I suppose you don’t see very many reviews of acrylic nails. Most people know at least 1 person who has them, and you just go by word of mouth. Of course, I know people, but I’m also a blogger! So, if you happen to be one of those lonely souls… Don’t worry, I got your back, bro!
The history of nail design and stuff like that.
Ever since starting my new job, I’ve got into the habit of researching the history of things before I talk about them, and this is honestly really interesting! So, without further ado… I’m bringing it home. So, where did it all begin? There’s no story set in stone as to when acrylic nails were first invented. However, rumour has it that back in the day ye old Egyptian ladies used to wear falsies to present their status. They used to wear all kinds of substances; gold, ivory… and even bone! Ew. As you can imagine, the lower class couldn’t have long nails because they had to actually work for their dollar. I can relate! When I worked at the garden centre I could never wear acrylics because they’d just get broken; there was no point.
The whole concept of the ‘artificial’ nail, however, was created in the 50s when dental surgeon, Fredrick Slack broke his nail and did a bit of an experiment to make some kind of prosthetic… for his finger (nail, not the whole thing). Now, I know he was a dental surgeon so he must’ve been smart but he can’t have been the brightest spark in the book because in 1970 the idea evolved, and it wasn’t by him!
A Fairly New Concept!
In 1970, the famous Dr Stuart Nordstrom created the acrylic formula of liquid and powder that is still used today. Although, it probably wasn’t a big deal for Slack to miss out on this opportunity; he was a dentist after all! This is just a brief description of the beginning of the acrylic story, it gets much more complex than that, but I can honestly say that Science and Emma’s brain doesn’t really have the strongest relationship. So, with that, the world is your oyster, now do with it what you wish!
Where did I get the design for My acrylic nails from?
There is only one place I’ll probably ever go to, and that is Pinterest! I absolutely love the app, and I’ve still got the board to this day, if you would like to view it you can find it here! The design of my nails was largely inspired by the creativity of Adiel Nuesmeyer, a blogger and nail boss from Utah. She did a whole blog post on her nail design, as she does with all her designs; you can view this particular one here!
My Personal Experience
I honestly didn’t know what to expect. In honestly though, I was a little disappointed. I wanted my first nail experience to be a ‘girls date’ with absolutely any of my girls. But that never came to fruition, so I got fed up and decided to go on my own. My nails before…
Luckily enough for me, Lisa; a highly skilled nail technician from Idle, Bradford was available to schedule me in. Also, even luckier for me, she is based in the hair salon where I get my hair done! I can proudly say that I enjoy attending Monroe’s Hair & Beauty Salon in Idle every 5 weeks! Charlie Heap; also known as The Hair Witch UK does my hair (and has done it for over 10 years), and Lisa Moore does my nails; she’s a newbie to me, and I suppose I’m a newbie on the bigger scale of things too!
I was quite anxious going in. I’d seen a few photos of Lisa’s work, but I didn’t know if she would be able to pull off something complex; and boy was I wrong to be anxious! Lisa made me feel completely at ease, she was super friendly, and throughout the appointment, I enjoyed watching her work and telling her half of my expectations of Turkey… Spoiler alert, they were a lot better than the place itself. I was really amazed by the finished look. Lisa’s hand drew every intricate detail on my nails and I was super impressed. The little triangle was also free-hand and she used about 5 different greens for the… greens. See for yourself!…
The Aftermath
I’m very ashamed to say I had a very strong emotional connection with my acrylics. They were on for quite a long time; at least 5 weeks… Eek! I know… All nail techs, don’t leave now, it gets better! The day had finally come. It was the day of England vs. Sweden, and we took a trip to Ikea in Birstall, but the main point of my trip was Boots. As much as it pained me, I needed my nails off now. I hoped that Boots would have a big selection of acrylic nail removal products, but they didn’t, so I settled for second best; Boots’ own, Acrylic Nail Remover Dip & Twist.
I have to say, it took me a good hour to get them off, it definitely wasn’t as easy as they claimed on the packaging. When they did come off, however, I couldn’t believe how much they had grown! Granted, they were a bit battered but I was willing to work with them. So, I logged myself into Amazon and ordered my ultimate lifesaver, the Sally Hansen NailGrowth Miracle. I put this stuff on after, and it instantly made them look a fraction better.
Natural Nail Growth
I knew there would be some complications with my nails, and I knew it wouldn’t be all rainbows and fairies as I do suffer from Dermatillomania. Upon reflection, since I have had them off, I have noticed that I must pick with my left hand a lot more than the right, which seems strange as I am right-handed!
However, I’ve had no breakages on my right hand, the nails just keep getting stronger (especially my thumbs – they’re like rocks; literally), on the other hand (no pun intended), the left has had 3 breakages, so far. I really am looking forward to a life with long nails! I’ll just leave you with a little picture of my new naturals; just giving you a whole insight on how acrylics changed my life… and now I’m a very happy bunny – I feel like a new woman!
QOTD: Have you ever had acrylic nails done? If so, what was your first experience? I’d love to know down in the comments!
