First it was my thumb nail ripping completely off one morning after a micro break. Then another micro break on the right thumbnail. Now my middle finger has lost a fight with the steering wheel. I can’t find the strength to finish it off. 😭
I’ve been getting manicures for years, and usually went with a nude, jelly pink, etc. Realized what I really wanted was the look of healthy long nails haha. So I ditched the polish and have focused on weekly cleanup, daily jojoba oil on the cuticles, and gentle shaping with a glass file.
First photos are immediately after removal, no product.
Second photos are with OPI nail envy.
Third photos are today with Manucurist active glow in the shade Blueberry, although this isn’t my favorite product or color on me. I like more shine!
Naked natural nails 💅🏻 treated with jojoba oil & vitamin e gel, glass file, l’occitane hand cream, only polished 1 week then a break for 3 or so days 💕
I started oiling and paying better attention to my nails in April-ish. I had a big chop in June after accumulating 3 breaks, and then in July I started very earnestly leaving my PNF alone. My nails are growing back now without the weird flares and folds! I have a couple of ridges left to grow out on my thumbs (due to watching Severance in June and catching myself picking them during an anxious bit 🙄). I’m going to try to add the vid from last night (18 Aug) in the comments. It’s because of this sub that I’ve made any progress at all, so have a heartfelt thank you!
Products used:
Pura d’Or Organic Jojoba oil in pics 2 or 4 through 8 (can’t remember exactly when I bought it)
Aquaphor in all pics
Pic 1: bare nails
Pic 2: Essie Strong Start base coat
Essie Expressie in Send A Message - 2 coats
Essie FX Expressie in Iced Out fx filter - 1 coat
China Glaze top coat
Unknown brand of jewel decals that I bought at CVS at least 9 years ago
Pics 3 & 4: Essie Strong Start base coat
OPI Achieve Grapeness - 2 or 3 coats (can’t remember)
China Glaze Top coat
Flower Nail Dried Flowers nail decals (from Etsy, that’s apparently the brand name)
Pic 5: Essie Strong Start Base Coat
Mooncat Sakura Serenade - 2 coats
Mooncat Speed Demon top coat
Pic 6: Essie Strong Start Base Coat
Mooncat Moonlight Lullaby - 2 coats
Mooncat Speed Demon Top Coat
Pic 7: Bare Nails
Pic 8: Essie Strong Start Base Coat
Mooncat Insomniac - 2 coats
Mooncat Speed Demon top coat
Got a nasty break while trying to pick up a storage tote. I’m so upset since now my progress is ruined. I’m not sure what to do here. Is this repairable or do I need to trim it all the way down?😭 thank you!!
One month in post-powder gel. What actually helps for starting off? I’ve been recommended Ella & Mila first aid nail kiss….haven’t started it yet as I’m just past the breaking and nail splitting stage. My derm also recommended Defenage (360-REJUVENATION NAIL ROOT SERUM) nail pen but it’s like $92!
As the title. I do nothing for my nails but now I really want to take care and improve it. I used not specific products. Only shea butter on summer for my entire body or an french hand cream during winter. Sometimes i paint them but only and forever with Manucurist (perfect french brand, you can use it during and after pregnancy).
Any natural tips : products etc.
́NB : tried to doing an almond (?) Shape : failed.
How you arrived and with what?
NB 2 : I love to gardening and I have a terrible two creature around me.
NB 3 : yes, I'm french. Ahahah!
Thx
Nails
Started 2-3 weeks ago ,after some horrific dip applications :
Using manicurist keratin treatment as often as possible.
Manicurist SOS over night at least twice a week.
Jojoba OIL constantly (every time I wash with bliss kiss pens)
During the day : Essie "to the rescue".
18 Aug:
My nails are just so much healthier now, even though I do miss my long ones 💔 I'm gonna have to wait for them to grow back out 😩
I was a chronic nail biter (I quit a while back) and cuticle biter as well but I’m slowly getting better about leaving them alone and not picking at them but I feel like they are always peeling. I use cuticle oil and just started applying jojoba oil as well but it’s there anything else I can do to fix them? Also, people say when doing nails at home to just use a cuticle pusher and not trim them. Is this the method or no? I am trimming them with the cuticle trimmer now but I feel like it’s causing more damage and then when they’re cracked I always start picking at them or chewing them without realizing and lose progress. Thank you!!! (I work blue collar as well but am thinking of wearing work gloves since my nails keep breaking- 3 are slowly growing back out but are a lot shorter rn lol)
Products:
Base coat> OPI Nail Envy
White Tip> Essie Marshmallow (024)
Top Coats> Essie Fairy Taylor (40) & Essie Top Coat Step 2 (00)
For the French tips I used these stickers from Amazon after the base coat and removed them before the polish dried: Beetles French Manicure Nail Art Stickers 30 Sheets French Tip Tool
I have very short nail beds and I’ve been growing out my nails recently because I’ve gotten back into nail polish. These are what I would consider long nails in me but they’re still quite short overall, just a couple mm past my fingertips. Hoping consistent nail care helps elongate my nail beds a little over time but I’m not super hopeful. I’ll probably always be a shorty girl and that’s ok :) I feel like I don’t often see nails like mine so wanted to share and see if anyone else has a similar experience!
Edit to add: these are my bare nails after I removed my polish and filed them
Swipe for GIFs comparing the initial length with today's length!
Products:
Essie's Break Fix on both pinkies, thumbs, and my right index finger
Before pictures have Keresal Miraculous Mani nail strengthening cream* on them
*Gifted product sent with no obligation to post, all thoughts and opinions are my own
#keresalpartner
Two years ago I decided to give it a try at a nail salon and continued to get my nails done up until three months ago. My nail beds have since become longer and it significantly impacted my self-confidence positively. Three months ago I decided to start doing my nails at home due to prices increasing nearly twice what I was paying at first, which is out of my budget as a full-time med student.
First pic: natural nails
Second pic: venalisa gel base, venalisa 511 jelly nail polish
👋 Over the past year I’ve learned more about nail anatomy and how to do at-home manicures. I’m a recovering nail biter which makes progress and knowledge all the more important.
These photos are from earlier this summer, taken over the span of a week, when I was experimenting with filing so that I was not damaging the side wall. I was trying to file “flat” first and then gently curve from there. I would like them to look balanced and feminine. I was also trying to enhance the length of the nail beds to their predetermined max, mostly by oiling underneath the nail.
It’ll be a few weeks ‘til I’m back at this length, which is my ideal length, maybe a hair short. I would appreciate feedback from the community. How is the shape, do the lengths look mostly uniform? Am I striking my desired look? Would you try rounding them out more? If I were to grow them longer, what changes would you make to my routine?
I use jojoba oil and try my best not to use cuticle clippers or scissors, though I do scrape the cuticle off about weekly. It looks to me like I had clipped some of the nail fold here but can’t be certain. I also use metal tools, and you can see some damage to the nail bed.
Thank you.
Polish in these photos is Chanel Faussaire (brown) and Inspirante (pink). I wasn’t wearing a base or top coat.
I'm so sad I already had to file them down recently too. It happened so quick 🙃 polish is La Lluvia by Cupcake Polish
i used to be an obsessive nail biter, my nails were so thin and brittle they would bend if pushed a little and break at every little impact. now they’re so much sturdier and also look wayyyy better, not only my nail plates but also the surrounding skin is so much better cared for. i’m starting to feel a bit of awkwardness with the length where it gets kind of uncomfortable because my nails hit stuff so might trim them a little bit soon, but pretty proud of where i’ve gotten!
I've noticed my nails growing wider over time. I assume that's because i kept cutting the edges too short and cutting the flaky skin on the sides of the nailbeds and cuticles.
I've been trying to cut my nails more straight and stop cutting the flaky skin lately and that seems to be working a bit, but will it be enough to get a more straight and slimmer shape over time?
What else can i do, or should i do something differently? As a guy i'd rather not wear shiny polish, but i'm willing to try other things!
(Yes i have to wear these silversplints daily and they do put some pressure on my cuticle and nailbed)
Hello everyone! I’ve been growing out my natural nails and recently started learning how to shape them myself. My nails tend to flare/fan out a little at the free edge, especially my middle and ring fingers.
Today I experimented with gently filing the corners of my middle nail to give it more of a soft-square/squoval shape. The first photo is my left middle and ring fingers and the second is my right middle finger.
I was careful not to file too far down into the sidewalls because I’m trying to keep as much strength as possible while they grow.
How did I do? Does the after shape look more balanced, or would you have shaped it differently? I’m still learning! 😊💅🏾
P.S.: please excuse my dry cuticles🤣
Products Used: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard as Nails, Trim emery board