Girls tell me about your fake nails.

[Todd&Copper]

Are fake nails still "in"? I thought it was more or less a south Jersey thing now.
I don't mean this to sound offensive to anyone who has fake nails, but I just don't see it anymore among professionals in DC (or maybe just not in the offices I've been in).

 

[CathrynRose]

I went through a phase of having acrylic nails. They do look nice, but they weren't for me. I think the worst thing for me was when it was time to take them off. The lady had this nut cracker device and had to crack them off. That's the only way I can describe it. To say it was uncomfortable for me is an understatement. It was awful! I never got them again.

Me, as well.

And personally - no offense to the fake-nailed, I think theyre really tacky.

Really short, polished nails are what (IMO) looks good.

 

[mamacatnv]

"fake" nails have come a long way.

The OP asked about Gels which are IMO a vast improvement over acrylic and not even comparable. A true gel has the consistency of thick syrup - it is applied, allowed to settle and cured under a uv lamp. The "burning" sensation varies person to person, lamp to lamp and it is caused by the heat generated by the chemical reaction of the product setting.

Many salons use acrylic (liquid & powder combo) and then put a thin gel layer on top and sell it as a gel nail. This method is not a true gel nail.

I have been wearing true gel nails for 2 years. In that 2 years I have not had a single one break. They do not lift, they are always shiny and I get them filled every 3 weeks. They are thin and lite weight. I prefer the pink and white french in a sport length (pretty short). For special events I will do a colored/glitter tip. I have also had gel toes done. I pay $35 for a fill with tip. Everyone I know has nails of some sort. The short/french is really popular.

The product stays shiny, does not get "sticky" when using sunscreen like so many nail products do and for me does not break.

 

[bluesaturn]

Are fake nails still "in"? I thought it was more or less a south Jersey thing now.
I don't mean this to sound offensive to anyone who has fake nails, but I just don't see it anymore among professionals in DC (or maybe just not in the offices I've been in).

Well gel nails can be put on any length of nails or color. It is mostly used to keep the nails from breaking and the polish from chipping. Not everyone has neon orange talons, I think that's the "stereotype" of fake nails. If I worked in a professional environment I wouldn't have hot pink nails. But I think having chipped nail polish and ragged nails is pretty trashy looking too, so the gel nails can be good to keep a manicure looking fresh and clean.

 

[Jennifer S]

"fake" nails have come a long way.

The OP asked about Gels which are IMO a vast improvement over acrylic and not even comparable. A true gel has the consistency of thick syrup - it is applied, allowed to settle and cured under a uv lamp. The "burning" sensation varies person to person, lamp to lamp and it is caused by the heat generated by the chemical reaction of the product setting.

Many salons use acrylic (liquid & powder combo) and then put a thin gel layer on top and sell it as a gel nail. This method is not a true gel nail.

I have been wearing true gel nails for 2 years. In that 2 years I have not had a single one break. They do not lift, they are always shiny and I get them filled every 3 weeks. They are thin and lite weight. I prefer the pink and white french in a sport length (pretty short). For special events I will do a colored/glitter tip. I have also had gel toes done. I pay $35 for a fill with tip. Everyone I know has nails of some sort. The short/french is really popular.

The product stays shiny, does not get "sticky" when using sunscreen like so many nail products do and for me does not break.

yes this was exactly right - I would use my own nail - not tips. So I did go to sally's and went and got a manicure and pedicure - just not the gels. I'm leaning towards not doing it. My nails look very nice. I just want to see how long it lasts.

thanks for the input

 

[cteddiesgirl]

I love my acryllic nails. Get them filled once every 3-4 weeks. Always get the french manicure and always get compliments on how beautiful my nails are, and I often get asked if they are my real nails.

People always talk about how it ruins your nail underneath....well yeah it ruins the nail that is directly below the fake nail, but not the future new nail growth. It's not like it ruins your natural nails forever. Once you don't want the acryliics anymore it just takes a few weeks of letting the bad nail underneath grow out and then you're back to your natural nails again. Mine have NEVER taken more than a few weeks to return to normal after removing acryllics.

Mine cost me about $40 initially with tip, and about $15 a month for fill-ins. I call it my one day a month of pampering.

I've never had one break, and they are strong enough to open soda cans.

You are lucky then. When I wore fake nails, it took a really long time for my nails to recover. I'm talking over a year of not using anything on my nails. Not even polish. Never again will I have fake nails.

 

[Todd&Copper]

Well gel nails can be put on any length of nails or color. It is mostly used to keep the nails from breaking and the polish from chipping. Not everyone has neon orange talons, I think that's the "stereotype" of fake nails. If I worked in a professional environment I wouldn't have hot pink nails. But I think having chipped nail polish and ragged nails is pretty trashy looking too, so the gel nails can be good to keep a manicure looking fresh and clean.

Five minutes with an emory board and a buffer keep my nails looking fresh and clean, too.

 

[bluesaturn]

Five minutes with an emory board and a buffer keep my nails looking fresh and clean, too.

Exactly. But some people don't do that for whatever reason, no time or what have you. So in that case having gel nails looks a lot better than having scraggly ones.

Basically my point is that having gel nails doesn't have to look trashy. In fact, you may not be able to tell the difference between gel nails and just regular painted nails. So a lot of people may wear them, you just don't realize it unless you are examining their nails.

 

[dizneenut]

I've had acrylics and now have gels. I prefer the gels. My real nails are very brittle and when they get long, they grow crooked and bend under. So, the gels are great for me. I keep them short and I usually do a french manicure. I do go with color every once in awhile, too.