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MEGATHREAD:
this megathread is for users who don’t want to create an entire post and for frequently asked questions re. general nail care, general nail concerns, and nail & salon service questions (basically, posts that are only allowed on sunday should be posted here if it is not a sunday.)
FAQs include, but are not limited to:
questions re. general nail care and maintenance. for example "i want to start my nail care journey, where do i start" or "how should i trim/file my nails" or "how do i make my nails look better" or "i bite my nails, how do i care for them"
★ questions re. salon experiences. for example "i just got these done today, do they look bad" or "are my nails supposed to look like this after i leave the salon" or "should i get a fill?" or "am i being too picky?" or "would you go back"
★ questions re. salon services. for example "what is gel x" or
"what is the difference between biab and acrylic" or "i want nails that look like this photo, what should i ask for?"
★ press-on application and removal questions, or press-on sizing questions, press on glue recommendations etc
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this megathread is for kind and courteous engagement, patience is required — if you don't have bandwidth for that, that's okay! that just means these comments/this megathread is not for you.
I'm unsure if I'm allowed to ask this here. I know my post was deleted & I'm sorry about confusing the rules. I'm new to Reddit and terrible with new websites.
I'm looking for a thicker nail glue to attach tips for extensions. Forms don't stay stuck to my fingers due to hyperhidrosis and the thin liquid glue tends to run and pool in my side walls due to my tight/high C-curve. Can I use solid gel glue to attach tips? Or is that only for press-ons? Google results are unclear and I've only found thin glue.
i love curvelife semi solid glue but also want to mention that there is no such thing as permanent nail extensions so can you elaborate on what you’re trying to use it on/for?
What I mean is gluing tips to my nails and then putting hard gel over the top as opposed to press-on nails or soft gel tips. That's what I think of as permanent extensions because you can just keep refilling them instead of having to completely remove all the product.
Touching the polish brush to the blooming gel surface likely won't do anything bad, but it makes it a lot harder to control the gel and get the designs you want, and it can make your polish layer way too thick. Instead of doing it that way, I recommend putting a dollop of polish onto a palette of some kind (even a square of plastic wrap or aluminum foil can work) and use a fine art brush or dotting tool to place it on the blooming gel layer where you want it.
There shouldn't be, assuming they're both gel. The worst that could happen is you might get a bit of blooming gel on your brush and it could water down your polish by like 0.01% every time that drop of blooming gel goes in the bottle, but that's about it.
How do I know if my sidewalls are getting filed too much? I am new to longer natural nails and have been going to a natural nail salon for almost two months now and have been keeping them in an almond shape.
My growth has been regular and I've only had two breaks about a month ago, both of which were kind of freak accidents. One happened when I was just shutting a freezer door- it bent and broke pretty cleanly but most of that growth was when I was just letting my nails grow and not doing any kind of care for them. Not sure if that matters.
I’m 25, & Ive been a nail biter for 24 years and 10 months. I just stopped biting, and my nails are growing in great. I’m trying to paint them with a clear polish to help keep them a bit nice to remind me that they look nice, DO NOT BITE THEM. my problem is i’ve never been able to paint my nails properly. I do thin layers, they still don’t dry after a long time, and then I bump them, end up taking the polish off & give up. The clear polish is working well in terms of drying, but I can’t get it to not chip. It genuinely stays un-chipped for 3 hours before something happens like i bump them & they chip. I’ve read online about capping the nail edge, but I’ve no idea how to do that. My nails are relatively thin & not too too long either. They don’t extend past my finger tips. Once they grew past there but immediately broke. I want to try a nail hardener (recommendations please!) but if i can’t paint my nails properly without them chipping, I don’t want to waste nail hardener the same way lol.
What do i do!!!
To summarize:
How do i paint my nails so they actually dry, don’t chip instantly, and how do i cap the edge?
How do I strengthen them too so they aren’t as flimsy? Is nail hardener a good way? Which hardener is the best?
Sorry, this is so much info! Again, I hope I posted this in the right feed!
assuming you’re using lacquer polish, have you ever tried the quick dry nail polish spray? i think it’s called Nail Dryer. if that doesn’t help try using a quick dry top coat over the hardener.
i’m also 25 and been biting my nails for 25 year. the only thing that helps me is using press ons so i’m proud of you stranger 💕
Woahhh. I had no idea there was a nail spray, thank you for sharing that info with me!
The only thing that helped me for a bit was press ons too- but then as soon as they came off I would chomp back down on em, so I had to wear gloves everywhere I went when I didn’t have press ons on, to break the habit lol. Sometimes in stressful situations I still put my lilac colored cotton gloves on lmfao I look like a loser. Anyways, thank you for the advice, and kinda words🙂🙂🙂
Are my nails supposed to be this thick? I went to a salon on Thursday, got a gel with chrome, and felt like the layers were thick and I think the top coat was double.
The nail tech also dropped tools being used on the group 2x and rinsed in the pedicure basin instead of grabbing clean ones, and there was a dog there, so I’m a little nervous about going back to get them fixed.
They don't look super thick from this angle, but maybe they feel like it because the nails are short? It doesn't look bulky from the top. For reference, here are my short nails with chrome (which requires an extra layer of topcoat for it to stick to). That salon doesn't sound very professional though, so I would say go with your gut. Don't return there if the sanitation is not up to parr, you can get some really bad infections.
they actually look pretty thin for gel. if you want a flushed - natural look, you should look into duel forms.
salons are notorious for being dirty. pedicure basins should have a plastic protective covering that is changed out per client if they aren’t disinfecting them every single time it’s used. tools like files, buffers and wooden cuticle pushers should always be thrown away after each client and never be re-used. the only tools that can be cleaned are non-porous ones like steel and metal tools. those tools need to be scrubbed, disinfected, then properly rinsed and dried to avoid rusting which could also cause infections on clients. animals aren’t that much of an issue to me ONLY if they keep them and the place clean along with the animals being trained and respectful to customers.
i personally don’t see anything that needs to be fixed, but i would consider going to a different salon.
How do i get nail polish to stick to my nails? If i do it at home it just peels off, i tired all sorts of bases but it just peels off, if i go to the nail salon it also peels off. If i get gel extensions and stuff like that, the extensions end up peeling off themselves, idk what to do anymore :c
you probably need a primer that works for your nails. some are acidic for oily nail beds and others are not. also make sure when you are prepping your nails, there is absolutely no shine on them. if you wipe with alcohol/acetone and it doesn’t dry down without shine, you need to prep that nail all over again before putting anything on it.
I just recently started getting builder gel. The salon I go to has charged me an extra $5 for "changes to length and shape" even though I only get a regular cut and file. I ask for the length to be the same as it was last time (so just the growth since my last fill cut down) and that my nails are the same shape (almond)
I put in a comment to my salon online and they responded:
"When We cut them down and reshape them if you had an existing builder gel, we charge 5$ extra for it. It is because the thickness makes the process difficult and it takes more time."
The last time I got a fill they just hit the tip of my nails with the E-File to shorten them while they were removing my color, it took him like 3 seconds per nail, so I find the claim that it's "difficult and time consuming" a little weird.
Am I crazy? Should cut and file be included in the service price? I'm new to getting my nails done, does anyone have any advice on how to deal with a situation like this? I think they do a good job and they are a 5 min walk from my apartment in my city, but I feel like I'm being taken advantage of.
I like my nail to be like the red line, but whenever I go to the salon, a few weeks later, I notice it’s like the purple line. I don’t know why exactly, but I don’t like it.
The three pictures are from a professional on YouTube and I tried to find an answer, but I think I’m too limited with vocabulary and knowledge.
Does anyone know what this is called, why it happens, and is it good? Why do the tech always want the line like this?
When I do my nails at home, it always is like the red, so I’m a little worried I am doing something bad
HARD GEL QUESTION: I recently switched to hardgel from polygel and i LOVE it. With it never really lifting ive just been doing fills for like 3 months (i do them every 2 weeks). Is there a point where i need to take them off completely and redo them ? Or can i just keep refilling as long as theres no greenies/significant lifting/damage to my natural nails.
My nails are super healthy. I obviously am not a nailtech, i just do my nails so i dont use an efile on my natural nail at all. If like a corner lifts a bit (happens occasionally as i use my nails as tools to often 🙂🫠) i use the efile to take off the bulk then switch to a handfile for anything close to my natural nail. Ive never had a greenie while doing them myself either. Thanks in advance !!!
ok so i know i can't make a post about this question bc it's against the rules but i'm hoping i can at least ask it here, if not then i'm so sorry and i promise i'm not asking to be rude or troll, i'm autistic and genuinely struggle with coming up with new ways to do things on my own so please know that this is a genuine question
i'm new to wearing fake nails, and i've consistently had a bit of difficulty with wiping bc of them. how do i do it so that it doesn't put pressure on my nails and hurt them?
again i'm so so sorry if this comment isn't allowed, i'm just tired of the discomfort on my nails or worrying that my nails are gonna break off :(
These are my nails immediately after being done vs 6 days later. Did my nail tech do a bad job at getting the gel + polish right up to my cuticle or do my nails just grow really fast? (builder gel)
Aloha! I went to a new salon who told me they couldn’t do a halo because my nails are “too short.” I know this isn’t true, I’ve had it done before on nails shorter than I have now… that it just requires different magnets. I want to branch off and get magnets of my own. Any suggestions on good magnets, especially ones that can achieve a halo? I see a modelones set but am unsure about what’s tried and true. Nail pic for tax. I’d say my nails are in person about an inch in length, some are longer than that.
Salon question, overall my experience with them has been good but theres occasionally some practices that I question. I had a different nail tech this last fill (acrylic overlay), and a bunch of the nails are chipping like this.
My question is that even with my usual tech, I feel the tips of my nails grind off quickly. I didn’t have this issue with previous nail techs. What exactly is the cause of this and is it something I should address? Additional photo will be as reply
This is from a broken nail I got two weeks ago, they did a repair after. But you can see the index finger has some scratching/wear on the tip - I keep getting these rather quickly after my new sets. They said it was standard wear and tear but this happens within days of the manicure…
Hello!! I have very flexible and easily torn nails due to hypermobility and have heard a lot of good things about rubber base gel.
The problem is that I’m having a hard time finding a salon that does it (I am not equipped to do my own nails at home). I’m mostly seeing builder gel available, which I’ve heard is the next best thing for my kind of nails.
Do you have any tips for figuring out what salons would have this option (I’m in Metro Detroit, if anyone here knows of a salon that does it)? Is there another common phrase/brand that means the same thing that I may be missing on the services pages of these salons? Would it be better to call/is it often not listed separately on salon websites?
Is there a nail strengthening product I can use to help my weak nails? They’re always so brittle, and these photos are just after having gel-x removed (first time I got my nails done in years).
A nail tech had said I could try builder gel/overlay to help strengthen (or bio seaweed gel if I want length).
I’ve just started using cuticle oil and will be using a glass file, but any other recommendations are very welcome! Whether it’s going to a salon in the VA meantime and/or using specific products.
I was e-filing my gel off and saw this on my nail. Is that greeny? It was a little darker but not much more. Do I wash and let my nails breath for a day or can I continue putting gel on over top?
Hello, I'm looking to learn how to do nails for my girlfriend and as someone who knows nothing about this, would love some advice to get started. Is it possible for someone with no experience to learn how to shape and apply gel nails, and if so where are the best resources to get started? She usually gets an acorn shape and likes French tips/cats eye designs so I'd love to be able to learn how to do that for her!!
Multi-Question:
A) Cuticle Care? - I am still new to nails and entirely self taught. I posted yesterday and had a bunch of comments about mu cuticles. Can someone break it down for me slowly about cuticle care?
B) Said post was locked before I could ask the people who commented what they meant. Im unsure why and nervous I somehow misunderstood/broke a rule without meaning too. How do I find out why my post was locked so I can learn and not cross whatever line again?
Hello internet strangers I am struggling with keeping a manicure on my nails. I have used gel uv cured polish, dip, traditional lacquer, and press ons. I’m at my wits end trying to keep them on my nails. I prep my nails by washing them with soap and water letting them completely dry then doing a manicure trimming my cuticles, using a dehydrator like alcohol or the aprés pH Bonder I use a base coat from the same line or the same thing from DND. Then apply the polish and any nail art I want to do top coat and cure or dry. They look great but within a day or two they just peel off. What am I doing wrong?
Hi all, I’m really hoping I can get some help from people with more knowledge and experience!
I got BIAB with gel today and my nails have been really painful. They felt like they were burning under the lamp, and all day I’ve had pain and a feeling of pressure around the top of each finger. I’ve never had BIAB before so not sure if this is normal and if it will get better? I’m honestly ready to find somewhere to have them removed because I don’t think I can manage 2-3 weeks like this! Thank you very much.
I had long, thick nails and it was wonderful until I decided to get a shellac manicure. They did well the first time and when I went to get them redone they were breaking (I went to the same salon).
I got them removed and now my nails are like paper. I got sally hasen nail rehab and it made them temporarily stronger but they chip easily and breakage still happened. Plus, it dries really weird and looks off.
Any suggestions regarding how I can strengthen my nails and hydrate them?
Maybe they're so damaged and I just need to keep letting them grow and cutting them until they fully regrow?
Hello! I don’t know what to do with this situation:(
I recently switched nail tech (2 sets done so far). But I’ve noticed that my nails have started lifting from the cuticle after 2 weeks… one was fine but so far 3 of them are lifting… I’m scared the entire set might end up lifting as well. What should I tell my nail tech? She already knows about the first one and booked to get it repaired.
It was a quite pricey set :(( it was fine cause of the artwork but ofc i don’t wanna get it fully removed after just 2 weeks and pay another set… im alr gonna have to pay for the 3 repairs😭
My nails have always been thin, but they really took a beating this year (weddings, trips, etc). Most recently, I’ve been using glue on nails as they are inexpensive and I haven’t had the patience/time for a salon manicure.
I’ve kind of gotten into a cycle of hating how my nails feel/look when they’re short, so I turn to fake nails, which ultimately does more damage.
I guess my question is what can I do to actually strengthen and grow my nails? I am using Kerasal as it’s helped mitigate damage in the past. However, I don’t think it helps with strengthening/thickening my nails. Any suggestions are appreciated!
Note: My pinky fingertip has thick scar tissue from an injury when I was a toddler, which makes it hard to file/clip. Unsure if it’s clear in the picture but thought I’d mention it.
Here’s a basic question for you all: on another thread, someone mentioned that they went to a salon for builder gel and their nails were filed very thin. I’m using builder gel at home as a base coat to strengthen my nails. And it’s working! This does not involve filing (except when I remove the color polish - I file the color off and stop when I get to a layer of builder gel and then I fill in with new builder gel).
The question: why would a salon file someone’s nails really thin? And how exactly are they using the builder gel? I feel like I’m missing something.
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u/Guineapig-LoverRTBW 27d ago
I'm unsure if I'm allowed to ask this here. I know my post was deleted & I'm sorry about confusing the rules. I'm new to Reddit and terrible with new websites. I'm looking for a thicker nail glue to attach tips for extensions. Forms don't stay stuck to my fingers due to hyperhidrosis and the thin liquid glue tends to run and pool in my side walls due to my tight/high C-curve. Can I use solid gel glue to attach tips? Or is that only for press-ons? Google results are unclear and I've only found thin glue.