[EDITOR'S NOTE: Part of a series devoted to Mamiverse attending Festival People en Español Presented by Target in San Antonio on September 1-2. The inaugural festival promises to celebrate Latino contribution to art, music, lifestyle and culture. Join our Twitter parties for a chance to win fabulous prizes! RSVP here.]
Raise your hand if you have a love/hate relationship with your nails. Did you look down at your hands just now, wondering when you’ll have time to get that manicure you’re in desperate need of? Or if you just had one, you may be admiring your freshly polished nails. Whatever state your fingernails are in, know there are many convenient options for the mujer on the go or the busy mami. There is no longer an excuse not to sport a perfect 10 at your fingertips! Following are some fast solutions!
NATURAL NAILS
Nail salons are a $7.3 billion dollar industry, according to NAILS Magazine, which means going au naturelle can prove to be cost (and time) efficient. Are you a short and clean nails kind of girl? Or is long the way you rock them? Long nails are more susceptible to breaking, cracking, and splitting.
NAIL HARDENERS
Looking to stay natural but want to add a little insurance against damage? Then nail hardeners are the way to go. Especially formulated to help make nails longer, thicker, and more resistant to breakage, this enamel is similar to nail polish. Sally Hansen’s Diamond Strength Instant Nail Hardener ($3.99) is inexpensive and effective. Just remember to always follow the directions on the bottle, since overuse can actually harm your nails by causing flaking and cracking—the opposite of what you’re looking to achieve.
Read Related: 6 Steps to the Perfect Manicure
ACRYLIC NAILS
Also known as artificial nails, acrylics are one of the easiest ways to get a perfect 10. A nail tip is glued to the already existing natural nail, then an acrylic substance is applied over the entire nail. After forming, shaping, buffing, painting, and drying—an hour later you have your full set of nails! Sounds easy enough, but maintenance is key.
Depending on where you live, a full set of nails can cost anywhere from $30 and up. If your nails grow fast, expect to be be at a nail salon every 2-3 weeks getting a “fill”. If done right, you have strong worry-free nails for a few weeks. There are horror stories of nails not done correctly. This can lead to bacterial infections and fungus growth. Also, if you decide to go back to being au naturelle removing the acrylics can cause damage to your real nails.
GEL MANICURE
One of the hottest nail trends right now is the gel manicure. This is also a type of artificial nail and is similar to acrylics, but with a more natural look. They are thinner, said to be more flexible, and won’t cause as much damage to your natural nails. Known to last longer, gel nails are more expensive, colors are limited, and they require special UV lamps for drying—which some say could put you at a higher risk for developing skin cancer. If you break a gel nail or a need a color change, a visit to the salon is needed. If you want to skip all of this, you can try Red Carpet’s Manicure Pro 45 Starter Kit ($75) at home.
PRESS-ON NAILS
The press-on nail is back! Exactly what its name implies, an artificial nail is literally pressed on or glued over your natural nail. This is quick and easy! And there are a variety of designs and colors to choose from. Grab a box of Kiss Finger Nails for an instant french manicure.
The downside of press-on nails? They’ve been known to pop off and sometimes don’t look as natural. But, with today’s advancement in nail technology, press-ons are are of a higher quality and far trendier than those your mom wore!
Now that you’ve got the edge on how to get that perfect 10, what will your hands demand?
Mamiverse is thrilled to attend Festival People en Español presented by Target, an event celebrating Hispanic entertainment, culture and community. We are hosting three Twitter parties this week and Tweeting Festival related content with the hashtag #TargetAtFestival. The participant who tweets and retweets the most using the hashtag #TargetAtFestival including a link to our Twitter party events on FB, or a link to one of our People en Español-related articles from today through the end of the Festival by midnight September 2 will receive a $100 giftcard. Join in our Twitter Extravaganza! Click here to RSVP.
