STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

lilyann · Dooney & Bourke

Manicurist, or do your own nails?

small fry · Chanel

When I have the extra $$$ I go and get my done. My hairstylist does mine. My nails tend to break and peel. I love artificial nails b/c of these reasons. Also if I have them painted the nail polish does not chip off which is great since my hands are always in the water and Iam washing them all the time at work.

In fact Iam going Friday to get them re-done

-- Edited by kaykay at 08:50, 2006-08-31

killa · Dooney & Bourke

I like to get mine done because it is difficult for me to apply the polish to both hands without clumping or nicking the coat. Plus, the polish tends to last longer when I get them professionally done. (And I get a shoulder, neck and hand massage with it!)

I get a manicure about once a month and take care of my nails on my own the rest of the time.

jacL · Coach

I go to the nail salon and get gel nails put on. Until last year, I always did my nails on my own and they always looked very nice, but then I started work in a lab where I have to wear latex gloves all day. Under the gloves, my natural nails peeled so much I couldn't even keep up with them. Now my nails always look nice.

Elle · Hermes

I HATE having my nails done by someone else!! HATE it.

I'm a big nail biter from waaaaay back, and if my nails and cuticles aren't absolutely perfect, I pick and bite. You know how if a manicurist paints your nails, they always leave a thin strip on each side that isn't polished? It. drives. me. batshit. crazy. So crazy that I end up ruining my manicure in about a day anyway .

I do my own about once a week or so.

bex · Chanel

I go about 2 times per month to the spa to have mine done. I have natural nails and I find that i just can't file or polish them the same as my nail tech does!

all my friends know when i've had my nails done b/c i always have a really dark pretty color on whereas when i do them myself i use a nude/pink color.

Kitty · Hermes

I used to be one of those women who always has extremely well-manicured nails. Then one day I realized how much I was spending on that (It was like $15 + tip every week) and I figured it wasn't really worth it. I hate fake nails, I think they're disgusting - so I was never into that.

I usually just clip my nails now and that's it. They look pretty good. I just can't paint my own nails - I suck at it.

kealoha · Kate Spade

I only get them professionally done if I have an event to attend or am in dire need of pampering. I prefer to wear my nails short & tend to cut/file/buff them every other week. Plus, I'm somewhat afraid of getting an infection, so much that I bring my own tools to the salon.

twinkle · Coach

I have gel nails - no one knows (but you girls) - they look so natural and I just always look like I have a great manicure. It's worth the extra cost to me and the upkeep is rather easy.

member · Hermes

twinkle wrote:

I have gel nails - no one knows (but you girls) - they look so natural and I just always look like I have a great manicure. It's worth the extra cost to me and the upkeep is rather easy.

I have gel nails too and mine are like yours twinkle - everyone tells me my nails are so beautiful and thinks they are my real nails. I keep them short and neutral and they look really nice. It's just much easier to me to go and get them taken care of every couple weeks rather than me trying to maintain them.

laken1 · Hermes

I do my own. Of all the other spa services I could get, the manicure is my least favorite & anytime I've gone to get them done I've just felt cheated. I'd much rather spend the money on a pedi, massage, or facial.

ETA: I must admit that I don't have my painted usually just clear polish & they have been strong my whole life - I remember having long nails in the 4th grade.....

-- Edited by laken1 at 16:04, 2006-08-31

deadlyjane · BCBG

I have never gotten a manicure or a pedicure in my life.

cc · Marc Jacobs

deadlyjane wrote:

I have never gotten a manicure or a pedicure in my life.

me either! Actually, I think my friend and I went to get manicures once in like 7th grade but my mom made me pick a nude shade of polish.

I don't paint my finger nails and they usually look fine they way they are (though they grow way too fast!). I paint my toenails regularly. Every summer I swear that I am going to get a pedicure and I never have. I know it would look better if I got it done professionally but I'd rather spend that money on something else.

kittenheels · Coach

I get pedicures every other week. It's mainly because I wear a lot of opentoe shoes and am not good at neatly painting my own toes.

I don't get manicures very often. My hands just get wrecked at work with all the paper I touch...and I generally just paint them clear or Essie's mademoiselle shade.

Kelly · Hermes

I've only gotten a manicure once, and I wasn't impressed enough to go back.

I get pedicures whenever I can, though; my feet get beat up and I need it, not so much for painting my toenails but just for un-grossifying my feet. I feel a zillion times better after a pedicure, and I actually get them done at Walmart a lot because it's half the price of the salon, and the people at my Walmart are almost just as good.

mikacat · Coach

i get a mani every two weeks but only about 6 pedis a year.

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

I almost never have polish on my fingers because I hate it when they chip, but most of the time I try to do it myself. Usually I find it to be a soothing process -- me time, like lilyann said -- but whenever I do my own pedicure my neck and shoulders start to hurt after a while. I'll get a professional pedicure a few times during the summer, especially when I want a color that isn't pale.

sephorablue · Marc Jacobs

cc wrote:

I don't paint my finger nails and they usually look fine they way they are (though they grow way too fast!). I paint my toenails regularly. Every summer I swear that I am going to get a pedicure and I never have. I know it would look better if I got it done professionally but I'd rather spend that money on something else.

This is me too. I just can't stomach spending the money on something I can do a reasonable simulacrum of myself.