Getting your nails done is a fun way to pamper yourself, and most girls love picking from a variety of color options at your local salon. With this in mind, it can be pricey to spend between $15.00 and $20.00 once or twice a month or a similar price. If you’re thinking of saving money, check out these 10 alternatives to getting your nails done! You may be surprised at how much you like them, too!
One good way to save money (and still rock colorful nails) is to buy the nail stickers, in particular, the ‘Sally Hansen Nail Effects’. These are fairly inexpensive (around $5-10) but unfortunately, they are discontinued, so you have to look around Amazon for them. I have developed a recent obsession with these, they are super cute and trendy! Aside from being a good alternative to getting your nails done, they also let your nails breathe from all of the chemicals found in standard nail polish or a gel/ shellac manicure. The nail stickers by Sally Hansen come with your typical blue, red, or french nail colors, or you can do a fun sparkle design or floral pattern. Why not try it? They last up to ten days, and you won’t believe how many compliments you’ll get with these!
Ah, this step may not be the most glamorous. Regardless, doing your nails yourself is an awesome way to save money, and hey, it’s kinda fun. You’d be surprised at how many perfectly good nail polishes you have laying around your house or your bedroom. A lot of them are good for about 5 to 6 years. It may not be your first choice, but it can be relaxing after work. So for this alternative to getting your nails done, look around for a cute blue or reddish color, and have at it, girl!
Similar to number 2, buying some nail polish at your local drug store may save you more than you’d think. I was just browsing around CVS the other day and I came across a bunch of ‘gel’ type polishes as well as instant dried polish. You can pick out a few different types of nail colors around 10 dollars, and it’ll save you some money instead of dropping a few bills on your next salon stop. There are some really cool styles and colors and you don’t need to go far to get ’em!
The fourth alternative to getting your nails done would be to let a friend paint your nails. In all honesty, it is pretty similar to getting them done, because your not the one doing them. You could make it like an at-home salon day! Have your sister, roommate, friend, or mom paint them, and enjoy it!
The best way to avoid nail salons is to literally avoid nail salons. You could put a top coat on your nails just to harden enamel and give it a shiny look, but truthfully, giving your nails a break once in a while is beneficial. UV lights and fans combined with constant polish can eventually make our nails brittle and break easier, that’s why giving your nails a break every once in a while isn’t a bad idea! You may find that letting your nails go natural for a week or so will make the manicure adhere to your nails that much better the next time around. If your nails are really brittle, try a supplement or vitamin for hair, skin, and nails!
The brand OPI has endless options for nail colors and protection for shine (up to two weeks!) Usually they are sold in packs, and give a little color as well as shine and long-lasting protection so that it won’t chip. Other brands like ‘Butter London’, or ‘Essie’ have really good quality nail colors and brands designed to please people who can’t always make it to the salon (I mean who can, really). Shop around at your local Ulta and pick up a nail polish that will have your nails in style for up to two weeks!
Another tip for cheap nail jobs is the manicure kits, which usually come in a small bag, along with color and topcoat, as well as a few tools such as nail clippers and a nail file that would normally be included in a standard manicure. You can find these at places like Ulta, Sephora, or similar boutiques. If you subscribe to like an ‘Ipsy’ bag each month, some may include colors and tools, or FabFitFun, but that’s a little more than Ipsy’s $12.00 per month. You don’t have to paint your nails, but give ’em a trim, a file, and get them up to speed!
If you really love that feeling of fresh, perfect nails after you get a manicure, I recommend the fake nails. Similar to the stick-on nails, they give you that sense of a polished, pretty nail look. They are reasonably priced, and you can find them almost anywhere. I got them for a Christmas gift from my co-worker and she said she found them at Claire’s in the mall!
Of course, trends are always changing, and one recent trend I have been obsessed with (and you can do it yourself), is the two-toned, or multi-colored. This just means that the index finger is a different color than the rest of the nails.
One alternative to getting your nails done, of course, is sparkles. Adding sparkles to your nails or painting them all in glittery colors is a good way to glam up without hurting your bank account. And sparkles are back, too!
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