I'm NEVER getting my nails done again!

I ment to ask you, when is the wedding and also are your parents getting happy for you, and accepting of the situation better. Foryour wedding you can still have pretty nails, just have them a short to medium length. That way you can do whatever and they won't get in the way. Also try to take your contacts out with the side of your fingertips, its easy and does work.

Hi, Polly! Sorry for the extreme lapse in response. Cleary, I haven't been around for a while! The wedding plans are coming slowly, but surely. My parents allowed my fiance to join us at my parents' house for Christmas day as well as once a few days beforehand and a day or two afterwards - three times total - WOW! I thought we were finally making progress. However, unfortunately, they've turned again into thinking he's just not making the cut or "performing well" as I like to put it since he feels like he's under the microscope each time he visits there. He hasn't been allowed to go over to their house with me since. I've just stopped asking. I know it's their place, and they have a say who and what is allowed there, but I feel so childish having to ask each time, if you catch my drift. They'd rather have my dog there than my fiance! Silly...really. I'm planning on getting a nice French manicure, more than likely, for my wedding nails! I think it looks so nice. It's also a great excuse to get a pedicure! I've only had that done once (a pedicure), which was a couple years ago for my older sister's wedding. That is one of the nicest things. I've done my own pedicures, but it's just not the same as getting pampered! (LOL) Thanks so much for your comments as well as your concern. You're a wonderful friend. Take care!

I couldn't agree with you more! Nails are definitely an unnecessary expense for some people. A couple of ladies I work with are constantly getting their nails done. While they look really nice, if they don't go back in to get them filled, fixed, or whatever they do, they start to look really bad. On top of that, they probably can't grow a nice set of their own anymore because they've probably damaged their nail growth with all that glue! I don't see how people do it. You're right about one thing - they're VERY annoying. Ugh...my thinking is that I don't need anything else to become an obstacle. I already have enough in my life as it is! (LOL) Thanks for your input, Sheepie. I really like your response.

I think any woman who has had fake nails and no longer has them has learned the hard lesson of appreciating their own natural nails! I've definitely been there. It is cool and very pretty to have a full set of fake nails done professionally. I think every woman wants to be pampered, but fake nails isn't the way to go, in my opinion! I'm sorry your mom had to learn the hard way as I did, but I'm glad it taught me to more appreciate what I have. Thanks for sharing!

It has been forever since I talked to you. I pray things are going well with you. Thanks for the response. This has been quite some time ago.

Hi there! Thanks for your response. I don't think you have anything to be ashamed of. I have 4 sisters and 1 brother (6 kids total), and when we were all at home, I'm sure all of us girls, including my mom, would've LOVED to have our dad do our nails! I love your perspective on this subject because you see it as a unique opportunity to spend time with your kids and wife, and that is SO important! I'm also pleased to learn that you are quite the nail tech, or at least, I think that's what they call them nowadays. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks, DLY. Believe it or not, it has been a year even since this comment of yours, but regardless, it's the thought that counts. Thanks for your support!

I couldn't agree with you more. I've learned that the best way to have something done the way you want it is to do it yourself! I'm glad you've found what works best for you by cleaning and caring for your nails yourself. I do the same. Having professionals do my nails costs too much and takes too much time to maintain. Like you, I'm not satisfied with their service most of the time for what it costs to get all that done. I'm always please with my own work, and if by chance I wasn't, then I could start over again - that's the beauty of doing it myself! Fortunately for me and my family, I have a sister who is excellent at French manicures and pedicures. She does it completely free, of course, and does the best job I've ever seen! I can tell her exactly what I want, and she does it without a problem. She takes her time and does an excellent job! I'm so proud of her. I had a pedicure that she did for me that lasted at least three months before it started chipping. That's absolutely amazing seeing as I wore flip-flops, sandals, and was at the beach as often as I could be. That was a lot of abuse to my beautiful pedicure, and it still lasted that long! (LOL) Thanks for your response.

You're right, they're absolutely beautiful! I agree with you completely. I've also seen girls popping them off like it's nothing...no pain or anything. However, for me, the benefits don't outweigh the disadvantages because the longer a person has fake nails, the weaker their natural nails become because it's almost like the fake nails try to take over the real ones, and then when the fake ones have to come off for one reason or another, they leave hardly anything left of the natural ones. I guess it all depends on what a person wants the outcome of their true nails to be. I don't see anything wrong with getting them every once in a while if you don't intend to keep up with them. I just find that for me fake nails make everything I do on a daily basis much harder! I don't like having something like that keep me from doing things I have to do each day or slowing down the process. It becomes frustrating to me, not to mention how much it costs nowadays. I can't disagree with you, though, that they are definitely pretty!

I love all the colors! Some people are just so talented with painting nails using different designs and such. I appreciate your response because you've been there and done that, and now you've decided to keep your nails healthy and clean. That's so inspiring! I like how you've turned your focus from the fake nails to the beautiful things you can do and have done with all those colors. There really are no limits whatsoever. Thanks for your response!

That is no problem! I still appreciate your response, and am glad to know that you've never even had to deal with fake nails. Consider yourself lucky! I'm so fortunate that my nails have grown back stronger than ever...it just took time. While having to wait for my nails to grown back and be healthy again was frustrating, it just taught me a valuable lesson and made me appreciate what I have more now! I think fake sets are gorgeous, but the upkeep and money it costs to keep something like that going just isn't worth it, in my opinion. I'm glad you are able to have and enjoy your natural nails. Thanks, friend.

Reading your response just makes the whole process sound so harmful and painful, which is true! I'm certainly glad you've never had to experience anything like that. It's a horrible feeling afterwards like something very dear to you just got taken away. I know that's probably a really weird analogy, but that's how I felt several years ago when I had tips and acryllic done years ago. They looked beautiful, but when it was time for them to go, a couple necessary layers of my real nails went with them! So sad...fortunately for me, I was young and my natural nails took only a couple months to grow back. I can grow really strong and white nails for myself. I figure if God gave them to me in the first place, I might as well use them, enjoy them, and not go spending money on something that's going to ruin the natural ones! I agree with you wholeheartedly, and thanks so much for your response!

I think maintaining natural nails is the best way to go. I understand what you meant about the ones that make your nails longer too. I think they just call them tips because you can put them on your actual nail, but it doesn't cover the whole nail. It's only used to make them look longer. You can paint over them and everything else. You're right - putting on tips is a lot less harmful to your nails. I'm sorry to learn of the damage to your real nails, though! I did the same thing, taking my fake set off myself. It costs at least $10 to soak them at the nail place to have them take those off for you. Everything with fake nails cost money as well as time, like you said. Since I haven neither, I'd much rather maintain and put time into my own. I enjoy it when I have time. When I don't, I think they still look pretty good. Speaking of nails, I think I might just paint mine today! Thanks for the inspiration. (LOL) Take care!