As a teen, my naturally long, strong nails were one of my proudest assets. I loved experimenting with painting my nails at home and having healthy, lengthy nails served as the perfect canvas. From their natural length to my DIY designs, my nails quickly became my “thing.” But, as I began to experiment with gel manicures and acrylics as I hit my 20s—right around the time my natural collagen production began to decline (fun, right?)—my once-healthy, long nails turned thin and fragile. Suddenly, I couldn’t get them to grow more than a sliver of white before they’d crack or break.
For a while, I thought that press-ons or acrylics were my only hope of ever having long nails again and that I was doomed to an expensive cycle of Gel X manicures and pitiful natural nails. That was until I visited my nail tech—Manami, at Vanity Projects NYC (highly recommend if you’re in the city!)—who suggested I try Japanese hard gel during a routine gel manicure. I’d heard great things about this type of treatment and its ability to promote nail growth, so I gave it a shot. In just four weeks, my nails reached a level of length and strength I hadn’t seen since my teenage years. It was like my natural nails had made a triumphant comeback.
Hard Gel Before and After: My Best Nails Yet
When I first had the hard gel applied, my nails were at the longest they typically get, but by the time I returned to Vanity Projects three weeks later, they’d grown so much I barely recognized them. For the first time since high school, people started asking if my nails were real or acrylic, and they were just as shocked as I was when I proudly told them these are, in fact, my natural nails, thanks to a few weeks of hard gel.
As CEO of Nailing Hollywood Mazz Hanna told NewBeauty, “Hard gel is similar to builder gel, but has a thicker and stronger consistency, making it ideal for creating extensions or sculptures.” This explains why it helps extend your natural nails when applied and allows them to grow even more over time.
The only downside is that hard gel needs to be filed off, so you can’t remove it at home. But the amazing nail growth I’ve experienced in just a few weeks has definitely been worth the extra trips to the salon. Plus, I’ve noticed my gels last much longer without chipping or cracking between appointments—a total win.
