Silk wrap nails are NOT new. In fact, they were around during the 1980s, but they have only made an impressive comeback lately. What are they? What are silk wrap nails pros and cons? Are they better than the popular gel manicures? How to do them at home? We are about to find out!
What are silk wrap nails exactly?
The name has given us enough details to approach the concept for the first time: pieces of silk wrapped around the nails. Of course, they are also a kind of manicures. However, unlike most artificial nails, silk wraps offer a normal length that doesn’t require too much maintenance. If you hesitate to get gel nails because of the complicated function, you can trust this new solution!
Basically, the process includes trimming silk strands and adhering them to your nails. Extra resin can be added for more reinforcement.
Although the method is best for short nails, it can still take fairly good care of longer nails if you mold and adjust them properly.
The History of Silk Wrap Nails
The term became popular worldwide in the 1980s under the brand Linen Batiste Nails. Silk wraps for nails quickly enamored women who had no time to grow and take care of long nails before acrylic nails took over the market.
Nevertheless, if we want to know the origins of silk wraps, we would need to trace them back to the 1920s and further. Since the early years of the last century, tea bags and coffee filters have been a favorite material for manicurists to repair broken nails. Further research tells us that long ago, Egyptians had already known how to reinforce their nails with paper.
Recently, this trend has made an impressive return because of many advantages that earn it a solid number of supporters. What makes it stand out from the variety of manicures we have nowadays?
Silk Wrap Nails Pros and Cons
The Pros
Looking real
Unlike fake gel nails, silk wraps are not heavy at all. After getting your manicure done, you don’t even need to paint the nails to keep them beautiful and natural.
Still, every choice is on the table if you want to design silk wrap nails. You can pretty much try any nail art using the usually seen nail polishes.
Effective treatment
After many manicure sessions with acrylic and gel nails, your natural nails are bound to look damaged when exposed. Silk wraps are fairly good at covering breakages and scratches for you, not to mention the discoloration won’t be too obvious with these wraps. If you want to enhance the appearance, you can also paint the silk wraps using polishes.
Strengthen the nails
The first and foremost purpose of silk wraps is to add more strength to your nails. With silk and resin, your nails will get a sturdy structure and avoid splits or cracks.
Different from other artificial nails, silk wraps won’t damage your natural nails when you remove them (if you have the correct removal process, of course). It compensates for the slightly weaker texture. After all, protecting your nails only to ruin them while trying to remove the extensions doesn’t seem too favorable!
Breathable and lightweight
If there is something unpleasant about gel or acrylic nails, it would be the thickness and the weight they placate on your fingers. With silk wraps, your nails won’t feel like they are being suffocated.
Since they are also more flexible, the risk of getting them broken is remarkably lower.
Easy to apply & remove
Silk wraps are easier to apply and remove compared to other types such as gel nails or SNS nails. There is no need to invest in a UV lamp for a DIY manicure or soak your nails in acetone to remove it, making it remarkably less harmful.
We are putting detailed instructions on how to put silk wraps on nails as well as how to remove silk wrap nails below!
Affordable
You will have a decent kit for silk wrap nails at a low cost, unlike other types of manicure. Imagine accidentally breaking your nails when you are on a tight budget, silk wraps can be your savior.
The Cons
Not the toughest
Due to the materials being naturally thinner and frailer, we can’t expect silk wraps to be tougher than acrylic and other nail extensions. Also, just because they can strengthen your nails doesn’t mean they are harder than real nails. The risk of breaking your silk wrap nails is still there.
Too easy to remove
While being easy to remove is favorable, it might be a disadvantage for some people! If your hands are constantly wet, silk wraps might not be the most suitable choice. Exposure to water for a prolonged time will lead to faster removal of the manicure.
Fill-ins required
The faster your nails grow, the sooner you need your fill-ins to maintain a splendid look.
Unpopular service
You will have no difficulty finding a salon for gel or acrylic nails since they focus on a larger group of customers, but not many of these salons will offer service for silk wraps.
Who Do Silk Wrap Nails Best Fit for?
There are common cases where you might want to consider silk wrap nails for convenience:
- If you are allergic to primer or acrylic, it is better to avoid them at all costs.
- You broke your nails by accident.
- The elders will have more sensitive nails and skin.
- You can find the tools a DIY kit online easily, a bonus as not all salons do silk wraps.
- Your nails are too short and in need of some length without feeling bulky and chunky.
Furthermore, when you are in a transition phase from acrylic nails to natural nails, you will need this reinforcement. The new nails are fairly weak and prone to damage, and acrylic users tend to take a while to get accustomed to being cautious with heavy tasks. Silk wraps can provide enough protection for you to safely overcome the challenge!
How to Do Silk Wrap Nails at Home?
Even if you are inexperienced in doing a manicure and taking care of it, you will agree with us that silk wraps are not difficult to apply. Here are the steps you need to follow!
Preparation
The preparation step is always important, no matter what you do. When you have everything ready before sitting down and getting to work, you can focus on your project thoroughly with no distraction.
What are you going to need for DIY silk wrap nails?
- Silk wraps
- Nail trimmer, remover, file
- Nail glue, sealing substance
- Cotton balls
- Compressing sheets
Get the nails ready
Every manicure is more likely to be a success if applied to clean nails. If you have extensions, polishes, glues on your nails, we recommend removing them in advance.
Your natural nails should be as close to the desired length and shape as possible, but not too close to the flesh of your fingertips. You will need a few nail tips for a starter.
When the shape and the length are decent, we will start to prepare the surface of the nails. It should be rough and not smooth for better adherence. Use a nail file to remove the shine and roughen the texture. An electric nail drill will be amazing too, yet be careful to not overdo and damage the nails.
Cut the silk wraps
When you buy silk wraps from the market, there are various sizes available. Some kits come with silk pieces that have been cut and you only have to choose the size matching your desired length. In other cases, the kit will include a roll, giving the potential artists more room for craftsmanship.
Put the silk pieces on
Most silk wraps on the market have a layer of adhesive on them already, and you only need to wrap the piece of silk around your nail, from the base to the tip, and spare the cuticle. Otherwise, you have to apply nail glue by yourself. Use a sufficient amount to adhere to the silk wrap without making it feel heavy.
Next, get the sealing substance on the silk wraps and wait for it to dry. This substance is usually water-soluble, which you should be aware of if you want to keep the manicure for a long time. When it is all good to go, you can comfortably start buffing the surface for smoothness and evenness, eliminating all the bumps left by silk wraps.
Try a nail polish
After the sealing substance settles, you can consider it done and move on to the creative part. Any color you like would do, or a simple clear coat if you want to stick to simplicity.
How to Remove Silk Wrap Nails?
As previously mentioned, removing silk wraps from your nails is a simple task even if you do it at home! All you have to do is soak your fingertips in water and let the water-soluble sealing substance wear off, the silk wraps will then be removed with no difficulty.
Nonetheless, you need another method if you use resins for the wraps. A nail polish remover will finish the job for you in no time, but you can follow the steps below in case you only have acetone solution.
- Fill a small bowl with sufficient acetone and keep your fingernails in the solution for about 2 minutes.
- Wet a cotton ball with acetone and dab it on your silk wraps.
- If you have bad luck and the silk pieces don’t come off right away, give it another 2 minutes with the acetone.
- Once finished, wash the acetone solution off your hands with warm water and soap. As acetone has a drying effect, don’t forget to apply a moisturizer for hands and cuticles. It will minimize the damage done by acetone.
Extra Tips for Silk Wrap Nails
While silk wraps are easy to apply and remove, we can certainly use a few tips to speed up the process and keep the manicure in its prime state.
During the process
Don’t overdo the filling
Filing the nails before you put the silk pieces on will remove the oil and roughen the texture for the adhesive to do a decent job. Nevertheless, over-filing will only damage your nails beyond repair. It will take a while for them to grow and recover.
Use just enough glue
Using an excessive amount of glue won’t necessarily help the silk wraps stick. More than a mess – glue or sealant can be harmful to our nails.
Avoid touching the mesh
We have gone through the filing step to ensure the natural shine is gone, and touching the surface will only bring back dirt and oil, especially if you touch it with bare hands.
Leave the cuticle uncovered
Sparing a margin of 1mm around the cuticle is the best way to avoid getting the silk wraps over the cuticles. The better you do this step, the less chance you will get your wraps lifted.
Don’t pull the wraps off raw
Don’t ever simply peel the silk wraps of your nails, no matter how tempting and easy it is! Silk wraps might be stronger than natural nails, and the sealant is an effective reinforcement. Pulling the extensions off might lift the nail off the nail bed, thus leaving room for fungus growth. Ew!
The only case where you can pull the silk extension off is when you notice the glue has already broken down by nail polish removers or acetone.
Aftercare & Maintenance
There is a limit to the life cycle of every manicure, and aftercare is extremely important. Without proper aftercare, it won’t survive the standard duration of two weeks before you need your fill-ins.
- Always wear gloves when you work with cleaning solutions, for they can dry your skin pretty badly as well as damage your nails.
- Moisturize regularly to keep the cuticles and the nails healthy.
- Your nails are not your tools, and neither is the manicure. Even with this reinforcement, they will break if forced to endure pressure.
- Get your fill-ins every two weeks.
Silk Wrap Re-fills
Although silk wraps might last a bit longer than other manicures (if maintained with caution), the natural nails will eventually grow and require fill-ins to stay in their best form.
- Clean: Your hands should be sanitized from the fingers to the cuticles. You can also pull your cuticles a little and determine how thick the silk wraps should be.
- File: Filing the nails will help remove the shine. You will see a powdery material that you need to brush off, or the fibers under the silk wraps might be trapped there.
- Wrap: Apply nail glue on your nails and wrap the silk pieces around, or use the self-adhesive wraps if you want it to be easier and quicker. Add the sealant once you are satisfied with the outcome.
- Finish: Let the sealant dry completely and paint your nails however you like! It can be an intricate design or a simple clear coat.
Best Silk Wrap Nail Kits 2021
All-in-one Kit
SuperNail Swiss Silk Wraps
Made of Swiss silk and with an adhesive, this kit is great even for professional use. Watch out for which product you are getting since there are two sizes available: cut and uncut. If you need the pre-cut silk pieces, pick the box with the nail symbol on it.
They are very good at hardening the nails but not extending them, as expected from the silk wrap manicure that works mostly as a shield than an extension.
Honey Joy Self-Adhesive Nail Wraps
Although you need to cut the roll into pieces of your nail size, it comes with an adhesive so there is no need for more nail glue. You will pull the silk from the slit of the box and separate the silk from the attached band, cut as much as you need, and put it back as new.
Separate products
If you want to give your clever hands a test, you can definitely try cutting suitable pieces of silk from a big roll, and here are a few suggestions!
SuperNail China Silk Wrap Roll
240pcs Set of Silk Wraps
100pcs Silk Wrap Nail Extensions
FAQs
How long do silk wrap nails last?
Like most other manicures, silk wraps last for two weeks at most, unless your hands need to immerse in water or operate harsh tasks too often.
What is the difference between fiberglass nail wraps and silk wrap nails?
Although they are sometimes used as an alternative for each other, you should know the difference between them. Although the application process is the same, the materials are drastically different.
Are silk wrap nails better than acrylic nails?
Both of them give your natural nails the necessary protection but they have differences as well, indeed. If we are talking about the hardness, silk wraps can’t surpass acrylic nails due to the nature of the materials. However, if you would like to maintain the natural look of your real nails despite getting an extension, you might prefer silk wraps a whole lot more.
Check these posts out for amazing nail designs:
- Fall Nail Designs | 20+ Amazing Autumn Nail Designs Ideas
- The Top Choice of 30 Nail Art Designs for Beginners
- Almond Nails | 21 Amazing Designs for Summer
- Summer Nails on Top Trending 2021
Conclusions
If you are looking for a new kind of reinforcement for your nails or trying to grow natural nails after sticking to acrylic and gel nails for so long, silk wrap nails might be the solution! They will strengthen the natural nails like every other extension while maintaining a real appearance. Even if there is no salon offering this service near you, with our in-depth instruction, you can apply and take care of them at home!
