Unless you went to cosmetology school or apprenticed at a salon, you likely don’t know the nitty gritty details that go into some of the industry’s most popular treatments because, frankly, you don’t need to. Think: the volume of the developer a colorist uses to lift your dark roots. Leave it to the pros, right? But there are some particulars that do affect the kind of service you receive, and can even determine which salons you should go to. With the help of Mamié Onishi, a nail artist, and Eunice Park, a nail artist and the research and development manager at Aprés Nail, we’re getting to the bottom of one of the greatest beauty service mysteries: gel manicures.For the last couple decades, gel manicures have been beloved by nail enthusiasts — and for good reason. Unlike traditional polish, gel allows a manicure to stay glossy and chip-free for longer. But not every salon offers the same gel services; some offer hard gel extensions, some charge extra for soft gel removal, and even fewer specify what the difference is between the two. Ahead, Park and Onishi help to break down everything you need to know about gel manicures.Hard Gel NailsWhat Are Hard Gel Nails?“Hard gel is a type of gel that cannot be soaked off. It can only be filed off,” says Park. “The appeal of hard gel is that it can offer a lot of durability and strength, especially important if it's being used for nail extensions.” Hard gel is also a great alternative for acrylic, she notes, especially if you can’t stand the smell of monomer, which is a strong-smelling bonding agent that’s used in the application of acrylic nails. Hard gel nails are ideal for building length. They can be filed as short or as long as you’d like, in any shape, from almond to coffin and square.Hard gel can also be referred to as builder gel, sculptor gel or structure gel. 
