Following my appointment with Caroline Herons the next task on my list was to tackle my nails. For as long as I can remember I have been visiting one of 'those' salons, yes the ones with acrylic and drills. I knew the damage they would be causing to my natural nail but I loved how they looked. That said lately I was finding the monthly infills a chore, I was unable to change my polish as frequently as I'd like because of the need for heavy duty buffing with any growth and I wondered could I achieve a similar look from my natural nails?
I knew that my nails would be severely damaged from the constant use of heavy duty drilling and I knew if I was going to have them removed I would need it done as sensitively as possible. I popped along to my local Nails Inc counter and had a chat with them about what advice they could give me to have the nails removed and a plan in place to try and restore the nails to a healthier state and an appointment was booked.
The nail technician was fantastic at removing the acrylic from nails and I can't deny this process alone was much more pleasant than my usual trip to the salon. There were no drills, no ripping at the nails just gentle buffing between soaks in acetone - there was even a cloth laid across my hands soaking in their bowls to stop the smell!
Once the acrylic was removed it was time for a manicure to restore the nails to the best of their abilities. Unfortunately there is now a ridge in my nails from the constant infills but I'm looking at this positively as a guide to see how the nails grow and will see exactly when they have grown and the new nail appears.
The above picture shows my nails in their natural state... well natural with the addition of a few coats of Shoreditch polish. I was actually pleasantly surprised with the results. It's extremely bizarre going from tips to natural nails, especially as they're so weak. Suddenly I'm wearing rubber gloves, pulling my debit card from my purse is much harder and I'm just generally having to be more careful with my nails. I remember in some long ago days I dabbled with a beauty course and the only thing I remember is the teacher telling us 'nails aren't tools' and I am guilty of having used my nails for all manner of jobs over the years.
As expected the nails didn't last in the photographed state for long. A cupcake extravaganza a couple of days later saw my polish chip and by the weekend many had broke and today as I type they're not in the best state. I did buy a kit from Nails Inc which I'll share with you in a second post but it doesn't appear of helped sustain the length of the nails but I know they were in a sorry state.
All that said I will not give in. It was great to change my polish at whim to my outfits and I actually prefer their shorter appearance than I did the tips especially as I have more control over them.
If you have any tips or product recommendations for weak nails do share - I need all the help I can get!
Your nails look much nicer than mine (I'm trying to kick a nail biting habit!) <3
ReplyDeleteJennie xo | sailorjennie.com
I have been going to Nails Inc for years. I have the three week gel manicure and find it brilliant. Usually, my nails are v weak and polish lasts about a day because my hands are always busy. But this manicure strengthens my nails and doesn't chip. Some of their technicians are better than others so I stick to a good one once I've found one!
ReplyDeleteHen xxx
Wowza - they look amazing. I hope you are well - BTW the new bag is epic. You were right! :)
ReplyDeletedrills? drills? what the actual heck, they use drills?? I had no idea!
ReplyDeleteYour nails look superb. Love that colour.
Well. Back In The Day, I would use glue on false nails when I wanted instant fab & tidy nails. Wrecked 'em underneath they did! Never again. I tend to keep my nails as short as poss, simply because I'm too busy to faff with long nails, and I like how short nails look with red polish. Keeping them short seems to help them stay strong. If I want them to look longer I French Manicure. Recently, I've been using stick on false nails. They don't ruin the real nail, are so quick, and I only wear them for a day to a day & a half at most, then take them off. I'm funny with nails. Sometimes (usually when watching The Real Housewives of Atlanta or Orange County), I crave the false nail look, so out come the sticky pads, but more often than not, I leave them short and natural.
If you can stand it, leaving nails varnish free for a few days seems to make them happy. Gets rid of any orange staining that might have built up, and kind of naturally buffs them.
xxx
I have the world's worst nails. I did go down the acrylic route a couple of years ago, but it's not a long term solution. Have tried every single product going over the years, nothing seems to make much difference, sadly! x
ReplyDelete