
Dealing with Nails
Don't Just Press On, Get Customized
By Jayne Nicole
Did you ever get really jealous of the great nails on the girl
at the table next to you. She probably went to the salon and had her
nails shaped and lengthened with acrylic. It requires mixing a powder
acrylic with a solvent and shaping the nail with a brush. The problem
for most of us is that it takes about an hour and a half and costs $25
to $40 a set. A lot of money for a night or weekend out. Then you
have to have them removed for the monday after, not always easy.
The solution is not press on nails for most of us. My thumbs
especially are larger and flatter than the largest press on's. They
also don't look quite as nice as the acrylic and tend to pop off at
the worst times.
I solved the problem by having some custom press on nails made
in the same manner, almost exactly, that the acrylic nails are made.
In fact they are the acrylic nails, custom made for my wider and
flatter fingers by a salon, with the fashion look and the economy of a
press on.
To make them first push back the cuticle and POLISH your nails
to protect the nail itself. Better yet have a manicure done first.
Then have the Nail Tech making them put the nail tip in acetone for a
few seconds to soften it (just at the part that attaches to your nail)
and apply it to your nail. The acetone will hold it like glue, but
not as well. Then put a very small amount of cuticle oil on the nail
that is still exposed, the barest amout possible, - not on the tip!
This will keep the acrylic from attaching to your own nail
permanently.
The Nail Tech then makes the nail the usual way, but they
have to be just a little more careful when filing/shaping the nail to
keep it on your finger.
When done, they push a nail tip under the new nail between
your nail and the new nail (got all that??) Wiggle it carefully and
it will loosen (from the sides too, but be more careful here as the
acrylic is thinner and a little weaker). When loosened you just clean
up the sides with some very minor filing and polish them. I put the
nails on a piece of duct tape that is wrapped aroung a piece of wood
sticky side up to hold them for polish, it works great. You can also
just put them on yourself again and treat them just as any other nail.
(golly gee *grin*)
It is a good idea to mark them on the inside or put them in a
pill container correlating to your fingers. Otherwise it is hard
figure out what goes where *grin*.
Remember too that whatever length your real nails are when the
tips were made is about the maximum length to have them when you wear
your new nails. Shorter is ok, but longer will make you look like you
need a fill (they tend to center on the tip of your real nail).
To keep them on I use the double stick tabs, but you can
economize and use the same material - it's made by 3-M and comes on a
large roll, you cut the tabs - if you want to.
If you break one, and I have opening a car door, you can have
just one made up for usually 1/10 th the cost of a full set! (ever
wonder how they came up with that?) Or you can use superglue/nail
glue to piece it back together, but it won't be quite as strong as the
original. (besides it's more fun to get another made!)
I have 3 sets, both round and square tips and prefer the
square, especially with air brushing. They don't come off too easily
either. In fact I've worn a set for over 24 hours, washing my hands,
opening car doors (I learned how), sleeping, showering, and, heaven
forbid, opening a can of pop! (definately not recommended!) To take
them off you will have to use another tip to pry them off, just like
when they were made - just do it gently!
I had mine made at a salon and at a beauty school. I had no
problems telling the girls how to make the nails - they really thought
it was great - and a way to "save" that special set with nail art!
They actually thanked me for teaching them *grin*.
The nice thing about a beauty school is that they usually
need volunteers for classes, a great way to get things done for free!
They also treat regular customers to free services where I go if
business is slow or there is a long wait for hair and the manicurists
aren't busy. They currently cost $15 a set at the school and $25 to
$40 at a salon.
Let me know how yours turn out - and have fun at the salon!!
Jayne has web pages at:
http://www.tir.com/~jfischer/jayne/jayne.htm
and at http://www.geocities.com/paris/5352
You can also email her at:
jfischer@tir.com
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