Anxiety, Acrylics, and Adult Maintenance

A love story between my nervous sytem and a sunset ombre

Can anyone explain the specific science behind having your nails done? I absolutely adore the way my hands look and feel with a clean nail; I can’t stand thinking about the appointment, going, talking to people, and being half happy with the outcome and too scared to say anything.

It doesn’t have to be a salon-done nail; but you know what I’m talking about… after the chipped polish is taken off or the manicure is refreshed or that one hangnail is successfully removed and your whole hand is reset. This time, full transparency, I’ve been into going to the salon and having my nails done. That’s how I envision my nails for this season of my life and I have attempted multiple at-home products and been slightly disappointed with the results.

I live in a very small town in a pretty rural area. We do have a nail salon, but I tried them a few years ago and just wasn’t impressed. I started looking outside my town and into areas I normally go or would want to on a regular-ish basis. Aldi’s is about forty minutes away, and, luckily, they have the area’s best nail salon very close (I’m not making this up… they were voted that 12 years in a row). I booked my first appointment and went outside my comfort zone with a decently long, ballerina-shaped, ombre set (see picture). They were pretty close to what I wanted, but not perfect. However, a full set only took about 40 minutes, leaving plenty of time to slowly browse the Aldi Aisle of Shame after. Let’s consider that a win. I didn’t get the ick when I left or at all while I was there.

My original set; long, lush, and designed to slow my typing

I ended up cutting my nails down because functioning was impossible and I don’t have the patience to relearn how to acclimate to my life just for long nails.

Twenty-five days later (yes, you read that right), I decided they had grown out enough to justify a fill. Were they EXTREMELY grown out? Yes, but no lifting or separating or weirdness when the cuticle grew out.

This time, I conned my boyfriend into going with me. Not to the actual appointment, because that’s embarrassing, but he went shopping then we met up for more shopping and lunch later. I am OBSESSED. I was in and out in 30 minutes, with an appointment; got the perfect shape and length; and the ombre fades like a beautiful sunset. The woman doing my nails (different than last time) just got “it”.

The most perfect acrylic gel fill. The fade? Incredibly milky. The length? Practical. The cuticles? Flawless.

Tell me why I still hated thinking about making that appointment. I was supposed to go during my lunch break on Thursday, but ended up having a meeting scheduled and moved it to Saturday (I wasn’t even a little bit upset about that honestly). I’m not as weirded out about scheduling the next one.

Maybe it’s not about the nails at all—maybe it’s about choosing to take care of myself before I spiral and convince myself I don’t need it.

Either way, if this is perimenopause, at least she has good cuticles.

I couldn't resist a chance to show off the fill (and my ring!) again.