As some of you may know, I’ve recently stopped biting my fingernails (Yeah!). Here’s my question.
They are fast approaching a length (to the ends of my fingertips) where some shaping and maintenence are needed. I have no problem getting them professionally done, but I’m wondering- how long should they be before I go to a manicurist? I don’t want anyone to laugh at me (they’re still pretty short) but I’d like to make sure they’re shaped right and get some help with my ratty cuticles.
Any advice is welcome. I am a low maintainance person, so I’m not into doing this at home myself. Also, when I try to pay attention to my nails, I find that I want to bite them in the worst way, so I just want to know at what point I should go see someone. Thanks!
Zette
Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high.
Zette, I promise that a manicurist will not laugh at you. If they do, they are unprofessional.
Go now! They’re bugging you? Go for it. I was in the same situation a few years ago when I quit biting mine. Just tell the manicurist that you’ve just quit and ask for advice. She/he will probably give you some stuff for fortifying and strenghtening your nails.
FWIW, I find that I need a manicure every 2 weeks for trimming purposes. The polish falls apart a little before that. YMMV.
Since I put the “man” in manicure, you might want to follow that guideline – since I’m a guy, I have my nails trimmed short, and they need to be cut again at 2 weeks’ growth.
Hope that helps.
–Da Cap’n
“Playin’ solitaire 'til dawn
With a deck of fifty-one.”
Fingerstyle guitar players often get professional manicures, some also use the fake nails. I do my own, over the weekend I broke my thumbnail on my right hand, Oh, the horror! I’ve got it fortified with superglue until I can grow it out long enough to file off the bad part. Most guys I know don’t care enough about their appearance to get a manicure.
By the way, Zette, you sound high-maintenance to me. I would think a low-maintenance person would just get out the clippers.
I had a manicure once, about five years ago, in a fancy London hotel…I was on a business trip, so I just buried it in with the other expenses.
I didn’t find it to be any great sensory treat; certainly not compared to, say, a massage. I usually just give myself the treatment every three weeks or so with a pair of 39-cent drugstore nail clippers.
My main problem is random whacks and chops at the nails with the chef’s knife, since I cook every day. (Yeah, right, thanks everyone, I KNOW I should keep 'em sharper. It happens three or four times a year, not daily.) Nothing worse than waiting for a split nail to grow out so it can be properly trimmed.
If they bug you now, then go. If you have some nails that are too short to do anything with you can at least get a head start on the other ones. And the manicurist can give you advice. I admit, when I saw the word “manicures” in the title my heart jumped. I hate doing those! Blah! Phooey! I can’t understand how some people do those for a living. I’ll shut up now.
MaryAnn
I wore a peekaboo blouse. He peeked and booed.
I used to bite mine so low it was a wonder they didn’t bleed. I haven’t bitten my nails in 22 years now, and have no desire to do so. You’ll get there - especially if you start getting manicures. After you fork over that kind of dough for someone to do your nails, you will not want to bite them off.
And it’s never too soon to see a manicurist. As others have said - they’re professionals and will be able to give you advice on how to care for them.
Whatever you do though, don’t file them into points. Yikes - that “style” went out in the 70’s. Somewhat squared off, with rounded corners is the nicest look, even if you keep them a little shorter.
I have a wicked fixation on biting them which hasn’t completely subsided for me. If I start filing, shaping, clipping, etc- I’m bound to start chewing. If you don’t have this urge you likely won’t understand what I mean.
I meant low-maintainence as in I don’t spend days and nights fretting over my complextion, hairstyle, skin care, etc. I go to get my hair cut about every 3months or so (it’s long and straight) and I rarely wear makeup.
So there.
Zette
Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high.
Nail length doesn’t matter - the manicurist will just file & shape short nails so that they are even. And believe me, they don’t care - I’ve had my nails done when they are short and no one has said a word.
Not that you asked, but if you have a little extra cash, why not get a pedicure while you are there? I very rarely get manicures but occasionally get pedicures because afterwards my feet fit my shoes much better. Amazing the amount of dead skin that gets removed. (I’m sure that’s more than you need to know!)
For both manicures and pedicures, I would get recomendations from nail fanatic friends - quality can vary. Never hurts to watch them working on someone else beforehand (if you see any wincing, it’s on to the next)and no professional will be offended if you inquire about their sterilization procedures.
