Nails or No Nails, THAT is the Question.
I tend to go back and forth with this inner struggle as to whether or not gel or acrylic nails are for me. I.e., when I don’t have them for a while I forget about all the reasons I took them off the last time and vise versa.
As it should be, a little over a month ago amist the stress of school starting and the usual mercury retrograding, eclipse type of intensities, I needed a break from the level of stress that had become mundane and got tips put on. Now, if you keep up with my blog you know A. that I haven’t posted in about a month and B. I tend to change something about my look when I’m in any kind of rut to knock myself out of it and into the next level.
Now back to the short term memory loss.
As he was putting them on I remembered I didn’t like the light necessary to set the gel. Intuitively I know this ages the skin, as I’ve seen the hands of various pop stars/fashion icons AT LEAST 5 years younger than me (and whose names I shall not mention) that definitely get tips on and altered varying times weekly and whose hands look massively older than mine. And that’s the LAST thing I’m trying to do to ANY part of my body before it’s time. Not only that, but the initial hardening of the gel (under the light) on my natural nails’ pores HURT! “DAMMIT”, I thought, observing this. And in the name of vanity, I forged on.
Secondly, as he was drilling the shape and the dust was coating everything in the vicinity, I remembered that I’m actually allergic to some acrylic and my inner ingredient whore wondered what the gel was made of. Something I have yet to look up.
Finally, I finished the process. The upsides being that they came out absolutely gorgeous. I felt a new level of swag and the urge to intensify my natural Puerto Rican affinity for speaking with my hands was irresistible. To top all that off, my OCD was happy with the shape as they were flawless. And I felt amazing for my new creative journey! That is, until I got home.
As I sat down to this very computer to write about the awesomeness of my nail experience and the amazingness I felt, I watched it melt away as I realized (and instantly remembered) I couldn’t type my usual 100+ wpm with tips at this length. I mean, sure I could shorten them, but then what’s the point?!
INSERT: DISAPPOINTING DEAL BREAKER.
And the final answer (again) that, NO I’m not a slacker, YES I’ve many posts to actually type and catch you up on and YES I’m back to my natural nails with light free gel polish.
Not all salons have this option. Mine didn’t. So if that is your case as well, I recommend buying one of the many options Sally Beauty has and a top coat. You can switch the color and use the same top coat and no base coat is needed (although in searching for links I noticed they offer one that I have yet to use). In the picture to your right I’m wearing the color Picture Perfect Pigment by FingerPaints Endless Wear and have found that the color lasts a little over a week (note: I work with my hands and makeup removing/sanitizing products regularly so if you don’t you can definitely get 2 weeks out of this easy).
Also, if you’re on a budget this makes sense because nail salons typically charge an extra $10 for light setting gel polish whether on the natural nail or tips and that is around the cost of one bottle at Sally’s.
