The French Manicure
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skincare Tools & Do-It-Yourself Skincare

free skin care · Wed May 16, 2007 6:33 pm

Thanks Caspers Mum; I am intrigued. I haven't had a manicure in many years. I felt it was a waste of time because the polish would chip and I would procrastinate and my nails would end up looking moth-eaten Sad

. So I just don't do anything with my nails. In my line of work (optometry), I must keep my nails rather short, and I must wash my hands MANY times a day (before and after each patient). I never knew about buffing! This might be the answer. I'll also try the white pencil -- it sounds like the effect of that may be short-lived in my case, but you never know. Thanks for the tips (no pun intended)!

free skin care · Wed May 23, 2007 8:00 am

samantha185 wrote:

*hides hands under table* I can never really be bothered about my nails. Part of the reason is that my nails are paper-thin and they tear at the edges (not chip but really tear like paper) Sad

Tried NailTek and all but somehow they don't really work - may harden my nails but will make them brittle and yellow sigh. So I resign myself to short normal nails Embarassed

had the same problem for years

Try Mavala's nail strengthener and you will be in for a surprise

Sat May 26, 2007 5:56 am

Sally Hansen has a French Manicure kit. I just bought it for about $11 Cdn. at London Drugs (I'm in Canada). It works really well and was easy to use. It has a thin tape like 'guide' that you stick to your nails before applying the white tip colour. After the white coat dries, you peel off the tape and apply the top nude coat. My nails look like I got a professional manicure. I found out after I bought the kit (which includes the guide tapes, white tip polish and nude coat polish ) that you can just buy the guide tapes by themselves - much cheaper, they sell for $3.49. You'd only need the guide tapes if you already own the polish.

Sat May 26, 2007 6:03 am

Oh forgot to add this tip. For anyone who has trouble growing their nails, try taking vegetal silica. It can be found in the vitamin/supplement aisle of the drugstore or vitamin store. My friend started taking it because she noticed her hair was starting to fall out on the top of her head which was resulting in some small bald patches. Her mother, a hairdresser, told her start taking vegetal silica and bought her a bottle from Sears (the department store). Much to her (pleasant) surprise, not only did her hair start growing back, but her fingernails started growing very long and very strong after two weeks. As long as I've known her, she never had any sort of length to her nails. She said they just never grew and it had been that way all her life.

free skin care · Thu Jun 07, 2007 6:41 am

i never know that we can do this things to nails.

free skin care · Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:58 am

I always keep a thin coat of Essie's Mademoiselle on my nails, but I think I am going to try the white pencil trick. Nothing bores me more than waiting for my nails to dry!

free skin care · Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:57 pm

I went for a professional manicure recently and had my nails buffed to amazing glass-like gloss. The manicurist had put on some kind of cream prior to buffing my nails and they are still glossy even now, after about a week, as if 'd just got them buffed a minute ago.

She said the effects of the cream can last up to 2 weeks. I'm wondering if it is safe to use on a regular basis and and if so, what brands are good.

TIA.

free skin care · Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:02 pm

Where can i get the white nail pencil in Canada? I have checked Shoppers and they dont seem to have it.

free skin care · Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:06 pm

I've used the white pencil and a clear topcoat many times in a pinch.
I also do not care for the long nail, talon look - To me it looks cheap. If you check out any magazine that features a classy look they will never show those big daggers!...

free skin care · Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:34 pm

Oh my, I had forgotten about this thread thanks for bringing it back up! I still keep my nails relatively short and buffed to a natural shine but about one or 2 weeks out of the month when they get a little longer, I polish them with a pretty pink. I think I was overbuffing them and now that I give my nails a break from buffing every week or so, they grow longer and stay shinier.

Cheers,

Athena

free skin care · Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:49 pm

I would also like to know if anyone can suggest a buffing cream?

free skin care · Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:34 pm

i have brought a set of Sally Hansen nail poblish which contain one white colour and one natural color. That is nice, my friend said my nail just like brushed in nail salon

free skin care · Sun Apr 06, 2008 6:25 pm

My grandma introduced me to the nail white pencil when I was very young (6 or 7yo). I've used them ever since (I keep 2 in my desk drawer at work so if I need a touch up I just dip the tip and freshen my nails).

She also told me before housework or gardening to scrape your nails over a bar of soap!

free skin care · Sat May 23, 2009 2:17 pm

I use the white pencil all the time, but I am pretty good at creating a very nice french manicure...

I am also soooo sick of women who get french manicure with acrylics and the manicurist shortens the nail bed, the nails look so fat and icky not at all classy and elegant...

free skin care · Sun May 24, 2009 8:37 am

I love this post!! I'm going to try the white pencil thing now that I'm on a budget constraint! I always get my nails done "French" and I hate it when the manicurist paints the white line too thick. It looks horrendous and makes my fingers look fat. But with a little thin white line, I find it rather classic.

I only go for full color coat when I have a special even I am attending.

Sat May 30, 2009 5:17 am

Just a bit of information.... I have never had long nails in my life... my mom owned a nail salon for many years on long island where I worked... I wound up getting acrylics after trying many products to grow my own nails.. about a year ago I tried a product called Nailtek... an acquaintance I met had really nice nails and I made a comment about them... I guess my old profession still lingers... LOL anyhow she told me that this is what she used and I figured what the hell I would give it a try.. and wow... it actually works...there are I think 3 or 4 formulas... I started with the formula for real weak nails.. people who had fake nails.. though I have not had fake nails for over 15 years... I used I think 2 bottles of that and now I use formula 2.. I also have used Nailtique... I read that they are identical... it was a husband wife that got divorced and they both have their own companies now with 2 different names .. so either will work... and as far as buffing your nails a leather buffer works better and will not damage your nails... I put on one coat of Nailtek or Nailteque before a coat of pink... then I do a white tip shaped in a V shape with an iridescent pink over that to give it some sparkle.. I agree that dark colors over time will stain your nails.. I've seen it many times... you can sometimes use bleach to soak your nails in to remove the stains if they aren't tooo bad

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