Time to read: 5 min
Gel vs. Shellac vs. Acrylic: Which Nail Type Suits Your Lifestyle in Vienna?
Gel lasts two to three weeks at €35–€55 and is the flexible all-rounder. Shellac is CND's hybrid formula: chip-free for 14 days at €40–€60, with no damage to the natural nail. Acrylic is the strongest and longest-lasting structure at three to four weeks and €60–€90.
None of the three is best in the abstract. The right one is decided by what your hands do between appointments.
The short version
- Gel: 2–3 weeks, €35–€55. Flexible shine, the safe default.
- Shellac: 14 days, €40–€60. Gentlest on the natural nail.
- Acrylic: 3–4 weeks, €60–€90. Strongest, best for bold designs.
- Choose Shellac for nail health, Gel for versatility, Acrylic for drama.
Choosing the right nail type for your Vienna life
- Gel: Flexible shine, 2–3 weeks, €35–€55. The versatile choice.
- Shellac: CND's hybrid formula, chip-free for 14 days, €40–€60, zero nail damage.
- Acrylic: The strongest, longest-lasting structure, 3–4 weeks, €60–€90.
Gel: the versatile middle ground
- Wear time: Two to three weeks.
- Price: €35 to €55.
- Best for: Office work and anyone who wants one system that handles most situations.
- Trade-off: Adds less structure than acrylic, so it is not the choice for significant length.
Want us to come to you?
We come to your home, hotel, hospital or care home - with the tools, the lamp and the sterile instruments.
Request an appointmentShellac: the gentlest on your natural nails
- Wear time: 14 days, chip-free.
- Price: €40 to €60.
- Best for: Minimalists, and anyone protecting or rebuilding natural nail health.
- Trade-off: The shortest wear time of the three.
Acrylic: the strongest structure
- Wear time: Three to four weeks.
- Price: €60 to €90.
- Best for: Bold designs, added length, and active lifestyles.
- Trade-off: The highest price, and removal must be done properly by a technician.
Which one fits how you actually live
If your nails are healthy and you want one system that handles work, weekends and the occasional event, gel is the answer. It is the least specialised and the least likely to be wrong.
If your nails are thin or you have been wearing enhancements continuously for a long time, Shellac is the one to book. The shorter wear time is the cost of not doing damage, and that is usually the right trade.
If you are hard on your hands, want real length, or want artwork with presence, acrylic earns its price by lasting a month. Judged per week worn, the €60–€90 set is frequently the cheaper of the three.
Still unsure? A technician who has worked on all three will tell you in a minute which suits your nails — SONAILpro does that consultation at your table, before anything is applied.
The bottom line
Shellac for natural nails, gel for versatility, acrylic for drama — that is the whole decision in one line. If you are genuinely unsure, start with gel: it is the middle option on wear time, price and structure, and it tells you quickly whether you want to move toward gentler or stronger.
Gel, Shellac and acrylic side by side
Prices are typical Vienna ranges and vary by district and by the complexity of the design.
Gel, Shellac and acrylic: common questions
No. Shellac is CND's hybrid formula, sitting between a traditional polish and a gel. The practical difference is that it does no damage to the natural nail, and that it wears for a firm 14 days rather than gel's two to three weeks.
Request an appointment
Tell us where and when and we will call you back to confirm. No obligation.
How to find us
The studio is on Burggasse in the 7th district, a three-minute walk from the U6 stop Burggasse-Stadthalle and right on tram line 49.
SONAIL - Burggasse 100/G21070 Wien, Österreich- Opening hours
- Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 10am-5pm
- Phone
- +43 660 4002003
- Public transport
- U6 Burggasse-Stadthalle, tram 49
- Prefer to stay home?
- We travel to you via sonailpro.at.
Where would you like to go next?
SONAIL has two sides: we come to your home, office or hotel - and we train the next generation of nail designers.
SONAILpro
Mobile nail care across Vienna. We bring the tools, the lamp and the sterile instruments - you need a table and a socket.
Go to SONAILpro.atNail2Learn
The training behind the studio: hands-on with real models, with an online component and a certificate studios recognise.
Go to Nail2Learn.at
