No More Nails.

Goodbye regular gel nails, gym membership and private Pilates

Personally I don't like the look of gel nails, they look fake, like those thick caterpillar eyebrows, and trout lips. I do use nail varnish on feet in summer at times. For hands the most I do is buff and polish, which looks well groomed and is good for the nails.

I've had gel nails for many years, due to the fact that I was a terrible nail biter. At the start of the first lockdown my nail technician suggested that we soak our nails off but I decided just to let mine grow out, nobody was going to see them. My own nails grew longer and stronger and I have no inclination to bite them ! So now I just paint my natural nails myself and I'm pleased with the result, and save myself a fortune

I've never paid to have my nails done,but I do like to have my hair coloured,and don't like doing it at home.I was pleased to have an appointment last week.It would have been a good chance to go grey,with lockdown,but once again,I've had my colour done.

Oopsadaisy1
I have naturally weak, flaking nails and used UV gel nail varnish to hold them together. Then I found Sensationail Gel Rescue nail rejuvenator base coat. Doesn't need a UV lamp, it's a normal base coat. It really strengthens my nails - now they grow until I have to cut or file them back. Can't remember where I got it from but you can Google it.
If you want to use nail varnish, you can get peel off base coats, saves using too much drying acetone based products.

Gel nails really damage your real nails. I would never have them. I have long real nails that I look after.

At the age of 52 I trained to be a manicurist. I left the course when I had enough knowledge to do natural treatments to nails. I saw the harshness of gel/acrylic treatments and instinctively felt it wasn't for me.

Over the years I came across an awful lot of women with seriously damaged nails because of gels / acrylics. Some were damaged beyond help and looked, quite frankly, like dirty cobbled streets.

I have just retired from my job as a mobile manicurist after 18 years. It was a really fascinating job as I met so many lovely, interesting people.

I'm with you on this Baggs. Apart from anything else, I have heard too much about the exploitation of workers in Nail Bars. Just Google Nail Bars and modern slavery. Anyone who is still thinking of going to one should check out its credentials to make sure it treats its workers fairly.

Used to have gel nails - no glue as some folk think as the "nail" is built up with the gel material which does need a special solvents for removal. Stopped as the material just dried out my nails so badly they began flaking. What I have realised is I don't need to wear foundation and eye makeup every day.

I gave up on nail extensions (silk wraps) 25 years ago!!

Me neither........but never say never !?

I think nicely clipped natural nails look better anyway.
From the age of 16, I have coloured my hair.
Because of various lockdowns, I haven’t had my highlights done since last August. I can now actually see my natural colour and rather like it. Without the dye, it is still glossy and in good condition. Despite being 63, there is almost no grey. I have decided to go natural. If I change my mind, I can always have it coloured again. Don’t think I will though.

Work, I'm going to work out if I can afford to retire. Being furloughed and not having to organise my life around work has been an eye opener. I always thought that I "needed" work but actually I loved the freedom of not being on a permanent timetable. So wheels are in motion for a slower way of life.

Your husband sounds like quite a man!

Granof412

Your husband sounds like quite a man!

Mine not only dyes and cuts my hair - he also pierced my ears! ?

Goodbye to back and neck massages (expected to seize up but I haven’t!) but not to manicures or pedicures - thought I could live without them but I can’t!
Goodbye to hair colouring by hairdresser - I now do my own and I’m saving a fortune, but need hairdresser to cut my hair.

Not spending a fortune on hair colour now, miss having it done but easy to home colour and so cheap.

Never fancied gel nails.
Do miss a pedicure though despite the expense but leaving it for a few weeks as my big toenail split and is slowly detaching itself!

I have not had my hair coloured for a year.
I use brown henna and it is marvellous, I used to use it 40 years ago and it has much improved.
I have found that my hair no longer comes out massively like it used to, or itch. It is a rich dark brown, shiny and soft. The white/grey is evenly coloured and my husband applies it for me every 6 weeks (although I can do it myself, I enjoy having him join in)
I have had to import it from the States as my supplier ran out so I ordered a year's worth which was quickly delivered. Okay I have to pay import tax but there again we have to pay that on loads of things from the E.U. anyway)
I realise after 30 years of £90 salon treatments I am actually allergic to their colourings.
I have saved £900 this year.

You beat me to it hobbs1 - there seems to be confusion between gel nails and acrylic. As you said, gel is just a form of cured polish on your own nails, no glue. It’s only acrylic nails that involve glue. I have my first appointment for my gel nails on 28th.....

I enjoyed all the posting here but the one that had me in tears of laughter was silvercollies '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.'?'
It gave me a vision of ladies prancing dangling their nails as they dance about. Really silver cracked me up.

Can you please let me know the name of the peel off base coat?

I liked my Dil nails so I decided to have mine done. They looked lovely but I had horrible flakey sore nails afterwards. It's not for me unfortunately but they did look glam.

Delene100

Can you please let me know the name of the peel off base coat?

Hi! It's made by Sensationail.
It's brilliant. Amazon sell it. I'd do you a link if I could!
It doesn't chip. You can use it with any gel polish, you do need a lamp.
The night before you want to peel it off, slather your cuticles with hand cream and then peel them off in hot water the next day. I do it in the bath.
The gel actually protects your nails as the peel off layer forms a barrier.

Love the vision of your "long line of well-turned out females" and well done you, I feel just the same.

I'm picturing them like a line of portraits in an ancestral hall, all beautifully coiffed and manicured!