Talk to me about getting your nails done…..

[OrlandointheWilderness]

I’ve never had my nails done. Mine are short and boring - I don’t bite them or anything but they certainly aren’t pretty. I trail run and I’m a bit concerned that fake ones get dirty - but is that just me making stuff up!? I’ve always said I’d never be a ‘high maintenance woman’ but actually I’ve realised that was very defensive me talking and after losing ten stone I WANT to look pretty and nice and like I make an effort!
hands are square and workmanlike unfortunately 😂 no piano player fingers here!
I’ve no idea what happens at a nail place. Help me 😂
how expensive are they?

Gels are about £25-£30 where I live. You can also get just painted nails if you don’t want gels. There are various types, BIAB which I’ve never had and even vegan.

As To what happens, they take your hands, soak them, clip cuticles or push back, cut and file them then apply polish. With gels you normally have them under a heat lamp.

Perhaps you could start with a manicure. Get your nails shaped and your cuticles softened. Try a nail polish you like the look of, something for spring maybe?

If you want nail art then ask for it. They ask you to choose shades.

I don’t think there is enough of mine to shape - this is what we are dealing with! 😂

Take a photo with you of what you want them to look like. If you want a short style you can just have gel colour on top of your own. If you want longer you’ll prob need an extension covered with acrylic and then gel. I only have short but I still get the acrylic and gel colour over as it lasts longer and I’m quite hard on my hands. Cost me 38 for a fresh set in the north west yesterday. If you’ve got square hands you’re best with an oval sort of shape

Ohh that’s valuable intel @Pyjamatimenow- hadn’t even thought of shape but I don’t want to look even more like I have shovels for hands! 😂

I get acrylics. They last me weeks. €50.
You can get any shape or length. Plain colour or with art. Mine are plain nude pink colour at the moment. Almond shaped and not too long but not short either. Long enough that they don’t annoy me. I love having my nails done!

Let them grow a bit before you do anything.

You might decide just a bit of shaping is enough to look and feel more 'groomed'. Or perhaps clear polish.

I wouldn't go sticking fake nails or doing too much on them if I were you.

There is nothing wrong with your hands or nails at all, they don't look like shovels or spades or anything, just normal, clean, tidy hands with short nails.

There are lots of videos on Youtube from professional nail salons showing you nails being done. Definitely watch those before you commit to anything. From simple manicures to gel nails (uv cured nail varnish which needs to be soaked off not anything like regular nail polish) to gel nails using a builder gel often referred to a BIAB (builder in a bottle) a gel that allows them to make a thicker application and can extend the nail. Again this needs to be soaked in acetone to completely remove it, although most salons will file this down and not completely remove the base layer. Youtube is incredibly helpful in searching these different types of services.

I think your hands look completely normal and not anything like you describe. I would grow your nails out a little and research.

If I were you I’d get a luxury manicure with a BIAB base and a strong shellac colour on top.

Strong colours look good on short nails.

Then, in 3 weeks, once they have grown out a bit, go back for a reshape (rounded square) and infills. You can then go to a more neutral colour like just the BIAB base if you fancy or choose a different, strong colour. No need for the manicure in this appointment. Just infills.

Hi,
I get a simple manicure and polish with standard nail varnish/polish. It takes 20-30mins and get a nail soak, cuticle push back, cut, shape and file then 2 coats of polish + topcoat before being dried under a fan.

Most salons use electric files but I ask them to file by hand instead. They will have colour charts, nail art examples and nail shapes to help you make your choices. 💅

Depending where you live it might be worth investigating Japanese nails.

They use powders and wax to create a natural high shine that lasts at least 2-3 weeks and it encourages your natural nail growth.

You could ask for BIAB (builder gel) with tips. They will glue the tips on and put the BIAB over your nails and the tip and then whatever colour you like. You will need infils doing (this depends on how fast your own nails grow - I go three weeks) as you will see more of your new nail near the cuticle. They will fill that in and obviously your nails will have grown. Get some filed off each time you go for infills and eventually it will be all your own nail and no tip.

I was never able to grow my own nails and was always a nail biter so this is the first time in 50 years I have had lovely nails. I dread to think what state mine are in under the gel though.

Why not do them yourself? I do my own nails, every 10 days or so. I’ve never even tried acrylics etc. I don’t like the way they look and my friends that have them say their own nails are damaged.

I have gel overlay on my own nails, it is quite a commitment though as it takes an hour and a half at a time and I go every other week. I can push it to three weeks if I need to but I can see the growth quite a bit by then.

I like mine to be just past the ends of my fingers but I have long narrow nail beds so even that looks fairly long.

BIAB is the best way as it doesn't ruin the actual nail or nail bed. It is not an extension system and I have tried other types. The polish is over your own nails, i.e. no extensions. My thumbs were really badly bitten down and I had all my nails done 4 weeks ago and they now look amazing. Not a vast array of colours to choose from but you can have different ones every time. I go every 2 weeks but normally most go 3 or 4 weekly for infills. I pay £26 but it does vary whichever salon you go to and takes about 45 minutes or an hour.

Thank you all! Think I will investigate this BIAB route.

Who cares if it ruined your nails, I have nail varnish on so I don't see them

They don’t get dirty if you don’t have extensions. Just cut your nails short have biab or acrylic and then let them grow and have them infilled.

BIAB really ruins your natural nails. It's great whilst you continue to have it, but if you decide to stop them your own nails underneath will be soft and knackered. It took about 8 months for my nails to improve after stopping it.

I had acrylics recently, for the first time.

They stick enormous talons on your own nails, then cut them down. They can shape them so they are square across the top or more naturally curved. You can choose how long to leave them.
Here (Midlands - lots of competition on every High Street) they varied between £28 and £35. That included colour (polish) but not fancy patterns like some people have. Took about an hour.

Looked really lovely for about 3 weeks.
You can then go back and get infills if you like (I was told)- about £10 and I presume the repolish them, including filling the gap where your mails have grown.
In effect, as your own nails grow, the acrylic bit that was originally stuck on up to your skin, moves away from your skin as obviously the bit of nail it is stuck on to grows away from your skin. Effectively your mails then get longer, as the acrylic is very hard and can't just be filed like a nail can.
If you choose a pale / nail like colour, you can probably get away with them still looking nice for longer than if you have something more dramatic / obviously different from your own nails.

You then also pay for them to be removed (or replaced) or end up sitting with your fingers in acetate based nail varnish remover for a long time to try to do it at home.

the longer you leave them on, the longer it will take your own nails to be in good condition again.

BIAB and gel, longest my nails have been!

BIAB ruined my nails , they were so brittle after and they were done by a reputable nail artist , soaked off professionally etc. As much as they looked nice, I won't ever get them done again.

Ps you nails don't look anywhere near as bad as you describe! You could always just paint them for occasions etc

I've had shellac a few times, they look good and I get them done for special occasions when I don't want to risk chipping them.

I don't have them done more frequently because it really ruins your nails,they take a few days or so to recover afterwards, and repeatedly having them done would be a vicious cycle.

I also don't think its advisable to expose the nail bed to uv lights (melanoma risk).

You judge your fingers quite harshly! There's nothing wrong with them. Let the nails grow a bit and they'll look elegant.

I'm pretty low maintenence and want my nails to be naturally strong and healthy (former biter). Filing my nails has done more to strengthen them than anything else, I carry a file always and keep them shaped.

If your hands are hard working then Sally Hanson diamond nail polish is great for protecting & stopping them splitting.

I usually do home manicures and always use salon-standard polish like Opi or Jessica. When combined with a good top coat like Sally H they easily last for a week, sometimes more, especially if I've let them dry properly between coats.

Running your fingers under cold tap helps them set more quickly.

Keeping them shaped, buffed and a kick of Sallt H diamond shine keeps them looking good without colour. Vaseline pocket tin for when cuticles look dry.

No need for gels or uv lights.

If you get BIAB, your own nails will grow underneath so you’ll have much longer nails in 6-8 weeks. You can then get them refilled but keep the length. I wouldn’t recommend extensions for someone who has never had their nails done before.