Nice nails - do you have to go the salon?

[bonhomme]

Lots of girls at work have lovely manicured nails, nicely panted.

Do you have to go to a nail bar/salon to achieve this?

Thanks

No

Sorry posted too soon.

No, the more you do it the better you get at it.
Have a look at Kristina's blog, she does her own.

here.

Thanks, some great designs on there.

How do you get the nice cuticles though? Mine are a bit raggedy and my nail texture is a bit weak - other girls nails look stronger if you know what I mean??

Look up the thread on petroleum jelly.

Vaseline massaged in each night will give you nice nails within a week, or less!

See here

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/a2022005-Petroleum-jelly-for-nail-growth-testers-needed

My nails are really weak, so break and flake easily, and never look very smart even with nicely painted polish.
About three months ago I started doing my own gel manicures at home. It's really easy to do, buy a uv lamp from amazon or ebay, and a gel topcoat, basecoat and colour -it's important to use all three so that it 'sticks' properly. I use bluesky polishes, they're cheap but great quality, better than the cnd one I bought!

The gel polish provides a tough 'armour' to your nails, enabling them to grow without wearing down or breaking off. Within two weeks I was able to file and shape mine for the first time! I'm so pleased with them, and considering it takes half an hour every three weeks I'd say it's v low maintenance (and I have a three month old baby so can't afford the money or time for the salon)

Thanks for all the tips- need to go shopping I think!

Oh good thread. Curls I've thought about doing the same ( also have similar nails). Are you able to remove the gel polish without damage?

I've been doing my own nails for years and wear polish nearly all the time (give them a week off a month to recover). I have professional tools for cuticles, buffers etc and after a lot of practice get a really good finish. I've got about 40 polishes and I'd rather spend manicure money on new polish....

Meant to say it takes me 15 mins to do a manicure, about 5 for a quick polish change ( fast dry top coat!)

You look at other women's cuticles?!! What kind of job is this?!

I used to have horrendous cuticles but I bought this a few months ago and it has totally transformed them. I use it with a metal hoof stick. At first I did it about 3 times a week but now I just need to use it every 10 days or so and I have lovely cuticles for the first time ever.

I have always done my own, I have strong nails and am very good at putting polish on neatly but have always had tatty cuticles, despite my best efforts. Also, despite using every trick in the book to prolong the life of the polish, I rarely manage more than 2 or 3 days without it chipping.

A lot of my friend have gels done at salons, I decided to give it a try a few weeks ago and get mine done. I was horrified at how much dead skin they removed from the cuticles and sides of nails, it felt quite brutal, but wow did they look good. However after 2 weeks I was desperate to get it off (new growth really showing) and didn't have time to get back to the salon, it took ages of faffing about with remover, foil and cotton wool over several evenings to get them clean again (luckily it was French so didn't show too much). I bought tools and made a really big effort at cuticle maintenance so I wouldn't have to endure the nail bar experience again, but then felt tempted for my holiday, so had them done again by a much gentler technician in a spa and again was amazed at how much dead skin she removed. Just back now and wondering how best to get the polish removed again, that is definitely a downside.

So I would say that, yes, you can do it at home, but it requires diligence with cuticle maintenance and you don't get quite the professional finish or the lasting effect.

If you can afford it then going to a salon is worth it. They can properly look after your cuticles and nails and advise on how to strengthen. You can try gel nail polish there too which is thick and hard so protects the nail. There are specific gel polishes for strengthening as well.
If you can't afford it you can do it at home it just won't be as good. Don't do at home gel just normal polish. Use cuticle remover gel and then push them back which a cuticle pusher. Use a strengthener as a base coat and use a good topcoat. Use a good cuticle oil regularly. Vaseline doesn't absorb it just sits on the skin, you need oils that absorb like sweet almond which is in a lot if cuticle oils.

I'm not convinced about the sweet slmond oil, I use the bidy shop pen of it because it's handy and smells nice but it doesn't really soften mine. A soak in warm water dies the trick, I push mine back after washing my hair, but there is always a lot of dead skin that ends up sticking ip snd looking tatty. That's where the clippers come in but I'm not very goid at doing my right hand with my left.

The oil isn't to get rid of dead skin. It moisturises the growing skin and nails so the don't get so dry and flaky in the first place. For the dead, overgrown cuticle skin yes it does need soaking, a cuticle remover applied and them pushed back.

No, I know it isn't, but it doesn't seem to do much for mine, they get dry and tatty despite using it. Sorry about the earlier typos, I was on my phone in bright sunshine (for all of 5 minutes!) when I posted.

Would soaking them help split nails?

Soaking won't help split nails. Soak to soften (or use a cuticle remover) , push back and trim cuticles, buff the whole nail with a medium then a fine nail buffer (like exfoliating for nails), then oil. I prefer to leave overnight if my nails are bad and paint the next day but if not, before the cuticle oil, sweep over nail polish remover to get rid of dust, apply a nail strengthening base coat, two coats of colour, top coat, then nail oil over cuticle, hand cream etc.

Used to live in Asia, went for manis a couple of times a month for several years cos it was so cheap, realized I can do as well at home...

Split nails need cutting and then to help them stop splitting in future moisturise them. Don't buff your nails unless you have peeling bits. Buffing frequently will think your nails and make then weaker.

Every morning and evening put oil on your nails and use your nails to push down cuticles. Toes as well!

Keep them short and use a clear base coat all the time.

I used to have mani/ pedi once/ twice a month but don't at all now. But I look after them every day and use a gel nail polish when painting them. Very professional salon look.

Ah, must look out my nail oil then!

I've got weak nails. I file once a week, use 2 coats polish (various brands) and the Sally Hansen red bottle top coat. I get 5 days at least without chips.

Even if you go to a salon you should still use a cuticle oil to care for your nails in between and prolong the wear of your manicure. CND Solar oil is the best.