Nails, Nails, Nails

Everybody has one or a few things that they just will not deny themselves, no matter what the situation.

I’ve got two. The first is coffee (which has turned into a physical demand that results in headaches and temper until I’ve had a cup). The second is getting my nails done.

I’ve gotten just about everything a nail shop can offer as far as full sets and manicures go. Sometimes, I’ll get something flashy; I’ve gotten rhinestones on more than a few occasions. I’ve gotten French and American manicures and regular solid color manicures on natural nails. I’ve yet to get one of those 3-D decals, but I’m not writing off the possibility in the future.

I’ve been doing some research on false nails and need to address some major concerns I see, since I’m in the minority of people who love false nails (but probably know much more about them than most of the people who comment about them).

First, when you’re getting false nails, you need to get them to look as natural as possible. You’ll need to TELL the nail technician that you want them thin and natural; otherwise you end up with hideous globs of nail that look clearly fake. As a false nail wearer, I know that I’ve gotten a good set when people have to ask whether or not they’re my real nails (and believe it or not, I get it all the time, even if they’re pretty long).

Normally, if you go into a nail shop (a storefront nail salon), you’ll have a choice of either an acrylic or gel full set. Many women get acrylic because it’s cheaper, and if you’ve never gotten gel you won’t know the difference. Acrylic is really good when you’re getting polish on the whole nail, because acrylic tends to be cloudier and more false looking than gel. Gel is great if you care about the condition of your nails and want a shinier, healthier looking false nail. I get gel all of the time, because it simply looks much better than acrylic.

You also want to consider polish. People think false nails are trashy because often women will put five different colors on their nail with rhinestones and dangling pieces. I’m guilty; I get rhinestones every once in a while and I’ve had some pretty out-there colors. I do it because it’s a part of my individuality. You  can get a short false nail that simply makes all your nails the same length, then polish with a solid color. The downside to that, and the reason I never get solid colors, is that when the nail starts growing out from the nail bed you can clearly see the new growth (and anybody who’s ever had a relaxer knows how terrible new growth can look). If I want to add color to my nail, no matter what color, I get just the tips done. When the nails are done thin, you can’t even tell when it starts growing out. And if you add a little design, it really jazzes up the appearance.

If you’ve never had your nails done before, don’t make the universal mistake of getting them too long. Most of the time, long nails only look good if you plan on getting some elaborate design. If you need a more professional or functional look, get them so they peek over the tip of your nail just a little bit. My test is to bend my hand into a fist after the tech has cut my nails down. If I can ball my fists comfortably, I know that I won’t have too much trouble adjusting. If my nails prevent my hands from closing properly, I either know I’ll have to spend a little time getting used to the length or I ask for them to be cut a little shorter. Once you’ve gotten used to how false nails feel on your hands and you’ve learned to use them, you can start experimenting with varying lengths.

I know of a lot of people who only get their nails done for special events. This creates problems because they get their nails done on the day before or of the event and don’t allow themselves time to get used to the nails. If you want to get your nails done for a special event, I suggest going to the shop a couple of weeks beforehand and get a full set just to see how it looks and feels. You can determine what a good length, color, and shape will be with this trial run and by the time you need to get them done for your event, you’ll know what you’re getting yourself into.

By the way: for those who think you can’t get a job with false nails: I’ve gotten more compliments on my short, rounded square, French manicured FALSE nails than I ever did on my natural, chipped polished nails (as a matter of fact, it was a great highlight of my last interview…and I got the job). In fact, if your natural nails don’t grow nicely or tend to break, it can be a great way to avoid any nail mishaps the morning of an interview, even if you just get an overlay with a single color polish.

I’ve seen many people with gorgeous natural nails, and even my own nails look pretty good when I leave them alone. But after a few weeks they start breaking, and back to the nail shop I go.

If you’ve been doubting, I challenge you to give it a try. Get a gel full set, have them cut it short, get a rounded square, and either get a single color polish or do a pretty design on a clear background (looks awesome). Make sure you ask for thin and natural looking. If you don’t like it, hey, that’s cool; at least you tried. And if you end up liking the way it feels and looks, like I do, then welcome to the club!

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