Two acrylic nails are made of a combination of liquid and powder that’s laid over your nail with a brush. Once the mixture is applied, your nails are filed and shaped to emulate the look of natural nails.After your acrylic nails are shaped, each nail is typically painted with a regular base coat, nail polish color, and finished with a top coat. Nails are then set under a fan to dry. Acrylic can also be applied to tips or to your natural nails, though they can weaken your nails with prolonged use.Although gel and acrylic nails can provide similar results, there are key differences with each nail style. As we mentioned, gel nails typically consist of brushing coats of polish on your natural nails and are cured with a UV lamp. The process is much faster than applying acrylic, especially because drying is instant, and the nails often look more natural. These days you can find online kits that let you get gel nails right at home. Once complete, gel nails will usually last for around 14 days without chipping. Toward the end of this period, they may start to peel or lift at the corners.