Conventional wisdom is to get your nails done the day of your wedding so your hands look their best for all those shots of the wedding bands. I agree. In everyday life I usually go for pedicures over manicures. I love that super clean feeling right after you've been soaked scrubbed and polished. It also lasts a heck of alot longer and with my mobility issues it's much harder for me to paint my own toes.
However, I do enjoy the look of my hands freshly manicured. It only ever lasts a day or two. I'm super rough on my hands. On top of that, I went and got a full set for the first time in my life the Christmas Mike proposed. It was fun, it looked like this:
My hand's on the left with the green (and no rings). The other hand is Lara. It was pretty and Christmasy. Unfortunately, one fell off right before Christmas. I pulled them all off just in time to be proposed to, darn it. Anyway, the fakeness creeped Mike out and the after effects of the adhesive on my nails creeped me out.
I'm anxious about growing my own nails long enough, but fake nails are a no go so I'm considering alternatives to the french manicure. Maybe I'll just paint them. Certainly not green, but maybe a nudish color or clear with sparkles. I'm not really sure, it seems silly to go for a french manicure with short/uneven nails. Besides would a classic french manicure look silly the next day? Lounging pool side on the honeymoon (fingers crossed)? I think maybe.
I'm thinking something like this:
Or Maybe
Like I said, I wouldn't want green because well ick. This ivy detail is kind of neat though and her nails look real.
Not to be fickle or anything but aren't these amazing? Maybe in pink or nudes it be less in your face. I have to admit though the green is pretty kick ass.
Well, what do you guys think? Help me out. Nail opinions, please.
I got my nails done at Essentials and I did a Gel manicure. It lasts for two weeks and it uses your own nails, no fake nails needed. They use a product called Axxium by OPI.Its about $30-35. Jessica
ReplyDeleteThey have pretty limited colors, right?
ReplyDeleteNope, they have tons. What I loved about it was that it was natural and it looked shiny all the time...like you just had your nails done. I had a sparkly natural shade on my fingers. After the wedding I did purple with sparkles. Jessica
ReplyDeleteI did a regular French mani. It chipped the same day. ;) I will never, never get acrylics as I hate having crap on my fingers, and the lacquer stuff is supposed to be a bear to get off, but I've heard a lot of people like the gel manis. (Ar...e they different from lacquer?) I would have loved to not have had to run around finding white nail polish the morning of the wedding, all I'm sayin. And I kinda wish I'd done a nude shade on my fingers instead of a French. I think it looks more fresh and modern. I had super-bright magenta polish on my toes, though, and it was awesome! My two cents! Alyssa
ReplyDeleteGlittery polishes are always "bumpy" and rough and might even catch on a fine fabric even if you had many topcoats. I'd go for a pearl swirl like the one shown in green, maybe in a pearly champagne colour and a soft pink?
ReplyDeleteGel and Lacquer is the same thing, it does take a bit to take it off which is why you should go to the same salon and have it taken off. Small price to pay for having perfect nails on your wedding day I suppose. But at least it does last a while and you don't have to worry about it chipping. :) Jessica
ReplyDeletei did a regular french on my own nails (not long nails at all) and they looked great... they didn't start chipping til about 4-5 days later. they have this product called "shellac" nails, that does not chip, ever. i think you actually have to go back to the salon to get it taken off. but it's just regular nailpolish. it's the way they set it that makes it stay. it won't feel like fake nails or anything. and it comes in a ton of colors. i'm partial to the classic french manicure though ;) Jessica S.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point, Jeni! I like the marble effect a lot (so does Mike) and I agree softer colors. It wouldn't have occurred to me about the texture though.
ReplyDeleteI usually don't get fake tips. I think if you go to a good place that uses base coat + top coat, it should last you a while. Plus, you can buy your own top coat and re-apply daily. I've never done this, but I heard it can lengthen the time before it chips. Usually mine starts chipping about 5-7 days after I get a manicure.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll probably get a manicure the day before my wedding, with my BM's. I've gotten one pedicure and I am really ticklish so it was hard. I'm thinking I should get them more often so I can get used to it by the time of my wedding!