07/01/2025
So....
Before we left on our travels, one thing was very important to me... I said several times... "we may become gypsies, but we're not going to become hobos"
In 6 years I have relaxed QUITE a bit, but that basic concept survives.
I started painting my nails when I began getting "severe restless legs" because I found it distracted my mind enough to stop them.
(BTW... For those of you who have heard about my "restless legs", but maybe not my battle to get them reassessed.... My Neurologist, recently, said even without prompting... "nope, those violent, never ending contractions that leave you unable to walk the next day are NOT restless leg" (yay) "but it's not a neurological issue" (sob))
Right.... Back to the Nails....
I went from "that helps" to "that looks good" 👌I've tried a few nail things over the last few years with varying levels of success. Nail polish itself ended up being the best.
My nails grow incredibly quickly, but are very thin. Weirdly, NOT having polish makes them split and tear.
At Christmas time, I saw nail STICKERS 😳... Wha? 😵💫
A little bit of exploring and a quick (cheap) couple of strips later... I'm in love!
The best how to video I found on YouTube (I'll leave the link in the comments) gave some great advice... The most important was
1- the obvious... Prepare the nails
2- don't do after a shower /swim, or just BEFORE a swim because the water distorts the nails
And definitely the best thing...
3- do at night because it can take 12 hours for the glue to bond.
Of course after 3x changes and a whopping 2 weeks... I'm an expert 😉and will add my advice.
1- the concern of getting them off? I use a wooden orange stick dipped in oil (I have a mix of teatree and apricot kernal) and starting from the back, gently rub that oil under the sticker, dipping the stick back in the oil often. It takes a minute or two for the lot to come off
2- there are 4 types, and a couple of levels of quality within them, but they all work.
a) plain stickers. fun. usually thin. Usually have to trim a teeny bit (at the back, have to trim them all at the front) cheapest. Still great
b) resin. Also thin. More lustrous. Little trickier to put on because they're thin and bendy and static-y. Worth the effort.
c) semi-cured gel. I haven't done these yet, because I don't have a uv light... 🤔Wonder if the sun would do it?
d) cured gel. Most expensive (but still not very). Thick. Easy to put on. Super strong glue. Look amazing.
3- some people suggest that the clear at the back ones, like the ones in the first photo, aren't good because dirt gets trapped around the edges and shows the edges. Personally I stressed less putting these on, because it didn't matter if they were a little crooked or thin, they are clear. Besides, I'll get 2x sets out of this pack and they were $6...so even if they only last a week... That's $3/week.
4- I suggest that you do a template of your nails on paper or something.. Then use THOSE to pick, or cut your individual strips to size. 👍. That works a dream.
Where did I get them from? Temu. They were cheap... And for the cost of one professional manicure, I can change my nails every week for at least 6 months.
Of course they're available everywhere... But if you're not sure how you will go... Start cheap.
