Nails

Recliner

Is there any type of nail process like gel or shellac that doesn't need a UV lamp to cure them?
I've had a bad experience getting gel nails and I'm nervous of getting them done again but I do miss having nice nails.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Vinylux would wear a bit better than normal polish and doesn’t need to be cured

Crybabygeeks

I am wondering if there's any genuinely long hard wearing nail varnish? Shellac has ruined my nails but also hate having chipped nail varnish. Would love something that would last even 4-5 days. I think I'm very hard wearing on my nails

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I’d get a week out of Essie but I wouldn’t be hard on my nails

Recliner

Looked into it..looks pretty good. Even to get a week out of them would be great. I'm hopeless at doing them myself, looks like a child with a marker got at me.

Recliner

Went the route of false nails. Bought the SoSue mermaid ballerina nails and a bottle of brush on glue. Have to say, they're much longer than any gel nails I've had but I'm finding them very manageable and they feel really secure.
Wouldn't be swayed by the influencer thing but I really loved the iridescent green/purple colour of them.

Podbrdo

I'm not a nail tech but I've been doing my own nails for a couple of years. Gel polish doesn't have to ruin your nails - not if you don't pick at the gel, and take it off properly. Having said that, I've made bits of my nails at times because I can't resist picking if there's any lifting! Who can?!

YouTube has been invaluable for learning to do my own nails. In theory, even regular polish can last most of the week if you prep properly, use a base and top coat and use gloves for housework (which I don't).

Just for clarity, Shellac is a brand of gel polish.

When it comes to gel I've found some are more stubborn to get off than others, and therefore you are more likely to do damage in removal. I'm not crazy about my Shellac polishes for this reason and find I have to be more patient in soaking them off. I do love Indigo (based in Sligo) and Naio Nails (UK based, beautiful quality gel polishes). Both of these sell to people who aren't nail techs.

Occasionally I treat myself to a proper salon manicure. 2 weeks ago I had acrylic extensions done at a salon in Mullingar (Nurture Nails), where a Vietnamese lad did a beautiful job. Not the smallest bit of lifting yet. It's fun to have a professional job done, but at 50 euros I couldn't do that all the time.

Anyway, my point is, gel polish doesn't ruin your nails, but picking and rough removal does. If you're interested, these YouTube channels were useful to me in learning how to DIY:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTldDNXS4GeChcmwm55mXYQ

https://www.youtube.com/user/naiouk

Recliner

Podbrdo wrote: »

I'm not a nail tech but I've been doing my own nails for a couple of years. Gel polish doesn't have to ruin your nails - not if you don't pick at the gel, and take it off properly. Having said that, I've made bits of my nails at times because I can't resist picking if there's any lifting! Who can?!

YouTube has been invaluable for learning to do my own nails. In theory, even regular polish can last most of the week if you prep properly, use a base and top coat and use gloves for housework (which I don't).

Just for clarity, Shellac is a brand of gel polish.

When it comes to gel I've found some are more stubborn to get off than others, and therefore you are more likely to do damage in removal. I'm not crazy about my Shellac polishes for this reason and find I have to be more patient in soaking them off. I do love Indigo (based in Sligo) and Naio Nails (UK based, beautiful quality gel polishes). Both of these sell to people who aren't nail techs.

Occasionally I treat myself to a proper salon manicure. 2 weeks ago I had acrylic extensions done at a salon in Mullingar (Nurture Nails), where a Vietnamese lad did a beautiful job. Not the smallest bit of lifting yet. It's fun to have a professional job done, but at 50 euros I couldn't do that all the time.

Anyway, my point is, gel polish doesn't ruin your nails, but picking and rough removal does. If you're interested, these YouTube channels were useful to me in learning how to DIY:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTldDNXS4GeChcmwm55mXYQ

https://www.youtube.com/user/naiouk

My issue wasn't with my nails being ruined by the gels themselves, an incompetent tech did a botched job of removing them and has made me too nervous to let anyone at them again. See the pic for an example.
I'd honestly have no interest in doing DIY nails myself. And I've discovered that the quality of glue on and stick on nails has improved so much that I think I'll definitely keep using them.
I never had an issue paying for my nails to be done every 3 weeks, so I don't mind paying the price of a decent brand of falsies.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Jesus!!!! What did she do

Recliner

Alexia Salty Mason wrote: »

Jesus!!!! What did she do

She wasn't trained to use the "drill" as I call it so she had to remove the old gels with a file. She basically filed down to the skin if you like, I'd gotten a new set put on the same day, the pain from the UV lamp was beyond belief. I honestly didn't realise she'd done so much damage. That pic is post 2 days, they all fell off to reveal flaked, raw nails. Even washing my hands was agony. Took a long time to grow them back to anything resembling proper nails and I obviously couldn't have anything on them in the meantime.
So basically I'm petrified of getting them done again.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I don’t blame you, I’m horrified

MinnieMinx

Shellac doesn’t ruin your nails but badly trained Nail techs and untrained diy-ers can do.

Look for someone who has trained with CND, OPI, or similar or has a recognised qualification. Unfortunately, some techs only do short 1 day courses that are completely inadequate. When booking an appt. ask about their training.

Using a pro quality gel means you shouldn’t have to file the natural nail other than a very light buff to remove the shine. Literally, one or two strokes of a white block.

Podbrdo

Recliner wrote: »

She wasn't trained to use the "drill" as I call it so she had to remove the old gels with a file. She basically filed down to the skin if you like, I'd gotten a new set put on the same day, the pain from the UV lamp was beyond belief. I honestly didn't realise she'd done so much damage. That pic is post 2 days, they all fell off to reveal flaked, raw nails. Even washing my hands was agony. Took a long time to grow them back to anything resembling proper nails and I obviously couldn't have anything on them in the meantime.
So basically I'm petrified of getting them done again.

Wow she made some mess. I don't blame you for never wanting them done again! I'm glad you've found a solution with the falsies. I didn't know they had improved so much.

Podbrdo

Recliner wrote: »

the pain from the UV lamp was beyond belief. I honestly didn't realise she'd done so much damage.
.

As you point out, the pain you felt was because of the damage she'd done filing your nails so thin.

However, some gels produce more 'heat spikes' than others. It's a chemical reaction when the gel is curing. If I feel a heat spike I immediately pull my hand out of the lamp for a few seconds till the reaction stops then put it back in. For those who still like to go the salon, don't be a bit shy about this don't suffer it! Nail techs don't mind, they understand heat spikes. Also, don't be afraid to stop a nail tech who is over-filing your natural nail. As MinnieMinx says, a light buff is all that's necessary to prep the natural nail.