Tell me about manicures!

novella1186 · January 2015

I never paint my nails, mostly because I'm too lazy but also because they seem to grow much better when I just leave them alone.

I've gotten maybe 2 or 3 regular manicures ever. And I've gotten several gel manicures but I ended up hating them for various reasons.

My wedding is on a Saturday and I have a manicure scheduled for Thursday. I kind of want to do something fun and sparkly. Although my appointment is at my salon/spa so I'm not sure if they even do fancy stuff.

The thing is, I'm starting to think I should just cancel my appointment because I feel like if I get it done Thursday then it will be chipped by Saturday. I have a hard time not doing stuff with my hands (like painting, playing with my dogs, random nail-ruining stuff, but also normal stuff like dishes) so from what I remember my manicures never last very long. And since I've decided to hate gel manicures, I don't want to get one of those.

Thursday is the only time I have to do one where I live. Either Thursday night or Friday morning I'll be driving an hour and a half to drop my dogs off at my parents' house (where they're being babysat with my sister's dogs) and then drive another hour to the town I'm getting married in. So if I wait till Friday to get a manicure, I could schedule one in the morning in the town where my parents live or maybe try to schedule one for early afternoon in the town I'm getting married in? Or maybe just do it myself. I'd almost rather do it myself because then I can do exactly what I have in mind, but I'm worried it won't look quite as nice as a pro manicure. Or I won't be able to sit still while it dries and it'll just get ruined right off the bat. (This almost always happens).

Obviously nails are not a big deal (at least not to me), but I just like to have a plan. How long do manicures typically last? For those of you who get them a lot, when do they usually start to chip? What would you recommend for me to do in this situation?

(Just for reference I'm attaching a photo of how my nails turned out the last time I did them myself)

dcbride86 · January 2015

You could always get a no-chip (shellac) manicure. I haven't gotten one in a long time, but I plan on getting one for the wedding so my nails don't chip. They're a bit more expensive than a normal manicure, but they do last a long time

AprilH81 · January 2015

A regular manicure (meaning not gel/acrylic/etc) for me will last about 3-4 days before it starts chipping and growing out.

For me the trick is to make sure the nails are COMPLETELY dry before getting up to leave and then being careful for the next few hours as a precaution. After that I don't pay much attention.

I did a gel manicure for our wedding and I loved it until I went to have it taken off. They scuffed up my nail bed trying to get the polish off and it was a few months before it had all grown out.

huskypuppy14 · January 2015

I get manicures all the time. I got a French manicure for my wedding, and those usually last a little longer than regular polish. Any salon can probably do what you want.

Also, if you're worried about them not lasting, you could get a gel manicure. They last about 2 weeks.

flutteringinfl · January 2015

I get regular manicures, and they tend to chip pretty quick. I got one yesterday and I'm already noticing a little chip on one of my thumbs. But I've heard good things about shellac and am planning to get one for my wedding.

novella1186 · January 2015

I've never even heard of this shellac business... I am googling it right now! :P

littlemushroom · January 2015

Regular manicures chip for sure by the second day for me, but usually I manage to chip it the same day I get it. My mom got a regular French manicure for my Saturday wedding on Friday afternoon and it was already chipped at the wedding. I got a gel French manicure and it lasted a week before the first small chip. I got a good three weeks out of it though, so it was a good value.

I hated the removal process of the gel manicure and wouldn't get one again, unless I was getting married again. The durability for a day when there will likely be lots of photos of my hands (rings, cake cutting, close ups of dancing with hubby, etc) makes the hassle worth it to me. I was surprised how many photos showed my nails.

levioosa · January 2015

I'm with you on the regular manicure. Before gel came out I stopped getting them because it literally wasn't worth it. No matter what salon I went to, they would be chipped hours later. I can't do acryllics because they feel fake and heavy and I want to tear them off of my nails the second I get them. They also really damage my nails and take forever to heal. I really like getting gel now though, and I almost always get french because I like the way it looks. Why don't you like gel?

I do second at least trying shellac, although I've never tried it personally.

plainjane0415 · January 2015

I get shellac manicures every 3 weeks. And they last that long, as long as I put my solar oil on them every night. If I don't do the solar oil they last about a week and a half. The key is in the solar oil!

If you do decide to get a regular manicure, I would suggest letting each coat dry completely before putting on the next coat. When I used to do my manis at home, this is what I would do and they would last a week. Which is pretty good for a regular manicure.

If I had my choice though, I would go shellac all the way. It's fantastic.

theartistformerlyknownas · January 2015

Shellac is very similar to gel. If you weren't happy with gel, you probably won't be happy with shellac.

I recommend buying the color you intend to use, and a really good top coat. Put a fresh coat of top coat on every day to prevent chips. If you do get a chip, you can fix it with your bottle.

Also glitter tends to last FOREVER so if you have sparkly tips, you shouldn't have to worry as much about chipping.

dcbride86 · January 2015

littlemushroom said:

Regular manicures chip for sure by the second day for me, but usually I manage to chip it the same day I get it. My mom got a regular French manicure for my Saturday wedding on Friday afternoon and it was already chipped at the wedding. I got a gel French manicure and it lasted a week before the first small chip. I got a good three weeks out of it though, so it was a good value. I hated the removal process of the gel manicure and wouldn't get one again, unless I was getting married again. The durability for a day when there will likely be lots of photos of my hands (rings, cake cutting, close ups of dancing with hubby, etc) makes the hassle worth it to me. I was surprised how many photos showed my nails.

I know it's so creepy to get it removed!! I'm going to get it for my wedding, but that'll probably be it for awhile because it is creepy

kat1114 · January 2015

I got a gel manicure for my wedding because my nails always chip right away. They looked really good, but I wasn't happy with how my nails were afterwards. It's also kind of a pain to remove gel polish on your own. Still, I would do it again for a special event where I needed my nails to look perfect.

jenna8984 · January 2015

I hate manicures. I have gotten one as a gift and I just hated people picking and jabbing at my cuticles. I painted my own (with quick dry) at 8am on my wedding day!

novella1186 · January 2015

littlemushroom said:

Regular manicures chip for sure by the second day for me, but usually I manage to chip it the same day I get it. My mom got a regular French manicure for my Saturday wedding on Friday afternoon and it was already chipped at the wedding. I got a gel French manicure and it lasted a week before the first small chip. I got a good three weeks out of it though, so it was a good value. I hated the removal process of the gel manicure and wouldn't get one again, unless I was getting married again. The durability for a day when there will likely be lots of photos of my hands (rings, cake cutting, close ups of dancing with hubby, etc) makes the hassle worth it to me. I was surprised how many photos showed my nails.

Yeah, I can't stand the removal process. It pretty much ruins my nails. But I also can't stand that I can see the edge of the polish and it usually looks thicker to me than regular polish, so then I mess with it. The worst, though, is that the last time I spent the money on a gel manicure, it all peeled off. Like, the entire polish just came off in one solid sheet. Apparently certain chemicals can make that happen. (Would have been nice if they had told me that BEFORE I paid so much). It was summer and I had jumped in my parents' pool. According to this place, chlorine is one of the chemicals that makes the whole thing peel off.

And since I'm always doing random stuff with my hands, and I work with different chemicals when I paint and work on projects and whatever, I don't think I'll ever bother with a gel manicure again.

plainjane0415 · January 2015

Gel is different from Shellac. Shellac is what they call a "hard gel" and will cure faster than a "gel manicure". It's also easier to take off, (once the acetone or whatever is applied to the Shellac, all of the polish literally pops off your nail in under 8 minutes) and less damaging. As long as you use the solar oil. That's what keeps your nails underneath the shellac from damaging. If you decide to do shellac, the salon should give you a mini bottle sample of solar oil to take home with you to use to keep the mani looking fresh.

I've had both "gel" and "shellac", I hated the gel, and I love the shellac.

abl13 · January 2015

I would skip shellac or gel unless you plan to keep going back every 2-3 weeks to have it done again. If you get it once and intend to remove it right after, it will ruin your nails. I really like the pic you posted and think you should do that! Try a quick drying top coat. I use Out The Door (got it on Amazon) and it dries really quickly!

plainjane0415 · January 2015

I know that I am blowing up this feed about Shellac, but I just wanted to add one more thing.

If you decide to do a Shellac manicure, make sure the salon is CND Shellac certified. The lady that I go to is what they call a "grand master" (which sounds weird I know) but that basically means she has taken all of the CND Shellac courses and is fully certified in all things Shellac. CND created Shellac, and despite what other salons or companys say, CND is the only true Shellac company. OPI is gel, Gelish is gel. Salons like to use the term Shellac interchangeably with gel, but if it's not CND, then it's not Shellac, it's gel, and it will damage your nails.

I'll shut up now, promise.

photokitty · January 2015

I will never do shellac again. It destroyed my nails. It took off the first layer of my nail and they look all wavy and uneven. It took months to grow out to normal.

If you re worried about chips just get a buff and shine or buy the same color nail polish so you can do touch up if needed. A paler, more neutral color will me your friend. I got a little heart on my ring finger with a very pale pink on my other nails for my wedding. GL!

[Deleted User] · January 2015

Whoa I am learning so much about nails in this post--

plainjane0415 said:

I know that I am blowing up this feed about Shellac, but I just wanted to add one more thing.
If you decide to do a Shellac manicure, make sure the salon is CND Shellac certified. The lady that I go to is what they call a "grand master" (which sounds weird I know) but that basically means she has taken all of the CND Shellac courses and is fully certified in all things Shellac. CND created Shellac, and despite what other salons or companys say, CND is the only true Shellac company. OPI is gel, Gelish is gel. Salons like to use the term Shellac interchangeably with gel, but if it's not CND, then it's not Shellac, it's gel, and it will damage your nails.
I'll shut up now, promise.

You are selling me on Shellac now. I must try it.

novella1186, I too pick the crap out of my nails when they are painted. I always peel off gel. Regular polish I chip in about half an hour because I am just a monster with my hands. I don't know how I manage it. Anyway, I have found that the only thing that helps me is polish with some kind of glitter/texture/sparkle. It stays on longer and is easier to keep intact. I also have trouble picking it off.

The picture you attached looks gorgeous, so if you think you will have time to do that on your own, I would totally do it. They look professional to me. I am jealous of your skills. The glitter on the tips should prevent most of the chipping, and hopefully you will be too busy to mess around with your nails after they are done.

Good luck! I would love to hear/see what you end up doing!

novella1186 · January 2015

photokitty said:

I will never do shellac again. It destroyed my nails. It took off the first layer of my nail and they look all wavy and uneven. It took months to grow out to normal.

If you re worried about chips just get a buff and shine or buy the same color nail polish so you can do touch up if needed. A paler, more neutral color will me your friend. I got a little heart on my ring finger with a very pale pink on my other nails for my wedding. GL!

That's actually a really good idea. Maybe I'll go to the salon for that, and then Friday I can put on a coat of the pale pink color I like or something like that... I like professional manicures for how they make my cuticles all nice. Best of both worlds!

novella1186 · January 2015

abcdevonn said:

Whoa I am learning so much about nails in this post--

plainjane0415 said:

I know that I am blowing up this feed about Shellac, but I just wanted to add one more thing.
If you decide to do a Shellac manicure, make sure the salon is CND Shellac certified. The lady that I go to is what they call a "grand master" (which sounds weird I know) but that basically means she has taken all of the CND Shellac courses and is fully certified in all things Shellac. CND created Shellac, and despite what other salons or companys say, CND is the only true Shellac company. OPI is gel, Gelish is gel. Salons like to use the term Shellac interchangeably with gel, but if it's not CND, then it's not Shellac, it's gel, and it will damage your nails.
I'll shut up now, promise.

You are selling me on Shellac now. I must try it.

novella1186, I too pick the crap out of my nails when they are painted. I always peel off gel. Regular polish I chip in about half an hour because I am just a monster with my hands. I don't know how I manage it. Anyway, I have found that the only thing that helps me is polish with some kind of glitter/texture/sparkle. It stays on longer and is easier to keep intact. I also have trouble picking it off.

The picture you attached looks gorgeous, so if you think you will have time to do that on your own, I would totally do it. They look professional to me. I am jealous of your skills. The glitter on the tips should prevent most of the chipping, and hopefully you will be too busy to mess around with your nails after they are done. Good luck! I would love to hear/see what you end up doing!

Thank you! From what I remember, I think the manicure I did (in the photo) lasted for a good 4 days or so before it chipped really bad. I think it was because of the glitter.

teddygirl9 · January 2015

I think just getting a 'mens' manicure (as we called them at my old spa) would be perfect. Your nails look amazing done on your own, but getting the shaping and cuticles done is nice to have done by a pro.

I used to work at a spa, and my nails would chip the next day. But it didn't really matter, because I would just re-paint them lol. And gel manicures, gosh they ruined my nails. I've only had one really good manicure, and it lasted a full week before chipping, and even then only super minor. I have no idea what magic she did but it was awesome.

emmaaa · January 2015

I had mine done on a Tuesday for my wedding on Saturday (Christmas and all). I got the shellac manicure and it lasted for two weeks. Absolutely no chips.

plainjane0415 · January 2015

abcdevonn said:

Whoa I am learning so much about nails in this post--

plainjane0415 said:

I know that I am blowing up this feed about Shellac, but I just wanted to add one more thing.
If you decide to do a Shellac manicure, make sure the salon is CND Shellac certified. The lady that I go to is what they call a "grand master" (which sounds weird I know) but that basically means she has taken all of the CND Shellac courses and is fully certified in all things Shellac. CND created Shellac, and despite what other salons or companys say, CND is the only true Shellac company. OPI is gel, Gelish is gel. Salons like to use the term Shellac interchangeably with gel, but if it's not CND, then it's not Shellac, it's gel, and it will damage your nails.
I'll shut up now, promise.

You are selling me on Shellac now. I must try it.

novella1186, I too pick the crap out of my nails when they are painted. I always peel off gel. Regular polish I chip in about half an hour because I am just a monster with my hands. I don't know how I manage it. Anyway, I have found that the only thing that helps me is polish with some kind of glitter/texture/sparkle. It stays on longer and is easier to keep intact. I also have trouble picking it off.

The picture you attached looks gorgeous, so if you think you will have time to do that on your own, I would totally do it. They look professional to me. I am jealous of your skills. The glitter on the tips should prevent most of the chipping, and hopefully you will be too busy to mess around with your nails after they are done. Good luck! I would love to hear/see what you end up doing!

@novella1186 I didn't realize that the photo you posted was a mani you did yourself! *jealous* Ditto to @abcdevonn I wish I could do my nails all fancy like that! The most I can do is two coats of a solid color, and even that is a struggle sometimes. Hence, why I get Shellac every 3 weeks. ha.

climbingsingle · January 2015

I've been getting shellac manicures - my salon uses CND. I love them. My nails haven't been damaged at all and it lasts up to three weeks. A regular manicure I would end up chipping the same day.

princessleia22 · January 2015

I use regular nail polish on mine and it usually lasts nearly a week before starting to wear off. I've never done shellac or gel because I've heard too many stories about people getting nails ruined. My natural nails are fairly strong and I don't want to ruin that. But, if I want my polish to last longer, I will put additional clear coat on it every day or two, especially on the very tips. Or I will paint them with a color I have at home so I can touch them up. Find a color you like at the store and take it in to the salon and have them use your polish... that way you have the exact color for touch ups. I think you should be fine for 2-3 days, especially if you touch up the top coat or color.

If you do it yourself, make sure you wipe nails really good with rubbing alcohol or nail polish before painting. That helps remove all oils so the polish can stick better. Then get a good top coat. I really like the Seche Vite. Also, doing a lighter, neutral color will make any chips less noticeable. I have a light pink that it's nearly impossible to see any imperfections in unless you look closely.

Or glitter is more difficult to come off also. I currently have this blue/silver glitter ombre on my fingers and it will usually look bad from them growing out before it starts chipping. My current glitter is actually nail strips from Incoco, which saves the trouble of waiting for them to dry. I love the nail strips for when I want something a bit crazier or when I just want to do them at night and not have to wait for my nail polish to dry before going to bed.

Tell me about manicures!

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