My daughter has been wanting acrylics but she’s still kind of young. Can you post anonymously asking other mamas what age they think is appropriate? My mother was very strict and I wasn’t allowed anything to do with my nails until I was an adult.
My mom allowed my grandma to start taking me to get acrylics around age 13-14.
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Following I’m curious as well
When they have a job and can pay to keep up the maintenance of having acrylics. It’s expensive for refills every 2-3 weeks.
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16, or when they can pay for and take care of, their own nails.
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I have four daughters in that age group. One thing to consider is cost. I have done their nails and they’ve take. Them off within hours. Whether acrylic gel or presson.
To get them you file the shiny part of your nail bed glue a tip to the end and fill with plastic like substance. It takes an hour and should last two weeks. Cost 40-120$. I was lucky and could do them myself so they weren’t that much. However after numerous times I finally just gave them acrylic press on nails. It takes 15 min cost 10$ last two weeks and in some cases look better than the salon. They could also fix them themselves and got extras with the pack. Also BecaOse if the price they can get two packs.
Depending on how much they file down the nail bed will make the damage difference.
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I had to have a job and pay for my own.
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In high school as a treat or gift but if they want to keep it up then they have to pay for it.
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Junior high
However they don’t get to wear them all the time because I emphasize the importance of letting their nails breath
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When she has a job and can pay for them.
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If you can afford it. It’s your money
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If she’s asking and money isn’t an issue, I’d let her try them. Maybe she’s a future nail tech…who knows?
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Never. I’m a beautician and it can cause life long problems as far as fungus and damage to the nail bed and matrix. The matrix is where our nails grow from. Damage it and they may never recover. I would suggest googling all info before you do it. Research a lot and discuss with a Dr as well. It is not something to just cast aside. This is her health and well being. Our hands get a lot of attention. If you allow them to become damaged she may never forgive you. As a professional I would greatly discourage it. She is growing and her hands are developing. Don’t mess with that.
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I used to let my daughters fool around with them on the wknds…that way they got practice but weren’t allowed to go out and about with it till they were older…same with make-up…if you don’t let them experiment they will look like ducks out of water when it’s time for the real deal
My daughter is 9 and we get ours done 
. Your child, your money, your rules. Just make sure she understands they don’t come off easy like stick on nails and she will be stuck with them for a while.
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My daughter is 11 and her dad just paid to get hers done. She loves them. My nail lady told me that it’s usually around 13/14 the girls start wanting them. She said that a lot of kids around 8,9,10 usually end up crying the same night and end up coming back in the next day for removal because they are “heavy” and the kid isn’t use to that feeling. My daughter has had her full set for a week now and hasn’t complained about them. I tell ya there is a lot of nail tapping happening here tho LOL
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I told my daughter no so many times she used to just get her nails painted she went to visit my sister and asked to ‘get her nails done’ she came home with the acrylics i told her she would be sorry she wasnt they came off without issue she is 9… i didnt want her to feel that pain of ripping them i was worried theyd get in the way for her etc… i was wrong she was happy…
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Get her a bunch of nail stickers on eBay
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Like…never…so ridiculous and unnecessary…teach her to look after her natural nails…as the beautician above advised…too many bad things can happen that last for a lifetime…
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Short acrylics at 14… middle school girls these days be having these long ass acrylic nails.
Ehh maybe a manicure or maybe even gel or dip but not acrylics
I had a rule of 15 or over.
Whatever age you feel comfortable with your the parent my kids 8 and her older sister took her to go get her first set
My daughter has had them done like 5 times. First time she was 12 or 13. I don’t allow it all the time because it’s not good on her nails. She is very active in different sports so we don’t do it during sport season. She plays football and does color guard and I can’t imagine the pain it would cause if one broke during that.
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Start as high school age as a gift for maybe bday or Christmas etc then if wanting more often wait til at least 16 x
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My parents told me when I can afford to pay for them myself I can get them. I think I was around 15 and it will be the same way with my daughter.
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Never they are bad for your nails
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12-13 was when girls in my school started to get them.
I never have as I’m way to rough lol
Like 14
And start with like french tips or natural looking colors. Teenagers always want to experiment. It would make it better if she can comfortably do it with you.
I would get gel though not acrylics.
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13 is when i was allowed, before then i could only get basic manicures
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This is bonding get her some nails. Little things like this mean alot to girls.
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My daughter is 13 and she can use soft gel on her nails or she buys the glue on ones from Amazon. She’s quite happy with those choices. Her favs currently are the almond shape matte shades in the Amazon glue instead
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Your the mom now, you get to make the decisions for your child. Do what you feel is right for her
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my mom started letting me dye/style my hair the way i wanted when i was around 12 
she’s always been the one to do it tho lol, that and my nails since she went to beauty school.
i wouldn’t say go ahead and let her get them if she’s extremely young, but maybe let her experience getting press-on nails for the time being? that way you meet her in the middle
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My 8 year old has gotten a gel over lay because that’s what she wanted for her birthday watching me getting my nails done
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I had mine done in high school 13
Don’t get acrylics they’re shit and damage your nails long term that goes for adults too. Go for SNS and she will be fine.
When I was in 5th grade there was a girl in my class who had acrylics
When my daughter turned 12 she got her acrylics and she loved them because she didn’t have to paint them everytime polish chipped . She did well with them, she thought she was so cool like mom lol she was doing way more hair flips lol
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Acrylics ruin your nails so def a bit older imo 16+. but they can always go get some gel done younger!
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- Took my niece for her bday.
Because of the damage to the nail I’d say 16 + even gel is damaging if your adding tips and stripping/thinning the nail.
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Not till about 16 - if doing it professionally - to help the nail bed from being damaged. You can by false nails that attach with a sticky pad - those would be fine.
My daughter is 11, we got our nails done together. She broke 2 playing at school and not the rest off a couple days later.
I asked her if she wanted to get them done again. She said thanks, but she’ll wait a bit longer before she does it again.
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13 i how old i got them
My daughter was 10……
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Did you like how strict your mom was? If you answered No, get her the nails… 
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I hope my daughter never wants them, they ruined my nail bed and I don’t put that poison on my nails anymore
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Why not start with gel polish? Why is she wanting acrylic nail specifically? They are so damaging to your nails
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When they can pay for the nails, themselves.
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13 was my magic age for my daughter (now 18), to get nails done, eyebrows, shave, start learning makeup and for some pick a boo highlights ( she chose purple).
18 Yall need to stop trying to make these babies look grown.
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My daughter is 10 she will go with me and get gel or dipped gel. You are her mom and that’s your choice. I guess I’m a horrible mom.bc I let my daughter get hers done 
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16 to 18 is appropriate age
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Acrylic nails or paint? Nails-id let her do it just have them do it shorter (how old is she) I’m a firm believer self expression. If she’s young like 10 or 11 I’d do push on or nail glue ones.
If it’s paint my son is 2 and he paints with it. I just don’t let it get on his face or skin
My daughter is 9 and she gets hers done for special occasions. They just had the father/daughter dance last week and she got a set, she loves them.
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I think my daughter was about 10 when she wanted them.
I’m very about self expression and personalization so to me its no problem.
She’s 16 now and she dyes her hair. It’s cut very short too “boy” style. Meh its her body. Rock on girl.
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Gel is probably better depending on event between 16 and 17 for special occasions like birthday or formals/ prom
I was 13-14 when I would get them occasionally
My daughter is 10 and beggggged me. I let her try the shortest square press ons and one came off so she took them all off 
I think 12 is ok here and there not like a regular thing-special occasions…then when they get a job and pay for it.
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Don’t do it lol my niece got hers done and she fell off her scooter and ripped off her whole nail 
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At 12 I would let her do it for special occasions. Then at 16 she could do it regularly.
I let my daughter at 8 for vacation. She’s 11 and hasn’t asked for them since.
My daughter is 7 she gets free dollar store press on nails cause acrylic nail destroy your real nails and I don’t want that for her.
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- She likes the gel and lets her real nails grow out then doesn’t need the fake ones. I don’t always pay for it though- I have her either earn the money or she uses her saved birthday/holiday money.
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Mine is 11 and has been begging since last year. I am caving with sns
When my daughter was 14 I let her but was a waste of money. Being so young her nails had a lot of natural oils and the nails would fall off with in days. Didn’t matter where we went or what kind of nails they all came off. She still has the issue at 17.
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13-14 don’t rush them growing up
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Umm try getting her gel x nails(she can get them however long she wants)because acrylics destroy your natural nails
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My girls are 13 and 16 and they both get thrm done for special occasions and off sports seasons!
I told my girls they could get acrylic nails done at 16
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The mini press on nails are amazing. Find them at any Walgreens. They look like acrylics and last a week. My kids 6 and 7 use them and are very rough tree climbing tomboys and they stick so well. Definitely worth the money
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What have these children got to look forward to
At such a young age they are getting these grownup things now
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Just do short press on, see if she likes them.
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I got my 12yr old daughter acrylics last month
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I think I got my first set at like 15. If I had a daughter I’d probably let her at like 13-14
I would say this really depends.
I’ve worn the regular fake nails you can just buy at any store, and I’ve had acrylics done a couple times.
I’ll be honest here and say that neither is “for me”
At both points, I’ve had them nearly rip my natural nails off.
Instead, I grow my natural nails out, shape them, and paint them.
Perhaps, given her age, maybe encourage her to try that route first?
Have her do dip nails at the salon and her nails will grow long after a couple times.
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When she is old enough to have a part time job and pay for them herself.
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Mine got it at 16 and has to use her own money.
i let my daughter get them at 12
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Any nail techs shouldn’t be doing acrylics until 15 years old. This is because these treatments on young hands could cause permanent damage. Press on nails are not so bad for a younger age my daughter wears them on special occasions.
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Just get press ons a friend of mine does them and they are perfect and dont ruin your nail.
I didn’t get them til I was 15 and could pay for them myself. My 15 year old now found press ons on SHEIN for less than $2 a pack. It comes with a gel adhesive instead of stickers and they actually stick on. She’s been wearing them for over a week now and hasn’t lost a nail…the best part is not only do people think she went to the shop but her nails aren’t gonna be messed up when she takes them off.
Buy a powder kit from Amazon.
Ok, I’ll be the outcast here…
Little girl’s bodies are already developing at a rapid speed these days. There is already an issue with older men being “confused” with how young these girls really are, because of the way they look. I would not add fuel to that fire.
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My daughter is 11 and does those glue on nails. We are going this summer for acrylics before our beach trip.
My neice is 11 and her Mom lets her get them done. It must be overlays are something though because her actual nails do not look damaged when she doesn’t have them done.
A real nail tech and a professional one wouldn’t do it before 15. They will instead either do dip or gel mani. I suggest getting press on nails first, they’ve come a long way compared to back then. Press on nails (I even wear them) have lasted me 2-3 weeks. I even wear nail wraps and they last me two weeks.
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14 only for special occasions then 16 when I’m not the one paying them!
My daughter’s nails grow really fast so I’m teaching her how to take care of them so she has her own, natural nails
Do shellac polish, safer and cheaper. It’s all I get and my daughter was 16 I think
Imo you are the parent so do what you want! It’s no one’s business
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15 16 years old when yhey have a job and can pay for it themselves.
My youngest is 8 my sixteen yr old and I get ours done together it’s a mommy and me thing. Our nail techs do dip powder on my 8 yr old so she feels included no sanding or heavy labor just some polish and dip powder. She loves it.
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At least do a structured acrylic type, helps the natural nail, but I wouldn’t personally do it.
I work at a middle school (6th, 7th and 8th grades) I see ALOT of them having their nails done (yes including my 6th graders)
At 12 I let my daughter get them. She wore them for 2 weeks and then didn’t want to have to keep going back to the salon. Now she puts them on with glue. It’s all about what you and her feel comfortable with.
I was allowed to do short square pink and whites at 13