Gel, BIAB or extensions?which is right for you.

Walk into any London nail salon and you will encounter the same three options: gel, BIAB and extensions. While they may look comparable in photographs, each serves a distinct structural purpose.

Choosing the right option comes down to your natural nail condition, your lifestyle, and whether you are seeking colour, reinforcement, or added length.

Gel manicure: flexible, lightweight gloss

A gel manicure offers long-wearing colour with a featherlight feel. After dry cuticle work and shaping, a thin base layer is cured under LED light, followed by two pigmented colour coats and a high-gloss top coat.

Because gel polish is flexible and relatively thin, it mirrors the natural movement of your nail bed. It does not alter your nail shape or add structural strength.

Gel suits you if: your natural nails are already strong, you are satisfied with your current length, and you want mirror-like shine that withstands two to three weeks of keyboard typing, gym workouts and busy city routines.

BIAB: structural reinforcement

BIAB (Builder in a Bottle) is a viscous soak-off gel formulated to create a protective bridge over fragile nails. Your technician sculpts a subtle apex curve down the centre of each nail, reinforcing the area most prone to cracking.

The primary benefit of BIAB is infill capability. Instead of soaking off the entire set every month, your technician gently files back the surface and infills the new growth. This avoids repeated acetone exposure and lets weak or bitten nails grow into long, unbroken lengths.

BIAB suits you if: your nails tend to split, tear at the sidewalls, or bend easily, or if you are growing out damage from old acrylics.

Sculpted extensions: custom length and form

Sculpted extensions create length beyond your natural fingertips. Using tailoring forms placed beneath the free edge, the technician builds hard gel or acrygel directly forward, sculpting sharp squares, elegant almonds or tapered coffins.

Sculpted nails provide an expansive canvas for nail art, French micro-lines and chrome powders.

Extensions suit you if: you want immediate length and a dramatic silhouette for events, weddings, or personal style.