Rubbish nails need to look nice.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I do loads of gardening and my nails show it!

In a months time I've got a posh do and would like nice nails. I've got no idea where to start. Can't even paint my nails without splodges and smears. Is there any hope?

[Nagoo]

yes.

wear gloves to do your gardening

cut/file nails so that damaged bits are cut off and they are uniform length.

use nail envy :) The matte one will be easy if you never normally do anything.

what do you mean by nice? polished? long? colour?

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Wear gloves for the gardening.

Get some Flexitol nail and cuticle cream and rub it in night and morning right round the nails and fingertips (I keep it by my toothbrush and do it after my teeth).

Cut them short and file into a gentle curve

Get some almost natural nail polish (my favourite at the moment is Essie Sugar Daddy, a sheer pink), also a decent basecoat and topcoat (the Boots No7 ones are good). You can use a sheer colour without any great skill as it is so close to natural. Get ready for bed, do your nails, wait 10 mins and go to sleep with your hand outside the covers, voila lovely nails.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

thanks! Sorry, busy day today.
I really ought to wear gardening gloves, but it makes weeding so much harder to do.
I feel a shopping trip to boots is in order! I do like nice colours but for posh I'm not sure? Polished def! and I'd like them longer than broken past the nail bed

[Mynewmoniker]

At least put a barrier cream on before gardening if you can't wear gloves. It'll make the washing so much easier afterwards.

[NoGoodAtHousework]

Shellac or equivalent gel polish at a salon. I'm a site manager and not very girly and they take a complete battering from me and still last couple of weeks

[BeaLola]

Agree with above suggestions.

Re gardening I have just bought a pair of Showa gloves & they are lovely & I can weed easily in them

[HeadFairy]

could you use those latex gloves or similar that garage mechanics all seem to wear these days? I assume they're pretty strong and tough if mechanics wear them (they kind of look like the gloves surgeons wear but I think they're tougher). I never really wear gardening gloves because it's really hard to get a grip on anything... and it shows.

[Nagoo]

I got a big box of vinyl gloves in home bargains :)

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Nogood, I think that is what I will resort to if I've not got anywhere, I've got a month to sort them out.
Latex or vinyl gloves is a superb idea, bet I can get a box on amazon the Internet.

I ought to use a barrier cream, my hands do not like nail brushes!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Nail Envy (I like the Original one, the matte peels on my nails)
Avolplex oil.

I wear vinyl gloves , washing hands at work 20+ times a day.Using alcohol gel 20+ times a day.
Can't wear nail varnish or any nail treatment to work.
So if I want to inspire my nails, I apply it daily (don't know how often it's meant to be used) and the Avoplex at night,

I can only do nails during the holidays though

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Is nail envy from boots/super drug?

[chunkymonkeybaby]

I love nail envy too, and avoplex. QVC often have really good prices for both. It's much cheaper buying from them than boots.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Can get Nail Envy in boots, but I think it's cheaper online (not sure where though). I did have a bottle but wasn't all that impressed with it TBH.

I know what you mean about gardening in gloves, I am always pulling my gloves off in frustration. Another thing you can try is rubbing vaseline under and around your nails before you start, keeps the dirt from getting right in.

The Flexitol cream was getting rave reviews on here the other day, I bought it last weekend and can really feel and see a difference in my cuticles and fingertip skin already.

I really do think the sheer pinks look nice and groomed whatever you're wearing, I have got on the Sugar Daddy I mentioned earlier this week and although it is very natural my nails look much smarter than they do bare. You don't have to worry about not getting it on perfectly and no one will notice if they chip. The alternative is gels etc but I've never fancied those, I'm not a salon type person and think it's expensive.

[Nagoo]

good price on nail envy Haven't bought from there myself give me 2 minutes check which one you want though there are different kinds :)

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

thanks all :) vaseline is a good tip and I do feel a shopping trip is in order :) will look out for sugar daddy!

looking at my hands one of the issues is that they are permanently bluey purple with raynauds so I might need to find a pink that doesnt clash!