'BIAB' nails could be the key to a healthier manicure

Longer and stronger

BIAB nails could be the key to your best manicure yet. Image: @look_at_my_clean_nails via Instagram

Want to get your nails done without destroying them in the process? Experts say builder nails or 'BIAB' could be the key. 

It’s an unfortunate truth that some people are born with beautiful, strong nails, others are cursed with an existence ridden with weak, brittle, flaky talons that never grow long enough to even classify as a proper nail. 

It’s a sensitive topic, as someone who comes from a family of people with beautiful nails, yet has never been able to grow long ones herself. 

Those in my shoes will know all too well how unfair it is then, that getting your nails done is far from an ideal solution. Paying for a shellac or gel manicure at a salon doesn’t strengthen or lengthen nails as we may hope, but often damages and weakens them further. 

So what’s a girl with sh*tty, short nails to do? Usually, get the manicure anyway and cop the fall-out of even weaker nails in the weeks after the polish is removed, or if we’re being honest, picked off.  

But there might be another solution. Beauty is one of the fastest-developing industries, and nail tech is no exception. So while gel, shellac and SNS have been mainstays in salons for years now, there’s a new product which is being touted as the solution to all our nail woes, promising longer, stronger, and healthier nails. 

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What are BIAB nails? 

BIAB nail polishes are the new kid on the mani block, but it’s quickly garnered a cult following of those in the know – think Kardashian-Jenner royalty Kim and Kylie and over 877 million views on TikTok. 

BIAB stands for ‘builder in a bottle’, and was originally created by a brand called The Gel Bottle, though has now been replicated by many, known colloquially as ‘builder’. 

What sets it apart from other gels is its thick consistency, which can be worked by technicians to create a sturdy base on the nails, on which to build the manicure. 

“Builder is a type of gel so it’s not different to gel or shellac in how it’s cured or how you prep to apply it, but it is thicker in consistency,” Sydney-based nail technician Victoria Houllis, also known as Mannequin Hands, tells Body+Soul. 

“It’s growing in popularity because it does definitely help people grow their nails or protect their actual nails from external elements,” 

Like a normal gel polish, BIAB is cured under a UV lamp, and looks the same as a regular gloss, but actually provides the nail with added strength and protection, to help them grow. 

You don’t need a base coat under BIAB polishes, the natural-coloured polish can be worn straight onto bare nails. However, BIAB can act as a base coat for other polishes, if you’d like to have a different coloured finish.

Building a thicker base 

Acrylic is one method of achieving longer nails, but it’s not a long-term solution, and can have detrimental effects on the nails if they’re not looked after. 

While BIAB won’t give your nail increased length immediately, it will in the long run, as it helps to facilitate growth in an ongoing capacity. 

When applying builder, a nail technician will create an overlay, which is basically a protective shell for the nails. “Normally when you’re doing gel, or shellac, which is just a brand of gel, and you’re just doing a base coat, it’s quite thin,” says Houllis. “Builder can really help add some thickness to the natural nail and gives it a bit of protection from the outside world.” 

To the untrained eye, the finished product will just look slightly curved, but the process involves nail techs creating an “apex structure that supports weight at the tip,” explains Houllis. 

That means that the polish will be thicker “in the lower third of the nail bed, close to the cuticle,” she says. The purpose being that “as the nail grows, the weight on the tip of the nail is supported by the weight of the apex.”

That helps to create a structured manicure, which will not only last longer, but gives the nail support and encourages it to grow. 

If that sounds like hard work to you then don’t stress, BIAB can only be used by professionals, so you won’t need to figure out how to use it at home. But the importance of a solid, well-structured base in a manicure cannot be overstated, especially if you’re a fan of hefty nail art or like to keep your nails long. 

The benefits of builder 

Builder is growing in popularity thanks to its ability to “help people grow their nails or protect their actual nails from external elements,” says Houllis. And as far as nail work goes, this method definitely gets a gold star. 

“Like with all nail enhancements, incorrect prep or removal can damage the nail, but if it’s applied correctly and removed correctly then you’re not really at risk of having any issues with builder gel,” she continues. 

What gives BIAB an additional edge over acrylics, which can be harsh on the nails, is that as the thick base grows out, the gap between the cuticle and the polish can be filled, creating a cohesive manicure once more, without destroying the nail with regular removals.  The existing layer is filed down, new builder polish is added to the base, and then is worked together into a smooth top layer of nail. 

That also means that you don’t need to head back to the salon as often – between three and four weeks depending on the speed of nail growth. Since the nails are healthier, thanks to the apex and thickness of the base, the manicures will likely last longer than a regular gel mani too. 

As with many polishes, some builder gels are made from non-deal chemicals, like HEMA. But Houllis says it’s “not hard to find ones that are HEMA-free,” it just requires the initiative to look for it. So all in all, BIAB very much gets the tick of approval from nail techs. 

“I think people prefer it because it does allow people who haven’t had the strength to grow out their natural nails to actually achieve natural length, and protects them way more than a regular base coat would,” Houllis. concludes. “You’ve got a little bit of structure to it to support growth”. 

Originally published as 'BIAB' nails could be the key to a healthier manicure