Female mastery

My nails are too large to use the peel and stick kind, so I never have used them. But yesterday when I was at Walmart I saw them on an end cap.
I have always, I mean since I can remember, have kept my nails long. Great for picking up small thing others can’t. So lately I have been shaping them and using a clear nail strengthener on them. Both my thumbs nails have splits so I hoping to repair them if possible. It gives them a glossy shine and no one has said anything to me about them. My wife is the guilt party for getting me started. She painted my thumbs and the other 8 as well. This weekend she’s gone out of state so I also picked up some dark red nail polish and did my nails. I love it! It takes practice to get in right, so don’t be discouraged if you need to remove it and start over again. Important note, buy nail polish remover! It doesn’t cost much and is always handy to have around.
No clues on toes, have never done them.
YouTube is always a good place to go for a tutorial and methods to help you learn.
Good luck and enjoy.

Lisa.

Oh and vitamin E makes them stronger too.

Press on nails are good for about a day when you use the peel and stick. They may last longer if you glue them on, but I haven't tried that yet.

All my testosterone is in my nails. I dream of getting a mani pedi one day but I think they’re beyond help.

YouTube is your friend.

Hey Sophie

I'm a bit obsessed with nailcare at the moment - fingers AND toes. I still don't feel I'm getting it right though so it's going to be very interesting to see replies from people who actually know what they're doing!

One thing I've started doing, even without any varnish, is really looking after the nails themselves. I trim and shape them much more regularly that I used to, using curved nail scissors rather than clippers, and then file the ends smooth using an emery board. One useful tip I picked up online was to file in only one direction (don't use a see-saw motion) otherwise you start to fray the structure of the nail itself which weakens it and can lead to splitting/snagging.

A really good purchase was a buffing block. They don't cost much, but allow you to smooth, buff and polish your nails to a surprisingly high shine even without the use of clear nail varnish. Done regularly, you also get rid of annoying ridges in your nails. If you're at all nervous about going out in drab with nail varnish on, this might be a way to go. It still gives you quite a girly buzz!

I now routinely wear clear nail varnish to work. I was REALLY worried at first that someone was going to notice, but if anyone did then no one said anything. Anyway, you can always say that you 'have to use it because my nails used to split and this stops it happening because it hardens my nails' (I had that excuse pre-prepared in case anyone got curious). Another top tip; run the brush along the cut and filed tip of the nail to seal it since this is also a good way of preventing splitting.

At home I apply colour; my current favourite is an Oyster Pink shade by Rimmel which is subtle and shimmery. It was set to become my 'signature' nail colour but annoyingly it looks like it's been discontinued *frustrated face*. Online videos will give you advice about how to actually apply varnish. Some suggest putting a blob of varnish in the middle, then pushing this to the sides of the nail and then pushing down into the cuticle. I actually find it easier to do the edges first and THEN the middle - so whatever works for you, Sophie!

Last night I decided to go wild and see what would happen if I applied a clear base coat, a few coats of colour and then a top coat. It was fun to try but I have to say I'm more than a little disappointed with the result; it doesn't seem to give significantly better results than far simpler approaches. Oh well ... back to YouTube for more tips!

Nail varnish remover is a must. I use Sally Hansen products since I've always found these to be kind to my hands and skin. I put some on a cotton wool ball and then press this onto the nail and hold it there for ten seconds. After that, a single wipe will remove the varnish in one fell swoop. You can fold the cotton wool ball in half and resoak it ready for the next nail. Get it right and it can be a surprisingly quick process.

Finally, invest in a dual head nail scraper (available on Amazon) - the perfect tool for getting rid of those tell-tale remnants of varnish that you often get at the extreme edges of your nails even after applying nail varnish remover, and that you don't generally notice until you glance down at your own hands during a work meeting.

I've never tried false nails.

Sorry that was a bit lengthy, but I did warn you at the beginning that I'm getting obsessed with nail care!

Hugs

Ellie x

Thanks for the useful tips, Ellie!

great tips always enjoy good girl talk.

You might be surprised at how much a regular manicure helps your nails. Try it a few times.

Sophie, I have been getting pedicures  for more that 30 years. When visiting a dear friend she took me to have my first one and after that I was hooked, there is no way that I could do as good a job as they do. I've been going to the same salon for more than ten years and to the same person, he does an incredible job and my last visit I had him paint my nails. There's no going back now, I'm in love with the look and now that it's been a month since my last visit it's time to go again, I think this time I might go a shade lighter, I'll ask him for advice on that though. As far a s my finger nails go, that's another story. I try really hard to keep them all on the longer side, always cleaned and shaped, but it never fails, because of my work, when I get them all looking good I'll break one and  have to trim them down to the broken one and start over again, so thank you Ellie for your tips, I'm going to put some of them into practice.

Sherri

Good advice Ellie.

Hi there Ellie wow thankyou you know a lot more them me for sure, and some of the things you said i never heard of this so I definitely will be trying them like the buffing block . My first thought when i came her was to get some good help by people who been were lam for sure I can't think you all a enough take care Ellie ps I let you know how I get on. sophie. x.

Hey Sophie

Buffing blocks rock!  I'd love to know how you get on - since we're friends you can contact me whenever.

Take care

Ellie x

I also have large nails. So large that I'd need a woman's large toenail to cover my thumb. I have heard they make larger nails, but I have never tried them.

I also don't polish them very often. I rarely have the opportunity to let them cure down to the nailbed (not just dry on top), and then have to remove the polish at the end of the night. But I do keep my nails long.

Be careful with the split in the nails. I once had my thumb nail split halfway down to the bed. I tried to hold it with nail glue (superglue), but it didn't hold. I went to the nail salon, and they put on an artificial nail (I don't know if it was gel or acrylic) over the thumb to protect the split. It was very hard. It took several months to grow out, and filing it down as it grew was difficult.

Don't be afraid to go to a nail salon and get a manicure. It is not only for women. Just tell them that you want to keep them long. But they will shape your nails as part of the process.

Thanks hun that means a lot . sophie x take care .