False Nails

LE3

Friend wants to get nails to cover her own bitten ones (she's going to job interviews & reckons they'll look more professional!)
I reckoned their must be some MSE ladies who can help with the following q's:
1) what is the best type of nails to get, both in terms of ease of use/care for a novice & least damage to real nails underneath
2) apparently she had some done years ago but didn't like the fact that the nails felt really "thick" and crusty under the end - the fingertip end - she said she couldn't *do* anything because tehy were so thick
3) can fake nails really look good on fingers that have been neglected for years?

belfastgirl23

I reckon she'd be best off getting a professional manicure on the nails she has. The thing about a manicure is that your nails look better for quite a while, since they sort out cuticles as well, also shape the nails, clean any dirt etc from around them. this does motivate you to look after them better. And no matter what, applying false nails is only going to cause damage to her natural nails.

Amanita_2

The amount of damage from fake nails really does depend on the skill of the techncian. They all require the surface of the nail to be filed to provide a key for the product to stick to. If they are filed too heavily then the natural nail will be left thin and in some cases it has been known for them to be filed into holes ( yes - been there!)

I have had both gel and acrylic nails for about 6 years now and my own nails are in good condition. I can have the nails removed and my natural nails will still hold their length.

As regards thickness - mine are only marginally thicker than real nails. The product has to be put on thick enough so it doesn't crack and flake off but it certainly doesn't have to look as thick as you see on many people. As she has bitten nails she will need extensions and they do add a little extra thickness but they grow out quickly.

LE3

thanks - will pass on the advice.

Belfastgirl, I don't think it's possible to get a manicure on nails that are very very bitten - there's nothing there to manicure ...

Amanita - What's the difference between gel nails and acrylic nails? Is it possible to not get mega-extensions - she is quite happy with short nails, in fact doesn't want long nails at all, but needs them to look better than what she currently has!

Amanita_2

LE3 wrote: »

Amanita - What's the difference between gel nails and acrylic nails?

Acrylic is a powder mixed with a solvent. It is dissolved by acetone so you need to use special nail varnish remover. It sets on its own and can be left natural or painted. If you want them removed they should be soaked off in acetone.

Gel is a .....gel. It is painted on and then "cured" under an ultraviolet lamp. It is acetone proof so if you want them removed they have to be filed off. Again they can be painted or not.

The gel suits me better. I find the acrylic don't stay on me as well as the gel. Gel will last me 3/4 weeks between infills but if I have acrylic they generally need attention every 2 weeks.

LE3 wrote: »

Is it possible to not get mega-extensions - she is quite happy with short nails, in fact doesn't want long nails at all, but needs them to look better than what she currently has!

Absolutely! If she isn't used to having nails she'd find long ones very hard to manage. I struggle if mine get longer than a millimetre or two over the end of my fingers and I hate them longer.

Shaping is also key - a very square nail looks more obvious than my square ovals. I don't want anyone to notice my nails as fake.

This is a lousy picture but it gives the general idea.

Amanita_2

Forgot to say that if you want to keep the natural nails in good condition I would avoid the salons that use electric nail files unless you know someone who can vouch for them.

An electric file can remove too much of the nail very quickly. Hand filing takes much longer but the risk of serious damage is much less.