I love the look, and the feel of artificial nails. But I wont wear them anymore. :( I took a microbiology class that had us compare the bacteria growth in a petri dish of 2 classmates who had just washed their hands for equal amount of time, using the same soap and technique.

The amount of bacteria growing in the petri dish the woman with fake nails vs the one who didnt OMG it was really gross. Seriously. There was no growth in the other dish.

Sad, but now every time I start wishing for those nails, I see those little cresent moons of fuzz in that petri dish and sigh.
:crybaby:

Short and simple French Manicure on my fingers, and Red Hot Cherry on my toes....:freak:

well, personally I like my butches to have a bit of roughness on their hands. Feels good against my soft skin...

but to answer your question...use gloves. Seriously No cream will replace the damage working in your garden will do to your fingers and nails.

Manicures are good if you are doing fake nails, IMHO, and nothing else. I wouldnt pay someone to file my nails and paint them when I can easily do that on my own. I know some men get manicures but I truly feel its a waste of money.

Here's some tips...

when you get out of the shower, push back your cuticles. That will help with the tearing. DONT cut them. Makes it worse.

I wait until I am mostly dried off and then I file my nails, After filing, if I put on some cream and get it into my skin and nail areas.

If you want, get a clear hard as nails Sally Hanson polish...it will give your nails a coat that will keep them strong...

hope this helps...

I keep my nails cause my daddy loves me to rake them down hys back...hmmm..."looks at the clock" daddy will be home soon!

hy likes mine long with american manicur...i was always partial to color and sometimes my special reward will be color for my tips!....but I hve come to love the manicure because hy admires and loves it on me....i love seeing that pleasure in hys eyes

I Remember!
 

Hey, I'm only 38 and I remember! Perhaps I was just real perceptive?

NAIL ME
 

Dang the title of this thread is so misleading. What a disappointment !!:twitch:

Olive oil...
 

yes
 

Agreed.

Greco

Glass Files, nail art, etc
 

Glass nail files are available from Amazon and Sephora - after seeing them mentioned here I added them to my Holiday shopping list :)
http://www.amazon.com/SEPHORA-COLLECTION-Glass-Nail-Files/dp/B001U3QLJ0
So thanks!

Nails are my hobby of the year for 2010, and I had a lot of fun with Konad nail stamping, they also have some great simple french tip style stamp. Basically you can stamp little icons or designs onto your nails, it's actually quite quick!

For self polishing, practice practice practice, when I started I could barely polish my right hand better than a 5 year old. Now I'm much faster and enjoy the creative aspects a lot more.

For great long lasting Polish and less chipping nails ( I work all day on a computer keyboard) Seche Vite is the absolutely best top coat every. I do 2 coats and can type all week and my nails wil stay whole for a whole week and sometimes longer.

I'm one of them there girly girls...and I have acrylic nails..they are short to look like real nails. Im a teacher I dont' want long fang nails and I can't type on the computer with them. SOmetimes its hard to tell if mine are real or fake.

I go every two weeks to get them done. IF that is not up your alley..i think going every month or so to get a simple mani, where they clear coat your nails and just shape them is good.

from high to low
 

i used to be a high femme, high maintenance, the whole thing. as i've gotten older, Taoist/Buddhist, i've simplified my life a great deal. the last FtM i was involved with, however, adored my hands and liked my nails long, saying they brought out the elegance of my hands even more. the rest he did not care about, xixiTao. after i came out here to the country, though, i've let that go, too. well, the length of the nails. that just got in the way of general work. but i do keep them up. i take vitamins and eat healthily. and i've discovered Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure. this is a wonderful polish-base coat, strengthener, and top coat, all in one polish! i use only Sally Hansen products, hough as i'm getting more environmentally conscious in this area (nails), i'm looking for a comparable one that's greener. my nails are the only remnant of the high femme i used to be. i do enjoy giving or getting a manicure and polishing my nails a pretty colour. i generally go for corals or mauves now. no loud reds for me.
namaste,
DamselFly:tea:

Im so glad i found
 

this thread....

I keep my nails long and polished i spend nearly two hours a week on them myself. This is my time for me.

I have tried in the past overlay to keep them protected however any product other then polish actually hurts after about a week, seems to be to heavy for my nails.

Oh fabulous! Another thread that I desperately need :bowdown:

I've only been wearing nail polish for a few months and ITS EATING MY NAILS!!! I have major breakage on every single nail and have now been forced to cut them all down to the quick. Why is nail polish, considering I use a decent nail hardener, ruining my nails?

I have to ask what you are using for nail polish? What nail hardener are you using? How long have you had the product? Although I am NOT a doctor your best line of defense is to go and see one. I can make suggestions as to what could possibly be going on but that won't do you any good unless you take action by seeing your physician. Our skin, hair, and nails are one of the first things that show sign of a underlying issue, please by all means get seen. In the mean time stop all use of nail products use something that is hydrating for you nails, I suggest lanolin as the molecular composition allows for easy absorption and it is natural (for the most part) and hydrate your body with water. Please keep us updated as to what transpires.



QUOTE=Quintease;315449]Oh fabulous! Another thread that I desperately need :bowdown:

I've only been wearing nail polish for a few months and ITS EATING MY NAILS!!! I have major breakage on every single nail and have now been forced to cut them all down to the quick. Why is nail polish, considering I use a decent nail hardener, ruining my nails?[/QUOTE]

Really? :|

Actually now that you mention it my hair is also really thin and brittle at the moment. If it's a nutrition thing I'd be completely astonished as normally my diet is rubbish, but my bf has been force-feeding me healthy food. I'll try the hydration route, thank you!

Quintease, I think it would be important for you to have some blood work done to have a couple of things checked out. My experience tells me you should see your doctor, sometimes it is something so simple as a deficiency that is easily resolved either with medication. Keep us posted.

I don't think you ever said what kind of polish you were using, care to share? Since everyone has a different idea of what is a good product it would be nice to know what other folks are using for nail care products. For me I use OPI and Zoya, both of them are excellent products. I have recently started using OPI Axxium gel polishes in the salon I work in, they last a long time and remain shiny until they are removed. Ask your local salon about this product. Until later...

Happy Polishing!

butch with an actual response...
 

Introducing Red Carpet by Ulta
 

omg i have been having my nails done at the shop getting the gel set because my manicures last longer...

oh holy hell I hate junk mail well ULTA sent me a catalog and they now have red carpet gel for sale geez...i love doing my own nails it gives me some me time ...

im freaking stoked they have 36 colors currently available and the the cure warmer.

has anyone used this product?

i damn near had an orgasm i kid you not!

im going shopping...ill let you all know what i think ....shit and i hate shopping i probably have more nail polish than is necessary however i just cant help myself!

oh my goodness i am so incredibly disappointed sheesh my local ulta did not carry all 5 items needed to get me started with the gel manicure thus forcing me to have the sales clerk call all the other ultas in my area trust me i was willing to drive if i could have it all today......only to find out that none of the stores within a 30 mile radius had all 5 products at once...thus forcing me to go online and place an order for all 5.

10 day wait...im so excited....i find i can hardly wait.

I have tried growing my own nails to no avail. I used to have acrylics and stopped doing them for over a year. used nail hardners etc, and still they broke at every turn.

I am going monday to have my acrylics done again. I have some of the cutest nail designs I got for valentines day that I am going to have applied while I am there. Waste not ..want not I say lol

I'm actually bouncing back and forth from getting them done in a nice french tip or my usual CMF red that I adore. i suppose I will make up my mind when I get there lol

may i suggest some vitamin b complex to help with your natural nails that and the gel manicures will assist in helping your nails grow out without tearing them up.

Good to know, i had no idea about that. my experience has been as follows

Acrylics sit heavy on my nails and begin to hurt really bad after a week or so. I cannot wear them. I have tried over the years.

I have found the gel to not sit heavy and actually can wear it longer.

what causes the breakage weakness from acrylics and or gels?

ps i wasnt trying to make anyone/you mad

uh oh..that cant be good.

I swim, i don't have issues like that. is it that chlorine is just no good for fingernails in general?

I think the best thing you can do for your nails (skin & hair, too) is to make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals. Your overall health and medications you may be taking can effect your nails and breakage as well.

One thing I love to do is once a week take some time to really pamper myself. I take a long bath, put a mask on my face and give myself a good hand and foot massage... It's even better if you have someone else to help!