Does anyone else here rarely wear nail polish?

[tyty333]

I rarely wear polish because my hands are in water all the time. I do get a mani for special events but thats about it!

If I ever get a new ring maybe I'll have to go get a mani for photos...I do consider a new ring a special event!

 

[yssie]

I used to think several layers of polish provided a "protective coating" against the whacks, scratches, bangs, and various other traumas that I'm incapable of not putting my nails through. My nails were brittle and terribly prone to cracking despite using non-acetone remover and religious treatments with all sorts of hardening/cuticle strengthening/moisturizing products.

I took the polish off as usual about a month ago... and couldn't be bothered putting it back on. My nails are still bare and they're healthier than I've ever seen them! They're shiny and pink, not a single separation spot to be found. I'm honestly astounded. I thought I just had "bad nails" for YEARS - apparently all I needed to do was let them take care of themselves for a few weeks!!

My toenails are also brittle and prone to cracking. I'm not brave enough to leave them bare though: I lost three at the beginning of my last hockey season back in high school (learnt my lesson about not breaking shoes in...) and they've been kinda brown and stripey ever since.
Toenail TMI?
Break your shoes in, folks.

 

[Ellen]

I wear clear only on my fingernails about half the time. Piggies go au natural.

 

[JPie]

I don't wear polish on 9 out of 10 nails. My left ring finger is usually somewhat painted, and has a, um, distressed finish due to it being weeks old, or because straight out of the gate, I managed to smudge or smear it while it was drying. One nail is all I can manage. And even then, I usually fail. Does that put me in the 'no polish camp'?

I think 90% polish-free counts as no polish.

I don’t wear nail polish either. I’ve always had ugly hands..very veiny and wrinkly even when much younger. I try not to draw attention to them.. I do make the exception with rings! I rationalize that people will be looking at my rings and not my hands..

My hands are pretty ugly too. They look dry no matter how religiously I apply creams and I have liver spots. The first one showed up in my 20s and now she has some friends.

 

[lyra]

I wore gels for a while this year, and they totally wrecked my already fragile nails. I only use clear Nail Envy now. My nails are still breaking off. I have kept up with pedicures this summer though.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I went nuts over gel polish years ago. Now I don't polish my fingernails very often. I get a delux Pedi every month, but with that said they spend a lot of time massaging my feet and legs and they give me a glass of wine.

 

[marymm]

I don't wear nail polish on my finger nails either, and like many of you I keep my fingernails trimmed short -- but I definitely love having color on my toe nails and enjoying doing that myself.

 

[KristyDarling]

No manis and no pedis for me. The last mani I had was probably 7-8 years ago. The last pedi was around 10 years ago. I used to get monthly pedicures, but started to experience nail dryness and flaking so I decided to stop for the sake of my nail health. I'm sometimes envious of my friends who look so put-together with their perfectly done nails, but I'm fine with mine just being short and clean.

 

[missy]

I never wear finger nail polish and while I used to wear toenail polish I stopped that too after I had my bike accident in 2014. Since then no polish on even my toes. I do miss the look but don't miss the maintenance and for me it is better to let my nails breathe. I know my bling photos don't look as pretty as those of you with beautifully manicured nails but it's a tradeoff for me and I am OK with it. I am truly low maintenance all the way. Except with my bling of course.

And anyway I get to enjoy the lovely PSers beautiful nails and bling so win win!!!

 

[icy_jade]

I only put on nail polish for events... or to take pics for PS.

I used to wear nail polish all the time (back in the days when gel wasn’t a thing) but I hated how they were yellow and brittle without polish. Going without made my nails much stronger.

 

[yennyfire]

Confession time. Until I was 25, I chewed my cuticles til they bled (gross, I know!). My sister took me for a set of acrylics (gel didn’t exist then) and having pretty nails broke me of the habit. I do gel now (a super pale, barely there pink) every 4-5 weeks. I take a break every few months to let my nails breathe and you know what?? I seem to go right back to chewing my cuticles!!! Aaargghh! So, while I prefer the no maintenance natural look, it just doesn’t work for me.....

 

[Kaycee2018]

Confession time. Until I was 25, I chewed my cuticles til they bled (gross, I know!). My sister took me for a set of acrylics (gel didn’t exist then) and having pretty nails broke me of the habit. I do gel now (a super pale, barely there pink) every 4-5 weeks. I take a break every few months to let my nails breathe and you know what?? I seem to go right back to chewing my cuticles!!! Aaargghh! So, while I prefer the no maintenance natural look, it just doesn’t work for me.....

I was a chronic cuticle picker/chewer for a long time too! My fingers were always a gross, bloody disaster (though I never chewed my actual nails). Once I started experimenting with acrylics in my early twenties, I stopped. I quickly lost the time or patience for them and switched to regular manis and just doing that every 3-4 weeks keeps my cuticles in check and I don't chew anymore. Seems medically necessary and should be covered by insurance

 

[Gussie]

I haven't been without the same French manicure (gel) for years. My nails are unbelievably strong as is my hair. I just like them manicured and the gel lasts longer. It's time consuming and expensive but I'm worth it

That was a joke btw!

 

[diamondringlover]

I dont wear it often, I usually have clear on but my nails are junk, I had fake nails put on for my son's wedding last August and it made my nails weaker and worse then they were to begin with..they wrecked my natural nails so now I just do nothing but with them but keep them clipped short....

 

[ame]

Since I started posting on PS and looking at jewelry on Instagram, I can't help but notice all the nice manicures! There's a whole thread about nail polish here. So, confession time: is anyone else here in the polish-free camp?

I'm too lazy for the upkeep and I don't like how my nails look and feel when the polish is removed. I try to keep my nails very short and I'm constantly applying moisturizer due to my eczema, so my cuticles are in reasonable shape.

Surely I'm not alone?

I haven't worn polish in YEARS. Like...a LOT of years. I keep my nails really short, and don't do much at all.

 

[rainydaze]

Every time I see short, red nails I think, I'm gonna DO it!! I get out my bottle(s)... and they sit on the counter for a month. I just don't have the time to let them dry properly so if the polish does make it on, it ends up being a waste. That or they chip in three days or less.

 

[ZestfullyBling]

I rarely wear it. I want too. I love perfectly polished nails. But when I do I use clear polish. Then miraculously it disappears within a couple of days. I think the nail polish removal fairy chips it off or consumes it for fairy powers or something. Idk
But I do keep my nails clean, manicured and filed

 

[marcy]

I'd keep mine polished all the time but they start to split and dry out so I'll let them go for a week then polish them again for about a month.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

But rarely.

cheers--Sharon

 

[asscherisme]

I use to but don't anymore. It makes my nails discolored and brittle. Without I have strong healthy nails. I keep them short, clean, filed and own the natural look! On my toes too. I do keep up with keeping my feet smooth/ lotion etc so my feet are in good condition for sandals. I live in sandals all summer long.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Only for special occasions on my fingernails. So rarely. I do have good strong nails and mostly cut and file them myself. I honestly HATE going to the nail salon and having to just sit there! lol!

I wear a deep (or hot?) pink on my toenails for the warm months as I wear some form of flipflops for at least 6 months! I maybe do 2-3 pedicures during those months and polish at home sometimes.

 

[MeowMeow]

I pretty much never do my nails anymore. I used to get gel manicures when I was a teenager and when I stopped my nails were thin and brittle and never recovered. So I just leave them alone and mostly just avoid them in pictures xD That way nobody needs to see my ugly nails xD

 

[Luce]

I used to get manicures once every three weeks or so and also occasional pedicures. I stopped having gel done about 2 years ago. My nails have never been stronger. I keep them short and often apply a clear coat. Once in a while I will polish them for special occasions. I keep my toes brightly polished (do them myself) in the summer (sandal time) but let them go natural in the winter. I figure I save about $60.00 a month that can be put in my bling fund plus the time sitting in the salon! I love this simpler routine!!!

 

[Dandi]

I'm a scrub nurse in the OR, so no nail polish for me! Which is a bit of a shame, because I always loved having polished nails, mine are naturally strong and rarely break or chip, so I can grown them quite long. I always have polish on my toes though...unless it's dance competition season in which case I have to have natural nails. My lifestyle is not at all conducive to having pretty nails!

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

I can't stand the feeling of nail polish! It makes me feel like my nails can't breath! Like I have something covering them. I know it sounds weird but I just can't get used to that feeling. To me it's like wearing a bra! You really notice it when you take it off!

 

[House Cat]

I used to bite my nails until i couldn’t use my fingers for normal tasks. I broke the habit about a decade ago but when things get stressful, I revert back to it. For that reason, I keep fake nails on. Because I love em, I usually keep long coffin shaped French manicured nails.

 

[BlingDreams]

Well, reverse psychology kicked in! After reading and posting to this thread, I realized how much I missed having my nails painted and always “presentable” so I got a mani/pedi today, and will probably continue for a while . My manicurist is a dear friend of mine so it works out as a nice social visit too

 

[canuk-gal]

I used to bite my nails until i couldn’t use my fingers for normal tasks. I broke the habit about a decade ago but when things get stressful, I revert back to it. For that reason, I keep fake nails on. Because I love em, I usually keep long coffin shaped French manicured nails.

So beautiful!

 

[JPie]

Well, reverse psychology kicked in! After reading and posting to this thread, I realized how much I missed having my nails painted and always “presentable” so I got a mani/pedi today, and will probably continue for a while . My manicurist is a dear friend of mine so it works out as a nice social visit too

They look great! This thread is making me want to get my nails done too. So weird!

 

[House Cat]

So beautiful!

Thank you