Acrylic nails?

Carol

I did them myself, and of course, two fell off right away. Second time I have done it. Repaired them just now, and we will see how the experiment goes.

My nails are stubby, and don't grow out well. So it is always a battle to find something to do with them. Sometimes I have a fun color, sometimes just plain.

I feel about acrylics how I feel about heels--I want to wear them so badly (especially a nice design), but they are kind of uncomfortable.

How about you? Do you wear acrylics? Is there something else you do instead?

Will you do any special nails for the upcoming holidays?

First photo mine, second from Internet.

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1 week ago

Off Topic

30 replies

Latest reply was from Irina

JAileen

Veteran

I don’t wear any kind of nail product. I need short nails for playing the ukulele and also the guitar, which I’m learning. The first picture shows my nails about as long as I can go. The second picture shows Dolly Parton and her nails. Apparently her guitar style is unconventional.

Since I’ve been swimming, I’ve hit my hands and nails innumerable times on the lane dividers, scraping my hands and breaking my nails. I’ve started wearing gardening gloves to protect them.

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1 week ago

Sisi

Veteran

I do not wear fake nails. I keep my nails short because I prefer this look and I do my manicures myself. I alternate between sheer or colored enamels and natural nails (like this week). For a couple of years now, for the Christmas holidays, I've been doing a professional manicure with semi-permanent polish. I like it because it is super shiny and lasts forever. For what it's worth, I like your nails the way they are!

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1 week ago

LJP

Veteran

No acrylics or gels for me. Very hard on the nails, environmentally unfriendly (just ask any technician about the dust etc) and time consuming at that. I do my own every Sunday - reg polish, Londontown Gel topcoat, and cured under an LED . Takes no time at all, and gives me the super glossy gel look without UV damage or dust from filing. I prefer a basic colour with no designs etc. This fall it's brown, wine, or a dark red.

1 week ago

Carol

(website)

Veteran

JAileen--your nails are a nice look. I love Dolly, and also wonder how she plays with those nails. Though I have met male guitarists who keep one or more nails long to play, so maybe it helps. I forgot about her book program--what a great thing.

Sisi--your nails also look nice. And when I do something to my nails, it is usually polish. Speaking of holidays, I saw a shimmery, deep forest green polish the other day--now regretting I didn't get it!

LJP--I have not tried UV gel polish yet, but the acrylics didn't take long at all. What DOES take time is if they fall off, going through the process of putting them on again. I do plan on getting an LED lamp at some point.

All--I was able to adjust the nails with clippers and a file, and I like how they look better now. But they are still fussy and need occasional reapplication, so I probably won't do it often.

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1 week ago

Irina

Veteran

I dislike fake nails.

For years I used to do my own manicure once a week with a clear nail polish. This year my nails became really brittle and split all the time. I started getting professional manicures done, shellac once in 2 weeks. I like it but I consider going back to more natural look after the holidays. I mostly wear neutral (no surprise here) colors and once in a while, dark. I can’t apply dark colors neatly myself, so it’s been fun getting it done. The cost associated with it is something I have to think about.

#1 manicure done by me
#2-3 shellac, manicure at a salon

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1 week ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Carol, I applaud your experimental spirit! Have you tried shellac, like Irina? Many of my clients SWEAR by it!

I'm with Sisi and Jaileen! Personally, I like my nails natural, short, and very neat. It suits my style, lifestyle, and personality. No nail polish other than clear. I do my own manicures every week, but sometimes have a professional manicure. Took this pic a second ago:

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1 week ago

Jenni NZ

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I have always kept short nails, initially as a guitarist in my mid teens to my twenties, then because of having to examine patients. I have never had a professional manicure and only one professional pedicure, dragged along to that by my best friend. I always do them myself with “ordinary” polish-no gels etc.
I did a very subtle pale pink for that wedding I attended at the weekend. Already doesn’t look so great. I didn’t want to exactly match my bright pink toenails for the wedding.
Do other people match fingernails and toenails?

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1 week ago

Sal

Veteran

I used to do Shellac/Gel on my fingernails but have stopped doing this now as my nails became so brittle and I resented the trips to get them renewed because it was a fortnighly thing which was too much for me. My hair and nails grow very quickly....

I do get occasional pedicures with standard polish. It lasts several weeks.

1 week ago

Irina

Veteran

Jenni NZ, I do match nails. I know it’s not a requirement but I can’t help myself, they must match or I can do a clear polish on my fingernails and a nude or pearly coat on my toenails.

1 week ago

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Well Irina I am very matchy-matchy myself usually, but think I didn’t want such a bright pink on the fingernails, draws too much attention to them maybe? I am not sure why but partly because Neil said he found the bright pink a bit “out there”, and that backed up what I was feeling.
I think no problem if you want to or don’t want to! Overall I think I have more fun with toenails.

1 week ago

Sisi

Veteran

You did well, Carol, I like your nails - they look refined but natural.
Oh, how I love a nail enamel thread! I hope you don't mind, Carol, if I continue to chat. To answer Jenni's question, sometimes I match hands and feet, sometimes I wear a bright color on my feet and sheer or very pale pink color on my hands.

1 week ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I’ve never used any artificial nails. They must be challenging to apply well, and I would imagine they can be uncomfortable!

My nails are kind of ridiculously fast-growing (apologies to those ladies who struggle to grow their nails), so it’s hard to keep them short (same for my hair, menopause has not slowed any of this down!). They got scary long (for me) on my Camino trip even though I cut them shorter before I left. I can’t believe I managed not to break any, considering all the hiking! Once I got to Portugal I went to work cutting them back and filing them, LOL.

The first pic is with my nails on the longer side, about as long as I let them get. No polish at all. The second pic is a more typical length. I will usually trim them to the ends of my fingertips. Sometimes I’ll use a clear polish just to help keep them strong and add a little shine.

I love having color on my nails but don’t do it often. I seem to be hard on my hands and I’m lazy about using work gloves. Nail polish seems to wear out quickly on me, but maybe I just need more top coat. I may treat myself to a mani next week for the holidays. I could do it myself too. I have maybe a dozen nail polishes already — mostly blues and teals and some red and burgundy, plus a silver or two.

I like getting a pedicure too, and could use one after 500 miles of walking, but I have one little toenail that seems a bit vulnerable, like I might lose it — how funny, because I never lost a nail when I was a distance runner! But I think that the prolonged long days of consecutive walking put extra stress on that little toe, despite my practice of sizing up in shoes to alleviate pressure! Apparently it’s a good idea to leave a nail like that free of polish, so I think I’ll just give myself a gentle pedicure with no color.

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1 week ago

LJP

Veteran

Carol - by acrylic nails, do you mean the ones done by a technician applied /painted on over a form ,then filed and shaped? Or are yours glued on over top your natural nail? I may be referring to a different kind of nail than what you are showing here. What I love about my system is that I can use regular polish and use a gel-like top coat to get the uber-shiny effect that traditional gels give. Gels and shellac are also very hard on nails- so I'm pretty happy to have found a solution that does no damage at all

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1 week ago

Irina

Veteran

LJP, I’m so impressed that you can do a salon level application! I attempted once to apply a color polish and mine was very uneven and amateurish.

1 week ago

LJP

Veteran

Years and years of practice I guess ;). My hands are in front of people all day long and I can't handle unmanicured and crepey looking hands .

1 week ago

Augusta

Active Member

I now forgot most of what I knew about acrylics and different gels, all I know is that they may be damaging to nails, all of those that are hard to remove. Never been to a salon myself.

I used to be a Big nail polish addict, with some kind of nail art pretty much every time, one color just seemed not enough. But had to stop for health reasons. This year it got even worse so now I am glad when I can quickly-quickly slap some color on once in a while, as I still think that nail polish helps protect nails (at least mine).

I'd post a pic of my former nails if I can figure out how, but wanted to mention that I really like those pink nails from Internet, nice! They do not seem acrylic to me, gel most probably.

1 week ago

Augusta

Active Member

Carol, I think dark vampy nail polish looks great on short nails.

LJP, what a pretty color, do you know what it is called?

Also, test

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1 week ago

LJP

Veteran

Thanks Augusta. It actually has some shimmer, which I NEVER do . I had this idea in my head for the next weeks of the holiday season and wanted to test it out with some makeup options. It's a Sally Hansen colour - called Miracle Gel called Walk the Wine . Inexpensive ! And I agree, short is best for dark nails - mine are verging on too long already.

1 week ago

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I must agree with Augusta and Irina that your nails look really fantastic, Lisa, I think the best home manicure I’ve ever seen! Beautiful colour choice.

1 week ago

LJP

Veteran

It’s the gel - like top coat , I swear . Makes it look like it was done in a salon . Best invention ever .

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1 week ago

Irina

Veteran

Carol, sorry for going off topic but I have to ask.

LJP, how do you remove this gel?

1 week ago

LJP

Veteran

There is a paint-on remover you can buy at Shoppers Drug Mart or from Amazon. Or, although it sounds awful, if you use the right base coat, the whole thing peels right off very easily and does not damage the nail. My manicure usually lasts the work-week and I take it off Friday night.

6 days ago

Runcarla

Veteran

I’m in dire need of a good manicure! Personally, I find dark nails look better against my skin than light coloured polish. I’m also a short nail girlie.

6 days ago

Augusta

Active Member

Good to know, thanks for the name. I don't think I have any wine polishes left, but I was thinking about the reds and remembered I still have some Orly Miss Conduct left - it will be good for December!

Was also wondering about gel-like top coat removal. That's great that you found a product that works for you.

6 days ago

Bijou

Veteran

I went through a period of having my nails professionally done, but when I fell pregnant with my son, felt that the chemical exposure was not good and so stopped with all polish and treatments.

Unfortunately, the filing required to get the acrylic to attach to the nail bed really thins out the nails, so they are thin and brittle during the grow out phase. DS is 16 now and I am not tempted to go back to the acrylics, despite how pretty they looked.

6 days ago

Style Fan

Veteran

I keep my nails short and natural. Years ago, I wore nail polish and had longer nails. My nails were much stronger, but they are much thinner now.

5 days ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Lisa, now that I’m done with holiday decorating (my hands take a beating during that process), I’m very curious to try that top coat and the dryer thing! Do you have a link or a name of the remover product?

3 days ago

LJP

Veteran

Here it is, Janet. It's available in drug stores here, or from Amazon. It's actually a shellac remover, but does the trick on the top coat , then I use regular remover for any little bits remaining. Most of it peels off , to be honest. I know that sounds gross, but so far it hasn't hurt my nails.

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2 days ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, Lisa! The pic is really pixelated though for some reason and I can’t read the label!

1 day ago

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