Review (5/5): Great to get a smooth top surface and easy shape with acrylic, polygel, or hard gel.
I have always been a die-hard natural nail person, and I can't stand going to nail salons. That being said, my nails like to break at inopportune times, like when I have to swatch a collection for someone. So, I wanted to find a quick way of getting a smooth and durable nail if I desperately need one. You can use these with acrylic, polygel, traditional hard gel ("builder" or regular), or soak-off hard gel. I went with traditional hard gel, as I wouldn't have to worry about acrylic setting up before I had everything where I wanted it -- hard gel doesn't cure until you use a UV or LED light. I had a bit of a learning curve, figuring out how to hold the form in place and get my nail fully exposed to the light, but ultimately I got pretty nice results. A little more practice, and I think I'll have it down. There are quite a few slightly different methods for applying and curing gel when using these -- some paint and flash cure a thin layer on their nail first. Some paint and flash cure a thin layer on the form, before applying the main gel layer. If, like me, you're not a nail tech, search "dual nail form tutorial" and your substance of choice and you'll find videos. Leave yourself some time to get the hang of these, and soon you'll have pretty easy, well-shaped nails. Next time, I may try acrylic -- this time I tested these on my thumb, which might be one of the most awkward nails to cure while holding the form in place. My only minor issue is that the largest form in the set was size 1 (smaller number = larger nail for those who, like me, don't do this much), and I really needed a size 0 I think -- hence the fairly significant taper in my photos.