Narsingi, Hyderabad

Nail extensions in Narsingi, Hyderabad

at The Nail Lounge by Aura & Armour

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Nail extensions add length to nails that will not grow it on their own. We build them three ways: acrylic, gel, and Builder in a Bottle. Each is sculpted over a form or a tip, filed to one of ten shapes, and finished plain or with gel polish. Break one nail and we rebuild that finger, not the set.

What we offer

Acrylic, gel or Builder in a Bottle

All three add length and all three soak off. What differs is the material and how it behaves once it is on the nail.

Acrylic is a powder picked up on a brush with a liquid monomer, placed as a bead and pressed into shape before it hardens in air. It sets rigid and holds a crisp edge, which is why longer and more sculpted shapes are usually built in it.

Gel is brushed on in layers and cured under a lamp between them. It keeps more flex than acrylic and puts no monomer smell in the room. A thicker layer can give a short warm flash as it cures. That passes in seconds and is normal.

Builder in a Bottle is a soft gel in a polish bottle, applied with the same brush action as polish and then cured. It carries a modest amount of added length and stays close to the look of a bare nail.

If you are undecided, say so at the start of the appointment. Your technician will look at how thick and how flexible your natural nails are, and tell you which of the three will actually hold on them.

The ten shapes we file

Almond, arrow head, ballerina, lipstick, mountain peak, natural, oval, square, squoval and stiletto. Ballerina is the shape most people call coffin. Bring a photograph if you have one, because matching a picture is quicker and more accurate than matching a name.

Shape decides how the set lives on your hands. Stiletto and lipstick taper to a point, so they catch on pockets, hair and keyboards. Square and squoval take a knock better: the force lands along the edge instead of on a corner.

Who extensions suit

Extensions suit nails that will not reach the length you want on their own, whether they grow slowly or split and peel before they get there. They also give you a shape your own nail bed will not, and they are the dependable choice for a dated event, when ten matching nails on the day matters more than anything else.

They suit you less if you would rather not keep to a maintenance cycle. A set grows out with your nail and needs either a refill or a removal. Left alone it lifts at the edge, and a lifted edge lets water underneath.

If it is strength you want rather than length, an overlay is the closer fit. Same materials, nothing added past your fingertip.

What extensions cost

We quote before any work starts, in person or on WhatsApp. The figure moves with which of the three systems you choose, the length and shape you ask for, and whether gel polish or nail art goes on top, which is why there is no single number to publish. All prices are inclusive of 18% GST.

How long does it take?

A plain set takes 60 to 90 minutes. Gel polish on top takes it to 90 to 120 minutes, because the colour goes on and cures after the set is already built and shaped.

• Acrylic Extensions (plain set)60 to 90 minutes
• Gel Extensions (plain set)60 to 90 minutes
• Builder in a Bottle (plain set)60 to 90 minutes
• Acrylic Extensions + Polish90 to 120 minutes
• Gel Extensions + Polish90 to 120 minutes
• Builder in a Bottle + Polish90 to 120 minutes
• Temporary tips20 to 40 minutes
• Single Finger Extensions15 to 30 minutes

What moves a set towards the top of its range: a long or sharply tapered shape, which takes more filing to true up, and an old set underneath that has to be soaked off before anything new goes on.

How long does it last?

A set lasts 3 to 4 weeks before it needs a refill. What ends the run is your own nail growing, not the extension failing: the join at the base travels down the nail until it stands proud as a ledge you can feel with a thumbnail.

Book the refill at around the 2 to 3 week mark, before a nail lifts. Leave it much longer and the appointment stops being a refill and becomes a removal followed by a new set.

Frequently asked questions

Will nail extensions damage my natural nails?

No, provided they are applied and taken off properly. The damage people blame on extensions almost always comes from a set being picked, peeled or levered off at home, which lifts layers of the nail plate away with it. We soak sets off instead. If a nail starts to lift, book a removal rather than pulling at it.

Can I get extensions if my nails are very short or bitten?

Usually yes, as long as there is a sliver of free edge to work against. Bitten nails give the product less to grip, so the set may not hold as long as it would on a longer nail. A technician can tell you which it is after a minute of looking at your hands.

Do you do acrylic as well as gel?

Yes, and Builder in a Bottle. Which one you get depends on the length and shape you are after and how your own nails behave, not on which we would rather work with.

What happens when one nail breaks?

We rebuild that finger rather than replacing the whole set. Come in soon after it happens: a cracked extension left in place starts lifting at the break, and water works its way under the rest.

Can I have nail art on extensions?

Yes, and it is charged per finger. Two decorated nails and eight plain ones cost less than a design across the whole set. See nail art.

How do I keep a set going?

With a refill. The technician files back the product that has lifted, fills the regrowth at the base, and rebalances the nail so the surface runs flat from cuticle to tip again. When you want to stop wearing them, book a soak-off removal.

Book in Narsingi