Totaly off topic-false nails

[SuziQ]

I am sure some of you will be able to help me with this query. I have terrible nails-have tried every nail protector/hardener going both off QVC and anywhere else with no joy. I think some of it links to my extreme ill health over the last few years. Anyway,my hands look particularly bad at the moment,and having bought some false stick on temp nails today to see what I am missing I am very tempted to invest in either acrylic or silk (is that right?) nails. I love the look of Dawn Bibbys-just want natural looking or maybe a subtle french manicure effect. Do any of you know about these,which are best,and how to find out whether a nail technician is kosher? We have several around here which all seem really busy all the time.

Are thery terribly expensive to maintain? I don't even bother wearing my lovely rings at the moment as my nails are so horrid (they grow ok but crack on the side quite low down,I then have a really painful wait for the broken bit to grow far enough to cut off and snag every piece of clothing whilst waiting!)

Thanks in advance of any pearls of wisdom!

 

[Pearl]

Hi SuziQ,

I've never had false nails as I luckily inherited fast growing and pretty strong natural nails (mum's were the same, so I figure genetics can play a part.)

From what I've heard and seen from friends though, I wouldn't go for acrylics as they can damage your natural nails even more so. Probably from all the buffing etc? And then people trying to hack them off themselves instead of getting them soaked off?

I have read recently about biosculpture gel, which might be a good choice for you? You can have the gel applied to your natural nails and then it dries under a UVA light in a couple of minutes. I think you can have gel extensions too if you want extra length, and you can have coloured gel or natural, they can be painted over too with normal polishes. You get infills done every 3-4 weeks for maintenance.

Might be worth investigating?

 

[SuziQ]

That sounds interesting Pearl,thankyou. I don't want to make my own nails even worse,if that's possible!

 

[80s-princess]

Hi SuziQ,

I've never had false nails as I luckily inherited fast growing and pretty strong natural nails (mum's were the same, so I figure genetics can play a part.)

From what I've heard and seen from friends though, I wouldn't go for acrylics as they can damage your natural nails even more so. Probably from all the buffing etc? And then people trying to hack them off themselves instead of getting them soaked off?

I have read recently about biosculpture gel, which might be a good choice for you? You can have the gel applied to your natural nails and then it dries under a UVA light in a couple of minutes. I think you can have gel extensions too if you want extra length, and you can have coloured gel or natural, they can be painted over too with normal polishes. You get infills done every 3-4 weeks for maintenance.

Might be worth investigating?

I've been having Bio-Sculpure on my nails for about 9 months now and it really looks good. You can have extensions with them which I had to have in the beginning as my nails were very short, but they have now grown and I just have the coating. I tend to go for french as I like the natural look for everyday, but I have had colours especially in the summer. The great thing about them is that you can paint normal nail colour over the top, and as long as you take the colour off with non acetone remover, the bio remains underneath in perfect condition. I highly recommend them!

 

[tuxedokitty]

I had flaky\cumbly nails and really dry cuticles - what worked for me.

CND Cuticle Eraser (Checkout the bay US) + LUSH Lemony Flutter (quite heavy & contains lanolin). Both these moisturised my cuticles that were really dry. Now I just need to use the CND. If I stop using CND my cuticles become really dry & raggedy again. I also use the OPI crystal file that seems to seal the end of nail and cuts down on my snagging my nails on things.

One of the side effects of using the above is that my nails have become stronger and now need to cut them.

Also my be worth checking out MUA nail board-lots of people there interested in growing natural nails.

 

[JCR1982]

I've had acrylics before, they do buff your nail before and they do become weak so when you eventually come off the nail is very weak etc so probably not the best for you.

They can be quite pricey as they grow out and you have a gap then a lump where the acrylic is, so you need to go get infills every 2 to 3 weeks (I think - can't remember was a few years ago). Then when the tip has grown out you need to get them all taken off and new tips and acrylics put on.

I'm lucky cos the reason I wanted them was because I bit my nails and since I have stopped biting them, I am able to grow them quite long.

You could try having a manicure and you could get a parrafin one to treat your dry hands, its supposed to be very moisturising.

 

[donna255]

Never had them. But I do know you have to go once a month for maintenance and its so much per nail.

A friend received a gift voucher for her birthday and two weeks ago when to the salon and decided on gel which she was told would last 3 weeks. Infact 3 days later they were peeling off!!!!!! She was just doing the normal lifestyle not digging in the mines etc.

 

[LipstickCherry]

I have heard Dawn Bibby say that her nails are gel nails.

 

[curlyblonde]

hi
argos do a kit called rio pop nails its 38 pound and they produce great acrylic nails and it really easy to do, i use these all the time now instead of going to get my acrylics done, my nails look ace
M

 

[Kitee]

I have heard Dawn Bibby say that her nails are gel nails.

I've never had false nails and don't know much about them, but I have always thought that Dawn's nails look really good.

 

[rosey]

I have never had gels or false nails done but my friend did and when she stopped doing it, it took about 18 months to get her nails into any sort of condition afterwards. They were awful.

I think you are better trying to persevere with one of the many nail treatments out there till you find one which works for you.

 

[Artemis]

I always had dreadful nails, they peeled and split and I couldn't grow them. I had acrylics for 15 years, getting them 'serviced' once a month. When I retired from work and didn't have my hands on display all the time, I had them taken off and my nails were totally different, they no longer split, they grow and they've stayed like that for 6 years and I have nails to be proud of. I don't know whether it was the prolonged "rest" that strengthened them, but the falsies certainly didn't damage them. Maybe I had a very good technician, or just got lucky...

 

[Pollybelle]

I've got friends who have false nails and I do know they have to commit time and money each month to getting them redone. I'm trying to get my nails stronger and healthier but I'm using nail treatments from OPI and Nail Inc and hoping for success

 

[Pick-a-Lily]

I've had acrylics twice - absolutely disasterous for your real nails, and gel overlays twice. The gels are definitely better, I've had both Biosculpture and Calgel, and they are equally as good. But you do have to go back every two or three weeks for 'infills', so it can work out expensive. When you have them soaked off, your natural nails underneath can be in pretty poor shape for a few months. They are great for a special occasion or holidays though, because they are so hardwearing and I also have my toenails done with gel overlays in the summer because it lasts for weeks without chipping.

 

[SuziQ]

Thank you so much to everyone for all of this info. I am still undecided! One thing I have never persevered with is moisturising my very dry cuticles. Maybe I shoild actually start using that avoplex oil along with the strengthener and see if that helps before diving into what sounds like an expenisve and time-heavy process. I have to say these ones I have on at the moment (elegent touch American pink french nails,square) look so good-for 6 quid I would definitely use them again for a special occasion. I have had them on 24 hours now and they seem very firm-I expect the problem will be as my nails grow as I will see a gap at the cuticle if they are still on. Many years ago,when working as a reflexologist I had very long fast growing nails that I constantly had to cut to do my treatments,it's ironic that now I don't need short nails I seemed doomed to them! Once again thankyou.

 

[Vikki]

I went through a few months of having gel overlays, and bio sculpture extensions (a few years ago) on the ones that I had recently broken, (I was a nail biter until I was 31, and had very soft nails but haven't nibbled for the last 8 years). I got a good 5 weeks out of the bio sculpture as I had a french manicure and infilled in that time with nail polish to hide the nail growth. My nails did feel much thinner when i had them removed which is why i'm reluctant to have the 'permanent' nail polish overlays again. If your nails are weak, bio sculpture would be a good move as they make the nails feel much stronger yet let the nails breathe, they are also flexible and don't snap off if you catch them The upkeep can be a pain, but if you like having your hands 'played with' (as I do) and you can afford it, give it a whirl as a xmas present to yourself ) x

 

[RedT]

I bought some gorgeous Revlon nails in Boots last night for the Christmas shindig as my own nails are a disgrace at the moment. Does anyone know if these can be cut and filed? They're a bit longer than I thought and I don't want to make it REALLY obvious that they're fake (if that makes sense, of course they're fake LOL!).

thanks!

Tx