Frugal Frump to Fab - The Journey Continues

sweetcheeks33

I have gel on my nails and I get my nails done once every 3 weeks since last year. This helped me stop biting my nails and has helped strengthen my nails. I suppose it's all to do with the nail tech and how well they lol after your nails. Mine have recovered and have good strength but the gel gives extra strength and stops me biting them.

My nails are much better than they were last march and are growing like nothing else on earth now too. 'If' you can find a good nail tech with good practices I would say there is no harm. My previously bitten weak peeling broken nails are proof

lessonlearned

sweetcheeks33 wrote: »

I have gel on my nails and I get my nails done once every 3 weeks since last year. This helped me stop biting my nails and has helped strengthen my nails. I suppose it's all to do with the nail tech and how well they lol after your nails. Mine have recovered and have good strength but the gel gives extra strength and stops me biting them.

My nails are much better than they were last march and are growing like nothing else on earth now too. 'If' you can find a good nail tech with good practices I would say there is no harm. My previously bitten weak peeling broken nails are proof

Your'e right Sweetcheeks. A good nail tech can work wonders.

I was thinking partly of the financial implications involved in upkeep etc. I do tend to look for a natural holistic approach wherever possible.

Good to see you managed to stop nibbling

A glorious day here again. I shall enjoy being out and about

maman

I get my eyebrows and nails done regularly.


I had my nails done yesterday. My latest 'discovery' is shellac polish (I believe gel is very similar). It lasts me three weeks and stays looking immaculate the whole time except for a little regrowth which isn't noticeable. The cheapest around here are those nail bars set up for acrylic nails but they do 'real' nails as well. Mine is run by Chinese people. It's not the pampering experience of a proper salon but it makes me feel well groomed.


I do lots of the things that LL recommends especially hand cream and rub in cuticle oil when I remember.


For my eyebrows I do go to a salon and get them waxed for about £6-£8. Once a month or less is enough for that as once they've done the shape I can keep them tidy at home.


I know it can be done more cheaply but I think it's worth it for a treat. I've bought a number of pampering treats from Groupon at quite good prices, that's where I got started on shellac.

Kiwisaver_2

I went for both extremities and had eyebrows waxed and tootsies pedicured and shellaced at the weekend. I do love the look and feel of shellac, although I don't think it did much good for my fingernails as they started to chip and flake after having them done a few times last year.

sweetcheeks33

Please please please don't go to Chinese nail bars the products they mostly used are not from uk and sometimes are products should not be used on nails. Also please don't let them use the metal drill to take of products....

Most of the products used cannot be soaked of with normal products, whicheans they shouldn't be on nails....,

They ruined my nails but with tender loving care they back and much better...

maman

sweetcheeks33 wrote: »

Please please please don't go to Chinese nail bars the products they mostly used are not from uk and sometimes are products should not be used on nails. Also please don't let them use the metal drill to take of products....

Most of the products used cannot be soaked of with normal products, whicheans they shouldn't be on nails....,

They ruined my nails but with tender loving care they back and much better...

Thanks for the warning:). I have checked and the place I go to uses the same CND products that I've had in the beauty salons I've been to with Groupon. I'm monitoring the situation and at the moment my (admittedly strong) nails are coping with one acetone removal about every three weeks.


It reminds me of when we used to get sent to the science lab to have nail polish removed when we were at school! Then they used pure acetone too. Today they'd probably call Childline if a teacher did that.;)

maddiemay

I love the look of Shellac type nail treatments, but my nails are the opposite to maman, they are dry and weak and damage so easily (made worse by a medical condition I think), a couple of years ago I had them done by a very good and trusted beautician and kept it up for about 6 weeks, but once it was taken off they looked worse than when I had started, so now it is only for special occasions for me:(

Now I do pretty much what LL recommends, but nowadays I use a crystal nail file (OPI or Leighton Denny) and this works better on my thin flaky nails than emery boards, they are expensive, but providing you don't drop them on a hard surface will last for years.

maddiemay

sweetcheeks33 wrote: »

Please please please don't go to Chinese nail bars the products they mostly used are not from uk and sometimes are products should not be used on nails. Also please don't let them use the metal drill to take of products....

Most of the products used cannot be soaked of with normal products, whicheans they shouldn't be on nails....,

They ruined my nails but with tender loving care they back and much better...

I had a friend who owned a beauticians in a medium sized town, all the young girls used to check out her prices and then go to the cheap Chinese nail bar, they used to abrade the nails to get a smooth surface, and then later drilled the product off. My friend would then spend weeks helping customers trying to repair the damage, sometimes the nails were left so thin it was really painful. Although it was more bookings for her salon, she was a lovely person and would have been much happier having the original appointment and doing a good job.

pirateyqueen

Ooooo that made me cringe. Going to give my nails a bit of a pamper tonight me thinks!

Floss

I have a very nice young chap who does my shellac, eyelash tints, eyebrow wax & leg wax - his partner is also a very nice young chap who does facials!

Have to admit I do like shellac, as it even stays looking good when I'm on the allotment - as long as I choose a dark colour so the dirt behind my nails doesn't show!