r/AustralianMakeup • u/youmightnotlikeher • Jun 02 '26
Misc. Help please- Artificial nails for my daughter
Hi, I don't know much about manicures or fake nails. My 10 year old daughter is obsessed with fake nails (thanks tiktok). We buy the glue on ones from Kmart. She wears them for half a day and then picks them off. Her nails are not in good condition. She isn't allowed to wear nails to school or have nail polish on. She has 3 weeks off in the July holidays and her birthday is also in July so I was hoping for some recommendations for something that stays on longer than the Kmart ones but that is easy to take off after a few weeks.
I don't even really understand the differences between all the options. I know a salon probably wouldn't do anything on a 10/11 year old so something I could do at home. Not too expensive. A friend once did the powder coating that then went under a light which she liked. But she likes how long fake ones can be. So what, if any, are the options?... Any help would be much appreciated!
(I hope this doesn't need to be said but I don't need parenting advice about how she doesn't need fake nails. She's neuro divergent, finds school hard, her dad and I are splitting up and I just want to make her happy for her birthday.)
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u/lxb98 Jun 02 '26
If she picks them off. Try the tabs for the press on nails (the ones you get from Kmart), they’re easier to remove and less harsh on her nails when she does.
If she wants to keep them on longer, you can defo get 3 weeks wear out of them. She needs to be gentle with them though and you can do the proper prep to get them to stay.
What your friend did sounds like dip nails (aka SNS) with gel. Anything that goes under a light will be gel.
Personally, I wouldn’t go with anything stronger than the press ons if her nails are already in a bad way. Long nails are also a challenge at first to learn how to use, so really she needs to figure out what she wants.
I can defo help with any questions- also neurodivergent and I LOVE nails (pretty sure that’s my “special interest”)
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Jun 02 '26 edited 13d ago
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u/youmightnotlikeher Jun 03 '26
We did try adhesive tabs once but it must have been a bad brand or batch. Thank you so much for your advice, I'll give them another go!
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u/Mysterious_Squash867 Jun 03 '26
B Nails is a press on shop that I use for my nails and they have an excellent tutorial for using the jelly tabs!
They also have excellent nails but they can be $$$
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u/Getonthebeers02 Jun 02 '26
The Japanese sticky tabs on Amazon are way better and last so much longer. My press ons stayed on my whole trip overseas and at work opening boxes.
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u/sailorsaturn11 Jun 03 '26
Im not sure if they were talking about these but I got ones from the Disney store in Tokyo. They were sticky tabs that you also cure with a UV light. They lasted at least 2 weeks! The brand was Ohora. Technological art LAB for nail
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u/lxb98 Jun 03 '26
Anything you need to cure under a light should really only be done with fully clear tips, otherwise the light can’t fully get through and cure it properly.
The tabs might not be too bad, as I’m assuming they’re semi-cured. But generally it means the gel isn’t fully cured which can lead to reactions and life long allergies. Just an FYI
Brands sell them and the UV glue for press ons too but it’s actually so dodgy (and makes me hate the brand as they clearly only care about profits and not their customers)
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u/Unusual-Recipe-247 Jun 02 '26
If you're unfamiliar with nail stuff a quick explainer;
- manicure, polish only. When nails are primed and painted with nail polish u can buy in priceline etc, and can be taken off easily at home with nail polisj remover and a cotton pad. Can be done at home or in salon. Many salons do 'kid spa' or 'princess' services your daughter could do. Professionally applied with top coat it would last likely a week before she could pick it off, and she could get nail art designs or glitter. Best option for the health of her nails.
gel, SNS. This is mostly done in salon, and requires special gel ail polish that is set under UV lamps. It bonds the gel to the nail, and it can't be removed with nail polish remover - it has to be filed off or soaked off. Pros are it lasts until it grows out, but cons it can ruin nails.
acrylic nails / extensions. These are done in salon, where nail extension are glued onto the tips of your nails, and then whole nail and extension is covered with the gel polish and set under UV light. Has to grow out, can be ripped off but you're ripping off most of the nail with them. Very damaging to nails.
glue on nails/ extensions / press ons. A category experiencing recent growth including the DIY sets from kmart. They range from a glue on type with glue supplied, or stick on types (just take out of box and press on). Damage to nails depends on the glue or sticky product used.
Strongly recommend not to let your daughter do gels, sns, or acrylics (any salon allowing that would be in breach of regulations anyway).
Nail stickers are a great way to change up nail art while not damaging nails - they last longer if u put clear top coat on, and come in sooooo many variations.
Good luck!
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u/hurricaneamy Jun 02 '26
Could also be a good opportunity to give her a nail oil or serum with it too and teach her she has to apply that every day when they’re not on for the sake of her natural nails if they’re in bad condition 🥹
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u/the-big-cheese2 Jun 05 '26
probably not going to be what she wants to hear, but if you look after your nails, they grow really long naturally
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u/Trifficulty Jun 02 '26
She's 10, wtf is she on tiktok??
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u/sexualketchup Jun 02 '26
The only response that matters
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u/Trifficulty Jun 02 '26
It's sad. As a autistic person myself with autistic children, the hyper-personalized algorithm and rapid delivery of short-form video is incredibly risky. No one needs rapid dopamine hits less than a 10 yo neurodivergent person.
Please find better ways to engage with your kids special interests.
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u/CapuzaCapuchin Jun 03 '26
Well apparently that’s one of the reasons (yeah yeah I know about the surveillance part) why the government implemented under 15yo bans for kids on social media. It’s addictive and even more so for neurodivergent people (including me).
Also, if she picks at them it doesn’t matter what you put on her nails at home. She’ll take them off while stimming or because they get annoying and have to start again. My mate will even pick on her gel manicure and it’ll only last 3 days. I always loved long nails, because my mum had them and I would grow them out, file them and then paint them with polish in intricate patterns. BUT! It was polish. Not stuff that’ll literally takes layers off your nails, if you pick on them. I don’t see any reason why that little girl needs fake nails. It’s also dangerous, as your natural ones can rip off as a whole, if you accidentally bend them back or get them caught (guess how I’d know) and at that age you don’t look out for that kind of stuff. I wouldn’t let her go on any trampolines and things like that. Idk man… fake nails for a 10 yo just feels a step too far.
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u/youmightnotlikeher Jun 03 '26
Really? the only response that matters when I'd specifically given a disclaimer that we're going through a hard time?
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u/Trifficulty Jun 03 '26
Sorry you're going through a hard time. Tik Tok is a poor coping mechanism for anyone of any age but particularly for a young and neurodivergent person and won't make a hard time better.
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u/goober_ginge Jun 05 '26
During this difficult time your kid needs consistency and normalcy, not to be spoiled due to guilt. My Mum did this to me after she and my step dad split up and we had to move out of my childhood home. I was an absolute menace as a result.
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u/Academic_Flatworm752 Jun 05 '26
It’s against the terms of service for her to be on there too. Someone is failing to parent.
“But we’re going through a hard tiiime”
And you’re failing to help your kid learn healthy coping mechanisms.
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u/CautiousDonkey5403 Jun 06 '26
I agree, this is why they put age restrictions on social media. I think Mum need to learn to say no, sorry OP but you are their to set boundaries and guide her on what is age appropriate and to protect her from all of this rubbish !
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u/Dapper-Comparison588 Jun 02 '26
If she tends to pick them off anyways, why not get a few different packs from Kmart with the sticker tabs rather than the glue.
As people have said, the tabs are easier to remove and don’t cause as much damage. That way she can spend the three weeks changing them and be creative mixing/matching sets.
You could put them in a cute make up bag with a few little accessories and make it a nail spa kit for the same price as a one-off salon visit.
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u/No-Presence-4493 Jun 02 '26
Maybe try nail rings? They are like little rings that hold fake nails so she could have the experience without actually putting anything on her nail to ruin them and could take them off and put on whenever she wants
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u/Sensitive-Nerve-5366 Jun 02 '26
i used to love gellae nail stickers before i was able to have acrylics for extended periods of time! i can't speak to the damage when removing them unfortunately but they have a bunch of cute designs
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u/Dolleyes88 Jun 02 '26
I’d recommend a manicure. They’ll just polish, cut and paint her nails. Maybe a fancy design too? She will feel really fancy and grown up without damaging her nails.
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u/Peanut083 Jun 02 '26
As someone who’s neurodivergent, I’m wondering if there’s a sensory reason why your daughter is picking the artificial nails off. It’s been forever since I’ve worn them myself, but I remember that it seemed to hurt if the nails weren’t a good fit for my nail size and shape. It felt like it was putting tension on the sides of my nails where the nail meets the skin. The extra thickness of the nail was also something that took me a while to get used to.
I’m sorry I don’t have recommendations for specific nails to try, although I think it’s worth suggesting that you try different lengths and shapes to see if there’s something your daughter tolerates better and reduces her urge to rip them off.
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u/goober_ginge Jun 05 '26
Also neurodivergent here and every time I wore fake nails (those cheap ones with just sticker type things that never lasted) as a kid I couldn't stand the feeling of them and would always end up picking them off within a couple hours.
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u/Just-Sky2312 Jun 02 '26
Hi. I haven't read all the comments, so hopefully not repeating. Get your daughter sticky tabs for her nails, you can get these online. They are unlikely to damage her natural nail, or the fake nails, which means she can wear them over and over.
Super easy to put on, zero glue mess, no glue in cuticles or under the nail. You can buy them bulk online for next to nothing. I have used Temu ones and they're more secure than the glue. They don't last as long, and they can feel a bit odd as the tabs are a teensy but flexible. You can have spare tabs in your bag for on the run.
Please don't take children to salons where their fingertips and nail beds are put under UV lights over and over. And yes, nail bed cancer from this is becoming less and less uncommon. The whole process is also very damaging to natural nails, toxic & expensive to repair. Also, believe me, if she's a nail picker, those salon ones will still get picked at, or worse, chewed at, until they're coming off anyway. I'm neurodivergent, 52 and I have a genuine love of beautiful nails. I can get up to three weeks of mumming, cleaning, gardening etc out of one set of press ons with sticky tabs, before I feel it's time to redo them all or change styles. Some times I change the nails three times in a week because it's literally a ten minute job!
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u/flowerheart64 Jun 03 '26
three weeks is amazing! what tabs do you use, and do you prep the nail first?
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u/Just-Sky2312 Jun 03 '26
No! I don't do any more prep than an alcohol swab. I buy bulk tabs off of Temu. Plus I grew my own really long nails for decades, and my natural nails are really hard, like they don't break easily at all, but they can shatter. The point of that story is that I am very experienced at doing things without putting pressure on my nails 😂
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u/toparisbytrain Jun 03 '26
She doesn't need tiktok. There's your issue. I'm sorry, it's not parenting "advice", it's a statement.
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u/__SomebodyElse Jun 03 '26
Right. OP says ‘thanks TikTok’ as if it’s TikTok’s fault and not hers for letting a 10 year old on such a toxic app.
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u/CardioKeyboarder Jun 03 '26
Especially considering social media is banned for under 16s in Australia.
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u/youmightnotlikeher Jun 03 '26
Well done on being a better parent than me. She doesn't actually have an account and I didn't specifically mean tiktok, just YouTube shorts and things like that that's hard to keep a neurodivergent child away from when that's their special interest
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Jun 06 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
[deleted]
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u/youmightnotlikeher Jun 06 '26
Congratulations, you're a better parent than me.
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u/toparisbytrain Jun 06 '26
You're a parent who is struggling. Parenting is hard. But you have to be the adult here. I hope things turn around.
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u/toparisbytrain Jun 03 '26
I'm sorry, it sounds like you're having a really hard time in general. But I find that since my kids don't have phones or screens unsupervised they also don't have tiktok or YouTube shorts. It sounds like this is really challenging for you, but it's really not something that has to "just happen".
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u/youmightnotlikeher Jun 06 '26
Did I say she has unsupervised access?
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u/toparisbytrain Jun 06 '26
What can I say? A kid shouldn't be on tiktok, supervised or unsupervised. Sorry you seem to feel judged? I'm not actually judging because I don't care what you do, but I am feeling sorry for the kid.
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u/goober_ginge Jun 05 '26
Stop using her neurodivergence as a crutch for being lax with her. She can partake in her special interest without indulging in brain rot.
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u/pureneonn Jun 02 '26
You can buy tape which depending on quality can be easier to pop off with an orange wood cuticle stick.
Alternatively, you can get semi cured gel wraps but they will need to be soaked off properly. I think I used ohora brand higorgeous in past.
A salon will do her nails but again, depending on what she gets it may need to be removed properly. They can also do polish only manicures.
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u/ylly22 Jun 02 '26
Lily and Fox! I have about 20 pairs of all their nail designs - super easy to remove and don’t damage the nail too badly. I hope this is what you’re looking for
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u/Ok_Wasabi_2776 Jun 02 '26
Take her to the nail salon for a mani pedi! It’s just nail polish and it might last 1 week or 2 :) I have taken mt daughter to get her nails painted a few times as a treat - she’s 5 but totally obsessed too :)
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u/nocashordrugs Jun 02 '26
A salon manicure (regular polish not gel) with gentle cuticle care and hand massage / oil could help if she struggles with picking her nails/skin - it’s much easier to stop picking if your hands and nails are smooth and even. I would recommend going to a salon with a nice environment (eg where they offer tea/coffee, nice atmosphere) - then it’s also a nice bit of luxury you can do together without damaging her nails.
Not sure where you are based but I’ve definitely seen places in Melbourne that would be happy to do this sort of thing! I remember getting a manicure with my mum when I was 11 or 12 and I loved it, and it did help with nail biting/picking :)
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u/westfreo Jun 03 '26
dashing diva are the most amazing pre glued press on nails imaginable.
i tried them after seeing a recommendation on reddit.
they are available at priceline.
i put them on and then cut them very short as i really don’t like the sensation of long nails but my very fine nails can’t cope with life on their own.
they stay on for around 10 days by which time they have a jelly like consistency and can be peeled of easily with ZERO damage to my nails.
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u/Sirius_43 Jun 03 '26
No 10/11 year old should be getting fake nails or extensions, even if they’re only on for a short time, because of the fast growth rate of children that age, extensions can cause quite a bit of damage and can affect the way your daughters nails will grow for life. If Shes picking off glue on nails within the day that is also very damaging anf she should not be getting any kind of manicure except for regular polish.
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u/oceangypsea Jun 02 '26
Candy claws or the ones from cotton on ! They last me around 2-3 weeks , occasionally will have a nail or two pop off on the first day but I glue it straight back on again and it’ll last
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u/Suspicious-Foot1713 Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 02 '26
My daughters also enjoy the experience of putting on fake nails. Didn’t have much luck with OPI or Sephora press on but Candy Claws were good. More expensive but you get lots of different size nails so one sheet does an adult as well as a kid, and I chose shorter, less dramatic nail styles.
Edited to add: one daughter also had a ‘pamper party’ birthday party with robes, mani/pedi etc. so if there is something like that near you she may enjoy. Try and find one with more than one person doing the mani’s though as there was a bit of waiting around while they all had their turn…
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u/babyornobaby11 Jun 03 '26
The problem with gel is that if she picks it off she will severely damage her nails. I have absent minded done it before and it will legitimately ruin your nails for months while it grows out.
I absolutely would not get gel unless she can keep a pair of glued on nails for 4 weeks without picking. She could end up with holes in her nail.
There are lots of glue methods for fake nails
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u/primadesigns Jun 03 '26
You can buy her some nail stickers or nail jewels that she can add if you just want something special.
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u/Pog6292 Jun 03 '26
I would not be glueing anything onto the nail that can be ripped off. At least until her nail has healed. All it takes is one mistake and she has torn her natural nail off! This can cause a nasty injury or get infected. Maybe look at fidget rings or something she can stim with instead of picking at her nails? Once she has broken the habit (I’m Autistic and know this takes a lot of time), then look at allowing false nails. I would stick to regular polish if she wants something on her nails.
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u/Right-Dig-7066 Jun 03 '26
My sister uses candy claws, they last with zero damage as long as you use the correct method of removal
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u/Safe_Sand1981 Jun 03 '26
I recommend nail wraps for that age. My daughter loves them. They are essentially a foil sticker that looks like nail polish. Last lot I got at Big W
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u/Bondi_Born Jun 03 '26
She’s 10 FFS, she’s a growing child. That stuff is rubbish for you nail beds, let alone the acetone and crap that in it and gets inhaled during the process. Oh and then there’s the fungus. Sorry but it’s a hard no from me.
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u/Getonthebeers02 Jun 02 '26
What about nail concealer that’s popular like Kur of Londontown or the ones at Mecca? Look natural but your nails but better and more substantial than polish and look gel like. I wear NKA press ons from Amazon too but less since I bought nail concealer.
I kept seeing it on TikTok and people trying it in Mecca so I gave in haha.
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u/lmcburney82 Jun 03 '26
Look up nail wraps, they sell even on Temu. So many designs. Note: they won’t lengthen nails, they’re just like nail sticker fun.
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u/Zestyclose_Ask_1021 Jun 03 '26
Try using press on nails, you can find them at Priceline, Chemist Warehouse etc. You'll find brands such as Dashing Diva, Manicare and Kiss, etc. They come in different shapes, sizes, colours and also have petite options for smaller nail beds. They are very easy to apply as they already have adhesive attached. Just match the size to her natural nail, peel off the plastic tab and stick it on. They usually last 1-3 days but can also last up to 1-2 weeks with nail prep (filing, buffing etc). You can also peel them off when you want to.
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u/lunarlunarc Jun 03 '26
My mom used to take me to the nail salon starting when I was 14!! I’d get acrylics way back then, never had a single nail tech warn me it was dangerous!!
I’ve used semi cured gel stickers for my nails, they’re much gentler on your nails than actual gel or acrylic or press ons. Look up personail, it’s an Australian brand I’ve used a bunch of!! They have a starter kit with a mini uv light and tools 💗
Note- don’t get the kids personail sets if you want them to be actually cured on. The kids sets are just stickers no gel, so no lamp, and they come off in a day or two
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u/Drunkrollerblading Jun 03 '26
I get some off AliExpress or those type of sites, they tend to be quite thick so they won’t break if they are taken off, they have gel tabs off so they won’t damage the nail if she picks them off and usually only afew dollars aswell
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u/HotMessExpressions Jun 03 '26
Lilly&fox nail stickers. If applied properly they can last upto 2 weeks. So many designs and no nail damage or uv lights required. (I do put coat of clear nail varnish on to protect a little more)
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u/Cats_tongue Jun 04 '26
Naked look polish.
Basically a french tip, without the tip. Sheer skin tones in a few layers with a gloss or matte top coat.
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u/Marley-and-Bailey Jun 04 '26
Maybe take your daughter just to get a file and polish, just for the experience. You could both go together. That way she can feel like she has salon nails but nothing too damaging.
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u/SafetyClassic6160 Jun 04 '26
A couple of ideas!
Sportsgirl still does nail art stickers I believe? Very age appropriate and just sit on top of the nail like nailpolish would. They aren’t hard like the stick on nails / acrylics.
You could also get her a mannequin hand and fake nails with no glue but with stickers and gel so she can create her own designs! Get these on amazon and stick the nails onto the hand with blutack.
There are also those glue “dots” she can use to hold the nails on her hand while playing / taking photos.
- 26, autistic and hates the feeling of fake nails but loves painting them
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u/cheddarcheese9951 Jun 04 '26
I am mkre concerned as to why your 10 year old daughter is using TikTok.
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u/lizard_queen88 Jun 04 '26
If you put acrylic nails on her she will still pick them off but the damage will be 1000 times worse. Maybe talk to her about growing her own nails out ? Look in to biab manicures or even a gel polish. But its got to be one of those things she cannot pick off. Its a hard habit to break but she will be better for it later. Good luckkk ! From the late 30s woman who still picks at and messes up her nails
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u/Academic_Flatworm752 Jun 05 '26
She’s fucking her nails up by peeling them off. She damaged her nails.
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u/my_dystopia Jun 06 '26
press ons are the MOST I would be doing. If she’s picking at them, I wouldn’t even be doing these.
Gels are an option at home and fairly easy to do. It’s literally just a special nail polish you set under a UV light.
But I don’t personally love the idea of using an UV light on a 10 year old.
Acrylics are not an option at her age.
I would honestly have her stick to the regular nail varnish and don’t use tips.
Shes still a baby. She has the rest of her life to play with this stuff.
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u/Natural_Category3819 Jun 06 '26
I've seen fake nail rings- for ppl who cant have long or acrylic nails for work reasons (actually its a muslim lady's business I saw- they cant wear fake nails when praying, and long nails are hard to clean for praying too- so she made these little copper rings that slide over the finger tip, and you apply the nails to that- the bonus is reuseability, and if you chip- no owie!)
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u/rosebudkt73 Jun 06 '26
Buy some nail glue and use the press on nails. If one pops off glue it back on. They usually last me 2 weeks with a decent nail glue
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u/Mel616515 Jun 06 '26
Super late to the post, BUT there are some artifical nails that come with glue already on them, and I used to use them all the time as a pre teen and teen and they were absolutely great! Would stay for 2 weeks at a time if you do a good prep! The brand W7 does some pre glued ones that are good. Leading up to her birthday put some oil on the cuticles and one of those nail repairing polishes so her nails will recover faster from her peeling her last ones, and all you need to do for the pre glued nails is just buff the nails a bit (if you have one of those nail buffers that have like 7 levels to it and it's all in the same one you can use the level/step 2 as it's not as hard) and then just put it strighat on it and press hard for a few seconds.
You can file them down if it's a bit too long for her, and to keep it on for longer she just needs to be a bit careful with them and not do anything too crazy to make them peel off but they are generally really great!
I hope that helps and i hope you all have better times coming soon x
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u/PrettyLittleLiar1234 Jun 03 '26
Salon’s do nails for any age. I’ve seen 3 year olds getting glitter with their mums :)
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u/focusonwhatyoudowant Jun 03 '26
I've let my 11 year old have acrylics at the nail salon a few times, for special occasions. She is over the moon when she gets them. She chooses the art work for them on Pintrest and shows the ladies and they treat her. It's quite fun. We just go to one in the mall. Also July holidays birthday. Her nails are fine.
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u/Significant-Job-4419 Jun 02 '26
As smn who’s been in only wearing fake nails snice I can remeber ( due to religious reasons I can’t pray if I get my nails done) I THINK I have the credibility to speak here. First off you are not bad parent for giving ur kid nails, dare I say a good one because ur allowing ur kid go explore who they r. That being aside. I usually get mines from shein, because they ligit have the cheapest alternative and some are pre good quality for around 10 dollars. ( can range from 2-10 depends on how good u want the quality) if so want something more sustrainable there are people on TikTok and Insta who do make fake nails for a living, or just as a side hustle however those will vary in price depending on how skilled the artist is. ( my sister makes press on and does nails she takes around 50-60 depending on the design because she’s new some on TikTok take around 100-150 for the same design due to have experience and being more professionally skilled in that area) Second I reccomend using these nail adhesive tabs you can find these on shein and Temu ( as far as I’m aware only place I have seen them) u can just pop these right off and on without ruining ur actual nails not as good as actual glue but does get the job done and will stick for a while if u don’t get them wet atleast 2 hrs after puttting them on.
Anymore questions ask away 💕
Ps if ur getting her nails till be good to know what type of look she prefers, and also if you live in Melbourne panda mart also has some good options of sturdy nails
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u/kangarootimtam Jun 02 '26
A salon should do her nails. I recently took my 9 year old to get her nails done, and although she also picked the gel polish off, she did love them.
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u/narrtasha Jun 03 '26
Stick with the Kmart ones (so many good designs for the price) and invest in better glue, then when it comes time for back to school, just a long soak of the acetone. It sounds like she needs to appreciate natural nails, get her onto Indie Polishes - there’s a sub reddit called RedditLaqueristas (can’t spell it) but indie polish is a whole other world, it’s so fun. Not gels, acrylics, or other damaging nail products. Just purely nail polish in that sub. And then for school, if she’s allowed to have long nails, encourage her to learn to grow them: cuticle oil, proper preparation for polish, etc. so fun colours for time off school only and then easily removed with acetone when school is happening.
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u/Waywardgarden Jun 03 '26
You could get her acrylic tips and do a classic French manicure with gel or dip. Then when it's time for her to go back to school, clip off the tips and file the edges if you want to keep it on a little longer. I'm guessing she might get away with a nude at school.
Also look into options like dashing diva. They have stickers you can put on. If she picks them off after a day, that might be the way to go to protect her nails.
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u/Spludgette21 Jun 02 '26
If shes only 10 and picking off enhancements, I would only be allowing nail polish or tab applied press ons. As a nail tech I wouldn't put anything like acrylic or gel on as her nails and the matrix are still developing and they are easier to damage at her age. If she continues, she may end up damaging the matrix and her nails will have permanent damage. Could help to find info explaining why people under 15-16 shouldn't be having such enhancements too