How long do BIAB extensions last?

Three to four weeks before they need an infill. A gap appears at the cuticle from around week three as the nail grows, which is the point to book back in. A BIAB Infill is £85 and takes an hour and a half.

Do BIAB extensions damage your nails?

No, provided they are removed properly. Most of the damage blamed on extensions comes from picking them off or from over-filing at removal. Infilling at three weeks also means the natural nail spends less time in acetone than it would with a full removal every month.

How are BIAB extensions removed?

In the salon. The technician files the bulk of the gel back, then soaks off what remains so the natural nail underneath is not scraped. Gel Extension Removal is £30 alongside another service. They should not be pulled or picked off at home, which lifts layers from the natural nail.

How long can BIAB extensions be?

Short to medium lengths hold best in builder gel. Your technician will advise at the desk, since how much length a set will carry depends on the strength and shape of your own nail. Bring a reference photo if you have a shape in mind.

Can I have BIAB extensions if I bite my nails?

Yes, and it is one of the main reasons people book them. Extensions rebuild the shape where length has been lost, and the gel is hard enough to make biting difficult, which gives the nail underneath time to grow.

Can I have nail art or a bright colour with BIAB extensions?

Yes. BIAB goes on first as a base, then gel polish or nail art is cured over the top. Nail art starts at £15 for a French tip. Custom designs can be sent to the salon WhatsApp before your appointment.

BIAB Nail Extensions

Nude almond nails on a hand curled over a salon counter edge

Wear Time

3 to 4 weeks

Duration

105 minutes

Price

£90

Nail technician shaping a BIAB gel extension at Paint Nails London

A BIAB Extension Set Includes

A BIAB Gel Extension set is an hour and 45 minutes of nail work, from prep through to finished length. Nails are filed and buffed, cuticles are oiled and tidied, then a tip is fitted and builder gel is applied over the top and cured under an OPI-LED lamp.

The gel is shaped and refined to the length and shape you have asked for, from a short square to a longer almond. BIAB comes in nudes, naturals and pinks, and any gel colour or nail art can be cured over the top.

A set holds for three to four weeks before it needs to be infilled.

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What Is BIAB Gel?

BIAB stands for Builder In A Bottle, a builder gel made by The Gel Bottle. It is applied thicker than gel polish, so once cured it sits as a hard protective layer over the natural nail.

The extra thickness is why it lasts. The layer takes knocks that would otherwise bend or snap a nail, and it resists lifting at the edges, so it outlasts gel polish by a week or more. A break can be held together underneath it while the nail grows out.

That protection is what most people book it for. Weak or bitten nails get somewhere to recover, and healthy nails get a finish that survives a month of typing and washing up.

BIAB works on its own, or as a base coat under any gel colour.

The GelBottle gel polish bottles in nude, blush and chocolate brown shades, used for gel manicures at Paint Nails London

BIAB Nails Guarantee

Customer care comes first, always. Every gel and BIAB treatment comes with our Gel Guarantee: complimentary repairs within seven days, no questions asked.

Natural nude manicure on medium almond nails, from London's leading nail salon

BIAB Infills

An infill tops up the regrowth at the base of the nail without taking the whole set off. Your technician files the existing BIAB back, preps the new growth and rebuilds the shape, then the colour goes back over the top.

A BIAB Infill is £85 and takes an hour and a half.

Most clients book one every three to four weeks. From around week three a gap starts to show at the cuticle as the nail grows, and that is the point to come in. A set can be carried on this way for several rounds before it is worth starting again.

Caring For BIAB

A BIAB set will reach four weeks with a bit of extra care.

Cuticle oil, once a day. It keeps the gel hydrated as well as the nail, which is what stops it cracking early.
No heat for the first 24 hours. Saunas, hot baths, tanning beds and the washing up all soften a fresh set.
Gloves for cleaning and gardening. Bleach and soil are both hard on the edges.
Mind the chemicals. Solvent oils in sun creams and insect repellents break the gel down, and alcohol in perfume and hand sanitiser dries it out.
Rinse after swimming. Chlorine is fine in passing, tap water afterwards is not.
File gently, and only if you have to. Always finish in a downward direction.
Leave lifting alone. Picking takes the top layer of the natural nail with it. Get in touch and we will book you in for a repair.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do BIAB extensions last?
Three to four weeks before they need an infill. A gap appears at the cuticle from around week three as the nail grows, which is the point to book back in. A BIAB Infill is £85 and takes an hour and a half.
Do BIAB extensions damage your nails?
No, provided they are removed properly. Most of the damage blamed on extensions comes from picking them off or from over-filing at removal. Infilling at three weeks also means the natural nail spends less time in acetone than it would with a full removal every month.
How are BIAB extensions removed?
In the salon. The technician files the bulk of the gel back, then soaks off what remains so the natural nail underneath is not scraped. Gel Extension Removal is £30 alongside another service. They should not be pulled or picked off at home, which lifts layers from the natural nail.
How long can BIAB extensions be?
Short to medium lengths hold best in builder gel. Your technician will advise at the desk, since how much length a set will carry depends on the strength and shape of your own nail. Bring a reference photo if you have a shape in mind.
Can I have BIAB extensions if I bite my nails?
Yes, and it is one of the main reasons people book them. Extensions rebuild the shape where length has been lost, and the gel is hard enough to make biting difficult, which gives the nail underneath time to grow.
Can I have nail art or a bright colour with BIAB extensions?
Yes. BIAB goes on first as a base, then gel polish or nail art is cured over the top. Nail art starts at £15 for a French tip. Custom designs can be sent to the salon WhatsApp before your appointment.