Does anyone do their on fake nails ?

[Chicinwellies]

All I've heard is that they can look hideous with huge air bubbles underneath and ruin your real nails underneath?

I do, not acrylic or gel or anything, just the stick on ones.

Elegant Touch Totally bare.

Then I paint them.

I use them for 2 reasons; I have deep vertical splits in my nails, particularly my thumbs, and get splits in the flesh too due to an autoimmune condition. Its very painful and the nails cover and protect.

2nd reason is polish lasts at least a week to 10 days without chipping on the artificial surface, so you get more longevity out of them.

I'd go and get acrylics or something but I like the freedom of being able to replace a nail there and then if I happen to break one, and the freedom of being able to re-do them when it suits me, like before a night out, without having to get an appointment somewhere and make sure it aligns with childcare etc etc. They cost about £6 at Tesco/superdrug etc.

I have done the ones where you faff about with diff stuff and fibre glass mesh
They looked great but they do ruin your nails underneath

I do my own gels, have done for over a year

Oh thanks all, any hints and tips lol?

I do stick on nails for a quick fix but don't use glue as I find they can ping off and I haven't got the patience to soak them off when I'm bored of them so I use Ultra adhesive tabs (stick on, slide off).
I have started doing my own gel polish recently (Sensationail) as much cheaper and more convenient that booking in a salon. Is dead easy too so not worn false nails for a few weeks as mine are now growing underneath

jack what do you need to do gel nails, a uv lamp etc. Is it like gelish the stuff you usd?would love to do my own :)

Black cats, there's a DIY gel nail kit on wahanda at the minute. Complete with lamp. I'm tempted myself.

BlackCats - I use Sensationail - can get it at Boots, is 85 for the starter kit including the lamp. Lamp is LED rather than UV so faster curing and safer (no UVA/UVB rays) Have got Scarlet Red on this week and loving it!

thanks, will have a think, can you tell me the whole process so i know if its worth buying?

Yep, it's pretty easy:

Wipe with cleanser (I skip the buffing part)
Paint with primer (takes 10 seconds to dry)
Apply clear base/top coat - cure for 30 seconds
Paint on colour - cure for 60 seconds (do this step twice, 2 coats)
Apply clear base/top coat - cure for 30 seconds
Wipe with cleanser.
That's it - completely dry/set/hard!

Pros:
I can clean up any polish errors before I cure.
I love that I can paint over with normal polish if I fancy a change of colour then just take it off with normal remover (acetone free) and the gel polish is still perfect underneath
My nails are breaking less

Cons:
Takes about 15 mins to remove but well worth it.
I use foil method: File off shiny top layer only, put acetone onto cotton and place on nail, wrap with foil, leave for 15 mins, push off with wooden cuticle stick

If you buy, google 'Boots voucher code' - think they have a 10% one until tomorrow

thanks very much for that... the bit that scares me is the curing bit...is it totally safe? Plus the removing bit, does it harm the nails?

it's safe and no problem for nails, I took mine off a week ago and they look perfect, you would never know i'd had anything on (a week has gone by and I still haven't gotten round to redoing the gel)

Thanks Missfoodie