Never used fake nails before... Help!

[freerangeeggs]

Hi all,

I always thought false nails were a bit squeggy but some of my friends have had really nice ones recently and it just makes them look overall more polished and well presented. I think I'd like to give it a try too.

My nails are rubbish. I don't know why as my hair and teeth are pretty good. I do bite them, but have tried growing them on multiple occasions - they're too soft and just snap off. I end up with nails all different lengths, usually with one bizarrely long pinky nail (useful for ear cleaning).

Anyway, before I go for it, a few questions:

1. Am I better getting it done at a salon, or at home on my own?
2. If I wear them too long will my own nails become minging?
3. How do you get them off?
4. Is it easy to trim them down to the size you want? I wouldn't want them to be very long at all.
5. Are the plain, nail-looking (???) ones a good choice or are they naff?

I don't want nail polish or anything, I just want to look like I have naturally lovely nails.

Thanks everyone :)

Ok

I do it myself as its ten times cheaper boots do loads broadway nails are good . Give you two sets pretty much at £7 a time

Yeah it does effect your nails but less so that strong salon ones

I find they just pull off as glue gets brittle but you are meant to soak off.

You can trim easily with clippers or nail file but can buy short length ones

I always buy French polish as they look better and no work! Plain ones good if you want colours I guess but you don't. Not sure how just plain would look

I get comment s all the time last betwen 5-10 days but easily replaced . Salon ones do last longer but you pay ! Hope this helps

Thanks bigbouncingbaby, that is really helpful :)

I think French manicure is what I mean - white at the tips?

Do you wear them all the time? Can you wear them all the time, or do your nails need a break?

And you just soak off with water? Or some kind of anti-glue...

What about some natural-looking gel overlays on your own nails? Mine are pretty rubbish and it helps me to grow them a bit, although my nails underneath do suffer a bit. I save it for special occasions, not all the time. Think the same would be true regardless of what you tried.

I agree with poppy try not to wear all the time but they look so much better it's hard

. It helps me as its stops me biting them for a bit!! You buy a solution to soak them off not sure water would work but mine always fall off:)

Thanks again Bigbouncingbaby :) I think I'll buy some for going out at the weekend, do a wee bit of experimenting on Friday night.

PoppyWearer, I'll look into the gel overlays - my sister had gel nails done and they looked great. Thanks for replying :)

If you can find ones the length you want it is better - if you file or trim them from the top to break the seal on the coating so they are liable to chip more.

Also look for flexible nails - they will fit better so be more comfortable and look more natural

If it's your first time you could try with ultra adhesive tabs instead of glue, then you just press and roll the nail off after a few days.

Glue on ones last longer but you will need 100% acetone to soak them off.

The glue that comes in nail packs is a bit fiddly, better to get a brush on glue or a precision glue separately - they come in pink too which gives a more natural look.

What kind of size/length nails do you need and where do you usually shop?
There are some nice petite ones about if you don't want them too long to start with - try Asda, Tesco, boots & Superdrug for a good range.

Hope this helps

Really help ful answer, jackstini :)

I want them so that the tip is maybe about 3 or 4 mm long gets out ruler

I usually shop in Superdrug but have a Boots nearby too. There's a massive shopping centre down the road so I can get into most places.

So I'm looking for flexible, adhesive tab nails in the size I want to start with... then maybe buy myself some glue separately (and some acetone?) if I like them?

This might be a stupid question, but are they reusable?

Thanks again, this is really helpful. Probably saved me a bit of money at least!

If you use glue, no, they will not be reusable.
If you use the adhesive tabs and peel them off carefully, the nails can be reused - either with more tabs or then with glue

Hard to say which nails as it depends on the size of your natural ones but here you will see some flexible ones in different sizes. Some are a bit cheaper as they come without the little glue so you can then buy a good glue without spending too much!