💅 BIAB, Hard Gel, PoliBuild or Acrylic? What's the Difference?

by William Wallace on September 10, 2026

First things first… what is BIAB?

BIAB stands for Builder in a Bottle.

Rather than being a completely separate type of nail product, BIAB is essentially a builder gel that comes in a bottle and is applied using a brush.

Halo's EasiBuild Builder Gel is a great example. It's designed to strengthen natural nails and can be used for overlays and structured enhancements.

Think:

✨ Natural nail strengthening
✨ Overlays
✨ Added structure
✨ Shorter extensions
✨ A beautiful, natural-looking finish

It's a great choice when your client wants stronger, healthier-looking natural nails without going for a full set of long extensions.

What about Hard Gel?

Halo Elite Hard Gel is a thick, durable enhancement system designed to strengthen, structure and extend the natural nail. Unlike soak-off systems, Halo's Elite Hard Gel is filed off rather than soaked off with acetone.

Hard Gel is a great option for nail techs who want to create:

💅 Strong extensions
💅 Structured enhancements
💅 Sculpted nails
💅 Longer lengths
💅 A strong, durable finish

So, while EasiBuild and Hard Gel are both builder-style enhancement systems, they aren't the same thing.

PoliBuild – The best of both worlds?

Halo PoliBuild is a hybrid nail enhancement system that combines characteristics of acrylic and hard gel.

It gives you the strength associated with acrylic alongside the flexibility of gel, without needing to mix liquid monomer and powder. Instead, PoliBuild is worked with Halo Liquid Control, giving the nail tech time to shape and sculpt the product.

It's ideal for:

✨ Overlays
✨ Extensions
✨ Sculpting
✨ Structured enhancements
✨ Creating strong, lightweight nails

If you love the strength of acrylic but prefer working with a gel-style product, PoliBuild could be one to try! 👀💅


And then there's Acrylic…

Acrylic is the classic!

It's been a salon favourite for years and is still a go-to system for nail technicians who love creating strong, structured extensions and sculpted nails.

Unlike gel systems, acrylic is created by combining liquid monomer with acrylic powder to form the enhancement.

It's particularly popular for:

💅 Long extensions
💅 Sculpted nails
💅 Strong enhancements
💅 Creating different shapes and lengths

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