Well, I'm 41 years old, and two months ago I got my first set of acrylic nails applied. I know, I know - it's about time, but I'm a practical kind of girl, and I usually have fairly nice nails. But, right before my hubby's company party in January, two nails broke and I wanted to look nice, so I bit the bullet and got acrylics. They looked REALLY nice -for a while. But, after two months...with no upkeep...well, they looked about how you imagine they looked.
Today, I took my thrifty self to my friend Shelly R's, who also happens to work in a salon, to see if she could pry these horrible things off my fingers. She was up for the challenge - she had never done it before, but she had heard things, SECRET things, about how to get them off EFFORTLESSLY.
Well, it wasn't effortless, but bless her little heart, she worked and worked at it and we got them off - PAIN FREE, no less (I hear it CAN hurt if you get them pried off), and all it will cost me is perhaps a lunch out some day soon (which I would do anyhow, because Shelly is one of my favorite people to lunch with)!
In case you'd like to know the secret, here it is. You need pure acetone, nail file, cotton, foil, a heated paraffin dip and plastic bags, a cuticle cutter, nail oil and base coat. File the acrylic nails and nail bed gently. Soak your nails in acetone for about 20-30 minutes, then wrap each nail in a rectangle of aluminum foil. Dip your hands in the paraffin about three times each and wrap them in plastic bags. Keep the bags on for about a half hour. When you take off the bags and foil, you can peel most of the nails off with your fingers - you may need your cuticle cutter, possibly a file also. If you file, you'll want to paint your fingernails with oil first. Shelly had a bottle of nail oil, which I had never heard of, but what do I know? Then, she painted my nails with base coat.
I am NEVER going to use acrylic nails again. Mainly, because I have pretty nice nails naturally, and this could have ruined them - there was some nail mold growing underneath the acrylic. Yuck. I'm glad we got them off before they did any damage. But, if my nails weren't naturally thick and quick growers, I did like the look of acrylic nails and I can see where women get hooked on keeping them on for years - they sure are pretty! I just can't get past that mold...I never knew it was underneath there. It just goes to show you - you need to really take the time to find out what's underneath the exterior to know the Truth of the matter! :)
3 comments:
So just reading that, I thought you were joking. I can't believe you had to go through all that to get them off. Yikes.
Ugh.
-Todd's wife.
Interesting content.
Just wanted to share some information that may help busy professionals caught up with work and who have less time to maintain their nails. You can try out gel nails which are now becoming a hot favorite as they are natural looking even without nail tips and the best way for nail enhancement. Also, if you are allergic to those strong smelling chemicals which you can experience with acrylic nails, then you should use gel nails as these are odorless.
However, when you are planning on gel nail application, make sure you approach a nail salon or a nail artist who is well versed with gel nails and is properly trained and mastered in gel applications. This will save you from problems that can arise with improper gel nail applications.
Good information.
I came across many queries in several forums where people have been asking for advice on the best glue that can be used on nails and that is not only strong but also safe on nails. This was the same question I had sometime back when I used to apply nail gel myself. Initially the glue I got would never hold on the way it used to when done in the salon. I then came across the nail glue being sold on gel-nails which lasts very long and is pretty easy to apply. It provides a strong bonding for my nails and also does a great job in repairing the nail tips.
Most important of all is that this is strong glue I was actually looking out for and this is used by nail salons and nail artists for professional applications. It is available at a cheap price at gel-nails and I remember seeing it at a discount of 74% which is great. Maybe this can help if you also face problems relating to poor glue quality as I did earlier.
Post a Comment