Who else paints their own nails?

[Globules]

I feel like I'm in a minority painting my own nails with a block colour.

Most of my friends pay £30+ every fortnight to get theirs done professionally.

I'm happy that it gives them a buzz, but I just don't understand the appeal myself.

Do you get your nails done regularly?

Same here.

It really isn't good to expose yourself to those chemicals for long periods. Acetone in particular is a chemical that has been identified to be a possible trigger for illnesses like MS.

I stopped getting mine done in a salon as I work from home, I don't care as much about my hands, I can't do them myself, I tried, bought a lamp and gel polish and it looks rubbish, I just stick to clear polish and my nails are much stronger and longer by not using gels.

Rarely paint fingernails but do my own if I do. The removal process of gel ruined my nails. I do my own toenails in the summer and they are always painted red as goes with everything.

I always have done my own since I was a teenager, the whole ritual. Also toenails myself since forever.
I really enjoy the process and am good at it.
I use a lot of inoffensive, neutral tones, sometimes pretty pinks and sometimes I use bright red/orange or pink on toenails.
My most favourite is clear nail polish though. Nothing looks better on a neat healthy nail.
I never liked novelty colours or any of those paint jobs multi coloured with crystals and patterns.
I'm religious about looking after my hands as well and feet.
I would never have them done professionally because I really dislike the idea of having anything sharp used on me without medical grade disinfecting and for medical needs.
I use standard nail polish because I am weary of all these uv lamps and also I have a suspicion the gel itself might temporarily damage the nail surface.
I can't stand fake nails, seems completely pointless to me and they definitely damage nails.
No idea why I really liked black nail polish when I was around 16 or so, it was really difficult to find and a headache to apply. My mum really didn't like it!

Never had my nails done. Don't usually paint them but after wrecking them with my first ever try at nail wraps I am now using clear polish to strengthen then whilst they grow again.

I enjoy getting mine done but I hate the way gel fucks up my nails and I resent paying £30+ for normal polish! So I do my own. This is the latest set (also showing off my new engagement ring 🤭).

Last year I got my nails done with BIAB every month or so. I liked the way they looked but ultimately I really didn't enjoy the process, the having to get there, then the small talk, then paying in cash so having to make a stop at an ATM. She did a good job, but I actually enjoy doing my own nails so when she had a break for maternity I just didn't go back.

I do my own and I’m extremely good at it. Fingers and toes. I really enjoy doing it.

I have never had gels and I hate the way they look on friends’ nails - they look thick and obviously fake. I think they don’t look as bad on toenails, but I can’t see the point when you can do them yourself with ordinary nail varnish that doesn’t ruin them.

I do my own. File/shape once a week, on a Sunday night, paint with a tinted nail strengthener, and oil my cuticles. I refresh them on Wed/Thurs night. If I go on a big night out, I'll paint them in a solid colour.

Wow. So many of you painting your own! I know so many people who get theirs religiously done at the salon.

I didn't realise that nail technicians ground your nails. That's news to me.

@IncompleteSenten you and I have similar thoughts 🤣

I think the thing that prompted this post was watching the Olympics and seeing so many of the athletes with what looked like professionally done nails. And another friend suggesting DD and I should get special Taylor Swift nails done at a salon that match before we go see her next week.

It made me reflect how getting your nails done are part of everyday life now.

I usually get gels done but I can’t afford to at the minute, wondering what top coat people use and how long you leave them to dry? Whenever I do mine at home they never dry properly, I could leave them for two hours and they’d then still smudge when going to bed

The Czech canoe sprint champion, Martin Fuksa - he had nail polish on - light and dark blue alternating! I noticed them straightaway when he held up the medal. Priorities! DH was amused 😂

I try to paint my own, but I'm so bad at it that I've just given up. It's not really the nail painting it's the shaping.

Too lazy to go a salon but friends of mine get it done for between £30 -£50 a pop.
They only go once a month at most though.

I've seen adverts for sassy saints - wondering if I should try it? Anybody got any advice?

I've tried loads but like Nails Inc Kensington Caviar best. Dries quickly and gives a lovely shiny finish. Definitely makes nail polish last longer. I paint nails a couple of hours before bed and they never smudge.

Also @Globules glad I'm not the only one noticing athlete fashion.
Of course Sha'Carri's nails are very famous but those are just stick ons aren't they? It's be impossible for her to do anything otherwise like scrub herself in the shower

I get my toes gel polished. The hardly grow an as it does't chop or scratch thru lol best fit ages. They get done about 4 times a year.
In the other hand I have permanent red finger nails, I've always painted them myself for the past 30 years and usually do them every night or second night.i can do then get nearly and extremely fast. There's no point paying to have them done with normal Polish and gel destroys my finger nails. They aren't long just tidy.

Oh, who's got the time to spend a couple of hours every other week just sitting there? there are so many other far more rewarding & valuable things to do in this world.

I must be getting old and boring as I can’t think of anything worse than having a nail appointment to go to every two weeks on top of everything else.

I di my own. Bough mylee gel kit. I can do gel easily now. I even can do nails extensions, drawings, etc. My nails always look really nice and i do it by myself.

I do my own with gel polish and have got pretty good at it. I often find one or two will lift after less than a week but because I have the kit and the lamp I can easily replace the nails which don't last. Unlike when I go to the salon and quite often end up with chips as well after less than 2 weeks - they'll repair for free but that requires the time to go back and ask.

I've tried nail wraps too but find that gel polish at home gives a much better finish. The cost of one gel manicure where I am would buy me about 4 new colours to use at home.

@OneCoolPearlOP I wouldn't recommend Sassy Saints. I tried that, and removal resulted in both my little fingernails coming off entirely. I'm experienced with gel nails and acetone removal and followed all the instructions so this was unexpected (and painful). The application process also took a lot longer than a full gel nail set and the customer experience when I told them what had happened was awful.

I always do my own. No gel or uv, Just usual polish with a variety of glitter and other top coats. I can hardly bear filling my own nails (luckily I naturally have quite a nice shape of nail) so there’s no way I can have someone else do it. I do sometimes wish I could do my own nail art but I sometimes use nail stickers instead. I couldn’t justify what nail technicians charge though, and I quite often get compliments about them so I’m quite happy to keep doing my own.

I don't know how people can be arsed with the faff of painting their nails on a regular basis, let alone booking an appointment and travelling to a salon for it. I probably do my nails about once a year.

I also don't think it's good for you to do it too often. Nail polish contains toxic chemicals which have been found to seep through the nail bed and circulate around the body.

UV/radiation exposure from nail lamps is also potentially dangerous.

I think that one day we'll look back on fortnightly salon visits in the same way that we look back on 18th century lead make up.

I've always done my own for special occasions. But because I need a new hip found I could no longer cut my toenails. So I booked a mani pedi ten days ago. Well it was wonderful. The pedicure was such a relaxing treat. I did have the UV thing I love looking at my toes now.

. On my finger nails I just had polish., ten days later it still hasn't chipped.

I've rebooked.

I do my own now and again, with OPI or Essie varnishes - I mentally reallocate the £30 x 24 my DD spends on her nails to a guilt free spend somewhere else. Partly because I'm a cheapskate, partly because chemicals, but mainly because so many nail bars near me give off strong trafficking vibes and I'm not comfortable sitting there like Marie Antoinette.