Question for the Ladies

I've had acrylic nails in the past and while they are great for having your manicure last throughout a full 2-week Negril vacation they are hell on your nails. I've been hearing a lot about this new "gel manicure" that supposedly makes a regular manicare last longer but isn't harsh on your nails like acrylic. I was contemplating this for my next Negril vacation but wasn't sure how it would hold up to the salt water and sand. I'm in the ocean daily so if it's not going to be much better than a regular manicure, no use doing the gel thing. Anyone get a gel manicure for Negril? If so, how did it hold up?

curious also as to the answer to this. I got acrylics only once in my life and I have to say that while they lasted for weeks and held up with no chips etc even when I was super active in Negril, when I had them removed my real nails were killed. Seriously took a lot of time for my nails to recover. Plus they weren't that comfortable for me. Now I just keep my natural nails short.

let acrylic nails grow out and file the ridge - don't pick or soak them off - you can actually grow your own nails in if you have them coat your nail and not add tips - - one month you will have your own nails

gel nails work the same way . . . more or less

BrenJaLee - I did last year and it was absolutely great!!! It looked as good on the day I left Negril as the day I got them done. I was in water all day long - both ocean and pool - no problems at all. I can go three weeks before having to get them redone (sometimes longer if I'm too lazy to make an appointment).

Seveen, my nails grow pretty slow, are very thin and break easy. I never had acrylic tips, I only had them put acrylic on top of my own nail (basically to make them harder and the polish last longer). I've had them off/on for 3-4 years and every time I had them taken off to let my own nail "breathe" a little, it would take a solid 6 months to finally get rid of the damaged nail bed. I have no desire to go back to acrylic again.

Cands, thanks so much for this info! I may just give it a shot. I'll be there for 2 weeks and would love to have a nice manicure but didn't want to chance it if the gel didn't hold up to the salt and sand.

I actually gut my first gel manicure two days before our last trip and it held up great! I was in the water, not careful at all, all week and there was no chipping or breakage. My nails have never been stronger- but one tip: NEVER, EVER try to peel it off. I just destroyed my nails by giving in to the temptation of peeling off the gel as I was too lazy to make an appointment to have it removed. Never again- it will take a month for my nails to grow out again. My own faul, not the gel's.

Because of my work I can only have natural nails..but i have a few friends that swear by gel manicures-and they do some rough stuff with their hands and they seem to hold-up very well...I

GEL MANI's ROCK! bulletproof manicure and no nail damage or breakage.... as long as you have it removed properly, as mentioned above. (manicurist removes it at the next manicure, and re-applies fresh) You have to watch your scheduling and don't let them go too long - no longer than 3 weeks between, or your nails will grow out too far and it will start to peel, and that's when it damages the top nail layers if you either try to peel it off, or it starts to get pulled off as you do daily activities.

this isn't the same as the old nail gels either, the thick gel that was heat-cured, took forever, and HURT. this is an entirely new product; a combination gel-polish, cured with light, and lets the nails breathe. So it's also not nearly as damaging as acrylic; since the product doesn't starve the natural nails for oxygen, they don't get damaged and weak underneath. When done (and removed) correctly, the mani lasts beautifully for a whole 2-3 weeks, no chipping, breaking, or nail damage. the one and only drawback is there's not a huge color selection; hoping that changes as it gets more popular.

This is an awesome post! I didn't even think about the gel nails possibly being an issue! I don't do nails because of my job, but when I informed my husband I was getting nails for our trip he said "WHY?! The last time you got those things they tore up your real nails!" MEN... they don't get it! I want to make sure my hand looks pretty wrapped around that Red Stripe!!!! :cool:

well - you can't "get nails" with the gel -- it just goes on top of your own nails; it's like a super strong polish.
It can't give you any length like tips do, although if you start with very short nails it can protect them as they grow out, so they can get nice and long.

and i really hate to tell you but i agree with husband on this one - i tried acrylics one time maybe 20 years ago.... never again.

Yes you can "get nails" with a gel manicure. The tips are applied along wih the gel.

Oh well, I guess I'll just stick with my own nails while there! But I AM getting a pedicure :)

Just my "2 cents" on gel mani's.... the past 2 trips ( last june and this past march) I have had them done by gel mani- hoping they would last HOWEVER they have always peeled off bits and bits by day 4, I guess probably because of the salt water??? Anyway, next month I'm just bringing my good old fashioned bottle of polish to do my touch ups :)

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Originally Posted by garysteph1018

MEN... they don't get it! I want to make sure my hand looks pretty wrapped around that Red Stripe!!!! :cool:

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HA HA HA HA! You are so right! It's all about how pretty your hand looks wrapped around the Red Stripe! I knew the women could relate to this question! HA HA HA.

OK, Mis Blue had me all excited and now Deanna has me scared to try it. I'll be there for 2 full weeks and don't want to deal with peeling, icky nails. Now I'm on the fence again. Miss Blue, do you know if the gel can be done for French Manicure? If it's only color, then my decision is made. I don't like the way my nails look with color so I'd only be doing it if I could get the gel French Manicure.

What to do? What to do?

oh! awesome garysteph, that is good to know, well learn sumthin new everyday i tellya, haha!

yep BJL you can get a french manicure with gel.

the only time mine have peeled early was when i went to one particular salon; i went back and tried them again to see if it was a fluke, but same thing happened. i changed salons and the others haven't chipped, so it also has to do with the skill of the manicurist with the product. there's also several different brands of gel -- the place i go to now uses one called "Gelish" and it seems to be a very good one -

there's also a new nail salon in negril that has gotten excellent reviews - so if you did get a gel mani and it doesn't last properly while there, you could always have the gel removed and/or get a new mani there if you really had to. it only takes a half hour to remove, not a big production like acrylics

you could get one now, and see how it is and how well it lasts; then you have some leeway in deciding when it comes time for your trip.

Is the gel manicure you are talking about the same as a shellac manicure? My experience with Shellac is great; no chips, no peeling and no damage to the nails. Eventually your nails grow enough that you have to remove it because you can see the regrowth. Color selection is limited to about 30 shades though. I only know of one person who has not had success with the Shellac and her technician told her that she had very oily nails and the product just wouldn't bond to her nails.

yes! Same as shellac! i think "Shellac" is a brand name of one kind of gel, it was the first one that came out, now there are other brands on the market too.

I have the same problem with oily nail beds too. Only once in my life did I have a manacurist who knew how to do it right - and she taught me. Now when I paint my own nails using her method, the polish will last a good 3-4 days easy before the first chip (as long as I'm not doing dishes all day long or something). Once she moved away, I've tried to explain to other manacurists the process but they screw it up and it will only last a day, maybe two.

Here is the process my GOOD manacurist did for regular polish that works the best! First, wash your nails and scrub real good using a nail brush with soap and water. Dry with clean paper towel (not a used regular towel that may have oil from previously handling). Once you've cleaned and dried your nails DO NOT EVER touch the nails again or you will transfer oil right back onto them. Step two, use a nail drying product. This usually comes in a normal type bottle but it's a liquid almost like water. You just kind of slop it all over your nails. This is yet another drying agent along with the soap you just used. Third step - use "Bonder" as the base coat. It includes a ruberized agent in it to allow your nails to be pliable without breaking the polish. Then finish with regular polish and top coat.

The problem with most nail salons is after they clean your nails, they like to run their hands over your hands transfering oil right back to your nail bed and negating the whole purpose of cleaning them to get the oil off. I've tried to explain this to them but they undoubtely hold or touch my hands in a way that just puts their oil right back onto my hand.

Thanks for the info about the salon in Negril. I think I've heard of it. Good to know so that I can just have them taken off if they start peeling. I think I'm going to give this a try. And maybe give it a try before I go too just to make sure!

I had Shellac ( like a gel, hardens under UV light) done on ly toes. My pedicure lasted for 3 weeks of walking in the sand. Colour faded a bit but no chipping and super shiney. Highly recommend it.

This is the type CND, that I had. Awesome
http://www.cnd.com/Consumer.aspx

Thanks for the tips BrenJaLee, I will pass your wisdom along :)

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Originally Posted by CherryNorth49

Thanks for the tips BrenJaLee, I will pass your wisdom along :)

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No Problem. I can't remember the name of the drying product I used but it was from Orly. Another alternative is to use Rubbing Alcohol on a cotton ball. So after you wash/scrub your nails with soap, then dry them again with rubbing alcohol. The key is to not touch your nails again with fingers or any part of your skin after you've dried the oils off or you're back to square one.

where is the new nail salon that is mentioned up there that is getting the wonderful reviews?

Kings Plaza on the 2nd floor - it's called Negril de Nail and I believe they are a sponsor here, i've seen some posts.

1-876-418-7191(Kings Plaza, Westend, Negril)

http://negrildenail.com

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Originally Posted by MissBlue

Kings Plaza on the 2nd floor - it's called Negril de Nail and I believe they are a sponsor here, i've seen some posts.

1-876-418-7191(Kings Plaza, Westend, Negril)

http://negrildenail.com

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Misako (Negril de Nail) is no longer at Kings Plaza. She moved right across the street of Merrils 2. That's a few weeks ago.

By the way, Misako is awesome and very nice :)

I normally always get the gels before going on vacation as well. This year I just didnt have the time so bought the Impress nails (press on) I didnt have alot of faith in them but they lasted all week without coming off. I was in the ocean and pool. Was quite impressed!

I took the advice to try the gel nails on a test run. I went back to the girl who used to do my acrylics. Never found anyone who did them as good as her - and lasted as long. Here they are after two weeks. Not one sign of chipping or lifting. Just as good as acrylic - even better because they aren't super thick. I hated that about acrylic. I'm really loving these. I don't think my budget is going to like me anymore though because I'm going to want to keep these up. Going in tonight to have them re-done. Leave for Negril tomorrow. Will report back in 2 weeks when I return to see how they lasted.

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And for an added bonus... they look great wrapped around the glass! Can't wait to see them wrapped around a Red Stripe and to hear how they did! HAVE A BLAST BJL! :)

The mancurist I go to always wipes the nails with a cotton ball and alcohol before applying base coat. It seems to work fine, although the sea water can be rough on a manicure! Bring polish to touch up.

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Originally Posted by BrenJaLee

No Problem. I can't remember the name of the drying product I used but it was from Orly. Another alternative is to use Rubbing Alcohol on a cotton ball. So after you wash/scrub your nails with soap, then dry them again with rubbing alcohol. The key is to not touch your nails again with fingers or any part of your skin after you've dried the oils off or you're back to square one.

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Well if you need you nails "did" while you are there, I have found a jewel. Go to the digicel place and look in the hallway RIGHT to the left of the stairs going to second floor. WONDERFUL likkle manicure place and a great young lady.

Pretty!

I had the gel nails....my nails were long so I got them to paint the tips with the JA flag and put gel over top....lasted a long time about 3 weeks and I had so many complements on them....no one had ever seen the flag on nails before even the Jamaicans the self...ASK patty and Dawn they will tell ya.