Artificial Nails

I used to get acrylic nails and they were damaging to my real nails. Is there anything out there to help without damaging nails? I would like to get a manicure but my nails are short and brittle.

Thanks!

A Shellac manicure will be stronger and last longer than a regular mani, if you have thin nails like me. If you are careful when you remove it (no picking or peeling the polish off) it won't hurt your nails like acrylic does.

But Shellac doesn't add length correct? My nails really are in horrible shape!

No, you're right, shellac won't add length. I think acrylics and gels are the only way to do that.

I used to get acrylic nails and they were damaging to my real nails. Is there anything out there to help without damaging nails? I would like to get a manicure but my nails are short and brittle.

 

Thanks!

First things first, is you want to get your nails healthy. Different products work for different people, but I prefer Nailtiques..you should probably start with Formula 2+...

I never had acrylics, but my nails were always weak and brittle. When I startd using Nailtiques, I actually had to start cutting them, because they grew so fast. You just add a coat a day.

Now I use a coat of Duri Rejuvacote and a coat of Nailtiques 2 before adding color.

Others have had good luck with OPI Nail Envy and Nailtek.

At this point, I would focus on getting your nails healthy. Even adding Shellac, and the process of soaking them off in pure acetone, probably wouldn't be the best thing right now.

I'm sure others will add what works for them, this was just my go-to's.

Debbie

I agree that it's important to get your nails healthy first. However once they are in reasonable condition Shellac or OPI GelCoat will actually help protect your nails as they grow.

With reasonable care I can make an OPI GelCoat manicure last three weeks (or even more), and I do a fair bit of cooking and stuff at home. If you choose a colour that isn't too dark then the new growth doesn't look too bad. In fact my beautician recommends Shellac / GelCoat to many of her clients that have weak nails and says that they are really happy with the results.

I have a GelCoat manicure every three weeks, and when about to go on a trip also have my toenails done in the GelCoat. I love these sorts of nail products. I rarely wore nail polish before these products came out. I tended to destroy a manicure very quickly, sometimes within hours, so it wasn't cost-effective. Now I have pretty nails all the time.

I keep my nails short - get a gel mani when going on vacation. Lasts about 2 weeks then I take it off - no damage to my nails. I like the way it looks on short nails - try it.

I saw this on pinterest and had to try it.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/199354720980382568/

I have to say my nails look really nice. If you can trim or push back your own cuticles and file your nails, applying this will make your nails look like they were done at a salon.

I keep my nails short - get a gel mani when going on vacation. Lasts about 2 weeks then I take it off - no damage to my nails. I like the way it looks on short nails - try it.

I keep mine quite short too, as short as I can get them. After three weeks they are just about too long for me.

I agree, it does look really good on short nails.

OPI GelCoat after almost three weeks. Still shiny and not a single chip.

Also since I've been using this type of product my nails seem stronger and don't break anymore.

I agree that it's important to get your nails healthy first. However once they are in reasonable condition Shellac or OPI GelCoat will actually help protect your nails as they grow.

 

With reasonable care I can make an OPI GelCoat manicure last three weeks (or even more), and I do a fair bit of cooking and stuff at home. If you choose a colour that isn't too dark then the new growth doesn't look too bad. In fact my beautician recommends Shellac / GelCoat to many of her clients that have weak nails and says that they are really happy with the results.

 

I have a GelCoat manicure every three weeks, and when about to go on a trip also have my toenails done in the GelCoat. I love these sorts of nail products. I rarely wore nail polish before these products came out. I tended to destroy a manicure very quickly, sometimes within hours, so it wasn't cost-effective. Now I have pretty nails all the time.

do you go to salon to get your gelcoat or do you do it yourself ?

i just started having mine done a few months ago -

every 3 weeks - love having them look nice all the time

but it is not cheap !!! :eek:

I go to a salon, I'm hopeless at doing my own nails.

The salon I go to only charges $45 AUD for a express mani and gelcoat application, which I think is quite reasonable as far as Aussie prices go, especially when the polish lasts three weeks. It costs a little more for soak-off but I often do that myself.

Regular full manicures range from about $25 in a nail bar to around $60 in a top salon.

I go to a salon, I'm hopeless at doing my own nails.

 

The salon I go to only charges $45 AUD for a express mani and gelcoat application, which I think is quite reasonable as far as Aussie prices go, especially when the polish lasts three weeks. It costs a little more for soak-off but I often do that myself.

 

Regular full manicures range from about $25 in a nail bar to around $60 in a top salon.

i had acryllic nails - not square but oval as we wore them in the "olden days"

for 24 yrs from 1982 - 2006 - i took them off and struggled w/short nails chipped polish etc ~~~~~

until this year when i stopped in at a nail place - she owns 2 shops - uses the best products

she can find - does a marvelous job - every 3 weeks i pay for pedicure & the gel manicure -

all included for $50 - including tip so i am happy - would not risk doing them myself !!:eek:

Prices over in your part of the world are so much cheaper than in Australia :(

I much prefer a slightly rounded finish to my nails rather than the currently fashionable squared off look. If I leave my nails too squared off they catch on stuff and then I get chips even with gel.

Since regular manicures would barely last me three days let alone three weeks, I never bothered with them much except for special occasions, although I love pretty nails. But since the gels came out (3-4-5 years ago?) I've been having them done every three weeks. I have a regular cycle at my beautician - one week nails, one week waxing and lashes/brows, one week massage. Then pre-trip I have a big pamper session of everything plus a facial, and sometimes a spray tan if I have time to fit it in.

I have read good reviews of avon gel finish polish. The US site has great reviews. I am giving that a try this week

Prices over in your part of the world are so much cheaper than in Australia :(

 

I much prefer a slightly rounded finish to my nails rather than the currently fashionable squared off look. If I leave my nails too squared off they catch on stuff and then I get chips even with gel.

 

Since regular manicures would barely last me three days let alone three weeks, I never bothered with them much except for special occasions, although I love pretty nails. But since the gels came out (3-4-5 years ago?) I've been having them done every three weeks. I have a regular cycle at my beautician - one week nails, one week waxing and lashes/brows, one week massage. Then pre-trip I have a big pamper session of everything plus a facial, and sometimes a spray tan if I have time to fit it in.

Its interesting that people think squared off nails are fashionable. I thought they went out of fashion more than 10 years ago. I still see them, but that doesn't mean they look fashionable. Just like overbleached hair, some women can't let them go.

I see colorful, glittery nails on a lot of people now. Sigh...I guess I'm forever destined to be out of fashion. My nails are well kept, but short, natural shape and a pale color, about the same as my skin tone. I get a lot of compliments on them and am asked about the color.

Its interesting that people think squared off nails are fashionable. I thought they went out of fashion more than 10 years ago. I still see them, but that doesn't mean they look fashionable. Just like overbleached hair, some women can't let them go.

 

 

I see colorful, glittery nails on a lot of people now. Sigh...I guess I'm forever destined to be out of fashion. My nails are well kept, but short, natural shape and a pale color, about the same as my skin tone. I get a lot of compliments on them and am asked about the color.

i had to chuckle when i read this !! :D

when i had acryllic i always chose the gloss rather than flat

but always oval shaped !!

now with gel it seems almost half of the choices are sparkly

so here i am at 72 with bright colors glistening !!! :eek:

my granddaughters love it !!;)

They're coming up with all sorts of effects in polishes these days, glitter, shimmer, crackle - did anyone see that one in real life?

The only important thing is to pick the colours and effects you like to wear. Everyone's tastes are different. I rarely wear dark colours. A maroon in winter (the one in the pics) is as dark as I go, and I also rarely wear very pale colours - whites and beiges. There is one fairly pale peach colour that I love that has a soft sparkle and I enjoy wearing that in summer. Mostly I wear brights in pink tones but sometimes I enjoy stepping out of the box and trying something unusual. At the moment my nails are a soft lilac, which was my favourite colour during this (Aussie) summer. Typically I change colour every three weeks, just for variety.

A couple of years ago, I started reading nail blogs, and got totally addicted to polishes and doing my nails. I'm guilty of doing lots of different colors and finishes, but I suck at nail art.

My favorites are shimmers, then creams. And yes, I occasionally will have glitter nails. I will be taking my supply of manicure items, and several polishes on my upcoming 22 night Legend cruise to Australia. It really is a very relaxing pastime for me to do my nails.

As to the amount of nail polishes I own...well, let's just say I would put a nail salon to shame. LOL

Its interesting that people think squared off nails are fashionable. I thought they went out of fashion more than 10 years ago. I still see them, but that doesn't mean they look fashionable. Just like overbleached hair, some women can't let them go.

 

 

I see colorful, glittery nails on a lot of people now. Sigh...I guess I'm forever destined to be out of fashion. My nails are well kept, but short, natural shape and a pale color, about the same as my skin tone. I get a lot of compliments on them and am asked about the color.

Perhaps you should let OPI, one of the largest nail color companies in the US, know that squared-off nails are no longer in fashion. See their video page on YouTube featuring mostly squared-off nails:

http://www.youtube.com/user/OpiProducts

KK

Perhaps you should let OPI, one of the largest nail color companies in the US, know that squared-off nails are no longer in fashion. See their video page on YouTube featuring mostly squared-off nails:

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/OpiProducts

 

KK

I kind of chuckle at nail product advertising. They do go overboard and to extremes.

Look closer at fashion spreads, celebrities and the real world. Where I see the horrid looking squared nails are "reality" shows. I see them in real life at times and I just wonder how people cope with those nails. The most disgusting I've seen is that Long Island Medium lady...she's got the 90's overbleached hair to go with them.

Perhaps you should let OPI, one of the largest nail color companies in the US, know that squared-off nails are no longer in fashion. See their video page on YouTube featuring mostly squared-off nails:

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/OpiProducts

 

KK

But at least they are showing some oval nails. Anyway it's all down to personal taste, some people like squared off nails, some don't.

At least that horrible pointed look of the 50s and 60s seems to have disappeared.

I kind of chuckle at nail product advertising. They do go overboard and to extremes.

 

Look closer at fashion spreads, celebrities and the real world. Where I see the horrid looking squared nails are "reality" shows. I see them in real life at times and I just wonder how people cope with those nails. The most disgusting I've seen is that Long Island Medium lady...she's got the 90's overbleached hair to go with them.

Actually, I think it's more a case that LONG nails are completely out of fashion and can be grouped as very 90's, along with overbleached hair.

I look at fashion spreads, celebrity photos and the real world all the time and what I keep seeing everywhere now is short nails, mostly somewhat squared but some with a slight oval.

KK

Actually, I think it's more a case that LONG nails are completely out of fashion and can be grouped as very 90's, along with overbleached hair.

 

I look at fashion spreads, celebrity photos and the real world all the time and what I keep seeing everywhere now is short nails, mostly somewhat squared but some with a slight oval.

 

KK

I don't really file my nails to much. I let them grow into their natural shape, which is called a squoval..exactly what you stated.

I'm down with the squoval!:D I use dark colors in the Fall and Winter and lighter shades in the Spring and Winter. I do my own nails unless I'm going on vacation or to a special event. I enjoy doing my nails, especially with my family and friends. My SIL and I are always shopping for new polishes. I have tons of nail polish in every brand (from expensive to inexpensive) and color. I always wear a base coat, two coats of polish, and a top coat. That's what works for me.

I've never used artificial nails or any other kind of gel product. I just stick to regular nail polish. When my mani starts to get a little raggedy, I just put on a coat of glitter polish and it extends my mani another week or two. It's hard to get glitter polish off though!

OP, I agree with others that your first priority should be to get your nails healthy. You'll be much happier when you do. I wouldn't worry about length at this point. Besides, short nails are the "in" thing right now, if you care about that. I like mine just a tad bit over the end of my finger about 1/8 of an inch. I no longer like long nails on me.