For me, living with *finesse is enjoying the little extras as inexpensively as possible. One of the little pleasures I gift to myself is the occasional manicure and pedicure, and if I can enjoy them through the use of Groupon or Sharing Spree all the better. However, I deserve to splurge even if I don’t have a coupon.

What I don’t enjoy is when the manicure starts looking ragged, the color chipping, etc. Thankfully that’s a thing of the past with Shellac manicures, which have been on the market for about two years. I love that the color dries so quickly (no more messing up the manicure the minute you walk out the door) and lasts about two weeks. However, being the frugal gal that I am, I take action to extend that period out to three weeks or more.

First of all, I go with a French manicure so that grow out is less noticeable. Secondly, I apply Solar Oil to the nails daily. I purchased the very small bottle from my manicurist for about $3, which seemed insanely expensive, but it LASTS a long time and is well worth the money. Finally, when I can see the edge of the shellac above my cuticle or notice any “lift,” I gently file the edges or lift down and begin “sealing” the nail with a shiny top coat daily. If you can’t file down the lift, go to your manicurist and have the Shellac removed. You don’t want water getting between your nail and the Shellac and growing icky stuff!

You are advised to have the Shellac removed professionally. I have never had to do that as it peels off my nails easily, sometimes without me even noticing. My nails are very thin and pliable, so that may be the reason.

Let me know if these tips work for you, or how you’ve extended your manicure!

My thrifty finesse level: 
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What’s your thrifty finesse level?

*finesse (skill, flair, grace elegance, poise, assurance)