Feeling empowered
I hope I don’t sound stuck up when I say this, but I need my nails done. All. Of. The. Time. I came to this realization when I was on the phone with my mom last week. She is my usual nail tech, so I would sit at home for hours while she perfected the shape, length and color of the almond claws growing from my fingers. I remember being slightly irritated that it would take so long, taking the experience for granted. I have been away from her for a little over a month, so you can only imagine how broken and grown out they are now, and I have noticed that without a fresh set, I feel a little bit less like myself.
There seems to be a common misconception that people get their nails done to appease others or because it fits into a certain social norm, which I thought too for a while. But now I know better. I think that this prehistoric way of thinking is absurd. It was not until I started to regularly get my nails done that I realized getting a manicure is not exclusively cosmetic, not for me at least. A manicure is expressive. A manicure is inclusive. A manicure is authoritative. The entire process, from picking the design you want to blowing the polish dry to rubbing cuticle oil over the finished top coat, signifies a certain level of strength that nobody can take away.
Now let’s discuss what a manicure means to me. A manicure to me is expressive. It means being put together and feeling confident in yourself, for yourself. I don’t get my nails done for anyone else, and gaining the power to do things for myself was no easy feat. That is why a manicure is not a frivolous weekend activity, it is a way to unapologetically be me. They make me feel like there is a part of my personality explicitly being shown to the world, no matter how subtle it may be. The design, the color and the shape of a nail all speaks volumes about a person without saying a word. There is a certain beauty in that unspoken language that I cannot help but appreciate.
A manicure is inclusive. With a more open and accepting society, anyone anywhere can get their nails done. It can be seen on the nails of little girls walking into Claire’s or on grown men buying a motorcycle. That is all part of the spectacle; a manicure is a means of connecting people of all backgrounds. You do not need to have everything in common to appreciate someone’s form of expression. Nothing brings me greater joy than when a stranger notices the new intricate design I found on Pinterest and pays me a compliment. It’s almost like they are complementing a part of who I am, a part that is so much more than plainly cosmetic.
Finally, a manicure to me is authoritative. There is a level of feminine power and control I feel when my nails are done. It is like I am instantly put together – like I am ready to take on the world. It makes me productive in a way that no external motivator can do. Feeling comfortable in myself has always been a motivator enough than a superficial reward or treat, just the sheer emotion that there is nothing I can’t do. This feeling alone commands a certain respect, and it commands the way I walk about a room. It may sound silly, and maybe I am alone on this hill, but it’s the truth.
Whether it’s a french tip, an aura nail, or even just press-ons, nails have so much power over a person’s mentality, especially mine. Even in this nail drought I just so happen to be in, I look forward to going back home, appreciating the time my mom takes to perfect my nails, and feeling whole with a fresh set of nails once again.