With social media, celebrities and the current nail trends glorifying long nails, acrylic nails have never been more popular. Despite being a staple in the black community for years, the recent popularity and normalization of acrylic nails, renders those of us without them outcasts. If you are anything like me and appreciate your actual nails, then you are very wary of getting acrylic nails. I don’t wear them because they make your nails thin, and as a result, they shed very easily after you take them off. I’m not into that.
Fiberglass nails were popular in the 90s and fell out of the public eye in favor of acrylic nails but can still be purchased online. They are small strips of fiber that harden under a UV light and turn clear in a UV base coat. The nails operate similar to a gel manicure, but don’t require fake nails, and can be taken off with nail polish remover. It is not a difficult process and you can do them yourself even though it is a lengthy process.
They are very low cost and can be done with as little as the $20 kit on amazon and a good quality emery board. The kit gives you at least three more sets of nails, and you get better with every application. There isn’t a fake nail that you glue on, so if they come off the process is painless. I have done my own nails twice (along with nail repairs every blue moon) and my best friend’s nails once. Neither of us experienced any pain with our nails, and they were long enough that people thought they were professionally done. We all love being bougie on a budget.
HCXO!