I was just wondering how important nails are to all of you? I have been getting gel Mani's and Pedi's for about 6 months now. It is super important to me because it is one of the things I always wanted. And even as a kid could never understand why boys were not supposed to get them.  So I did my research and found the gel Polish I needed to have what is called an american manicure. It is basically a French manicure that looks like your natural nails. I can't figure how to post a pic. Or I would post a past pic of one if the first times. They are longer now and I am not having them cut next time. They are already starting to interfere with my typing on my phone but I am getting real quick using the sides and balls of my fingers instead if the tips. God I do not know why I waited so long. I love them. And in the time I have had them only one person has said anything about them and it was a really nice guy I met at the recycling center. He asked if I played guitar. I said no. And he goes. Oh you just like them long like that. I said yes I like them long. Then we continued talking about our wife's for a while. Then he left. And said we should hang out some time. Lol

I love my nails. I keep them at a nice enough length that it makes my female friends jealous
I also paint them every chance I can. Once I'm full time they will probably never be unpainted again.

Mine are wrecked,they split like wood in layers.I used to wear black nail polish for a year or so then started to match up classic car colours with nail polish.2 of my favourites were a black cherry from a 68 Mercury Cougar and a bright blue seen on the 68 AMC Javelin.I also matched guitar colours and had an electric blue polish I matched to Andy McCoy's flying V guitar.Now I buff them to a shine but they haven't improved,I've tried pills,creams to rub in and paint on hardeners which haven't made the slightest difference.I've been a vegetarian for 8 years though I don't think it made any difference

Quote from: big kim on February 04, 2014, 03:05:43 AM
Mine are wrecked,they split like wood in layers.I used to wear black nail polish for a year or so then started to match up classic car colours with nail polish.2 of my favourites were a black cherry from a 68 Mercury Cougar and a bright blue seen on the 68 AMC Javelin.I also matched guitar colours and had an electric blue polish I matched to Andy McCoy's flying V guitar.Now I buff them to a shine but they haven't improved,I've tried pills,creams to rub in and paint on hardeners which haven't made the slightest difference.I've been a vegetarian for 8 years though I don't think it made any difference

Mine got pretty wrecked after an acrylic & gel french manicure, I think that was about 8 months ago. I hated the ridges that appeared after they were removed, only recently have they begun to dissipate. I think they key for me was not buffing or doing anything to my nails. Buffing seems to thin them out ever so slightly, which makes a big difference with the fraying.

So recently I have just been doing regular old trimming, keeping them rather short because they are still slightly weak (a HECK of a lot stronger than they used to be, though!). At least the ridges are nearly gone As soon as I stopped filing the ends at all, I noticed an immediate difference in the woodlike splitting

I feel like my nails should be important, but I just can't seem to find the energy to keep up with them or keep them nice. I have no trouble with other typically feminine grooming. Part of my problem is that I feel polish draws unwanted attention to my hands, which, while not huge for a woman of 5' 8", are still more veiny than I would prefer. My goal right now is to eat foods that encourage collagen production. Would a professional manicure be worth it?

Quote from: Jane's Sweet Refrain on February 04, 2014, 05:33:45 AM
Would a professional manicure be worth it?

Yeah that's what I wonder, too. I feel like good strong healthy nails like to be left alone... uncovered and unscuffed. But, I may be wrong

Regardless, it is indeed wonderful having someone work on your nails. So maybe it is good because it feels good?

If I don't do my nails my hands look like they have fat, weird sausages attached to them. They seem slimming to me somehow

I absolutely LOVE nails that are done well and look nice; to me it's one of the things that says "woman". My own efforts with nail polish have greatly improved (less coloring outside the lines), but I'm really looking forward one day to walking into a nail salon when I'm full time and having a professional mani/pedi done.

I get a UV gel manicure every 2-3 weeks and a pedicure every 4-6 weeks.

I wish I could grow the fingernails out more because they look so much better that way, unfortunately when I do that my guitars will usually end up shredding them.

Quote from: Norma Lynne on February 04, 2014, 01:20:42 AM
I was just wondering how important nails are to all of you?

I loved having long shiny nails. I put a new coat of gloss on them every two weeks.

Unfortunately it turns out I'm a lesbian, and word is that lesbians with long nails have a harder time finding dates, so I keep them trimmed and filed these days.

I have long, strong nails.....I never clip them, only file them.  I almost never paint them....but I touch them up with a file every day or two when they chip (I work with my hands a lot)

Nails are zero priority for me.  I don't mind having my toe nails done, and having coloured finger nails for a night out is fun.  However, long nails and having an active life seem like an oxymoron to me.  Not so good in my job either (software engineer / astronomer).

Yes they are

I keep my nails long, but not too long.. I learnt as time passed, how to file them and look after them.. I have a nail kit which I use to do my nails. I love having my nails painted.

My fav Nail polish color for my hands is red. I also love blue or a french manicure.

I love painting my toes blue or purple.. Red and french mani are also favorites.

I love a large collection of nail polish with lots of colors and do experiment with different colors.

My nails are almost always painted, even in the winter months my toes will have clear vanish on them with white tips.. even though my feet are covered with closed shoes. I rarely do colors on the toes in the winter months.. the colors come out in the summer when I wear open shoes.

I think painted nails is a very girlly thing, and I makes my hands and feet look more famine

So this is a pic of my third time getting GEL nails done. They are longer now. They look way better longer. And my toes match now too. The Top coat is " GELISH Matte Top it Off " and the white is " GELISH Snow Bunny " The white is off white and my salon only does 1 coat of the white to get the natural look. And I am WAY pre-transition. In total Boy mode. But now I wonder if after starting HRT if my nails will get weaker???

Quote from: Alexis Paige on February 04, 2014, 02:28:30 AM
I love my nails. I keep them at a nice enough length that it makes my female friends jealous
I also paint them every chance I can. Once I'm full time they will probably never be unpainted again.

Why wait till your full time. I am still in ultra boy mode. But my nails are longer and (sorry Baby) Nicer than my wife's.
My experience is that they don't care who you are just go in with confidence.

Quote from: Jill F on February 04, 2014, 08:49:10 AM
I get a UV gel manicure every 2-3 weeks and a pedicure every 4-6 weeks.

That is about my exact schedule. LOL

Quote from: Jennygirl on February 04, 2014, 05:43:05 AM

Quote from: Jane's Sweet Refrain on February 04, 2014, 05:33:45 AM
Would a professional manicure be worth it?

Yeah that's what I wonder, too. I feel like good strong healthy nails like to be left alone... uncovered and unscuffed. But, I may be wrong

Regardless, it is indeed wonderful having someone work on your nails. So maybe it is good because it feels good?

SO WORTH IT in my opinion. But you have to be careful and do your research. Because a gel manicure done wrong will make it worse. But a gel manicure done right will let your nails breath And repair them selves. My wife had gels done it 2 different salons before she went to mine. Yes My salon. I just got the confidence and went by myself the first time. The first 2 salons hurt her BUT when done correctly gels should not hurt.

And they should NEVER use a electric rotary file to remove the old gel. Which is removed every time you go in. Never added on like acrylics. My salon has never hurt my wife. So now she believes me about gel manicures are good. My Wifes Nails were super thin and brittle. She has been getting gels and using "Burts Bees LEMON Cuticle Butter" and they are getting better as they grow out.

Nails! You bet. there is nothing better in the world to totally make you feel feminine. I think they have the benefit of making you move slower and more female when you do things with your hands. I am with Noleen, red is my favorite of all. 

I just love having nails, i do have a color matching kind of phobia so tend to stay more natural in color except for special events. i like mine about 1/8 to 1/4 inch beyond my finger tips. i have had them long forever so have gotten used to typing and daily stuff. not super important just another way of expressing my who I am stuff. 24 hours until full out and full time, then who knows likely some bright colors. mine are very strong and do not use any gel coats yet.. my two cents on nails
jerri

While I don't paint mine much because of the work I do, I've always had strong nails that will if I let them grow sharp like little knives on the ends of my fingers, lol I've actually cut myself and other people by accident with them. I've never had a problem with splitting but I have chipped them a time or two by not being careful as I wear them kind of on the long side.

They used to be a must for me early in transition. I still love a good mani/pedi pampering.

Just not as much as i used to get them done now days.

I always say on a bad day go out and get your nails done, always brought a smile to my face.


Isabell

kind of addicted to red. I need to experiment.

I chew my nails all the time and I'm always jealous of people with long nails. I'm getting one of those spiner rings to help with that and hopefully I'll be able to have the nails I've always wanted