Giving up unnecessary little luxuries which suck up my money. Part 1. Acrylic nails
I've been subjecting my nails to acrylics for as long as I could remember. On an off since I was about 15 and religiously since I was about 18 (7 years) with very few breaks. The longest I've gone is two weeks without and that was a few years ago.
Every year I tell myself, this year I will give them up, I will learn to love my own nails, I will let them grow and nourish them as if they were a small child. Every year that just seems like too much effort, and I liked the head space of sitting in a nail salon for an hour having my hands cared for after a week or two of frantic typing and setting the world straight.
However the cost bothered me, I don't smoke so I saw this as my vice, my addiction, cheaper than smoking. Around £30 a month on average which is £360 a year. And I wanted to save that, I desperately want to move out of mothers house, it's not like I don't love being at home because let's face it, it's a bit brilliant. Hungry? Ask Mum, Bought a new delicate top and two scared to wash it? Ask Mum. I just need my own little flat (and it will be fricking tiny in London) to make mine and to have as my little palace to spill things on the carpet and have to rearrange furniture to cover it up, to have people come round for dinner and drink all night instead. To lay on the sofa all day on a Sunday in my underwear because I spilt something on my pjs and can't bear dirtying another set before I lay in the tub for two hours and slink into bed having thoroughly wasted a Sunday before work in the morning.
So here I am 30 days into my cold turkey no false nails commitment. I hate it, really and truly, with all of my 5ft 3 body I hate it. Every time I have a spare hour I think, I could have them back, I want them back and I deserve them back. My cuticles are a mess, the skins peeling around the sides, I can't open a diet coke, I can't undo shoe laces, using my iPhone is a different kind of hell, typing is a nightmare, I can't open a diet coke, it's the diet coke thing I can't handle mostly.
Every time I meet someone new in a meeting for work my entire aura screams "DONT LOOK AT MY HANDS, THEY'RE HIDEOUS AND I'M SORRY YOU HAVE TO WITNESS THIS".
They are hideous, I wont lie when I say, after having them taken off I was ashamed, and in total disbelief of how much damage I have actually caused. I knew I was in for some damage but even now, 30 Days in, I would guess that I have another month or so of growing them out before I see any form of improvement. They're sore, sensitive and short and they bend (both ways, ick,).
They are hideous, I wont lie when I say, after having them taken off I was ashamed, and in total disbelief of how much damage I have actually caused. I knew I was in for some damage but even now, 30 Days in, I would guess that I have another month or so of growing them out before I see any form of improvement. They're sore, sensitive and short and they bend (both ways, ick,).
But at this moment I can't have them back (I'll come back to this) so I think that's what makes it worse. When you can't do something you want it more.
On my quest to save money, I think I will just have to suck this one up and know that I'm spending £360 a year on my nails and despite that being utterly ridiculous on my budget I can't be without them. I am not me without them. So as soon as I can I will be putting them back on.
The Experiment (as i'm calling it, but it's more like Testing-TWCs-Patience) will be held for the longest period of time, the aim is 6 weeks then I will be skipping into my nail salon for a full set of nails and a pedicure. I gave up false lashes, nails is just one step too far into minimalism for me.
One bit of advice, if you're thinking of taking up Acrylic Nails, PLEASE DON'T. Please try and look after your own nails, grow them and after time they will become lovely/amazing, people like me will look at those perfect talons with envy. Strive for that envy.
TWC X
One bit of advice, if you're thinking of taking up Acrylic Nails, PLEASE DON'T. Please try and look after your own nails, grow them and after time they will become lovely/amazing, people like me will look at those perfect talons with envy. Strive for that envy.
TWC X
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