gel nails

moneylover

I am finally calling a day on my natural nails - nothing makes them look nice and they don't grow without splitting usually horizontally and splitting on the white bits from the middle of the nail outwards, not from the edges
Have, over the years, tried every product, from jelly to Sally Hansen with some expensive mail order options in between - I defy anyone to suggest anything I havent tried be it oils, hardeners, manicures, oral preparations and horse hoof hardener.
So am thinking of artificial but I want to get this right. I dont want my nails long and Iwant them to look as un-artificial as possible which isnt easy as you can spot artificial nails at 20 paces.
There is a lady who works in M&S where I live whose nails look quite nice and someone likewise in Bodyshop. You can tell what I do in shops - look at the assistants nails! Anyway, they go to different places but both have basically the same thing - gel nails with, I think, a French polish, but then a pale pink wash over the top to look more natural.
Is this the best I am likely to get? The only thing is - with my own nails being weak - will gel work?
All ideas gratefully received!
Thanks, Hilary

Ali-belle

If I were you I would try gel overlays (without extensions).

I have these done when my nails are really weak and it brings them back to life! I find my nails grow stronger and quicker when I have overlays and the gel protects the nail without damaging. They last me around 3 weeks when I have them done.

angelil

Gel nails do look nicest of all the artificial nails available, but they do weaken your nails so I wouldn't recommend them to anyone whose nails are already weak. Try to fix the problem first, such as with a Talika oil or with a hair/skin/nails supplement, before going for artificial nails.

moneylover

angelil wrote: »

Gel nails do look nicest of all the artificial nails available, but they do weaken your nails so I wouldn't recommend them to anyone whose nails are already weak. Try to fix the problem first, such as with a Talika oil or with a hair/skin/nails supplement, before going for artificial nails.

I have been trying such ploys for the last 50 years - when I stopped biting my nails aged 14! Thanks though.

moneylover

Ali-belle wrote: »

If I were you I would try gel overlays (without extensions).

I have these done when my nails are really weak and it brings them back to life! I find my nails grow stronger and quicker when I have overlays and the gel protects the nail without damaging. They last me around 3 weeks when I have them done.

I dont think my nails are good enough for overlays - these would be same length as my natural nails? Some dont have any length.

Are gel still strongish - presumably not as strong as acrylic? But acyrilic look quite thick as well as looking more artificial I think

vik6525

moneylover wrote: »

I am finally calling a day on my natural nails - nothing makes them look nice and they don't grow without splitting usually horizontally and splitting on the white bits from the middle of the nail outwards, not from the edges
Have, over the years, tried every product, from jelly to Sally Hansen with some expensive mail order options in between - I defy anyone to suggest anything I havent tried be it oils, hardeners, manicures, oral preparations and horse hoof hardener.
So am thinking of artificial but I want to get this right. I dont want my nails long and Iwant them to look as un-artificial as possible which isnt easy as you can spot artificial nails at 20 paces.
There is a lady who works in M&S where I live whose nails look quite nice and someone likewise in Bodyshop. You can tell what I do in shops - look at the assistants nails! Anyway, they go to different places but both have basically the same thing - gel nails with, I think, a French polish, but then a pale pink wash over the top to look more natural.
Is this the best I am likely to get? The only thing is - with my own nails being weak - will gel work?
All ideas gratefully received!
Thanks, Hilary

OPI Nail Envy?
If you've tried it, stick with it for a while.
My nails used to be so soft they'd literally bend right over (YEARS of nail biting!)
Someone reccomended nail envy to me, I used it every day for 2 months, and now WOW! My nails could hammer nails into wood!

moneylover

yes have ticked off nail envy, several bottle fulls different types! My mums nails were just the same, nothing worked and then when she was ninety sitting in a care home they grew.

Ali-belle

moneylover wrote: »

I dont think my nails are good enough for overlays - these would be same length as my natural nails? Some dont have any length.

Are gel still strongish - presumably not as strong as acrylic? But acyrilic look quite thick as well as looking more artificial I think

When I started with Gel I had no length at all. I found that they grew really quickly and they don't break because the gel is so strong and hard. They don't damage your nails because there is no filing involved.

I have biosculpture, you should have a look at their website http://www.biosculpture.co.uk/

moneylover

Ali-belle wrote: »

I have biosculpture, you should have a look at their website http://www.biosculpture.co.uk/

thanks, have looked at website, Ali-belle which finish do you have? I was interested in this: Free Edge: the hard rather than flexible product
name of the new gel comes from the fact that the free edge of the nails once sculptured with this gel, has a natural white finish which resembles the human nail- this has been around since 2008 so must be one of the standard applications.
I have no idea whether the salon I am thinking of going to does Biosculpture, I shall have to find out!
Its so good being able to chat about these things on MSE thank you everybody!

Amanita_2

Mine are gel overlays but if yours are currently too short they can put tips on them which get filed away as your natural nail grows. I occasionally have a tip put on if I manage to break one ( gel/acrylic nails are tough but can still break).

I have the clear gel as I don't like the artificial look either so mine are short and shaped as squared off ovals.

Mine are normally painted pretty colours but if I want a natural look then I'll have a french polish with a pale pink base and a creamy white for the tips or I just leave them unpainted. The clear gel allows the natural nail colours to come through.

Ali-belle

moneylover wrote: »

thanks, have looked at website, Ali-belle which finish do you have? I was interested in this: Free Edge: the hard rather than flexible product
name of the new gel comes from the fact that the free edge of the nails once sculptured with this gel, has a natural white finish which resembles the human nail- this has been around since 2008 so must be one of the standard applications.
I have no idea whether the salon I am thinking of going to does Biosculpture, I shall have to find out!
Its so good being able to chat about these things on MSE thank you everybody!

No probs
I'm not too sure about that, the finish they put on mine is called S Gel which is the hard rather than the flexible as it suits my nail type better (flaky and weak!). The salon should be able to tell you which is best for your nails.