated.
Once your toenails are fully prepped, you start applying your acrylics. Put a small amount of nail glue over a toenail, and then press and hold your acrylic in place until the glue dries. If glue gets on your toe, you can swipe it away with a cotton swap. Repeat this process until you’ve applied acrylics to all of your toenails.
How long will acrylic toenails last?
Once acrylic toenails are applied, they should last for a minimum of two weeks. If you take care of your acrylics, they may even last for as long as a month! You can make your fake toenails last for longer by taking a few simple steps to maintain your nails.
At the start of your day, check your toenails for damage. If one of your acrylics is loose, you can apply a tiny bit of glue to keep the nail in place. You can also use nail glue to re-attach one of your acrylics if it pops off. Make sure you regularly moisturize your feet so that your cuticles don’t become dry.
You’re more likely to damage your acrylics if you’re active. If you’re doing something that might disturb your artificial nails, make sure you wear thick, moisture-wicking socks and protective footwear. When the weather allows, try to wear sandals so that your toes have a chance to breathe.
Can you cover a missing toenail with an acrylic?
Acrylics are a fantastic way to cover up damaged toenails, but it’s not possible to apply acrylics over a missing toenail. While glue helps to keep artificial nails in place, acrylics need a nail to stick to. If you apply an acrylic directly to your skin, it’s likely that it will fall off in a matter of minutes.
Thankfully, you don’t necessarily have to wait for your nail to grow back before giving yourself an acrylic pedicure. If only part of your nail is missing, you can use an acrylic tip to cover up your missing nail. After you’ve secured the acrylic tip to your toenail, you can apply another acrylic over the nail.
How do you remove acrylic toenails?
Artificial toenails will naturally fall off as your toenails grow, but if you’d like to remove your acrylics before that, you can loosen up the nail glue by using a nail polish remover with acetone. Saturate a cotton ball in acetone and apply it directly to your nails. Once your nails are soaked, keep them covered for about 30 minutes. After that, you can try pulling your acrylics off or pushing them away from your toenails with a manicure stick.
Conclusion
Acrylic toenails are a terrific alternative to pedicures. Whether you go to a salon or use a toenail kit at home, acrylics are an easy way to transform your nails. They’re long-lasting, look amazing, and can even help to keep damaged nails safe.