Nails nice if a ring is wanted??

[MermaidKelly]

I have been a nail biter all my life. However, for the past 3 or so weeks I have been trying my darndest to let them grow out. I''ve been putting this clear strengthener polish on them, but other then that, I don''t know how to care for them.

Anyway, I am hoping my boyfriend will see this as another subtle sign that I want an e-ring! I read on here a while ago that some get manicures when they are hoping for a ring, so thats what gave me the idea.

 

[Winks_Elf]

I''d try the NutriNail line. They have a kevlar strengthener that really works. Once they grow to just over the fingertip, go get them acrylic coated. It''s almost impossible to bite your nails with that stuff on, and it makes your nails look nice. Light colored polish looks like it lasts longer than darker, but it really doesn''t. Stick to the light colors like pinks and peaches. When you see your hands looking pretty, you''ll be less likely to bite them.

 

[shertz1981]

This is gross, but I am also a lifetime nail biter ... dish soap under the nails works wonders.

Get orange sticks (v. cheap at Sally Beauty Supply) to push back your cuticles so you don''t bite them instead. Nail polish helps to keep me from biting too!

 

[TooPatient]

Nail biting is a nervous habit for me. If I''m anxious, I can do it without even noticing.

Manicure fixed that. They were so nice I didn''t want to do anything to chip them so I was very careful to not bite them. (okay, and the plastic & polish taste really bad so when I started to bite the bad taste let me know I was doing it)


You might start with the soap that Shertz suggested. My parents did something similar when I was younger and it took care of the problem for a long time. (of course I still can''t bring myself to eat tobasco....)

 

[Pandora II]

Sally Hanson "Hard as Diamond" stuff is good.

Keep them short and manicured.

Always carry a nail file on you - I would get a tiny jag on an edge and that would be it, I''d have to bite it and then I would end up biting them all!

Took me years, but I no longer bite mine.

 

[onvacation]

Hi, I''m onvacation, and I used to be a chronic nail biter. I fixed my habit using a combination of two methods:

1) bite on your knuckles or some other area of your hand instead of your nails (This really, really worked for me!)

2) when you stop biting your nails with method 1), grow out your nails before stressful events you know you''ll need your nails for (those times when the knuckles just won''t do). For me it was a couple of weeks before exams back in high school - it helped to have a lot of white nail area left and I just started to bite on them instead of biting them off, if you kwim...

ok, tmi! But you know, whatever works, right? I also second Pandora''s suggestion of keeping a nail file/clipper with you. I just got back from a meeting with my professor, where I tore off a piece of hanging cuticle.. Now it hurts and it''s bleeding. Ugh. Good luck!

 

[DiamanteBlu]

Date: 10/12/2009 1:20:18 PM
Author: Winks_Elf
I''d try the NutriNail line. They have a kevlar strengthener that really works. Once they grow to just over the fingertip, go get them acrylic coated. It''s almost impossible to bite your nails with that stuff on, and it makes your nails look nice. Light colored polish looks like it lasts longer than darker, but it really doesn''t. Stick to the light colors like pinks and peaches. When you see your hands looking pretty, you''ll be less likely to bite them.

I agree with the acrylic recommendation. It does make it impossible to chew on your nails. I alternate between regular acrylic with polish or pink and whites which is a French manicure done with white acrylic tips and pink-tinted beds - very pretty.

 

[crossmyfingers]

You could get a manicure just to get your hands/nails looking better, then keep up with it some yourself. I try to keep my nails painted a light pink or tan color, or at least clear, and redo the polish every few days. I don''t bite mine and more, I just have more of a bad habit of cutting them short and then feeling like my hands look like a kid''s.

I would also agree that keeping a file/clippers with you helps a ton. Bath & Body works has a small manicure kit that is about $8 and is a good size to go in a purse, and it has a few different nail care things in it.

Since I''m just procrastinating, here are some things I love for my own nails:

I won''t use polish that chips easily and won''t stay on more than a day, so here are some recommendations for those...
1: Sally Hansen Ultimate Shield - base coat and/or top coat.
2: OPI polishes, pretty much any shade. This is the Breast Cancer Awareness one that''s out right now.
3: China Glaze polishes, again, pretty much any shade. This is Heavenly.
4: Sally Hansen Salon polishes, yet again, in most shades. This is Pat On the Black, it''s a really deep purple.
5: Sally Hansen HD polish is great for bright colors for cheap. This is Lite.
6: Maybelline Forever Strong.

And the rest of the stuff in the photo...
7. A file... duh.
8. Sally Hansen Manicure in a Minute - rough scrubby stuff for your hands, feels great.
9. Mani/pedi kit thing from Bath & Body Works.
10. Cuticle cream/salve. Usually really greasy but works wonders on your hands and cuticles.

...Okay, sorry, I am super bored and putting off being productive.

 

[ecf8503]

These sources are very helpful, written by gals who really know what they are talking about!


Nailboardwisdom

NailboardFAQ

 

[jaylex]

Date: 10/12/2009 4:31:45 PM
Author: Pandora II
Sally Hanson 'Hard as Diamond' stuff is good.

Keep them short and manicured.

Always carry a nail file on you - I would get a tiny jag on an edge and that would be it, I'd have to bite it and then I would end up biting them all!

Took me years, but I no longer bite mine.

Ditto to EVERYTHING pandora said..

I was a nailbiter when I was younger... (like, little kid younger) but that "hard as diamonds" stuff is AMAZING and worked wonders for me! I still use it from time to time to keep them strong!
And I HAVE to carry multiple nail files (in case I lose one lol) in my purse in case i break or chip a nail. otherwise I'll peal or bite it.. not good at all lol.

stress can be a problem for me sometimes so I will bite ON my nails without the urge to bite them off now.. which is good.

My nails are pretty long now.. If you look at the handshots from my engagement, you can see that I had a manicure the day before lol. I don't get acrylic nails, those are my own.. but the lady actually cut them pretty short.. I was kinda upset.

But it's so worth it to be able to get the $20 mani instead of the $60 one cuz I don't have fake nails.. just think about how lovely your hands will look in ering shots! Plus, when he does pop the question people will be asking to see your hands for weeks.. When my nails look crappy (short, chipped, unpolished, whatever) I personally feel a lil self-conscious.

Good luck! We're here for support!

 

[lilyfoot]

I''ve been a life-long nail biter .. and unfortuantely, I still am.

I actually cringe thinking about putting hand-shots on PS .. there''s no way I''m including my nails in the pictures.

My nails are far below my finger tip. They''re not cute!

 

[radiantquest]

I go through phases. Sometimes I can grow beautiful long nails and sometimes I bite them all down. Usually when they are nice and long I can look at them and admire them so I don''t want to bite. Also I am a picker. If they stay all smooth I can let them be. If I get a chip or small break or something like that I begin to pick at it. Then once I have made it much worse I begin to bite. If I simply had a nail file I would have never picked and then bit. Also once one goes the rest have to go because I think it looks silly to have 9 long nails and 1 below the tip of the finger.

My suggestion to you is to get those temporary nails that you can buy from Target. They have a sticky backing on them and some even have glue. They will be pretty so that you won''t want to and even if you start to nibble it will not be your real nail. Just keep replacing them until you have long pretty nails of your own that you don''t want to mess up. THe sitcky and the glue will not mess up your real nails underneath. Getting acrylic nails tends to mess up your real nails underneath. If you take the acrylic route then be prepared to keep them until after the engagement because they will be thin and ugly when you get them taken off.

 

[Gleam]

I''m a nail biter, too. Now that I have my engagement ring, I must admit I haven''t been too deterred! I''m only a mild biter... my nails are about flush with the tip of my fingers, so it''s not too bad. Keeping my nails polished definitely reminds me to not bite, lest I chip my polish.

 

[lilyfoot]

Today is a new day! I am very consciously stopping myself from biting my nails .. so far, so good.

I''ve come to the conclusion that it''s mostly a habit out of boredom. I also am 100% sure that I do not want to bite my nails in front of my (future) children, lest they pick up the habit as well. So I''m trying to work on it, starting now!

 

[Jessie702]

Good Job Lil....
i know for me, getting Fake, arcalics on my nails really helped me, because i am a nail bite, side of nail biter, cuticle biter, so having the nails stoped me because they look so nice and are way too hard to bit

 

[Parsley]

I feel your pain! I''m another life-long biter, and have tried a million times to stop, and it just never happened. I''ve bought more icky stuff to paint on my nails than I care to remember.

Over summer I started wearing fake nails just so my fingers didn''t look so scruffy, and it works so well! Just like radiantquest said, your nails grow underneath, and aren''t affected by the glue at all. Also, out of sight out of mouth. I''ll admit I kinda bite on them like others mentioned, but it''s literally just clossing my teeth on them and tapping away at them, lol, they''re hard enough not to remind me of my own nails and want to bite them properly!

I bought a bumper pack from Boots cause I''m prone to losing the odd one or two, and it''s still going strong! I''m currently sporting some black talons, that I love! Though it''s been awhile since I had them on so getting used to texting, typing and guitar again, teehee.

I''m hoping that if I keep this up long enough I''ll have nice enough nails not to want to bite, but who knows.

 

[lilyfoot]

Day #2 of no nail biting is going great

I may seem like a weirdo for posting my daily progress, but it''s actually helping me feel that I don''t want to bite my nails.

Hopefully I can get to a point where it doesn''t even cross my mind ..

 

[AllieGator]

I used to be a horrible nailbiter, but I got over it by painting my nails and always having a file with me. Pandora is right on with the hard as diamonds--it looks nice, and seems to strengthen your nails if they''re on the weaker side. Once you haven''t been biting for a while, I think the urge goes away...I never want to bite them now, and I have friends who say the same thing. Good luck!

 

[babycush]

Reading this thread inspired me to at least put some clear polish on... perhaps the boyfriend will notice how lovely my hands look... and yet somehow missing something...

Incidentally I have that Sally Nails "Hard As Wraps" stuff, which has acrylic in it. It''s much harder than normal nail polish but you don''t have to make time to get to the nail salon!

 

[lilyfoot]

Date: 10/21/2009 7:20:59 PM
Author: babycush
Reading this thread inspired me to at least put some clear polish on... perhaps the boyfriend will notice how lovely my hands look... and yet somehow missing something...

Incidentally I have that Sally Nails ''Hard As Wraps'' stuff, which has acrylic in it. It''s much harder than normal nail polish but you don''t have to make time to get to the nail salon!

Does this stuff mess up your nails? Like, when you take it off, are your nails weaker?

 

[babycush]

No, you put it on and take it off just like nail polish. I''ve had real acrylics on twice and both times that did totally mess up my nails, but this stuff I guess has a low enough acrylic content (at least for me!).

 

[MermaidKelly]

Wow great advice everybody!

I have been doing pretty good, with only a minor snag here or there. I''ve been painting them myself so far with Sally Hansen Thicken Up, and sometimes color polish too. It''s hard if you get a break or rip or something though. Even so, they are looking a little longer, and I want to take the advice to go and get a manicure to see how my nails should be shaped. I want to try the Hard As Wraps stuff now too!

 

[sillyberry]

Hard as Wraps is, indeed, awesome.