I don't know how you girls do that??

Keep your nails long and do anything without destroying them.. I typically keep mine short and use false nails when I need them.. But over the last month I let them grow out and they looked pretty good.. I've been using clear polish and nail hardner... And I made it almost all of the way through the weekend.. Wearing gloves when I worked outside.. The out of nowhere.. I ripped my thumbnail off.. Today it was the ring ringer in the other hand.. I just can't seem to not destroy my nails..

So what's the secret to keeping your nails looking nice AND doing things around the house? Or at work?

I have an acrylic overlay over my nails. Without it, my nails peel like crazy and rip. And for whatever reason, as long as I'm doing that, I have no hangnails, but I had tons when my nails were natural.

i remember having false nails once and then trying to do a few things. My horrible typing to start with went completely to crap.

I had to replace the batteries in my digital camera and that was a disaster too.

hmm i cant help u there karren lol....unfortunately i have a horrid habit of biting my nails...but when i have false ones on i just make sure i keep them short as like u said doing the everyday stuff is wat counts.. so i keep them short and let them grow just a bit to a comfortable lenght when i get infills etc

A good nail hardener and a cuticle oil will do you wonders! OPI Nail Envy is really good, it's an awesome nail hardener and it helps your nails grow nice and strong and if you add a cuticle oil to the mix, you'll be laughing! Cuticle oil nourishes both the cuticles and nails, if you have healthy happy cuticles, you'll have healthy happy nails!

Unfortunately I have yet to figure that one out lol. I have to keep mine short and trimmed because it seems that right when they look long and nice, two days later something happens. Plus, I spend all day on a computer at work so if they're not trimmed i can't type for crap lol. Plus it's much easier imo to work with makeup with short nails as you don't get gunk underneath them.

If I can manage to repaint them when I get chps in them, then they stay longer. The problem is finding the time required to redo them when they get messed up after 3-4 days.

I can't help you there Karren! I typically keep my nails short or medium length.

For me it's prenatal pills

I always have acrylics cause when I try to grow out my natural nails they're so thin that then break so easily and having acrylics keeps me from scratching the s*** out of myself from my eczema lol so it helps me out. I've had them non stop for about 5 years so they never keep me from doing anything because I've learned how to do everything with long nails. EXCEPT don't wear them when you're learning how to wakeboard lol

I think it just takes time to get used to having long nails and then you'll be able to do anything and everything without breaking them!

My nails grow pretty well. They are reasonably strong and I don't usually break them doing things around the house.... I do dishes and clean and whatnot. I have found that as soon as they are all beautiful and one length and looking great, one will become scared and jump off. Usually my middle on my right hand. For some reason that nail is a complete coward and can't stand being long and pretty. After that one jumps off, some of the others get froggy and jump off too. So, I end up with them all short again only to await the next cycle. I've tried strengtheners and topcoats and stuff but they don't work usually. I've had acrylics and loved them, maybe I'll go back to that.

Acrylic overlays over mine as well

Make sure you always have a coat of nail hardener on. I use sally hansen teflon tuff, but i heard they're discontinuing it and they recommend diamond strength or something along those lines instead.

I think it's inevitable to break nails every now and then, unless you put an acrylic top coat over it. But if you prefer the natural look, i'd say just keep them looked after and always coated with protective hardener. And also, keep them at a comfortable length where they are longish, but not too long to get caught in stuff and break. that's my tips

my nails would be super strong if I didn't have to wash dishes and kids! lol

I used to get the hard gel acrylics I don't even remember what they were called...lol

Lots of top coat on them !! Lol, usually two coats, and another after a few days. Although frankly my nail polishes don't always go through washing dishes unharmed, sometimes i may have to repaint one or two .

Sorry I can't be of any help. I used to try to make mine grow, but just leave them short now. I hear short nails are making a comeback. Or, is that just what I tell myself?

Well after I sheared off a third one... Out came the clippers... I'm going to try again over the holdiays if I don't have too much house work to do!! Lol.

I can't. I've always kept mine short. With all the art projects I do...not to mention working on people's faces all day...I have to keep them short, strong, and clean. I prefer the look of short, dark-polished nails, anyway.

I have every nail hardener on the face of the earth. Then I found out my nails dont do good with formaldyhide (lmao is that the correct spelling?) and it makes my nails peel and the nail polish wont stick. Then I found out that 1/2 my nailpolishes had formaldyhide also. now that ive switched to ones with out it results have been better

Lol i think it's the right spelling.