I have no aversion to fakery whatsoever, a little enhancement never hurt anyone, right. I've had fake hair colour as long as I can remember, fake tan as of this week and fake eyelashes on occasions so when I got given a voucher for my local salon for my birthday I thought what the heck I'll get fake nails too!Naturally my nails aren't too bad, they grow really fast but break really easily too, bit of a double ended sword situation. I've never been able to get them all to one good length as a few always snap off and it drives me nuts so a little fakery seemed like a good solution.
I went into the salon wanting gel nails the more natural option but after talking to the nail technician I chose acrylics in the end which are apparently more hard wearing.
An hour later and I'm overjoyed I have the nails I've always dreamed of, they are all even, mid-length, beautifully french tipped and make my hands feel amazingly feminine.For the first time ever I feel proud of my hands, they look pretty and I walk out of the salon thinking there is NO going back, I will have fake nails forever.
For three or so days I was contented, then while shopping in Boots, Revlon's Minted fell into my basket and as soon as I got home I painted over my perfect nails.
As soon as I tightened my pot and waited for my mint nails to dry I knew I'd made a mistake. For me acrylics and colour just don't mesh.I feel like my talons look like big fat paddles not the dainty, feminine look I so loved before.
The only good thing about painting over the acrylics is the varnish DOES NOT chip, I have no idea why but it lasts amazingly well even without a top coat.
Maybe it was the mint maybe it's just painting over the plastic I'm not sure but what I do know is I prefer my fakery to look natural ???
As much as I love my new ladylike nails it's been less than a week and they are growing out incredibly quickly. I know the picture is not clear but there is a huge gap already meaning filling time is almost upon me, bye bye £20.I love the feel and look of these nails but I'm not sure I can afford to keep this habit up, maybe I'll just stick to Sally Henson's Miracle Grow and Revlon's press ons after this.
Has anyone else had acrylics? Did yours grow out so fast too?I'd love any tips to make them looking good for longer?
xx
40 comments:
I just got acrylics a few weeks ago for the first time too!!! I've had gel nails in the past but like your technician, mine also suggested Acrylics for better durability.
After getting them put on and my first in-fill I loved them, but last week I had my second lot of in-fills and for some reason they didn't look as pretty as I'd remembered... they're a bit bittersweet I'm finding. Great at first but after they grow out they're not quite as pretty!!!
That is super quick growth, when I used to have acrylics, it would be around 3-4 weeks that I would need an infill. I do agree about when you paint over them it totally changes the appearance of them!
xx
I have gel nails, gel overlays and am really happy. I got them done because my nails, although grow quite quickly, they break and peel.
Now, they are all one length, and they stay that way as the gel protects them from breaking and peeling. They look more natural than acrylics and as far as I know don't damage your nails as much.
However, the last time I got them done, I don't know what went wrong, but half of them broke the next day. The gel simply cracked. Maybe she didn't dry them enough between coats, or the gel was bad. Am going in on Saturday again, and really hope that this time everything will be fine because sometimes I want to take them of and just have my own nails as sometimes going in for infills feels to much like a chore.
My nails grow relatively fast (not as yours do, though), and there are times when they tend to be weak and chip.
In my experience, I have realized those are the times when my eating habits are completely wrong, and I lack something...be that calcium, iron, or proteins.
So the best tip to me is getting back on healthy eating habits (like I said lot of calcium and iron)and good hardener (I use the Rimmel Nail Rescue and it works fine to me) and a good top coat!
Hi, i always get the same problem as you - my nails grow within a week so theres always a huge gap! usually people go back to get infills once every 3 weeks. my mums a nail technician so whenever you have infills just ask for them to be done as close to your cuticles as possible so they dont look so noticable when your nail grows out :D i dont think theres much else you can do though :( xx
@Shangri-la - wow wish mine was that long then mayeb it would be worth it!but every week is mad!hate the paint!xx
@Sarah - yeh i think maybe new tips every few months its an expensicve habit!x
@Anya - oh hope its ok, maybe next time Gel ones I could try! xx
@Lydia - I try and eat well and take vitamins but it's true i don't drink or take in as much calcium as i should and my nails peel!x
@Lisa - lucky you wish I had a friend/mum in the know!x
I have terrible nails lol but when I get the acrylique's ones I always ask for clear tips to me it look so much more natural and if I want a French manicure I ask them to do it with nail polish the results are Incredibly natural. I adore to wear rings and bangles when my nails are done I feel so much more confident =)
Lovely nail polish too though =)
If you want incredibly natural looking nails, get sculptured nails - go to a CND salon for them. They are acrylics, but instead of putting a tip on, the whole nail is made from acrylic. They can add different coloured powders to the 'white' bit such as yellow to make them more natural looking. I only have one on as my natural nail broke so low. I have a picture on my blog but unfortunately it has polish over it! x
My friend paid for me to get acrylics done once for my birthday. I absolutely loved the look of them but once I'd removed them my natural nails were totally ruined. My nails have been paper thin and split super easily ever since, whereas before they were really thick and healthy :(
Kelly x
I used to get mine done all of the time, but I had to stop in the end because of the upkeep. Infills every 2/3 weeks is just too much. It took my natural nails a long time to get healthy again too, after years of acrylics. I love how they look though, they make my hands look pretty.
I have absolutely no idea about acrylics! I am one of those yummy mummys who struggle to look good. I didn't manage to learn about make up as a child. Only 6 months ago did I finally start wearing make up and contact lens to work, and I'm already hooked. But I think acrylics are probably a step too far for me yet. I have to keep my nails really short else I end up inadvertedly scratching my 3 year old and 1 year old with them.... so my question is this - how do you get to keep long nails and still look after toddlers!?
@Louise - my natural nails never stay long and nail polish never stays on for long as i run around after Lily everyday but these acrylics are fine. no breakages yet so i guess they must be stronger!I wouldn't normally have them done but as it was a present, why not!x
@Sophie - ahh i hope my real nails will be ok after this ordeal!x
I have always wanted acrylics but so worried about what they will do to my natural nails...
For now I'll plough on with the Sally Hansen! xx
I wore acrylics for about 3 years constantly, I never had them off, but when my nails used to grow and I needed them Infilled it used to bug me. For about 5 days they looked ok but after that they started to look tatty. It is an expensive up keep, as I now just have my natural nails painted. But I do agree with you on them looking thick, that was a big downside for me.
My nails were splitting/peeling..and when I went to the doctor for a check-up/blood work, she told me I have a Vitamin D deficiency..She put me on vitamin d gel caps and my nails have grown tremendously and are quite strong!
I love them Holly but I'd shop about for your next appointment. They shouldn't grow out so quickly, it
S likely the technician hasn't applied them tight enough to your cuticle to start with xx
I used to only use acrylic, it's a faux pas in the states now, I stopped using acrylic about 6 years ago and I guess I'm lucky to have strong fast growing nails, or else I may have gone back to acrylic. I do my own manicures weekly.
Acrylic however, since it has no natural oils seeping out of them (I'm just guessing here...) it's probably why the paint last longer than on natural nails.
I do miss the look of gel on top of my nails, who knows, I may go back sooner than I think!
I love Acrylics, I get them all the time (probably for about 2 years now). I get the pink and white (not white sprayed...if that makes sense? Lol).
That is really quick growth though the girl who does my nails says that the first set usually does grow quicker. I usually get mine done every 3 weeks.
Recently I've started painting mine and I do love it :) I think the Revlon nail colour looks really nice on yours :) xx
I used to wear acrylics and I had the same problem. I had to do infills within 2 weeks and it became really expensive. My nails are very weak but what I do is that I wear them short, I have realised that they look so much better painted in bright colours if they´re short! By the way, your natural nails looked really good to me, forget about the acrylics!!
I have had acrylics for years in the past but w/ all the typing and filing I do at work they were just getting trashed so I had them taken off. I love acrylics for getting a long and beautiful look but you should take off the set of nails after 3 months I think? After removing the set your nails can be very weak :( you basically have to regrow your whole nail for it to be back to normal. I got gel nails a few months ago and only had them on for 2 weeks. I don't think they hold up as long as acrylics but they do have a more natural look. also gels cost a lot more then acrylic. huge downer :( But whatever you do! always have you nails removed by a professional. they should always be soaked off, never peeled or ground down.
Good luck and enjoy your beautiful nails!
I have had acrylics twice - about 5 years ago. The first pair I loved, the second I hated. They were horrible and only lasted a week. Put me off!
I have been tempted to get some gel nails and have a nice french manicure done so that it lasts a few weeks or whatever it is. But I can always find better uses for the money!
xx
I love the look of acrylics, I'll get them done now and again or if I'm going away on holiday.
The last time I had them done I don't think I needed infills til about 3-4 weeks later.
Sorry babe but i think they looked alot better painted :/ I have false nails and i love them wouldn't be without mine! I was always in the league that false nails should not be painted as they look well false. I was so wrong because mine look great painted and don't look false and now i have nail polishes rivaling my make-up collection it's silly lol. Have a look on my blog i have NOTD on their and also in their natrual state x
I actually only ever get acrylics to have them painted! I love that it doesn't chip, the nail girl said something about the oils on natural nails. I do agree that acrylics look way more dainty not painted though.
They look lovely! It does make such a difference doesn't it? You feel like you're polished even without making much effort.
I've been having gels done for the last 9 years now and I couldn't be without them. I started having my toes done last summer too - the ultimate lazy girl beauty indulgence!
My natural nails always peel or break and are covered in ridges and its just easier for me to have something done that means I don't have to worry.
The type of gel I have is a file off one, which some people frown upon, but I'm really happy with them and I'm not the biggest fan of soaking my nails in acetone to get things off - I can't help but think it weakens the new part of the nail as well as the covered part, whereas the filing off is only done on the area where the gel is if you see what I mean?
In the 9 years, I've broken maybe two or three and I'm horribly clumsy. I've even decorated and not done them any harm!
I usually have my infills done every 3 to 3.5 weeks and by that time the gaps are getting big enough to bother me. If I'm really noticing it, I sometimes stick a coat of clear nail varnish over the top so at least they're shiny all over. What I tend to find is that I'm more aware of how badly they need doing than anyone else is!
Bx
I was the same when i first got them i wont get them again, they grow out to fast for me, and watch when you take them off your nails will be so thin you cant even file them they will just bend!
I would recommend the nail doctor treatment from boots (i think its on sale atm so check it out) they do one to use after you have had acrylics and its really good :) xxxx
I had acrylics years back and I loved the way they made my mitts look but holy cow were my nails ruined.
I'd love to try gel some day but they wouldn't last 5 minutes at work. xx
~@all you lovely girls - thank you so so much for your amazing long and helpful comments ,this is why i love blogging we all help each other out!!xx
@Little Miss Sammie - yeh i have the nail doctor kits they are fab!xx
Those gorgeous nails need to be sporting one of Nubar's delectable Summer In The CIty shades!! Follow our blog at http://nubarnaillacquer.blogspot.com/ for updates on new colours, promotions and news!
Nubar x
i LOVED acrylics and i did love it but i just realised how much it KILLS your nails and plus my nails grow super fast so i just got sick of filling them in every 2 weeks :( they look really nice on you but! :D
That's super fast growth and I understand that the keep-up would be too expensive, but for what it's worth, I loved them when watching your recent video, I was concentrating more on how pretty they looked instead of anything else..!!! :)
x
I love the Minted colour but didn't like the formulation when I put it on my natural nails. It chipped quickly and a lot. Maybe you've found a solution, maybe I need acrylics to make Minted work for me. Your acrylics looked nice natural and painted. I always use Sally Hansen Miracle growth a couple of times a year for maybe two weeks or so and I find it really boosts my natural nails.
I think it depends on who is doing them. If the nail tech is very skilled, she can get them closer to your cuticle and not as thick there.
I never liked it when you could see that they had grown out, so I felt I needed them done at 2 weeks.
Yours grew out incredibly fast, and fell off. Try something else!
If you are going to color your nails, maybe your own nails are better, and kept short.
Ive had acrylics twice and both times I can out of the salon absolutely in love with them. However my nails grow quickly too and once you get that gapy at the bottom I dont feel as though theyre too pretty anymore. Bboth times I had them removed properly back in the salon, and it takes FOREVER. I had to sit with my hands in a tiny bowl of solution which dissolves most of it. The nail technician then tidied them up for me but for months my nails were so thin i couldnt do anything with them. I think its to do with when they shave the top layer off your real nails whic makes them so thin and flakey. I think i would think twice before getting them done again, not sure its worth it x
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