How Are You Doing Your Nails These Days?
Where do you find inspiration for your next manicure? When I got a copy of Fresh Sets by Brooklyn-based beauty writer Tembe Denton-Hurst, I knew I’d hit the nail inspo jackpot. The book highlights 35 artists, from L.A to India, who are pushing boundaries with creations like moss-covered nails with 3D sculptures of mushrooms and dragonflies, and seven-inch rose-red stiletto nails.
What inspired the book was Tembe’s long-time love of acrylics: “When I left my first nail appointment and saw my long purple nails, I thought for the first time, ‘Oh, my hands are cute,’” she says. “They went from being strictly functional to something exciting. Now long nails have become part of me.”
But also? The realization of how nails are tied to identity. “Nail art is core to the way Black and brown women adorn themselves,” says Tembe. “Growing up, the most beautiful women had fly nails. Keeping your hair and nails done is a form of communication: that you’re put together and you care about the same things.”
Here, Tembe tells us about nail trends, a low-maintenance look, and five salon etiquette rules…
Nails by Hanin Ibrahim.
On popular nail trends:
“People are loving aura nails right now,” says Tembe. “Everyone’s nails are looking like a mood ring. I’m always asking the owner of my go-to salon what people are coming in for. She says clients are into charms and 3D elements. Almond pointed stilettos have been the way for a long time, but square nails are also coming back.”
Nails by Lesly Arrañaga.
On artists changing the game:
“I love Lesly Arrañaga’s work. She harnesses her Mexican heritage — for example, she did a series where she put nails on her relatives, including her dad. It was playful and nostalgic and distinctly rooted in her culture. She also created resin bubbles with portraits of her dog. Her designs always have a unique point of view, which I think is rare to find in art of all kinds, but especially in the nail space, where a style can become popular on Pinterest and then suddenly everybody’s replicating it. She’s also a very talented sculptor. She’ll build an entire spam musubi on a natural nail!”
Tembe’s French set by House of Nails by Natty.
On a low-maintenance look:
“I always do a multi-colored French tip. One, because I’m lazy — a French tip hides the grow out, so even if many weeks go by, they still look pretty decent. And two, I don’t like sitting for a long time at the salon to get intricate designs. But I do experiment with different colors on each nail.”
Nails by Leticia Casas.
Tembe’s salon etiquette:
1. Arrive on time for your appointment. “Even showing up five minutes late can shift a nail tech’s day back 10 minutes; then that 10 minutes catapults into 20 minutes, and so on. My nail tech is a mom, so whenever I show up late, I always realize, ‘Oh my god, she has to pick up her daughter from school.’ If you’re late, adjust your design to compensate for time.”
2. Don’t take calls on speaker. “I have been guilty of answering the phone, pressing the speaker icon, and then putting my hands underneath the UV light. But please, let’s all bring headphones. The salon is a public space, and people are there to relax.”
3. Arrive with a clear sense of what you want. “If you want something specific, go to your appointment with reference images and the colors you have in mind. This prevents you from eating up too much of your nail tech’s time and potentially costing them another client.”
4. Be friendly. “Always learn your nail tech’s name, of course. It’s important to connect with anyone you see often and recognize them as individuals who have a life beyond the scope of service.”
5. If you’re unhappy with your nails, speak up. “I know this makes people nervous, but I promise you, nail techs would prefer for you to say, ‘Hey, I don’t love the way this looks,’ so they can fix your nails in the moment, instead of you going home unhappy and returning to fix them the next day. It’s much easier to fix things right away, versus when your nails are fully cured.”
Thank you so much, Tembe! You can order Fresh Sets here, if you’d like. How are you doing your nails these days?
P.S. A nail polish that looks like a shell, and Tembe’s marriage proposal in a bookstore.
Comments
130 commentsI loved reading this! The idea that nails can be more than just aesthetics — a way to express personality, identity, and even comfort — really resonated with me. I’ve started a small nail blog recently, and I agree how important it is to balance creativity with nail health (especially when experimenting with bold nail art). These salon-etiquette tips are so helpful and often overlooked. Thanks for sharing!
Was doing my nails with gel/dip powder from Amazon, but developed a nasty acrylite allergy due to the lack of regulation in cosmetics from overseas. Now even “safe” gel, dip, acrylics, etc make my hand break out in contact dermatitis/allergy-induced exzema. It’s not worth it anymore. Non-toxic lacquer ONLY these days.
🤫So jealous of those get the hot trends @ nail salon- Press on, glue on, 4 me-neon, coffin, ombre+I do like the French set with neutral color tips
I love polish on my toes. I’ve only ever had acrylics for my prom…23 years ago! One thing I bought for myself last fall was a nice glass file and buffer set from Bare Hands. I love it so much. My nails always look so good, and trust me…I am a very low effort tomboy so this has been a game changer for me. It’s subtle, but I feel pretty fancy.
Gorgeous art! I tend to have painted toes, bare fingers, but every once in a while I go with a dark red or blue on my short fingernails and I feel instantly more sexy, cool, and mysterious. Who is that girl? IT’S ME.
No press-on fans? I started using Impress nails to stop myself from picking my cuticles. It is really fun to have my fingers fancy and much less expensive than going to the salon. A box costs less than $10 usually and I can get a couple of sets out of each one. I swim almost daily with them, and still they last about a week. I do get regular pedicures at the salon though. No makeup, hairy legs, T-shirts, Birkenstocks—but my nails are always dressed up!
This was such a lovely article and as always the comments are a treasure trove! I’ve been doing my own nails for as long as I can remember! regular polish nail art back in high school and college and now i have my own at home Gel kit and some cute stickers and rhinestones for easy nail decorations. I used to get them done at salons once in a blue moon but i always left disappointed because they never looked quite right (my nails have a weird upward slant that most nail techs just give up on and i would end up with blobby or gloopy nails, yuck!) so i learned how to do it myself and it is a moment of meditation for me to do them as i have to concentrate and be very mindful not to get the polish on my skin. I understand how doing your nails or getting them done might not be for everyone but i love it for myself :)
Good for you, not for me. Long nails just feel weird on me. I care for little ones and I don’t know how I’d even manage. Plus, I think too much about germs. I have OCD and they’d have to be perfect, all the time. This is not a reasonable expectation. The expense. I’m a cheap ass tight wad. Spending money in this way wouldn’t bring any joy. Consistency – i don’t wear makeup, color my hair, often even fix my hair, care about purses or shoes or it jeans. Fancy anything would look so out of place on me. I think too much. Chronic over thinker over here. Fancy nails would lead to those eyelashes. Hair extensions. Botox. A status car. A dog with a pedigree. A young boyfriend. Where. Would. It. End. Lol.
You’re cracking me up! I agree it is a slippery slope…
Haha i love this!
Semi- cured gel nail wraps have been such a game changer for me! I love having my nails done but the time commitment and cost was getting by to much for me, not to mention the damage gel did to my nails. With SCG nails I can do my nails whenever I want (usually after putting the kids to bed) and are so easy to remove when I’m ready ( I’m over them and ready for a change around the 10 day mark) They look and feel like gel manicures and rarely chip, but even when they do I don’t feel bad because they cost a fraction of a trip to the salon! There are so many different brands and styles from funky nail art to simple neutrals and I have all the colors in my collection so whatever I’m in the mood for I’m ready to go! Seriously love them so much and get compliments all the time!
Here for the nail art! I like my nails short and the idea of colored French tip nails sounds so fun
Has anyone tried the Manucurist Green Flash system? I’m intrigued, but it’s an investment.
I am vain about one thing, my nails. They naturally grow long and strong. I use the stickers/strips in all the colors and designs they offer. As a girl my dad scoffed at my electric blue nails because they were not “natural”. And I am drawn to blues on my nails now. I sew, and craft, and type, and clean, the strips last up to 3 weeks (for me). I usually have to change because of the growth and not chipping. I hesitate on the 3-D embellishments to manicures because I would worry about them getting caught on things.
For many reasons, I am and always have been a low maintenance, short and unpolished nail kinda girl. I have no patience for letting polish dry. My nail beds aren’t particularly attractive. I play instruments that require short nails. I don’t like wearing gloves to do chores or paint or wash dishes. I don’t like having any extra chemicals around or on my body. And also when I’ve ever had nail polish on, I feel like I’ve got olives on my finger tips. As others have commented, this is most definitely a “good for her, not for me” thing. I will always compliment someone with fantastic nails but I will always have boring, utilitarian nails.
This is very much me too. Good for her, not for me. I also don’t even understand how you do a single thing with the long elaborate art nails. Not skills I possess.
I’m the same! Can’t play cello with long nails. I also work in a pediatric hospital and cannot have long nails for infection control reasons. So much bacteria living there!!! I do nail stickers (love dashing diva and hey hate!!!) and they look awesome for two weeks. I’m so busy and tired they only happen maybe once every couple months, but it takes 20 minutes and costs very little.
J J, I’m with you one hundred percent!
Ok, so nail salon owner here! COMPLETE understand this! I also prefer my natural short nails oppose to extensions and length. I recently for the hell of it decided to create content and so I needed the longer canvas. I did Apres Stiletto Medium! It was a halloween set.. it looked phenomenal. I got so many compliments those 3 weeks. Halloween passes, I get bored and decided to change them. This time I wanted my nail techs to practice on me this new trend… bangle nails. I again needed canvas space so I used Medium stiletto. The set took about 5 hours because all my techs took turn and some were busy. I am not kidding I had to remove them 5 days later! The way my fingers were CRAMPING!!! HOLY BALLS. It is definitely something to get use to. I type a lot. I could not type without having to flex my nails backwards in order for the tips to not hit other keys. Texting was even worst. My fingers were locking into place and it became scary. I give so much props to the people who have trained themselves to move their fingers differently. Last time I had length was in 2020 when we had nothing to do but sit at home. It was a huge reality check.
Oh I am HERE for this. I started doing my own nails as a way to procrastinate from nursing school homework. I now do my own dip manicure nails every two weeks or so and I LOVE it. My toddler loves it and helps me pick out the style. The variety is vast- glow in the dark, uv color change, temp changing thermals, GLITTER… it’s delightful. And it’s a forced period of time where I CANNOT care for anyone but myself- no laundry, no dishes, no chores. And the delight I get when someone asks where I get my nails done and I get to say… I do it!
As in impatient person who is also a huge germophobe, salon manicures are usually not for me! Once in a while I get gels, and then I think to myself “Well my nails looked great for two weeks, and then terrible for the next two” and I have to ask myself if the gels are worth the PITA removal, haha. I am also not good at painting my own nails, but one of the ONLY thing I have found that even remotely works for me (see above re: impatience) is the Dazzle Dry system.
If I ever get a manicure with regular polish, they are chipped within the DAY. I don’t know if I use my hands with extra gusto, or what! I mean, aside from that I *do* play guitar on an almost daily basis so there’s no hope for them anyway. I get gels maybe once a year for a special occasion. I ALWAYS end up peeling the gels off at the end, instead of getting it removed at a salon, it has never not happened. Which leaves my nails all kinds of sad. So… for the most part I keep them short and paint them some variation of clear. However, I am working at an overnight camp this summer and I kind of want to get a gel mani to kick off the summer/ show the campers how cool I am! But can’t decide what color/ design!
Get a dip powder manicure. It lasts really well- much better than gel. I don’t know if you can get designs with dip, I am a basic color girl myself but I’m guessing you could!
Nail art is amazing! I can’t believe what people are able to do on a fingernail! I am a short nail girl and I don’t think elaborate designs would look good on me. But on others I love it. I do love a bright, wild color on my short nails. I don’t get manicures often, but when I do I ask my 9 year old son what color I should choose. He usually has good suggestions! For my 40th birthday celebration he said black and I was like yup!
Did anyone else have a childhood dream of working the cash register at the grocery store and tapping the buttons with long, clickety polished nails? Preferably while chewing gum at the same time?
Yes!! This is wild- I even used to put marker lids on my fingers to be my long nails and use my toy cash register!! Of course now I have short ragged nails… though I do like snapping my gum (my family does not enjoy this habit!)
Haha yes! Why did this seem like the pinnacle of adulthood?
Crayola marker caps!! Yes, my sisters and I totally did this!! What a fun memory :)
I used to be firmly in the good for them, not for me category. But after reading about the increase in people with acrylate allergies (related to the increased popularity of acrylate nails) I am thinking that maybe it is not good for others either. I know it is related to -incorrect- use and application, so I assume a good nail artist will do everything to minimize the risk. But the idea that there is even a small chance to become allergic to dental fillings, a knee/hip replacement, or a hearing aid freaked me out quite a bit. This is also an issue for the nails artists themselves, as they are exposed to the products day in day out. Acrylates are such a common part of so many surgical and health related items, every single additional person who becomes (more) allergic through repeated exposure to acrylic nails is one too many. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8501444/
One of my favorite topics! I get my nails done every 3 weeks with dip powder on my natural nails and designs. Hannah has been doing my nails for years and her art and company bring so much joy to my life! She has planned special nails for momentous occasions in my life, like the birth of my son and my 30th birthday trip to Mexico City. As a bonus, I’m a high school teacher and my students of all genders love to comment on nails and lol forward to Hannah’s designs.
How I admire anyone who commits to beautiful, conversation-starting manicures! This month I grew out my nails and painted them for the first time in about a decade. It wasn’t a sophisticated design, but I kept staring at them for the couple days they were around for – cuuute! Then I remembered that I don’t know how to adapt to long nails. To the inexperienced, they get in the way! You must learn to hold your hands differently, right? How to adapt certain activities? Maybe I’ll revisit in another ten years. Until then, I’ll be living vicariously.
Historically, I’m a low-maintenance nail human. A very occasional mani on short nails, or a cute at-home polish for a few weeks, but nothing on the regular. My grandmother passed in January. During the 45 years in which she was my grandmother, she wore a silver pearl nail polish on her gorgeously soft and beautiful hands every single day, including the day she passed. Our family is Muslim, and I had the honor of helping prepare her body for burial, and holding her silver pearl painted hand for the last time. We don’t really have the traditional Muslim demarcations of grief and mourning anymore in my family, like certain ceremonies after a set amount of days, or wearing black for a sustained period, but I needed something, for just myself, to represent my mourning. So, I am wearing her nail polish color, every day for at least a year, in her honor.
What a lovely way to honor and remember her!
This is lovely, Becky.
Becky, I love this so much.
This is so beautiful Becky. I’m very sorry for your loss.
I wear my nails all different lengths, accounting for when I last broke them in the garden, studio, home reno. I’m currently rocking a giant nail bed bruise from when I tried to correct my dog’s snatching by taking a treat back. Big mistake. My hands are worker bees and I’ve long given up the desire for a cute manicure. I do put sunscreen on my hands though, is that something?
I sometimes feel the need to have my nails done for certain professional occasions, but hate the expense and the time it takes. I’ve gotten very into Manime or Manifest gel stickers. I can do them myself on calls where I don’t have to be on video and they are very affordable if you buy them on sale. Mine usually last up to 2 weeks if I put a clear topcoat on them. Worth a look!
I wash my hands so often that I can’t keep polish on long. It’s so annoying. Any tips?
This will probably only add an extra 2 days, but I’ve found capping/sealing my nails with the polish helps. I haven’t found a way to do this without getting polish all over my fingertips, but it’s easy enough to clean up and it’s worth it for the additional wear (for me). I also got a fancier nail polish that recommended doing this, so it’s not just me haha.
I keep my nails short because I do so many things. I Zoya’s Naked Manicure because it gives my nails a finished look and the chips are unnoticeable. I really love a good pedicure but haven’t had one in ages. My one luxury is my haircut. I’ve had the same stylist for 21 years, ever since she graduated from cosmetology school.
I think the I fall into the same camp as many here – long nails, acrylics and artwork are in the “good for her, not for me” space. I don’t know how I would live my life, type, garden, cook and bathe children while worrying about long nails (and how much it costs to keep them up!) That said, there is nothing I love more than a classic, nearly sheer gel mani for a special occasion. I also love a simple chrome coat that gives my natural nails just the hintiest hint of rainbow in the right light, like this one: https://www.ulta.com/p/miracle-gel-special-effects-top-coats-pimprod2038905?sku=2610607&cmpid=PS_Non!google!Product_Listing_Ads&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&cagpspn=pla&CATCI=aud-1969033816997:pla-300862753372&CAAGID=18002902230&CAWELAID=330000200003005645&CATARGETID=330000200002825550&CADevice=c&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=232907070&gbraid=0AAAAAD9rLH4PfJSOIWVit8ypeahIrasUG&gclid=CjwKCAjwr5_CBhBlEiwAzfwYuNZ9Hg_E5MbpYN6EdfeYNKIpsxodO9FRnrBiBEI3SBXudcyfemr43xoCUicQAvD_BwE For moms of small manicure aficionados, I can’t say enough about Sally Hansen Instant Dry. Those are the only colors I let my kids use since I know they won’t be smearing nail polish on all the furniture!
I’ve gotten my nails done in a salon 3 times, each time gel, light pink. I do my nails at home and keep them shorter to mid-length (rounded square-ish). I either keep them bare or use Static Nails polish (4 step gel nail, no UV, comes off with polish remover) and they last 7ish days. I usually do poppy red on my toes and my nails vary between light pink, poppy red, and the colors inbetween. I mix alot of my own colors using their lighter colors as a base. I like my nails polished but simple. I admire those ‘fun’ nails but it’s a good for you not for me kind of thing. I type all day and do chores and garden and tinker and long nails just don’t work for me.
I admire this art and panache on others, but it’s not my thing. I don’t do manicures because I much prefer my nails short, and I don’t want the upkeep. Last spring I went for a pedicure and asked the tech if she would be willing to shape and tidy my fingernails a bit, and she suggested buffing instead of polish. I was so thrilled with how good it looked I about fell out of my chair. It was the perfect thing for me: groomed, simple, clean, with gentle gloss and shine.
I have terrible osteoarthritis and my fingers are pretty gnarly, so rings and look-at-me manicures are not for me. But I do like to keep my nails well-groomed so it at least looks like I try, since you can’t help but notice my hands. Dior Crème Abricot and Nail Glow for me!
This was my mother’s argument to me when I suggested we go for a manicure date and I will share with you what I told her: That every time I see a very well dressed older lady with hands gnarled by time, they are impeccibly manicured in any range of colors and it just makes their entire persona look pulled together! Please do not let arthritis prevent you from enjoying a manicure. Because others like me are also enjoying the fact that you look wonderful, bumpy hands or not!
Tariro Makoni wrote the best Substack on manicures. I think of it all the time! https://open.substack.com/pub/trademarked/p/stealth-status-what-your-manicure?r=1e6a3s&utm_medium=ios I love getting my nails done, but financially right now it makes more sense for me to do my own. My absolute fave is a classic red, and I don’t mind that I have to touch it up frequently and redo it every Saturday night. I love the process of painting and the dignity of taking care of my body and how I present myself to the world in this way.
Holy heck, this is amazing writing. Like, should be in the COJ round-up this week; reminds me a bit of Anne Helen Petersen’s approach to analysis. Thanks for sharing Amber!
I love her writing, that’s all. The crossover I want to see!
I love this and it’s great to see nail techs get the recognition in Tempe’s book. It’s incredible art. My daughter loves to get her nails done and she invited me along, giving me the tips of how to be at the salon and what to ask for. I absolutely loved being in that space. It was so relaxing and there was something so safe feeling about it. I could see for the first time why getting your nails done is addictive. In my teen years I was all grunge and I look back and think quite anti-feminine kind of feminist if that makes sense. Like I had to resist any kind of girlyness, that is was silly and frivolous. I now see through my daughters you can be whatever you want and embrace any kind of girly so I’m learning that now. It’s also extremely fun and can be very expensive so a treat that you savour. I want to get her book for sure!
These are fantastic! It’s a true art!
I keep my nails pretty simple when I paint them, but my husband is nail *decorator*. He paints his nails once a week with patterns, stripes, and fun colors. He picks color combos I would never, but they wind up working perfectly and then he adds fun nail tattoos, usually around horror and fantasy themes. He gets so many compliments from everyone (except maybe his mother!). I think he sees it as just another way to tell people who he is and what he likes.
Love this! I’ve seen men who have fun nails, even if much simpler and I always think it looks great!
I love to see a man with painted nails – it is such a fun way to express oneself. Good for him!
Your husband sounds awesome, Beth! My four year old boys love to paint their nails but have already started getting mean comments by peers (“boys don’t paint their nails!” “pink is for girls”) and it absolutely breaks my heart. I love encouraging this form of self-expression for them and seeing examples of other cool grown dudes challenging gender norms is really, really helpful and important.
💅🏻🏳️🌈 Currently rocking multicolored PRIDE nails! Just a french manicure with each tip a different color of the rainbow w/ a pretty sheer bottom coat so the color is the main event – they’re SO cute and I’m getting so many compliments on them. Happy Pride!
Alli, love this idea! I bet they look amazing and now I want to try!
I love a home mani m the nail strips stickers. You can get the kind that are just like nail polish stickers or the kind that cure under a little UV lamp. I like Dashing Diva. Cheap (one package usually gets me at least 3 manis) and quick (15 minutes!). I get cute designs but keep in my budget. I love admiring fancy nails on other people but its not a priority for me in time or money.
I really liked the part about nails being tied to identify. I basically just cut, file and Olive & June them at home myself.
My nails are busy supporting my fingers as I type the necessary words to find out and help the people in pain, the latest being in L.A.
It’s okay if they’re cute at the same time. We need joy too.
…..were these words necessary to find and help people in pain?
What nails? I garden. LOL.
In the spring and summer I trim them short and paint them solely to hide the dirt underneath.
I love, love, love nail art–it really brings me an intense amount of joy to look down and see these works of art on my fingers for a few weeks at a time. I have found a few really talented artists in the DC area and cycle through them a few times a year–to celebrate a birthday, or a change in seasons or a trip away. I wish I could get crazy, wild rainbow art all the time, but it’s frowned upon at my work as a sign language interpreter, so I try to button it up (…but I definitely push the envelope!)
I so wish I could get my nails done each month. To me, it’s the ultimate beauty flex BUT what I want to know is how people can afford them? These days, gel nails on hands and toes (which is always my personal choice) is really pricey. Just curious.
Tbh I don’t right now :( Beauty spending is the first area I cut, but also the first thing I will add back into my monthly budget, if I can. I would rather color my hair if it’s between that and my nails.
I think we all have some things that we will find the resources for. I have cut back on or eliminated all my beauty flexes with the exception of my monthly massage. I would love to get regular mani/pedi/facial but that is not just our reality right now. But I won’t let go of the regular massage…
People prioritise different things in their budgets, earn different incomes, live in areas with varied COL, etc etc etc.
I’m about to let my monthly nails go because I finally decided it’s just too expensive and I am so sad about it—nothing else makes me feel as put together as having my nails done, and I get builder gel manicures that make my very thin nails a lot sturdier. I’m going to try doing them myself for a bit to save up some money, but I also understand people that make other sacrifices to hold onto their nail habit!
Not a nail girl myself, but fun to admire from a (long) distance.
I pretty much stick to sheer top coats, either glossy or iridescent. I have “cuticle creep” on my tiny nail beds but I HATE the sensation of pushing my cuticles, so I’ve learned to accept it. Just the thought of pushing my cuticles back is like nails down a chalkboard (pun…intended. haha).
SAME. However, I’ve recently tried to keep mine somewhat in check with this Blue Cross Cuticle Remover and a good lotion and it’s helping a lot! https://www.target.com/p/blue-cross-cuticle-remover-cream-2oz/-/A-86946160?TCID=PDS-336241369&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=336241369&gbraid=0AAAAAD-5dfaIcWCGYad-a1pqbp0puLtj0&gclid=CjwKCAjwr5_CBhBlEiwAzfwYuKtWRAz6RJytb0M88g6wIADCUvO3Skp0qS8m3bwrKzcV5UjlQXLf2xoCI3UQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Last year when my son was hospitalized for their mental health, I took the plunge and started getting structured gel nails. I let my nail artist choose what she wants to do with input on color from me. Some of my favorite sets have been a really fun matte set based on pottery, a pride set from last year based on Weird Barbie’s dress, and some quartz nails. She’s truly a genius and taking them time for myself to be pampered has been good for my own mental health. Structured gel is also long lasting, which is important to me as a climber!
When my son graduated out of inpatient facility, he started getting his nails done. I’m so proud of him for embracing what makes him feel good!
I wish I had such lovely nails on my hands and toes! I have teeny tiny fingernails with the shortest nail beds ever. No exaggeration. My nails look like little girl nails. And my toes…sheesh. I have short, squatty hobbity toenails. I am so self conscious about them. Going to the nail salon is miserable because the technicians think they know what to do with me until they see my nails IRL. They always respond with, oh wow, they really are tiny. My point: I am always in awe and SO envious of people with pretty nails!!! I would have all the fun designs if I was able!
Same!! (And nice to hear we are not alone!). I love the look of polish and all the different options, and I would like to treat myself occasionally… but within a day of polished nail, the part of my finger directly behind the nails aches like it has been smashed. If anyone has a suggestion for polish that does not do this, I am all ears!!
These are so pretty! I never get my nails done or wear nail polish because it makes my fingernails feel like they can’t breathe (weird, I know) and because for me it feels too impractical for the things I use my hands for every day (practicing guitar and piano with my kids, scrubbing one million dishes and many other grimy messes, gardening). But I love seeing other people express themselves through their nails!
I’m the same, Kimberly. I think it looks soooooo good on other people but on myself it drives me crazy. But I also can’t deal with wearing my hair down or if like, the sleeves on my shirt are too poofy so clearly I’ve got some sensory stuff going on. Also, sometimes when I take off my nail polish I realize that underneath my nails were totally dirty! And I didn’t realize!! The horrors! I think fancy nails are for girlies with better self care habits than me.
I feel the same way abt nail polish. I also pick it off if it chips a little bit. I can’t deal with it. I happen to have pretty nice natural nails so I don’t care that I can’t stand polish. I play piano,garden, do dishes, clean, etc, too so crazy long nails are out. I can handle polish on my toes but don’t like getting pedicures. They kinda hurt and I don’t like it. I haven’t painted my toes since 2017 tho so…
THIS 100x OVER
I feel the same way about nails not being able to breathe! Similarly, if I have anything more than moisturiser (e.g. sunscreen, foundation etc) on my face, it feels weird and I can’t wait to scrub it off.
Yes, lol! Glad to know someone else feels this. I feel like they are suffocating. I have read about a polish that “breathes” but have not tried it yet. Maybe one day.
I get this same uncomfortable feeling with polish on my fingernails (doesn’t bother me on my toenails). BUT, that feeling is much less noticeable/goes away if I am super careful not to have any of the polish touch my cuticles and leave a bit of a gap between where my skin and nail meet and where the polish starts. FYI in case it helps anyone else!
I have the same thing about nail polish, foundation, having my hair down etc and I never realized I could have “some sensory stuff” going on but it makes so much sense!
same!
On the few occasions when I have gotten a manicure, I have literally climbed out of my bed to remove the polish because I could not sleep with the feeling that my nails were smothering. Nice to feel less strange by seeing others have this reaction.
“Don’t take calls on speaker. ‘I have been guilty of answering the phone, pressing the speaker icon, and then putting my hands underneath the UV light. But please, let’s all bring headphones. The salon is a public space, and people are there to relax.'” Please put this on a billboard!!! I am appalled at how comfortable everyone is facetiming, putting the phone on speaker in public, watching tik toks, etc. in public. I have taken to storing old headphones in my purse and offering them to people who are doing this. So far no one has taken the headphones, but everyone has taken the hint to turn their phone volume off. If this makes me Becky or Karen or just plain out of touch, I do not care.
I’ve been thinking that as a public service project I will hand out headphones on the subway. TikToks on full volume is my pet peeve!!
Let’s not make “Becky” or “Karen” bad words, please.
This is genius Lexie! I cannot STAND people putting their phones on speaker in public places.
I love having my nails painted & mine grow so fast that I like to keep them as short as possible. For the past year or so, I keep coming back to glitter and sparkles. A few months ago, I picked three colors and topped them all with sparkles.
I’ve said it here before but you gotta check out Bare Hands. I think unpolished yet naturally shiny nails are so chic and easy going. https://barehands.us
Literally yesterday I decided I wanted to do SOMETHING with my bumpy nails and thick cuticles, but I know salons and polish just aren’t for me, except for maybe on special occasions. Thanks for sharing this! I’ll be ordering!
Love Bare Hands!
Thank you for mentioning this. Personally I don’t wear nail polish because the chemicals are bad for the environment, but I love the look of natural, taken care of nails.
I’ve been using Bare Hands for over a year and I absolutely love it. However, I still miss getting gel manicures! I have the itch so bad right now, and spent a solid 20 minutes looking up tortoise nail art after reading this post. Last time I did a gel mani though, it tooks nearly two months after having the polish removed to get back to my healthy Bare Hands nails.
I just want healthy nails that look well taken care of, so this Bare Hands kit is perfect. Thank you for the recommendation!
Cosigned. 4 years of this 95% of the time and I’m sooooooo happy with my nails. Fun nails for special occasions otherwise! I love the little kit it’s always in my bag.
My nails are never not painted, but not necessarily for the aesthetic – I bite them if they’re not freshly coated! I paint them myself and while I love these fun inspos, I like a plain solid. I now have a nine week old baby, going into post-mortum I was worried about how I’d be able to keep up with my nails. Happy to report it hasn’t been an issue and they’re still painted like every third day! In fact, I’m currently wearing him in his carrier with freshly painted nails, lol. My main color brands are Essie, tenoverten, and Olive & June but regardless of what paint I use I top it off with Dazzle Dry which is truly the fastest drying topcoat I’ve found!
“…….going into post-mortum……” I hope you meant post-partum! Congratulations and enjoy that baby!
If anyone has damaged nails, I cannot say more about Dr. Dana’s Nail Repair system. You will see improvements overnight, I promise. It’s $20 and your nails will be better than ever in just a few weeks. I used it in the fall after realizing that multivitamins without iron were making my nails peel and I mean PEEL. I found Dr. Dana and my nails still look incredible. They’ve never been so healthy. No polish for me, my nails are luminous.
Genuinely impressed at anyone who can rock those long gorgeous nails. I have chronic nasal congestion and am constantly grabbing for a tissue and can’t imagine trying to do that with long nails!
I now do semi-cured nail strips. I have short nails, have never been able to grow them, and was into dip and gel polishes for a few months but they left my nails a mess. I found semi-cured nails strips and they have been great! I use my hands all the time for everything and they last as long as most gels/dip from the salon. I wish I could rock long, artistic nails but have come to accept I’m a short nail gal so I just enjoy nail art on others.
Me too! I love the cute designs, they protect my real nails underneath, they last about 10 days with me so I can change it up regularly! Im a total convert!
I especially love those aura nails. They feel like magic portals on your fingertips! During covid, I picked up a habit of doing multicolored manis at home, with each finger a different color. They’re such a happy jolt of color when I look back at old pictures. But! I started rock climbing and it SHREDS polish off. My hands have never been stronger, but I do miss the influx of color sometimes. Everyone enjoy your pretty nails for me!!
Fellow rock climber—I have to keep my nails short and can’t put polish on them, either. (My other hobbies are playing guitar and piano so short nails for the win!)
I’m also a climber and structured gel has held up REALLY well for multiple climbing sessions per week. I’m actually shocked at how long it lasts (I get my nails done once per month and currently have no chips in my polish).
I wear my nails short with a sheer pink or dark red. But, I absolutely love all this nail art! Amazing! I subscribe to Tembe’s Substack- always a great read! This book looks like it’d be a cool gift.
I have had long nails (about the length of the French set pictured above) for at least the last 10 years – currently gel x extensions and before that acrylics. When my son was born a year and a half ago, I had them taken off thinking it would be better to care for a newborn with short nails. But I didn’t feel like me and found myself itching to get them back. I caved after about 3 weeks and went in and got my long nails back, painted with baby blue bows for my son, and I was so so happy. It was simple but having my nails done – feeling like myself – helped to keep me grounded during the long newborn nights. And the length has never been a problem. I have never once scratched or stabbed my son lol
Any tips or thoughts so my nails don’t look horrible and damaged in between manis when I am natural? I have tried dip and stickers and they both leave my natural nails looking weird when I remove them. Thx!
I had almost two years with no nail polish or manicures during the pandemic. When I got a regular polish manicure again I was shocked by how much my nails and cuticles negatively responded to the experience. Tried a couple more times with different polishes and salons but for my nails in particular, every nail polish and nail polish remover I’ve tried is not good for my fingers. I have really sensitive skin, and my nails split like crazy ONLY if I’m doing nail polish. Gel is just a trash factory for my hands. I can’t even contemplate trying that again. I’ve decided some people just aren’t nail polish / gel / acrylic folks, and I’m one of them. It’s too bad because I love them, but they don’t love me back.
With builder gel manis, they put a layer of goo between your nail and the polish and it keeps them much better protected! I also think doing something like the Kur London nail protector polishes to keep them from drying out in between could be helpful—I really need to have something on my nails or they just dry out and look gross. Everyone’s different!
I appreciate nail art as beautiful from a distance. And I know (from a distance, not from personal experience) that having a good set has cultural relevance for many people. But I don’t participate because I can’t get over the environmental cost. It’s chemicals, plastics. Same reason I don’t do polish or dye my hair. So a “good for her, not for me” moment. My jaw still drops open in admiration when I see a great set!
Yes! I love the look of painted nails, but I only do them if I’m going to a wedding, I just worry about the long term chemical exposure. I know there are “cleaner” polishes out there, but it doesn’t seem like most salons carry them. But they look so good!
I love looking at everyone’s pretty manicures! Sadly I have sensory issues around long nails and polish, so I am rarely able to get mine done. Gel manicures help, since there’s no chipping (a chip in one nail with regular polish means I must obsessively chip all the polish off every nail until it’s all gone). Anyone have advice for what kinds of nail designs or colors work best for short nails? I feel like my nails always look more stubby and dumb with a manicure than without…
R.S.! Pinterest is a treasure trove of nail art ideas and you can add in any qualifiers you want! “Short nails art design ideas” would be a great place to start. And if you can find someone near you who does Russian manicures (without water), I’ve found them to last forever without chips!
I think I learned about Dazzle Dry on a CoJ post? That system has been a(n at-home) game-changer for me.
Dazzle dry is the BEST!!!!!
Yes, completely agree! No chipping, very quick, doesn’t damage my nails. Highly recommend to anyone who wants a long-lasting at-home manicure.
I’ve followed Tempe for a few years now and I’m not sure how I missed her book release! So glad to see it here and can’t wait to purchase
Thank you for sharing these beautiful creations! My mom owned a nail salon and I grew up in there answering the phones, taking appointments and taking off polishes while clients waited for their appointments. Another etiquette to add: Please do call them nail technicians, call them by their names. For some reasons, clients would call them “girls”, as in my nail girl, or the “girl” who did my nails, and I would realize that they were referring to my 55 year old aunt. Granted she looks amazing and youthful but she is no girl.
love this comment. thank you, Alice!
Long nails look so cool on other people! But I clip mine short because #momlife and I can’t keep them clean otherwise! and then I paint them about once a month. My daughter is five and loves to share polish
Short nails courtesy of #momlife here too! Plus too many years of violin and piano lessons meant that I never got comfortable with long nails.
Love this and am inspired to get a multi-colored French tip this week!
Lol this is like Miss Manners for the 21st Century.
The column we need! Speaker phone be GONE.
Amen! Put “speaker phone be gone” on a t-shirt!
honestly even having long conversations in enclosed shared spaces (not on speaker) drives me insane. It’s so distracting.