Beauty

[maddiecat]

Today is one of the only days I can remember going nail polish-free. I have short natural nails that I keep polished in a pale/nude pink shade. I've had this habit as long as I can remember.

I intended to give myself a manicure last night, but it got too late. So, this morning I stripped off the polish and came to work without any on. I tucked a nail buffer in my purse that gives a shine to nails and gave them a few buffs once I arrived. I also keep a small bottle of OPI Avoplex nail oil in my desk drawer and used that on my dry cuticles.

My nails actually look pretty good! The shine is subtle and the nail oil sunk in quickly. My nails have been so dry and have peeled on the tips with the cold weather, no matter how much I baby them.

I'm contemplating going polish-free for awhile to see how I like it. I've never done it before! Have you?

[bluejeansluvr]

I don't wear colored polish on my nails. I have short natural nails too and I like them this way. I usually wear a clear polish over a coat of Nailtiques. The Nailtiques keeps my nails from splitting and peeling. I actually have to cut my nails when I use the Nailtiques. If I stop using it, my nails split and break.

So I usually will do my own manicure at home and lightly buff my nails, then apply a coat of the Nailtiques, then a clear topcoat or (sometimes) a light pink or nude shade and then a clear top coat over that. But sometimes I just go without anything for a few days and then go back to my regular Nailtiques routine.

For a while I was getting gel manicures at the salon but got concerned about the UV damage to my hands and stopped doing that. I do not want those dark spots all over my hands.

I find that I do just as nice of a job doing my own nails. I buy OPI and Essie products and use them for my mani /pedis.

[bluejeansluvr]

OPI makes a great "brilliance" buffer, gives a nice shine without a lot of effort.

[Amazinggrace2]

I have been doing my own nails after decades of having them done professionally. Basically I manicure, buff and then a few top coats of sheer gloss for protection. So much easier to keep up with.

[Chrystaltree2]

Yes, but just for the winter. It was a long and brutal winter and I gave my nails a rest. No polish, I kept them short and did my own manicures. Kept my nails and cuticles oiled. My nails look good and are healthy. But come summer, I'll be back to pretty polishes.

[bluejeansluvr]

I think short natural nails buffed to a gloss, or with a sheer pink/nude/ clear coat of polish looks so fresh and clean. I love the look.

[maddiecat]

I give myself twice-weekly manicures. It would be great to spend less time on them and not obsess over every little chip!

I like the pale/nude pink look because it always looks clean and doesn't clash with what I'm wearing.

[VioletEyes]

I stopped wearing polish recently because of an allergy. I buff my nails now but I am so used to wearing polish in the summer months with sandals, I may try to find something hypoallergenic..

[jaxs mom]

Sure I go through stretches where I don't wear polish. At the moment I'm on a polish kick though.

[Tigriss]

I had to quit because I couldn't get the polish to last more than a day or so due to my weak nails. I've got to strengthen them so the polish will last longer. I am now wearing Nailtiques 2 and take my vitamins. They are strengthening, so hopefully I will be able to get polish to last quite a while, a week would be nice.