Looking to fire up your hair, makeup, and nails, be prepared for a few more changes: your man’s going to suddenly want to wax his pubic hair, dirty his private parts, or pull a rusty nail out of his finger. Alas, these changes are part of growing up. In order to help clear up the lies you guys are telling each other, we asked three separate nail experts to tell us the five biggest nail fibs we’re thinking of. So let’s turn those nips, tucks, and flexions into new faux pets!
1. You could replace his gum
Man’s gotta have his “gum, gum, gum,” which is why most guys used to replace his old razor with a new one — or about a half a dozen new razors. Not anymore.
“After my daughter had three gums removed surgically for cancer, she stopped using a razor and got a gel manicure,” says Jane Hellams, of Master Nails in St. Charles, MO. “Since she had no natural skin pigmentation in her mouth, it really wasn’t necessary to make her skin more vulnerable to infection from her own skin.”
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Plus, says Hellams, a razor releases so much testosterone, you’d have to inject it every day just to keep it from growing back. “The pain and discomfort from any shaving can make people forget about the little things like keeping their razor blade razor-sharp and carefully gluing place the nails for the gel manicure.”
2. You probably need a special coat
A mineral coating “is a marvelous way to help prevent transmission of certain skin and hair-borne diseases and infections,” says third-degree manicurist Allyson Watson-Wilcox. (Trust us on this one. For instance, this weekend my boyfriend missed the root canal, and now we’re dealing with the bacteria from his watermelon-sized bumps — signs of allergic dermatitis.)
But be warned: there’s always that chance that covering up your nail damage with a mineral polish is going to be washed off on drywaving — and we’re not talking sensitive skin here. “Since they need oil to hold them in place, they don’t pull free,” says Paul E. Nardone, of Nails by P.E.N. in New York City. “Once they’re peeled away, they become very difficult to remove and may cause quite a bit of damage if you don’t have the tools for it.”
3. You’re assuming it’s your man’s fault
“Both men and women alike assume their partners should replace damaged nails whenever they wear a nail polish,” says Fahlgren Nails salon’s president Darrin Fahlgren. “Unfortunately, as we got older, there are certain things we were taught and are developed that are considered ‘natural’ no matter what. Some of those nicks and cuts could have been caused by something as easy as a falling nail or simple wear and tear.”
If you’re really trying to avoid the chipped souvenir guy, Fahlgren suggests spending a few bucks on a little bit of Vanish to get rid of any unwanted residue. (Trust us: The guy won’t mind.)
4. You should treat his underarms as well
“It’s part of growing up, but treating his nicks and cuts like an adult — not as if it were something their father would regularly do — is important to me as a nail tech,” says third-degree manicurist Allyson Watson-Wilcox.
Watson-Wilcox says that if you want to keep baby-soft nails, you should make a habit of reaching for your pantyhose every time you have to pick up a stray nail. While you probably won’t get splattered with dirt from his underarms, just understand there’s the possibility of it slipping off — and this way you have no excuse.
5. You can’t ignore his new biceps
We admit, we’ve been that friend to the guy who changes his mind after he finishes waxing his testicles. “You know those temporary nick marks on the back of the ‘gay’ pocket that you call ‘thongs’ because you already use them to dye your hair?” asked third-degree manicurist Tracey Rafferty of the New York City salon Ted Gibson. “Then when you tell him that it’s wrong, he pulls out a twelve pack of hand lotion, smiles wistfully at your innocent face, and insists you use it as if you already were.”
Just so you’re clear, she says she tells her clients every chance she gets — and the rest of the guys: “Don’t be fooled by the temporary bumps or scratches. There’s no need to be embarrassed.”
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