Nailed It!

My mother has always been someone who would paint her nails on a weekly basis and lie down to take her Sunday naps with her hands in a praying position to avoid smudging them.

When I was younger, I never understood why she would go to such lengths for her nails, but eventually I realised that I projected some mild FOMO because I could not join in on this serious ritual.

Blame high school and its confining rules.

Six years down the line, I own well over 40 bottles of nail varnish.

As of late, I’ve developed a liking for gel overlay with tips and regularly make appointments at a new nail bar, Nail and Hair Avenue, to maintain this fleekage on my hands.

It’s an art. I take it seriously, down to my colour choice.

The Monday of the ‘super blood moon’ lunar eclipse influenced my choice of getting coffin shaped nails in the colour ‘Eclipse’. Yes, I’m dead serious.

When you get down to the nitty gritty, the healthier your nails, the better your lifestyle is assumed to be. Personal health will definitely affect those keratin-filled extensions protruding from your fingers. You can easily notice changes in your health when you examine the state of your fingernails.

The act of growing your nails or adding artificial nails and painting them was a more recent development in the 20th century. Noblewomen from the Ming Dynasty (14th to 17th century) in China, however, were known to add artificial extensions to their nails. Adding this lengthy extension was a status marker and an indication that they did not have to use their hands for manual labour.

Women are no longer limited to getting square or oval shaped nails. They now have a variety of styles their nails can be filed into. From the simple square and oval to almond, stiletto and ballerina/coffin.

Nail varnish is a lacquer painted on your nails and toenails to decorate and add colour to them.

Developments over time have lessened the toxicity and added features such as fast drying, cracking matte, sand or even suede effect coats. YouTube also has a plethora of tutorials on different ways you can create designs at home.

You can easily change your colours after wearing them for a week or two, you can apply it yourself and it protects your nails (if you buy good quality products). “I do mine myself, and I prefer it that way. No gel, only nail polish. Allows a greater variety over a period of time, also far less damaging for your nails,” says 24-year-old pilot Lî Rossouw.

Darker colours tint nails, especially reds, and they chip faster than gel or acrylic, depending on how they are done. “My favourite brand is Essence. It’s cheap, but with a good top coat, it lasts the whole week. Dipping clean nails in white vinegar before applying the polish makes it last far longer too. Bob Martin pills (large strength) help for stronger and longer natural nails,” Lî adds.

Acrylic is is a mixture of a polymer powder and a liquid monomer. This mixture is usually molded onto the nail and hardens in about 15 minutes. It is not as flexible as gel nails and has an artificial finish.

Pros: It is indeed more durable than gel. In some cases, you can actually apply a natural toned acrylic layer and paint them with nail varnish as usual. You can also maintain and fill in acrylic at home, if you have the equipment.

Cons: I once tried this method but I found that the process took too long and removing it was hell on earth. It could take 20 to 30 minutes to remove acrylic, if you remove the layers with a file. The fumes emitted from acrylic are also quite strong and could prove to be toxic if inhaled frequently over time.

3. Press/Stick-On Nails

These are the easiest to work with. They are ready-made nails with basic colour or nail art. All that is required is for you to either stick or glue them on.

“I like stick on nails because it’s easy and simple to do and convenient for when you don’t want to wait for nail polish to dry or you don’t want to spend a lot of money on getting your nails done at a salon,” says 24-year-old student Saara Hauwanga.

“They are easy to put on and easy to remove and they don’t make your fingernails as fragile as having gel or acrylic on,” she adds.

: Saara recommends that if you apply them, you should not come into contact with water too often. Avoid soaking your nails because that weakens the glue or adhesive and they won’t last long.

This is what I generally tend to use. This is an ultraviolet coat that is brushed on and cured (hardened) under UV lamp. This method tends to last longer than nail polish and is generally applied at a salon by a skilled nail technician. Some high-end brands of gel used are Bio-Sculpture and CND’s Shellac which is a blend between gel and nail polish.

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