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?

Manicure, treat and paint my own here. Never paid for a manicure and always use clear or light pink tones.

Gel or even acrylic* in itself does not weaken/damage nails. Bad removal damages nails. Overfiling with hand or efile, nail tech not properly trained in using an efile, overly harsh scraping after soaking in acetone etc. I took my gels off last night and you'd never know I had anything on my nails, they look perfect.

*to be fair the acrylic monomer they use in many high street walk in nail bars is awful stuff and impossible to remove without damage, but assuming your tech is using a good quality product

It generally takes less than an hour, and you're free to do your own thing like listen to a podcast or audiobook while it's done. It'll only take a couple of hours if you're going for very complicated designs

I am 77, and have always done my own nails. Salon treatments are notorious for wrecking your nails, usually by their removal methods, so I would never go down that route.

i did these two nights ago, a Sally Hansen polish and top coat, and it should last 10-14 days.

I had my toe nails done a few weeks ago using the UV light, they're quietly growing out no signs of damage. Fingernails I just had varnished. Unfortunately housework meant they didn't stand up to cleaning.

Weirdly if they're filed they split so at home I just trim with scissors.

If I remember to use loccitaine on them regularly in the evening they grow long and strong.

The first time I had gels off they damaged my nails badly. Now I have found a much better salon which leaves them perfect after removal, so I get gels on my toes during the summer, but do my fingernails myself as I have steady hands and they grow fast