No More Nails.

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.

Stuck in a rut???

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.

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.

@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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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.

M0nica

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

Me too! Lol

Fit, not first.

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.

Wow, just realised how much I'd 'let myself go'!' I don't use hairdressers, never paint my nails, don't shave my legs or underarms, never wear make up and the only cream I use is in my coffee.

Do I feel like 'I've let myself go?' Hell no, I feel like a natural woman.

If you want to do all those things fine, but they don't first into my world.

I’m not convinced that normal varnish damages nails. Mine have always been very strong, no breaking or flaking at all, and until last March they nearly always had a colour on them. I do have a good diet but annoyingly, that hasn’t helped with my dreadful (fine, thin) hair.

dragonfly46

I was hoping this was about glue as I want to know if it works!

I've just had to explain this thread to retired builder DH?
He maintains that yes, it is indeed good stuff

shysal

I always keep my nails very short. How does anyone with gel ones do any of the usual household and gardening chores with them? Perhaps they have a husband to do the dirty work!

Having gel nail varnish doesn’t necessarily mean long nails. I keep mine short, just means I do not have to think about my nails between manicures.

They do not stop me doing anything round the house or in the garden I even muck-out stables and poo pick fields.

Yes it does Dragonfly46!

I was hoping this was about glue as I want to know if it works!

I always keep my nails very short. How does anyone with gel ones do any of the usual household and gardening chores with them? Perhaps they have a husband to do the dirty work!