False nails...

sian kisses · Jan 7, 2009

Sorry if this is on here already> searched but i couldn't find it.

What are your thoughts on false nails> acrylic ones?
if you have pictures of yours i would love to see, i am very tempted by them as i have terrible nails, but i'm not sure how they will look.

Thank you,

KittyT · Jan 7, 2009

Sian, I'm pretty sure there's a fair amount of fake nail talk in the Vintage Manicures thread.

I love them. I think they look great if done properly. Acrylics are strong and polish doesn't chip on them (you can hold a nice polish job for a week or more!), but quite expensive and difficult to maintain. They only look really good for the first few days after you get a fill and then once they start to grow out, it becomes obvious they're artificial. The biggest problem I had with acrylics is that most manicurists want to square them off and make them thick. I had a hard time getting mine to make them thinner and oval so that they'd look natural, but when she did it right, they looked fantastic.

On the recommendation of someone here, I started using the drugstore glue-on kind. I actually prefer these to acrylic. They're more work for you to do (as opposed to someone else doing it for you), but they look nice. They stay on about a week or so and because you have to redo them every week, you never get the obvious grow-out that you get from acrylics. They also hold a manicure beautifully. They are also WAAAAAY cheaper - less than $2 per week as opposed to $15-20 per week.

But beware! If you have artificial nails, you need to wear gloves every time you do anything that exposes your hands to water for a long time (hand washing, doing dishes) because water can get trapped underneath. Both types are extremely damaging to your own natural nails and can cause them to become thin and weak and peel. Ultimately, I stopped wearing them because I got a bit of nail fungus on one of my nails. This is a risk you take - artificial nails trap moisture between the nail and your natural nail making this problem much more likely.

They did break me of my nail biting habit though, and I've managed to get my natural nails out to a decent length and am now working to strengthen them, with the goal of growing my natural nails out as long as my artificial ones were.

Paisley · Jan 7, 2009

I'm not fond of long nails in startling colors, whether they're real or fake.

crwritt · Jan 7, 2009

I think they look great if well maintained.
Best if you have a nail shop that is nearby, and you have $20-50 extra cash to spend every three weeks. I liked mine the best when I got short, oval, pink and white with a gel coat.
They held up well. I never used polish on them, the paints and glues I use in my work would destroy it.
I took them off as a cost saving measure, and have been keeping my short natural nails strong with Hard as Hoof nail cream, $3 at CVS.
Have fun if you get them , but remember they are a commitment,they only look good if well maintained and you will find yourself hanging out in nail shops on a regular basis.

artful dodgette · Jan 7, 2009

I totally agree with Kitty,
I used to use glue on oval ones from superdrug at £1.50 a pack! they were really good and looked natural when painted up red!

Ive been practically living in china at the mo' so ive had UV gel nails on for 6 months and they're amazing!!!! look really natural and don't mess your own nails up, but they cost alot in the UK compared to 12 pounds over there!!
but ive taken them off now im in the uk and my nails are nice and long now!

but honestly, try out the superdrug ones! they look ace with half moons!

sian kisses · Jan 7, 2009

wow. thank you all, i think i'll persevere with my own for a while and then try the stick ons.

xx

Miss_Bella_Hell · Jan 7, 2009

I really hate them, I think they look terrible. However, I'm blessed with strong, healthy nails that grow out nicely, so I am biased.

KittyT · Jan 7, 2009

Miss_Bella_Hell said:
I really hate them, I think they look terrible. However, I'm blessed with strong, healthy nails that grow out nicely, so I am biased.

They only look terrible when they're done thick and square. That's just ghetto.

Miss_Bella_Hell · Jan 7, 2009

KittyT said:
They only look terrible when they're done thick and square. That's just ghetto.

I disagree. I never, ever like them. I think they look trashy, but recognize them as a necessary evil for some women. [huh] Course, that's just one person's opinion.

Vintage Betty · Jan 7, 2009

I was a nail biter, and started out with Acrylic nails to stop biting my nails.

I really had bad luck with acrylic overlay nails, and felt I was getting ripped off by the manicurists who didn't adhere them properly.

I now get my nails done at a salon, because my husband is overly smell-sensitive and doesn't like me to do my nails at home. I get my nails done with acrylic powder that adheres to my nail and will almost survive a nuclear disaster. I have had great luck with this process, since the nails dry very hard, and the nail underneath is very healthy. I would highly recommended this option if available in your area, since it looks natural.

pdxvintagette · Jan 7, 2009

They can indeed be a necessary evil. My nails grow healthy, but I'm very hard on my hands, and can't keep my nails looking nice for two days, let alone a week.

It took forever, but I finally found a nail tech who does them just thick enough that they don't break, and we keep them fairly short, unless I have a special event to attend. They are always oval, always the same color red, and I fill as often as I can afford in order to keep them looking as natural as possible.

I have a number of friends who don't know/couldn't tell until they were told that the nails aren't natural. But it took a long time to figure out.

Due to a snowstorm in Portland, I missed my pre-Christmas appointment and didn't get them done until I got down to California just before New Year's. I had them done at a random salon ... and they are awful. Can't wait to see my nail tech again!

Miss_Bella_Hell said:
I disagree. I never, ever like them. I think they look trashy, but recognize them as a necessary evil for some women. [huh] Course, that's just one person's opinion.

MarieAnne · Jan 7, 2009

I think looking after your natural nails is the way to go. It's cheaper too. I'm not always kind to my hands. My hands are dry and I am always picking at my cuticles. Every now and then I want to grow out my nails so I moisturize and take good care of my cuticles ; it takes about 2-3 weeks but the difference is huge! Why don't you treat yourself to a manicure (they aren't too pricey) and ask for some pointers?

I have tried acrylic nails once and I hated it. I had to learn to put my pants on all over again. I would scratch my face in my sleep. They got in the way and they were expensive. And, when I took them off, OUCH! If you think your nails are bad now, wait until AFTER you've had acrylic nails. My nails were red, and thin like paper. Pop cans, key rings, and coins (laying on flat surfaces) were out of the question! AND I had to learn to put my pants on AGAIN. :eusa_doh:

KittyT · Jan 7, 2009

Miss_Bella_Hell said:
I disagree. I never, ever like them. I think they look trashy, but recognize them as a necessary evil for some women. [huh] Course, that's just one person's opinion.

I bet with well done ones, you wouldn't be able to tell from looking at them.

Mine looked really great when I had them and no one was ever the wiser unless I mentioned it.

Lareesie Ladavi · Jan 7, 2009

I prefer mine natural. I don't want to have to worry about my nails all the time. I have a 13-year-old (granted he isn't in diapers, but it started there)and I'm a caregiver to my mother...
Mine grow out to a little past the bed and they start chipping. I have to have them practical, so I never paint them, it will just chip and I will never remove the polish. By looking at me, you'd think I was high maintenance...that is, until you see my hands.

as long as I keep them moisturized, it's all good.

KittyT · Jan 7, 2009

My nails are one of the most important parts of my appearance to me, in part because they're the part of my appearance that I've been the least pleased with, and for the longest amount of time. I have small, stubby hands and very, very short nail beds. Even with my nails grown out quite a bit, they are still pretty much circular, that's how short the beds are. When they are long and painted a solid color so that you can't see the beds, it completely changes the look of my hands and makes my fingers look a lot longer and leaner!

I've been a nail biter pretty much always, so artificials are the only way I can keep from doing that. Luckily I seem to be at a point now where I can stand to NOT bite them, and I'm just trying to get them to grow out strong and trying to get rid of the damage from the extended wear of artificials. They've done well, except that I have 2 ridges down the middle of each thumb that I don't seem to be able to get rid of. I did not have them before I wore glue-on nails, and I figured they would grow out, but they aren't.

sian kisses · Jan 7, 2009

The decision is made, i am treating myself to a manicure and persevering with my natural nails, thank you for all the tips though.

ooh yay i can't wait for my manicure roll on the 21st. payday yippee.

x

Miss_Bella_Hell · Jan 7, 2009

KittyT said:
I bet with well done ones, you wouldn't be able to tell from looking at them.

Mine looked really great when I had them and no one was ever the wiser unless I mentioned it.

Nope, even yours looked fake. Maybe I'm just extra sensitive to it, but I guarantee you, I can tell. It's a nail bed thing.

Pip · Jan 7, 2009

Whilst I might be out of my due restriction, perhaps all can beg to differ? [huh] lol

Odalisque · Jan 8, 2009

I recently got mine done with acrylics and I really like them. They are longer then I would like but thin and oval. Much prettier then I could ever get with my natural nails. My naturals are so weak that I cannot grow them past my fingertip as they will break. I agree that when long and square they are slightly junky looking. But like with most things related to beauty, it's all in how you wear them. Natural nails can look trashy and fake nails can look elegant.

Real Swell Gal · Jan 8, 2009

I used to wear Solar Nails. These are a french manicure nail that look very real.
I can't get them done anymore though since I went back into dental because of infection control rules.
I will say gel nails look VERY realistic.
Not sure if I have a picture but I always kept them short and square.
You can kinda see them here.
BTW that pic is about 5 years old lol.

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