Myth-Busting - Can you have gorgeous, healthy nails after wearing fake nails for years?

Gayle's Amazing Transformation - from artificial to compliment-worthy, real nails

 

Starting Point for Gayle

 

My nails are in poor condition and my cuticles even worse. The nails are dry and brittle and prone to splitting, still have a lot of ridges which I believe are related to the acrylics I wore for some time. My cuticles are dry, sore and I seem to have a new hang nail every time I look.

 

Pre-Challenge Photos

 

 

 

Week 1 Progress Update

 

Week 1 down and I can already see an improvement. The nails are stronger, not splitting as much and not snagging on things. They definitely have a healthier glow about them too. My cuticles seem to be healing and have improved. All this despite the fact that today I did yard work without my gloves on: I raked,  picked up leaves, etc. and placed in yard waste bags, put away outdoor furniture and pulled some weeds. Last week I was working in our basement crawl space, and my hands took a real beating.

I have been using my Tips for Toes, 1st thing in the morning prior to washing hands or showering and again later in the day, usually in the evening. I am using my Revival Hand and Nail Wash most of the time and keeping Revival Skin Conditioning Milk on my desk at work, beside my bed at home and in the kitchen and I am using probably about 3 times per day and using the curved file several times a day (love all the products but love this file the most). I almost forgot to mention... I am not biting my thumb nails any longer, this challenge has given me the motivation I required!

Week 1 Photos

 

Week 2 Progress Update

 

My nails and cuticles continue to improve in condition, colour, texture AND the biggest thing this week is no breakage, not one snag on fabric or hair or anything for that matter... the Contour Nail File is doing a great job of sealing the edges and I am loving that. I carry the products with me as when I am at work, I am usually there for 12 hours and during my day, when tied up on the phone talking but not having to type or take notes, out comes the contour file which can be done without any fuss or mess, I then quickly moisturize using the Revival Skin Conditioning Milk, you don't need alot and it is quickly absorbed.

The item of key importance which no other nail product company has ever informed me of, is the vital importance of the cuticle health and that the cuticle should be nourished but otherwise left alone. In the past, all the cuticle products I purchased encouraged massage, pushing back, trimming etc of the cuticle yet now that ASK is educating me and I am learning to leave the cuticles alone, I am having far better results than I ever have.

I cannot wait to see how wonderful my nails and cuticles look at the end of the TNT challenge, I am so optimistic about the future of my nails now, yet when I started this challenge, I had been so discouraged that I was actually toying with the idea of having acrylic's applied again. ASK is giving me hope of an Acrylic free future, thank you ASK :)

Week 2 Photos

 

 

Week 3 Progress Update

 

It is going fairly well, no breakage, no snagging, no problems really. The only problem that I am dealing with is that some mornings I gap and don't apply TIPS Nail Conditioner before showering.. it has been very, very busy though and find I am very preoccupied. I also really need to learn to not pick at or manipulate my cuticles... I am working on it and coming along slowly.

 

Week 3 Photos

 

 

 

 

Week 4 Progress Report

 

(Gayle is now receiving compliments on her nails!)

 

This week was very, very busy and I was tired and distracted, so multiple mornings, completely forgot my TIPS till I was in the shower and it was too late for pre-water application. I still applied once in the afternoon and a light pre-bed application and my nails are definitely getting stronger and healthier. I am seeing an improvement in my cuticle health but must admit to a tendancy to pick and am working on training myself to leave the cuticles and hang nails alone. Every week when I take my pictures, I think that my nails look dirty, yet they truly are not, I wonder if this is all part of the damage caused by acrylic nails and am watching for an improvement in this area. I am still using my curved file several times a day and applying revival skin conditioning milk 2-3 times per day. This week, I actually had 2 or 3 people mention that my nails were looking good.

 

Week 4 Photo

 

 

 

Week 5 & 6 Progress Updates

 

My nails continue to improve in strength and appearance, with amount of ridges starting to decrease. Cuticle health is improving except for where I continue to pick, this is a habit I am working hard to break and do see some improvement. I have stopped picking apart my pomegranates and my nails are losing the dirty look I had complained of (beware of those pomegranates - they definitely stain). You will see that during a particularly stessful moment I reverted to biting and attacked the right hand thumb nail as well, another bad habit, using nails as tools, did this and had some breakage, didn't break right off and I am babying it and believe it or not, I think it is self mending, will let you know more next week.

I continue to receive compliments on my nails and a co-worker commented across the table after a meeting "oh I see you are getting acrylics again" and when I told her I had stopped biting and these were my very own, she was really impressed and had to hear all about the ASK products I am using.

 

Week 5 & 6 Photos

 

Week 7 Update

 

 Nails continue to improve, many compliments and inquiries regarding the ASK Cosmetics products I am using.  I ran into Hannah who used to do my acrylic's; she was really impressed as she knew how I used to bite to the quick.

 

Week 8 Update

 

Nails still look good but cuticles definitely starting to suffer due to forgetting to apply TIPS in my hectic lifestyle.

Week 9 Update

 

Hubby still away, trying to get some projects completed at home; banged hand on counter and one nail snapped off; when sanding wall, another nail snapped off. So, I got mad and forced myself back into routine of using products, hands/cuticles/nails immediately. I had to trim down nails on left hand this week as getting too long and in the way when working, typing, etc.

 

Week 10 Update

 

Nails and cuticles coming along, using all the ASK products. I caught myself biting right thumb nail and immediately stopped. My left hand looks great; right hand definitely a work in progress.

Week 11 Update

 

Nails on my right hand are starting to fill in; all nails and cuticles looking much healthier and my nails are much stronger. Continuing to use all products. I was fortunate to win some ASK products in the Christmas Giveaway so although I ran out of skin milk, there was some in my prize which arrived very swiftly.

 

I received a couple of compliments from people over the holidays from people who know I was a long time biter and acrylic wearer, all very impressed and interested in ASK products.

Final Photos of Gayle's gorgeous nails after 11 weeks of using ASK Cosmetics' nail & skin care products

 

There you go - from many years of wearing acrylics to having her own, healthy-looking, long & strong nails. 

 

 Great work Gayle and thanks for participating in our Total Nail Transformation Challenge in Fall 2012.

 

For more information about the ASK Cosmetics products click here.

 

And thanks to you for dropping by and reading this amazing story.  Be sure to follow this blog for more updates, giveaways, videos, challenge info, etc.

 

Have a great day,  Lisa M.