acrylics

deb25

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I will also say that I have looked at the nails of other people I know who get them done. Many times, theirs look thick and unnatural. I often get asked if my nails are my own. They look just the same as if I didn't have anything on them. It's a very thin layer of acrylic.
 

pinkdaisy226

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Deb, that sounds good. I've never found a manicurist that would do that. Lucky!
 

malakai711

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I've had acrylic tips on my nails since I was in high school... probably about 7 years now... They are so bad for your natural nail but I'd rather have them because my hands look so much nicer... I have long fingers but for some reason without the tips they look stubby lol... I'm so used to them at this point that I wouldnt trade them in for anything... and I finally found a tech that shapes them exactly the way I like them and I've travelled from Long Island to Westchester just to go to him... for non-NYers... that's a 45 min drive just to get my nails done...

I have them filled every 3 weeks... 2 weeks is a little too excessive especially with the way John does them.. they tend to last longer... It's $25 for a full set and $15 for a fill which is really good for westchester... Oh, and I've had the pleasure of ripping them off before... It's the most painful thing in the world...but that's the cost of lookin pretty I guesss.. lol
 

deb25

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Originally Posted by pinkdaisy226

Deb, that sounds good. I've never found a manicurist that would do that. Lucky!
My $25 for a fill is considered expensive here, but the quality is well worth it.

Originally Posted by Malakai711

for non-NYers... that's a 45 min drive just to get my nails done...
I currently drive probably an hour or more with traffic from work to get to my nail tech.....and half the time I am late for the appointment! I have followed my tech to 4 different locations. She is worth it.
 

mistys mum

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Originally Posted by katspixiedust

You should try finding a salon that does the paraffin wax! Your hands feel AMAZING after that I've always found it to be fun. It only takes a few minutes and is well worth it IMO.
thanks for the info Katherine .
It sounds like it would be lovely even if it doesnt make them look better. If I had the money I would be pampered and massaged at least once a week.
 

katl8e

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I guess that I'm a minority - I grow my own nails. Usually, they are about an inch long. When they begin to interfer with my typing, I clip them back a bit. Fortunately, they are very strong and I rarely break one. I also do my own manicures.

Occasionally, I get a crack, right at the quick. 5-Second nail repair does the trick: a drop of superglue, a sprinkle of acrylic powder, let dry, add another drop of glue. When that is dry, file down and polish.

Sally Hansen's Teflon Tuff clear polish keeps my colored polish from chipping. A manicure will last me two weeks, unless I get tired of the color.
 

rarepuss

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i'm cheap
so i do them myself, about once in two weeks, so one week i have painted nails, and another i'm polish-free. I like fancy polishes: oranges, blues, reds.

My current favorite is Juicy Vernis from Lancome. Each nail polish has a distinct, juicy smell - it's adorable!

 

fwan

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Originally Posted by RarePuss

i'm cheap
so i do them myself, about once in two weeks, so one week i have painted nails, and another i'm polish-free. I like fancy polishes: oranges, blues, reds.

My current favorite is Juicy Vernis from Lancome. Each nail polish has a distinct, juicy smell - it's adorable!

hmm gotta go and try that out, bf always complains that nailpolish smells disgusting!
 

pjk5900

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I used to always get mine done.
Fill-in was $15. +.

I miss it BADLY!
I can't have fake nails and work Pharmacy.
So my nails look like hell.
Even for the recent wedding, I couldn't do it because I had to work the following tuesday.
 

rarepuss

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Originally Posted by fwan

hmm gotta go and try that out, bf always complains that nailpolish smells disgusting!
Definitely give it a try, they smell great. and smell lasts as long as the nail polish, it does not go away. You can smell it from about 2 inches away - i love it. But don't rely on a smell from a bottle, it's different once you put it on your nails... if you try it out at a department store, have the salesperson put the nailpolish on a try-out card and then smell it.
 

sashacat421

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Well, what do ya know! Finally, something in Seattle that is less expensive than the rest of the country (countries)! I have arcylic w/french tips that last for about 4-5 months. I get fills about every 2 weeks for $15. I've never had pain, infection, or any bother. I don't like a whole lot of color so she puts a sheer pink or coral over the white tips to tone them down and then a sealer with a slight pearlized tint. This makes them look softer,so they don't look like Stripper nails!
 

catherine

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I get "solar nails", it's kind of a cross between the acrylics and the gels. They use white powder on the tips and pink powder inside. Then they go over that with a "gel-like" substance. After that, they use some type of cream on the nails and buff them with a pad to make them really shine.

I really like this type because the tips stay white, and the nail does not turn yellow. It also keeps its shine and I can put polish on and take it off without removing the shine.

I pay $40 for a full set and $20 for a fill every 2-3 weeks.
 

amy-dhh

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I have acrylics. I don't keep them too long and I get them filled every 3-3½ weeks.

I get the "forever french" acrylic, so there is no nail polish. The acrylic itself is placed over my real nails in two colors (pink and white) so it looks like a french manicure... the acrylic itself is what is pink and white. They use permanent clear top coat over the acrylic so they stay shiny. I got them because they are "no maintenance" other than the fills. When I was getting a color or the french manicure painted on, it was too much work to keep them looking good (I'm at a computer a lot for my job and recreation -- nail polish was chipping or rubbing off after just a few days).

These aren't mine, but this is what they look like... I keep mine just a tad shorter than this...



I pay about $30 for the fill-in because forever french nails take more time, so they are a little more expensive. And I live in NY where everything is more expensive



Catherine - don't you just LOVE the forever french? They are great because there is literally nothing you have to do to keep them looking good.
 

catherine

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Amy, that's exactly why I love them!!!! I guess not only is the cost different, so is the name of them!
Boy, things sure do differ drastically from one coast to the other.

I guess we'd both have a culture shock if we ever traded places!
 

amy-dhh

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Well Catherine, I do think the process is slightly different... there is no "gel like" substance when my nails get done... it's just like traditional acrylics, only two different colors that are laid on the nail. Then she does the oil on my cuticles and buffing, then the permanent clear shiny top coat.

One thing... anyone with acrylics, if you use the cuticle oil in between fill-ins it will keep the nails looking nicer. I use it every morning after I get out of the shower.
 

vespacat

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Though I had long natural nails when I was younger, now I tend to keep my nails short and unpolished. When I do use polish, it's usually bright red to match my Vespa.
 
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