Nails
BIAB vs Gel: Which Should You Actually Book?
22 March 2026 · 5 min read · By Jenna Rhodes
The two are not the same thing. Here's how to pick the right one without trial and (expensive) error.
Two of the most-asked-about treatments. Different jobs.
Gel manicure A coloured gel polish over your natural nail, cured under UV light. Lasts 2–3 weeks. Best if your nails are already in decent shape and you just want long-wear colour for the next fortnight.
BIAB (Builder Gel) A clear, harder gel that's applied as an overlay — it builds strength rather than just adding colour. You can have it on its own (subtle, almost invisible) or with gel colour on top. Lasts 3–4 weeks, infilled at three.
When to book BIAB If your nails are thin, peeling, splitting, or recovering from acrylics. If you're trying to grow them out. If you keep breaking nails at the same spot. BIAB acts like a brace — strong enough to protect, flexible enough to move with the nail.
When to book gel If your nails are already healthy and you want fast colour. If you're going on holiday next week and don't want chips. If your budget for nail upkeep is modest.
When to book neither If your nails are damaged, lifting at the bed, or showing signs of fungal issues — book a Soak-Off + Treatment instead. Get them properly clean first. Then we build back up from there.
Either way, prep matters more than product. If your set doesn't last, it's almost always because the prep was rushed, not because the gel was wrong.