I learned about “gel manicures” from Ainsley Carter Youtube video. Upon following her instructions, I tried to do my own gel manicure with Gelous. Ehh it was okay at first, but lasted less than a week. Supposedly gel manicures should last AT LEAST two weeks which was why I only wanted to try it in the first place. Upon completing a big deal and pretty much meeting my years work goal, I treated myself to my first professional gel manicure! I’m in love! I’m not much of a girly girly, but I there’s something addicting about my sparkly thick red nails. I may have to make this a more common thing (I also got a pedicure for the first time in years). I can’t help but look around at the other types of women/girls at the nail salon…definitely not my type. Anyone else get regular gel manicures? How do the hold up the the equestrian endeavors (do they actually last weeks?)?
One of my students got these awesome gel nails that are made of the “mood ring” stuff and change colour when her hands are warm or cold. They seem to be lasting well and they are tempting! But alas, I am too cheap.
Yes, I do my own gel manicures and they last a very long time. Come visit us over at the nail care board. There are lots of gel manicure threads:
I had a problem with nail polish chipping from doing barn stuff. I recently started buying the Sally Hanson Nail polish strips. I put a bottom coat of clear polish on, and then put them on and finish with Sally hanson No chip clearcoat. Those things are amazing. They last two weeks…cost 8.95, and do not chip or peel. The only reason I have to redo them is because my nails grow out so there is a gap at the cuticle. The strips are removed with regular nail polish remover. I can do them in about 15 min. They come in neat colors and patterns like leopard, zebra, hot pink and black zebra, black lace, and calligraphy to name a few.
I’m also not a girly girl type, but I have a professional job and am often meeting with clients - bad as it sounds, I use nail polish to hide the dirt under my nails. Works like a charm and I always look put together! Ha, tricked them.
I get a professional gel polish once every two weeks. Seems to stay really well.
I found the gel polish thinned my nails and made them easier to break. The nail breakage didn’t happen with the polish on, but when it had chipped off or when I finally gave up and removed the polish for good.
The Sally Hansen strips worked really well at not chipping.
There is a warning that the uv light exposure puts you at a higher risk for skin cancer.
I use Sally Hansen miracle gel (home job). I was doing a small amount of barn work plus riding, etc. and it would last close to a week. I would think that without the barn work, it would last longer.
I liked to take it off to let my nails air out anyway for a few days because like someone else said, it made my nails more dry & brittle.
Prior to finding this product, I never would bother with nail polish but at least I can get through the weekend looking slightly more girly now.
When I was working as a groom there were a couple clients who would take all of us for mani/pedis, it drove them crazy that we took better care of the horses then ourselves.
They usually lasted me 10-14 days and then they would start to peel. Like a couple others mentioned they would sometimes make my nails brittle, it didn’t help that I was spending all day every day bathing horses and pulling manes. I got so sick of the tips chipping that I got fake nails put on for the rest of the winter show season.
Now that I’m not grooming anymore regular nail polish can last me a few days to a week, the gel can easily last two weeks.
I gave up on gels and started using Jamberry vinyl wraps instead. I love them because they’re super easy to put on (which is great because I’m completely incompetent when it comes to nails), they last through several weeks of barn work, and they don’t damage my nails when I remove them.
I get professional gel nails done by my awesome nail guy Ken. They last basically until he takes them off, every 2 to 3 weeks. I keep my nails really short, and the polish always looks shiny and new. I used to do short acrylic nails and the gel ones are far better.
I’ve found that gel polish and gel nails don’t survive the barn. I have bad nails though so not sure if that has something to do with it (e.g. does’t adhere as well). It’s sad because I love the look, but can’t justify the $$ for a few days of nice nails. I do it as a treat occasionally.
I’ve had very good experiences with gel manicures (done in a salon) lasting for quite a while, maybe even as long as 3-4 weeks depending on how much or little I’m using my hands. It’s the tips that tend to show the most wear, but most manicurists will put extra polish on the tip and swipe a little under the nail as well.
I have an at home kit that works pretty well; it’s the Red Carpet kit that I got at Ulta. I used it a lot at first, now less so. The selection of colors isn’t that great, it’s a lot of steps, and some of the polishes have started to go bad or gotten hard to put on. For at-home manicures, I’m back to regular polish, but I do use the UV light to bake each layer, which helps it dry really fast and hard.
As some have mentioned, gel manicures are pretty rough on your nails. Getting them off requires soaking them in acetone, which isn’t pleasant. I did have one guy use the acrylic nail polisher/grinder wheel thingy to grind off the top coat so the rest would soak off more easily, but I wouldn’t trust just anyone to do that.
I’ve never been able to use the wraps successfully; I gave up after trying the Sally Hanson ones twice, but that was when they first came out, so maybe the newer ones are easier. I’ve heard good things about Jamberry, as supershorty mentioned.
It sounds like you used gel polish, but now you have gel nails. If so, big difference between the two.
Gel polish wouldn’t work for me because my nails aren’t strong enough so they would still break and chip. I’ve been doing gel nails (it’s a powder with activator just like acrylic nails, but is stronger) for a few years now, and they are great. I’m not girly and into maintenance, but my fingernails were ripping off and bleeding while I was working with my horse they were in such bad shape, and this has basically eased up on that pain, so it’s worth it, plus I actually look presentable. I get my nails done every two weeks because of how quickly they grow, but some folks go every 3 weeks and I think my nails would hold up no problem.
I got two gel manicures and they absolutely ruined my nails. Fortunately my nails grow quickly, and two months later they’re about back to normal. If I was doing lots of barn work, I think I’d be worried more about ripping my nails down to the quick - they’re thicker and very hard but under the right circumstances if they DO break I think the damage would be a lot worse than it would if you had bare nails.
I’d do it again for a special event, maybe once or twice a year as a treat. But I’d go somewhere really good to have it done, and wouldn’t re-do it, since the removal process tore up my nails so badly (even worse when the second set began to peel).
[QUOTE=netg;7913021]
It sounds like you used gel polish, but now you have gel nails. If so, big difference between the two.
Gel polish wouldn’t work for me because my nails aren’t strong enough so they would still break and chip. I’ve been doing gel nails (it’s a powder with activator just like acrylic nails, but is stronger) for a few years now, and they are great. I’m not girly and into maintenance, but my fingernails were ripping off and bleeding while I was working with my horse they were in such bad shape, and this has basically eased up on that pain, so it’s worth it, plus I actually look presentable. I get my nails done every two weeks because of how quickly they grow, but some folks go every 3 weeks and I think my nails would hold up no problem.[/QUOTE]
What I did at home (Gelous) did NOT require UV light, that might have been the big factor why it didn’t come out well. It was basically just like a thick base coat (and sometimes wouldn’t dry when I was done I ended up just taking it all off). So far I like my nails from the salon, but I will have to wait and see after 2 weeks how it is when I go back. The process they used was a gel base layer with corresponding polish (activated by UV light). I’m not very good at doing my own nails (I get a lot on my cuticles) so I’m not sure if I could ever do it at home with the UV light.
I also have a terrible habit of chewing and biting my cuticles around my nails. I think doing my nails regularly and getting professional manicures would help me better break this life long habit.
PS. I didn’t have any tips put on. Just the gel over my normal nails. I don’t like long nails and can’t imagine have tips around horses. I also have made a habit of always wearing gloves around the horses (including grooming, cleaning stalls and riding) mostly to protect my ring but does help protect my nails too.
I’ve actually gone to the nail salon twice to get gel manicures. (shellac polish - for clarification…on my natural nails)
Once was this summer at a horse show. My horse got hurt the first day we showed so manicure time it was!! I was super impressed. It lasted a solid two weeks. I went to another salon back at home to have it taken off and got just a regular mani while there (since I’m cheap) and it didn’t make it one day.
Last month I got another gel mani since I was taking engagement pics. It too lasted a solid two weeks. I finally took it off after almost 4 weeks since it finally started chipping (not to mention my nails were getting way too long!) Since it’s been off, I’ve managed to break or chip all of my nails again. LOL
oopsies. Double post.
I have a standing appointment every 2 weeks. I have acrylic and have for 10 years. Mine last great and I love them. They stand up to everything. I have gone 4 weeks between appointments due to horse shows and they held up.
I tried gel a few years ago and it was terrible. Didn’t hold up at all and looked awful after a week.
I think it all depends on how much work you need to do with your hands. I clean all the tack, (10 bridles, 3 saddles) muck 11 stalls, groom between 1 to 4 horses a day. Am an avid gardener who often forgets to wear my gloves. My nails need to put up with a great deal.
Have fun. I would never go back to my dirty, chipped torn nails. I feel so much prettier and put together now.
What’s a manicure? 
