Did my own acrylic backfills today!!!
 

Okay, when we were getting ready for the cruise, I got a pedicure so I could be comfortable wearing sandles. While I was there I decided to get a manicure, but I had a broken nail, so they suggested I get overlays. They could tip the one broken nail and overlay them all so my polish would stay on longer. They looked really nice when finished. Two weeks later, of course, I needed backfills. Didn't want to pay the $20, but went ahead, just once, then figured, I'd remove the acrylic and go back to my ordinary nails in two weeks. Well, I really liked having nicer looking nails, and here we are, time for backfills again.

All the nail places looked really crowded yesterday, before Easter, and really didn't want to pay $20 every two weeks ($520/year) for pretty nails. Sooooo, I went to Sally's Beauty Supply and bought an acrylic nails starter kit, $20, and got a little battery powered nail thing, like a Dremel, at HEB Plus for about $7. There's enough acrylic powder in the starter kit for probably 4 months or more of backfills. There was even a little DVD enclosed to show you how to do it.

Early this afternoon, I decided to give it a try. I didn't do as good a job as a professional, but I'm pleased with the results. Hubby says they look nice, too. I even put a couple of little stars on my ring fingers. Not sure what the nail salon would have charged to add those. I'm sure I'll get better with more practice, so for now, I'll keep the acrylic.

Good for you Marilyn...we all have hidden talents...lol. I had never needed acrylic nails. Mine were always as hard as rocks and when one would break it would jar my finger and hurt.

For some reason...for the last 6 months or so, they break and split all the time. I don't really like the longer nails, always so hard for me to type and call someone....roflmbo!!!!! Maybe if I ever go somewhere really nice, I may consider acrylic nails, but until then I just carry my clippers and file with me.

Janet, my natural nails are pretty tough, too, and mine aren't too long now, just about 1/8 th to 1/4 inch past the tip of my fingers. I don't want talons, I type too much, too, however, you can type pretty well with the tips of your fingernails if you need to.

The main reason for the overlays is so that the polish sticks better. On my natural nails, the polish is pretty chipped in a week. On the overlays, it can last with only a little wearing on the tips for over 2 weeks.

The acrylic isn't real thick either. I don't like thick nails. They actually look pretty natural. The tip of my right index finger needs a little touch up though. I decided to clean the refrigerator last night, and used the scrubber some, of the edge of the nail has a bit of polish worn off. I'll wait till later this evening to touch it up. Tonight I have to bathe the dogs. The work never ends and our hands are always in water.

I let my daughter and g-daughters talk me into getting "solar" nails when I took vacation with them on Spring Break. I started beating myself up immediately thinking about the cost of upkeeping them. I guess my nails grow slow because they lasted a few days over three weeks. I'm still waiting for them to fall off, but I stopped in at a Wal-Mart to have them refilled and only paid $10. I don't polish mine and keep them real short, so few people even notice that I have fake nails! I probably keep them through the wedding and then take them off!

I'm like you, Marilyn, in the fact that I figure out what it costs to maintain them for a year. If I worked outside of the home I'd probably have my nails done but since I'm home and nobody sees them I don't worry about them. I keep mine short and once in a while in the summer I might polish them. I'm not good at keeping them done though.

I'm glad that you'll be saving some money and I'm sure that you'll be proud of what you've accomplished!!! We can do so much if we just put our mind to the fact that "we can"!!

I'll have to check and see if the Walmarts here do this. There's a Super Walmart right near my office and one in the town where I live. I'll still do my own, but there will be times when I'll be in a time crunch, and $10 I can do once in a while. Thank you for mentioning this!!

Diana, you are right. We can do a lot when we try. Too many people just won't try. They are missing out on so much, IMO. To each their own though. I just like to try to do different things.

I've not heard of solar nails....what are those? I do most everything myself around here so nice nails wouldn't last long I'm afraid. Very seldom am I not busy doing something. I do like to polish my toenails now and then in the summer time, but just when I think my nails look decent, I'll polish them and then it will either split or break. I just don't understand why they've been doing this, they didn't use to.

Janet, I'm not sure what the difference is. There's solar and gel that I've used. Having fake nails doesn't stop me from pulling weeds or digging in the dirt either.

I did nails for 8 yrs (got burnt out) Solar is the product name. I have my nails done now by my daughter,...it can get expensive but, not for me! LOL...I have a daughter who does nails and the other one is a hairdresser...in the same salon!! I'm all set!

Wow Brenda you've got it made girl!!! It is getting expensive. I have my hair cut and colored every 4-5 weeks and it costs $50.00. Been thinking about letting it grow out some and letting it go completely gray. I don't have a dark root on my head...just not sure I want to be all gray yet. My mom is 86 and still colors her hair....lol.

Yes I do!! I am totally gray on the sides and have SEVERAL strands all over,....Eric told me that maybe it would look "cool" if I would let my hair go to it's natural color...I said NOT!! As long as they make color I will be having my hair done!! LOL

OF COURSE YOU SHOULD GO ALL GRAY!!! LOL! I can say that because, well, I AM gray all over!!! Look at my profile picture! http://www.4womentalk.com/forums/member.php?u=123

I haven't colored my hair since I was 30 (I started going gray at 18). I was coloring my hair when I met my current husband and he asked me why. I haven't touched a bottle of color since then! I can't imagine coloring my hair every month - WHEW!

It was costing me over $100 for cut and color, so now I let it grow a bit between cuts, and use, I think it's called, Clairol Natural Instincts. It's a color you can buy anywhere and it's inexpensive and temporary. It's a cinch to use and takes very little time. Looks natural and saves big bucks!!

You look BEAUTIFUL with gray hair!! My Mom is almost white...it is very pretty one her...thing is I wear my hair long....just past my shoulders and long gray hair just doesn't look good...I am having my daughter put some blonde highlights in it in a couple of weeks. I need a little umph! for the summer...and the thing is if I don't like it she can just change it back to the color I have now...It's great having a daughter as a hairdresser!! LOL

I get my hair colored every 5 weeks...I can't STAND roots! However...if I had to pay I probably would either do it myself or go longer...THANK GOD! my daughter is a hairdresser...I have offered to pay them but, they won't take anything.