Need some advice on getting nails done..

I'm not a big fan of fake nails. However, I do love getting mine done! So, with that said, don't get a french manicure get an american. It looks waaaay more elegant and less fake. Thats all I got. =)

Kiera, how do you keep your nails from breaking? I have not so long/short nails but my only concern is that one of them breaks the day before and then I am going to have a big issue there.. haha not something I usually care about.

I have what's known as "pink and whites." It's pink and white gel that looks like a natural French manicure. I have been keeping my nails up for as long as I can remember, not because I'm a princess or anything, but because I think my natural nails are ugly. I usually get mine filled in every 2-4 weeks, depending on how much they grow out.

An american is basically a more natural looking french! I've never heard them called pink and whites before.

Mine are really hard so they do chip if I bang them into something. But, when I want them to look nice I trim them all down a month before. I think its like trimming your hair, you have to start fresh once in a while. I keep clear polish on them at least. However, mostly its diet. If I eat crappy, my nails tend not to be as hard.

I keep mine long, but not crazy long. In fact I think short nails are more fashionable than long ones right now. So, if one breaks cut them all down! I look at having short nails as an opportunity to put colors on them, if they're long its just jersey shore. Haha.

I am planning on getting mine done the morning of the wedding. Our ceremony won't be until 4:30 so I will have all morning to get it done. I usually don't get my nails done, so I never even thought about if I will be able to get used to them... I just wanted to wait till the day of so they won't chip/break!

I used to get mine done all the time but dont anymore, it only took me a couple days to figure out how to work my fingers again its not that bad. i will probably get mine done about a month or 2 before becasue last time i got them done they had a hard time getting them to stick. they said something about the oils in my nails? i would suggest having them cut short and lengthen them as time goes on that way its not a drastic change all at once.

Kiera: The next time you go to the salon, either look at the services menu or ask your manicurist to explain them to you. Mine look very elegantm and they don't chip, crack, or ever look like they are fake. I love the way mine are done. Then again, it also depends on who you have doing your nails. There are some people who do an amazing job, and others who will ruin your nails. My manicurist does an amazing job. I've been going to him for almost a year, and he has never once ruined my nails. He's actually doing some cute Halloween designs on my nails when I go in Friday for a fill and cut down. I can't wait to see what he comes up with.

I get my nails done in solar powder with either glitter color tips or regular color tips just about all the time and it took me about a couple of days to get used to them when I first got them. I keep mines long, not super ghetto long lol, but I dont like how short nails look on my fingers. I stopped getting acrylics in 2006 because they would turn yellow quickly and especially if you needed a refill. And they chipped & cracked easily. I get solar now which is healthier and they dont crack and they dont turn yellow either. I love solar especially because I dont have to refill them that often, i can usually go about 3 weeks to a month before I need a refill.

Wow.. that is a lot of information!! Thank you so much!!

I don't get my nails done anymore. I stay to busy working with my hands and cleaning up with them. I think a nice manicure is nice these days. The fake nails mess up your nails in the long run.

Yady, I love getting my nails done, but hardly ever do it. I am just not nearly girly enough to spend that much money on my finger nails very often. I get the full set, but I have the trim them very short... just above the tips of my fingers, and despite the fact that they try to talk me out of it by calling me an old lady, I always have them file them rounded. They look more realistic to me, and i find it easier to do every day tasks. I also go for a solid color, because if I can see through them, I usually pick at the part closest to my cuticle if there is any imperfection. I always buy the color I get them painted too, because when they grow out a little bit I can just paint the part of my real nail that shows through and it usually adds about a week longer than normal before I would have to fill them, or get them taken off.

I'm with you on not being able to do much with fake nails. I like getting the american, it is really pretty! If you don't want fake nails, you still have time to strengthen your own. Get either colorless iodine or extra virgin olive oil and rub it into your nails and cuticles every morning or night, let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes and then wash it off. It softens the cuticles and strengthens your nails. Don't try to grow them too long and don't file them too often (that makes them brittle). I'd probably do this everyday til the wedding and them get an american done a day or 2 before the wedding. Good luck :o)

I got fakes (acrylic tips with gel overlay) on Friday morning and got married on Saturday afternoon.

I dont normally get my nails done as i have really nice thick nails and they look fake anyways but I did give in and get tips on the day before the wedding. I just got them short, nothing long and crazy though. I did pink and whites with a gel over coat. You can also start ahead of time and get reg. manicures with the gel over coat and your nails will be nice. The gel is thicker than the reg. clear polish and your nails wont chip so easily, the gel also keeps your real nails nice, thats what im doing now. I took the fake off and now getting a reg. mani. with just the clear gel. Its great!

I prefer american over fake looking nails any day.... allow about 2 hours for them imo

Gel nails will take about a day to get used to wearing. Bewear though with gel nails, they are super hard on your real nails. Just realize that when it comes time for them to come off, your nails will look bad.

PS: To remove a gel nail, they just take another fake nail and plug it under your fake nail and jam it under there to release the glue. Super Aweful!! I suggest you go with Acrylic!