Nice One Nails: Solar Gel Nails

Okay I've been totally pampering myself lately. Since I was going on vacation I had to go to my favourite "in and out spa" called Nice One Nails http://www.niceonenails.ca/. This is the best place near our neighbourhood that you can get a quick pedicure and manicure. It is also cheap - $38 and they do a good job - not super but better than what I could do. 

For the first time ever, I decided to get Solar Gel Nails. I find that manicures only last a few days and I wanted my nails to look great the whole week of my vacation. Solar Gel Nails are artificial nails similar to acrylic but are more natural looking French manicure.

Not my nails but they look similar :)

There are a few steps involved in getting Solar Gel Nails.

1. First your nails have to be prepared for the application by cleaning and buffing them.
2. Second step, the nail technician will glue on the white plastic tip of the nails. These will be long-like-claws, but the technician will cut them down to whatever length you like. I opted for short nails. 
3. Then you need to put your nails under the UV light to set the glue.
4. The last application is the “pink part”, which is a gel like substance that is brushed on and smoothed over your whole nail and the white plastic tip.
5. Then this is solidified and set under the UV light.

Positives:

• The great thing about these nails is that you don't need any nail polish once you have them, because they look fantastic and so shiny.
• There is no way of ruining them in the salon when you go pay for the procedure because they are dry and ready to use once they are set. 
• They feel somewhat like your own nail and I think it looks quite natural.

Negatives:

• Honestly I spend way too much time looking at my nails. I find myself preoccupied with them - it looks so odd to have nice nails. :)
• I was told they need to be refilled about every 3 weeks as your nails grow - not sure how that process will go.
• If you need to pick up a coin off the floor, good luck! For some strange reason, these nails are rounded off on the tips and make it impossible to pick up a coin with them.
• If you have an itch, again, these nails can't scratch an itch like your real nails.
• You kids keep complaining that you poke them with your nails when you need to groom or wash them.
• Typing - I am not used to longer nails and I keep hitting the wrong keys on the keyboard with the nail tips. It takes me twice as long to type anything out.
• I also heard when downhill ski season comes around, you can flick the nails off with just buckling up your ski boots - which is also painful and you need to get it fixed right away.

I'm not sure what will happen when I decide I don't want them anymore or what my nails will look like when they come off. However I try not to worry about that right now, I'll just enjoy my fantastic looking nails.