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.

No I don't care. I detain my wouldn't want a nail infection etc but never use polish , fake nails etc

I bite my nails do they always look bad, but it really doesn't bother me. I like to think I look presentable! In fact people are always surprised when they realise.

My nails are the bane of my life. I work in a messy process operator job where I have to peel tape off things, use paint and as a result my nails are dirty, broken, full of dust all week. I clean them but the next day they are fifty again. I Can never have nice manicured nails

I never bother. I have insanely strong, fast-growing nails (I wish the same could be said about my hair), and for a rare period when I was a teen i remember I could grow them to about a centimetre long when looking at them from the back of my hand. This took cultivation and care, of course...

But nowadays I am totally unbothered by them. When they have the temerity to grow 4-5mm too long I'm itching to cut them all off. I actually think nail varnish and / or long nails on fingers always look a bit grubby and errr déclassé 😬. I get my toenails done at the start of every summer though, I think painted feet look lovely.

I've always bitten mine and I'm 49. Never bothered me !

That's hands though. I'm not best pleased with my fungal toenail.

I love having my nails done. I have acrylics or builder gel. I don't get them done too long or I end up ripping my contact lenses.

I've only been able to afford having them done regularly in the last year and enjoy seeing them throughout the day. Makes me feel polished and 'put together'.

Can totally understand not being bothered about them. I'd say more of my friends are not interested in nails at all but it's like anything - different strokes for different folks.

I have acrylic overlays on my nails and get them infilled and new gel polish about every three weeks (they're not long, pointy, sparkly or garish) I like them and don't care if anyone else likes them or not, why would I ?

My nails are usually short and very strong but I had gels professionally done for a few months and they’re a complete mess now 🤬, flaking, breaking and splitting.
Not happy at all, I guess it’s going to take months to remedy ☹️

Isn't even a footnote in my Big List Of Things To Give A Fuck About. I look like a burst pie, all the shellac/acrylic/gel in the world isn't going to change that

I find long nails really unpleasant to look at, especially close-ups on cookery shows.

Aren't nail salons so prevalent because of links to money-laundering, people-trafficking and organised crime? (No, I haven't been watching too much Breaking Bad. It is a real scenario, apparently.)

YanTan
That's why I'd never put gels anywhere near mine, or shellac.
Actually I would never let anyone else touch my nails.
I've just cut them all short, which I do when one breaks as I hate uneven nails, but its generally just a twice a year thing.
Still hate my short nails though!

@SuperDup3r

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

How very anti feminist of you to suggest that someone who doesn't go to a nail bar automatically has nails that are " a state".

I hate long nails on myself. I don't overly like the look of them on others either. I paint mine less than once a year.

@blink1eight2 - they look lovely. Your hands look so soft.
I'm off to apply handcream 🤣

I used to be like you but used to try to paint them myself and get pissed off. DH said if it bothers you that much get them done properly. Now I love having my nails done and they break otherwise. I'm not obsessed by it though and wasn't distraught when the salons closed but I do like it as a regular treat.

Oh but I don't like really long pointy ones though.

I can't stand long nail, I think they look disgusting. Especially people who have narrow nails, or when they style them to a point

Painted nails don't interest me at all. By all means, others crack on and get them done but I can't see the point.

Barely bother with my nails now or in the past but I'm fortunately blessed with very good nails. My freind was horrified at me cutting & shaping them with a pair of large kitchen scissors. I give them the odd file if ragged & keep them scrubbed, oiled/moisturized.

A video popped up of someone's routine when their nail varnish chips... I was like my god I'm glad I don't have to consider that!

Don’t care about mine, I think plain polish on natural nails is ok but all the fake nails and jewels etc look really nasty.

I love having short oval nails and a regular pedicure from DP (he learned when I was ill a few years back and got into the habit of doing them for me). I don't get on with longer ones, but just as long as the tips of my fingers is perfect for me.

I was told as a kid that I had ugly man hands and monster feet as I was much larger than my mother in build and my ex used to say that only whores and [insert assorted racist terms here] wore nail varnish or exposed their feet. So every day is a giant fuck you, I am not an ugly whore, to the pair of them.

I can’t bear the feel of acrylics or gel nails. I’ve had them three times in total and it was torture. Even nail varnish can feel a bit heavy to me.

I clipped mine very short in March 2020 when I was constantly washing them and obsessing about hand hygiene and I really like them so practical and sensible.

I never have manicures and don't spend much time/money on my nails. I think I've had about 3 manicures in my life, usually as Groupon type deals, and to be honest I didn't enjoy the experience, someone being that close to me tending to my personal grooming. I do use hand cream daily and cut my nails short and neat, I hate the feel of having my nail tips any longer than about 3mm. I'll paint my nails for a special occasion like a wedding as I do think it looks better, but I can't be bothered with it most of the time as it chips and it's better to have bare nails than chipped.

I used to paint my toenails, as it tends to last longer so I only have to do it every few months. But am dealing with a fungal nail infection so leaving them unpainted for now.

Clean, neat short nails are not "a state". You look perfectly presentable either way.