No More Nails.

I was speaking on a purely personal level. I wasn’t criticising anyone. It is what make me feel good.
If you feel defensive about how you look then that’s your problem and not mine.

Fit, not first.

M0nica

I thought this thread was going to be about the DIY product with the same name!

Me too! Lol

Have had gel nails in the past but don't anymore. When I stopped my nails were in a right mess - very soft and flaky. Since then I've done my own once a week. Takes ten minutes. I use OPI nail strengthener (non formaldehyde) and a buffer to take any ridges out and they look great. The OPI leaves a nice shine. I don't let them grow too long because I garden and decorate. Nails on feet get painted in the Summer but never hands - can't stand chipped nails and can't be bothered to keep colouring them.

I agree with Baggs the idea that letting oneself go involves no makeup etc is nonsense. My closest friend never wears makeup, she has great skin, much better than mine with makeup.

I always thought letting yourself go wasn’t to do with make up, it’s not bothering to stay clean and tidy.
Everything else is your own personal choice. I wear make up, my sister doesn’t. When we go out together, we make sure we feel good about ourselves. She still looks better on a photo than I do!

I am finding this thread illuminating. I have never done anything to my nails as I have big square navvy hands with nails wider than they are long and I cannot bear the feel of my nails when they are longer than my figures, but I do love wearing rings, all of them reasonably clunky because even the most expensive tiny dainty one looks like something out of a Christmas cracker on my hands.

I am in absolute agreement with Mollygo, 'letting yourself go' has nothing to do with what clothes you wear or how you otherwise adorn yourself. It is a state of mind that expresses itself by making you neglectful and uncaring of yourself and it is expressed through body language as well as clothes and adornment.

Adornment is fun, it is present in almost every human species, going back to the beginning of time, and all of us do it - we all choose the clothes we wear and go on from there, whether it is make-up, or looking after your hands and painting your nails or getting out of bed and deciding, or not deciding what to wear.

letting yourself go in my family means you have gotten fat. It is the ultimate crime.

Not my sentiments but it is certainly what my whole family judge you on

Prior to the Pandemic I used to buy the plastic stick on ones if I was going out for the evening. As my own nails take ages to grow since coming off HRT.
But for hygiene reasons have decided against them. Miss the long elegant nails though.

I can see where Baggs is coming from. When I was teaching most of the staff were obsessed with their perfect tans, blonde hair and fake nails. They felt under so much pressure to look good.

I used to feel quite frumpy, as a pale redhead, who didn't suit fake tan.
It was the remover used to remove gel varnish, which I was allergic to, so gave up on that.

As for VitD, industrial strength supplements, prescribed by my consultant made absolutely no difference to either my hair or nails.

marydoll vit D. took about 6 months to make a difference for my nails, unfortunately it has done nothing for my hair.

I'm on VitD supplements permanently, I don't retain it, unfortunately. Thirty years of supplements have made no difference to my nails.
VitD and calcium levels didn't even register in my latest blood tests.

Thank you for all the responses to my posting- sorry about the little joke in the title couldn't resist. I asked the question as several people I know have said they think they will now stop colouring their hair now and embrace the grey. I dont feel like that and will continue with a colour. I felt very depressed looking at my hair unkempt, overgrown and grey during lockdown but didn't mind the natural nails. My reasons for not continuing is one that has already been mentioned i.e. the condition of my nails underneath is not very good but also I resent the time spent on appointments really and I cannot bear having to chat about nothing for an hour and a half. For me the letting myself go bit is not the beauty salon business (I only have some facial waxing done each month) but having put on so much weight. I have let myself down there and its getting harder and harder to keep to low calorie diet so I am less than pleased with myself at the moment. At least I'm getting more exercise now the golf course is open.

@JackyB so it's not just me?
I gave up even trying with my nails many years ago I'm afraid.
They flake and break almost daily.
I suppose I'll have to put a bit of pink varnish on them for the wedding I'm going to in July. But honestly, who looks at them?
Who actually cares?

I'm lucky to have strong nails so I don't need to do anything to them. However I'm so looking forward to going back to the beauty salon for facial hair removal and a tidy up for my eyebrows.

Gel nails comprise of a gel based nail varnish, dried off under ultra violet, there shouldn’t be any glue involved ?. Acrylic nails however do involve glue, lots of intense filing of the natural nail and an acrylic nail applied before more acrylic paste on top, then filed and varnished. They cause lots of damage to natural nails. I wonder if you were asking for / expecting gels but getting acrylics.

Stuck in a rut???

Interesting post.
I've always been too vain to have my nails wrecked by Gels. I do a manicure every Sunday evening while watching the box. Good Base Coat, 2 Coats OPI, Good top coat and they last without chipping for a week. This routine forces me to address cuticles and nail shaping regularly. People regularly ask me if they are Gels so they can't look too bad.

Looking forward to a manicure but I never have nails varnished unless I’m going to a very posh do and wearing mil’s diamond ring. Varnish would come off the next day as I hate the feel of it (nuts I know). Love having a pedicure and varnish but not gel, I’ve heard a lot of negative comments about the stuff.

I'm not going back to the hairdressers. I've been cutting my hair all through the lockdowns and it doesn't look too bad. I'll be saving myself about £500 a year.

Totally beyond me why women prance about with artificial nails. What is their Agenda? Perhaps 'I don't do housework or any other sort of work.'?

And of course one's natural nails will wither etc. - they cannot 'breathe'. Ditto toe nails.

A natural pair of hands, beautifully presented cannot be beaten.

I only have a manicure for something like a wedding and I’ve stopped colouring my hair. I may sound boring, but it’s all about having a choice.

My daughter has her gel nails done every 5 weeks or so. It is her special treat and makes her feel so good about herself which as a busy mum she needs (although how she manages to change nappies with them, I’ll never know!). I have a gel manicure but just with the gel polish as my own nails grow very strong (and long if I let them!). I bought one of those little machines that dry the gel using uv light or something and one of my daughters does it for me so my manicure costs me very little indeed and looks pretty good. Something to be said for your own nails although I don’t blame anyone for using a bit of fakery! Now about my wrinkles......!

I started taking a general vitamin, fish oil and folic acid about 18 months ago my nails have been amazingly strong and my hair thick and shiny (also stopped dying and let the grey / white shine through). To be honest feels fabulous not having to bother, celebrating my 30 year anniversary tomorrow and husband has barely noticed I’ve stopped dying hair and likes my natural colour!

Honestly ladies try omega 3 fish oils etc it really does make a difference and you just need cheapy ones from B&M.

But flip side I think a lot of us like the social side of visits to salon. Especially for special occasions so if you can afford it enjoy it ?

Got my hair cut and blown dry last week. Looks better and I feel better when I look in the mirror. Colour it myself now and although a bit messy looks fine. Sometimes put some normal nail polish on but avoid gel. Will not have so many blow dries now as managed OK during lockdown