Anyone who knows me (or has read this) knows I am unabashedly obsessed with Kylie Jenner. I have been watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians for years now, and the youngest Jenner has me all sorts of hooked.
First, it was the Vines. Then, I started following her on Twitter for her funny ramblings and sometimes inspirational quotes, and soon after I was following her on Instagram for her amazing style and aesthetics.
Jenner is mostly known for those much-talked about lips, which she capitalized on big time and is making waves (and another fortune) with her Lip Kits. I, of course, had to try them—so I scored Mary Jo K in the Valentine’s Day restock and recently also added Posie K and Dolce K to my growing collection.
Her signature look goes beyond the lips, though. Those dramatic nails also take center stage.
From Instagram: @kyliejenner
And just like with her Lip Kits, Jenner knows what her fans want, so she partnered up with Sinful Colors to release a line of nail polish. Unsurprisingly, it sold out pretty quickly.
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Even before my Kylie obsession, I took immense pride in my nails. I’ve been able to both keep them short or wear them long, so haven’t seen the need to get acrylics or gel extensions at a salon.
Recently I’ve (obviously) been inspired by Kylie’s numerous nail looks:
From Instagram: @alanifierce
But when my nail-FOMO was becoming to strong with every one of Kylie’s Snapchats and Instagrams, it was time to stop waiting for my nails to grow out and to get my very first gel UV extensions. They look more natural than acrylics, and healthier, too.
So I went with a long style, a rounded-square shape and a dark emerald color from Essie. I was immensely happy with how they turned out!
The thumb was a little too boxy for me, so I just filed it down until it looked more natural. Since I have lived with long nails before, it was pretty easy to adjust. You can’t really scratch at things because the nail itself is a littler duller than regular nails. You also don’t want to put too much pressure on the faux nail, because it hurt a little bit.
Since I’m not used to fake nails, they did feel pretty bulky and bothersome. I had to adjust how I held my pencil, how I typed on my phone and how I put clothes on (you do not want to snag a hole in your tights).
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But the struggles did not outweigh my love for these nails. I got compliments everyday on the length and the color. My coworkers thought they were fierce and my mom loved the shape. I felt so empowered by having these glamorous nails. They made even the simplest trip to the library a little less gloomy.
They were also the perfect background accessory in my photo op with my new Lip Kit.
They just made everything look a little more dramatic.
What I will stress, though, is to not peel them off. When the time comes and you have had it with the length, the dullness, or just the general upkeep, get them professionally removed or look up how to safely remove them at home. I became annoyed and didn’t really care about them after having them for a month or more and I tore off the tops of my nails. The results, as you can see, were not pretty.
If you do this, don’t worry too much. Just get a buffer board and use the sides to get a nice, shiny, smooth finish. They will look fine again.
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Also, if you’re going to emulate Kylie’s nails, make sure you are very careful with how you handle yourself. I was quickly getting my heavy backpack on and snapped my pinky nail almost in half. It bled and only after I removed the gel extensions did I see that I had cracked the actual nail.
But despite the mishaps and the care for the long, fake nails, I loved my time with them. They made me feel and look good. They are definitely something I want to try again and helped me realize that long nails are the way to go for me.
It also made me feel like Kylie when typing on my phone and doing other daily tasks, and who doesn’t want that?
Photos courtesy of Alani Vargas