Does anyone else genuinely not care about their nails? At all?

[TheYearOfSmallThings]

I'm pondering this after reading another thread about nails, which made me realise how much I just don't care about my nails.

It's not that I have more important things to think about - I waste oceans of time on trivia. And it's not that I am above caring about appearance - I would kill for great hair, and an often consumed with envy of someone's slender ankles (I have cankles).

But nails? Why do people care about those?

I have perfectly bog standard nails. I might paint them once in a while. But when I see "done" nails all I ever think is "eh." And yet it is a MASSIVE industry, with shops everywhere, and they are well used. But who is it for? Who loves these big nails?

Is this an age thing? It probably is. I'm in my 40s.

I won't have my finger nails done very often as I just don't see the point in paying out for it, and being a busy parent, hands constantly in water/cleaning etc, gel Polish is better but even then will come off if you are washing up etc a lot. And normal polish isn't even worth contemplating then, just to pay a bit less. So it would have to be as a treat to also have a manicure done etc, or an occasion.

I will just do my own at home, which you can just soak hands, use a cuticle stick, and trim/shape nails and put polish, and a nice bit of hand cream. Something I actually want to do, if they sell them is use a hand glove mask thing, I know they do them for feet, my hands are really dry right now.

However I do get a Pedicure done, it's good for my feet, again my treat, and because I have foot problems. And the Shellac gel lasts months! So it's worth it, I don't wear open toe shoes etc, apart from sandals in the summer of course. But it's still nice to see and feel I am looking after them.

My nails (and fingers) are always a mess from work. I would like them to look nicer/neater but I don't have any desire to have long or shaped nails.

I have a shellac (gel) manicure every other week. I keep my nails short because I have a one year old, but I like having them neat and varnished (inoffensive colours) as it's part of looking well groomed to me.

Long heavy talons though - nope. Dirty and fake.

I'm in my early 40s. I find fake / gel / 'nail art' claws nails utterly repulsive 🤢. I wouldn't be against a light slick of colour but can't be arsed with it all myself. I cut and lightly file my nails and keep them clean but that's it. For a special occasion I might buff them.

I don't. I keep them short because I work with my hands. Fancy nails would be a pain in the arse.

These posh nails certainly look pretty but I can't help thinking they must just make everything more difficult.

I'm almost 50 and I really care about my nails! I have gel polish acrylics (no, not the hideous ones so slated on here) and I have them infilled and re done every 3 weeks. I usually always have them in the same colour - a shade called Bubble Bath. I have a pedicure with gel polish every 6 weeks.

Why? Because I like it. I like to feel put together and I like my hands and nails to look perfect.

I don't think it's so much of a puzzle really. I mean, fair enough if you don't mind your nails looking a state but I don't see anyone's issue with women who choose the opposite

Hate them, always have, remind me of my mother! Her long bony fingers hurt more with the long sharp nails when she slapped you. I was a great disappointment to her as hated heels, dresses, nails & makeup. Trainers/joggers/jeans...... And short nails even in my 60s, she still has long nails 💅 and I'm still a disappointment to her, difference is I no longer care🤣 I always think they are rather unhygienic but that might be because i work in hospital and not allowed for infection control reasons, however, if nail varnish harbours bacteria as they tell us I wouldn't fancy any baking made by someone with long nails!

I don't either. I have a weird nail shape so some of them are wider than they are long and they look weird painted because it draws attention to it. They also kind of curl upwards at the corners once they get to a certain length so I just keep them short and plain.

But I'm not really a beauty person. I've never had any kind of beauty treatment and nowadays I even cut my own hair!

I've never cared about my nails.

Had them done a few times several years ago and hated them.

Much prefer them natural.

No, I don't align myself with Caitlan Moran's version of feminism either 😄.

Don't mind painted toenails, but I hate having nail polish on my hands. Feels super-unhygienic to me. Like it could be hiding all sorts of gunk.

Here's a proper feminist reason not to get your nails done: you're supporting human trafficking and modern slavery www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-42729302

@KeflavikAirport how about when you visit a salon that very clearly is not supporting human trafficking?

Honestly, if you don't want to take care of yourself / look nice / feel better / do it just for yourself then fine. But it's a bit of a reach to tell those of us who do like to look presentable that we are poor feminists supporting modern day slavery

God no. Not interested in the slightest in my nails. They're short, unable to ever grow as they flake and split, but I couldn't care less.
I slap abit of pink nail polish on once every few weeks, but leave it to remove itself 😁

Well good on you if you do your due diligence. But clearly a lot of nail salon users don't, or it wouldn't be an issue.

I’ve always wanted to have nice nails - not flashy ones, just ones that looked presentable. But they are flat, wide and bendy. They split and break easily. I do sometimes put gel polish on them as this lasts longer than normal Polish which splits where they bend overnight. They sort of unfurl like petals in the morning!

Me. I can't stand stick on nails either (acrylics?). They make me feel a bit queasy. I just like my nails to be short and clean.

But it's a bit of a reach to tell those of us who do like to look presentable that we are poor feminists supporting modern day slavery
So if you don't get your nails done, you're not presentable?

This thread is really judgemental

I used to be a Nail Tech and believe me women have their nails done for all sorts of reasons! I did everything from super long acrylics to nude gel polish and it really is just personal preference.

I only do my own these days and most of the time they are super glittery because that's what I like. I literally don't care if anyone else likes them!

I lead an active life (horses) and aim for my nails to be clean and shaped, by me, occasionally, with a pair of scissors.

I hate the painted talons look, it's odd to me to see long, pointed nails like talons reaching well over the end of fingertips, in fact actually kind of repulsive, but some seem to like them so good luck to them.

What's odd is to think 'if they think that is normal, what do they think of mine?' but then again I don't actually care.

I’ve never been to a nail bar, and aren’t bothered by fancy nails (on me) either.

I go through stages, they are either fully done by a nail bar, or shit. There's no in between and I go months in each stage

I don't apart from cutting short and keeping clean.