They finally grew-now what do you do with them?

[Cocktailsincans]

Nails?

Bitten my nails my whole life (no idea why! ) I’d see a nice bit of nail growing and bite it.
I haven’t been-not for long actually and they’ve grown and are actually lovely nails! Strong, clean, white ends…who knew.
I’ve attempted a french manicure style at home (I like a more natural look) but now what? I have friends who go and’ ‘Get their nails done’ but have never been into it..until now 😁

What do you do with your nails and what can I do? What are gels etc at the nail salon?

Note: Personally not a fan of long or jewelled nails for me

Anyone

I hate the feeling of anything on my nails so I buff them to remove ridges and make them super smooth and shiny

I get a gel manicure with Biab every 3 to 4 weeks, so it’s my own nails and they are very strong. I’m hopeless at putting on nail polish and find it always chips . I was a nail biter for years so I’m quite proud of how mine look now

So what is a gel manicure please?

Shelac gel manicure, with a nice neutral colour or french tips 🙌🙌

I'd get a few polishes and a hard wearing top coat. I got a bundle of nail polishes from Ebay and love Sally Hansen Instadry top coat (in a red bottle). It dries the polish hard quickly and strengthens against chips. Experiment with different brands and colours and see how you get on.

I do my own when I can be arsed. Use a standard polish and the top with the seche vite top coat which gives them a lovely
shiny gel like finish. Hardly ever do it but I’ve got long nail plates (is this the right thing? Like my nails are already quite long before it grows beyond the edge of my fingertip!) so they always look quite long even though I cut them when they grow beyond my fingertip, I don’t like the feeling of them when they get ‘long’!
Up to you really as to what you’d like, I’d opt for just a gel manicure, but I stopped going myself as I felt my nails were softening over time and getting weaker. Once had acrylics and hated them so much that I went back the next day and asked for them to be removed and my nails were in a dreadful state for months afterwards!

I recommend a crystal nail file. Mine is the best thing I have ever bought. I could never grow my nails as they just used to flake and then break off but now they are really strong, nicely shaped and clean despite being a gardener and always in soil.

I just keep my neatly filed in a short oval/rounded shape and apply Dior Nail Glow. It’s low maintenance and chips don’t show too much, but it gives a slightly polished look

Why do you need to do anything else with them?

I have gels.

I have psoriasis so my nails are pitted and can flake, the gel polish looks good and lasts three weeks.

Book in to a nail place (a proper one that does a range of gel / nail varnish / manicure. ) OP and go through the options. As your nails have grown just polish might be an option.

Actually you deserve a manicure, in case you don't know that involves your nails being filed and shaped, cuticle treatment and polish.

And well done on stopping biting them.

I have great nails. I have always had great nails. They grow ferociously and I am forever trimming them even in my very early sixties. My entire family have great nails. The most I ever do is give then a coat of some near clear polish to give them a slightly pinker, shinier finish and, for really special occasions, a plain dark red after using a cuticle remover. I have never had a professional manicure in my life - I am not sure that their tools are autoclaved or sterile and I'd never have a nail polish set under UV light because skin cancer is a thing in my country. I do like to snap on a set of disposable surgical gloves for gardening which I admit is probably a bit odd.