These are my special Halloween nails that I got done yesterday. I'm thinking they might be my last hurrah, nails-wise.
I first got fake gel nails in July when I needed a manicure that would last through my 9-day trip to California. I've had the gel nails ever since. Thus far, gel nails have been my favorite nails. I had acrylic nails back in the day, and those were fine, but I find the gel ones are sturdier, thinner, and a little cheaper. I also like that with the gel nails, the tips are made of a different-colored gel, rather than being painted on with polish. That way the color doesn't chip.
The only thing is, the cost of getting your nails done really adds up. Depending on the particular design I get, the nails end up costing me anywhere from $70 to $100 a month (usually more toward $70 because I don't often get fancy designs like the Halloween nails).
So should I get rid of the fake nails?
Before you answer, let me tell you that I absolutely cannot DIY when it comes to nails. I have extremely shaky hands, especially my left hand, so any nail polish ends up all over my cuticles and halfway up my arm. So the choice isn't "fake nails vs. DIY manicure," but rather, "fake nails vs. my ugly natural hands."
The arguments for either side are pretty obvious. Having nice nails is something special you can do for yourself. It's an easy way to ensure that no matter how schlubby you look, you'll always make a good impression in the nail department. On the other hand (no pun intended), the nails are expensive and time-consuming. And why do I need nice nails if my general lifestyle means I usually look schlubby anyway?
I'm not really going to decide what to do about the nails just yet. There are some unknowns in my professional future, and any particular turn of events might have a huge effect on my nail choices. I guess I'm just wondering, am I a fool for scrambling to save money while still walking around with fancy-ass nails?
2 comments:
I often struggle with this as well. I had a run with the gel nails recently – They made me feel a bit more polished, which I thought was a good thing when dealing with interviews and general business-y stuff. I kept telling myself I had to “fake it to make it” and the nails made it seem that I had lots of expendable income and therefore lots of clients. Then I got so much work that I couldn’t make my regular nail appointment time, so I took them off myself and haven’t had a chance to go back. I think if they make you feel good and more confident, go for it. Though I realize it is kind of dumb of me to obtain self-confidence from my manicure.
S, It really costs upwards of $1000 to maintain a set of fake nails? Man, you can get a new top-o-the-line iPad with all the bells, whistles, programs and covers for that much. JC in SoCal
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