Do Guys Like Fake Nails? (Explained)

 

Fake nails are becoming an increasingly popular fashion choice.

False nails can make your hands appear more delicate.

If you are a nail biter, they can help you lengthen your fingernail and break a bad habit at the same time.

But some women who are thinking about getting false nails may wonder – do guys really like them?

 

Do Guys Like Fake Nails?

 

While some guys do appreciate the look that false nails give girls, most guys do not like fake nails.

There are a few reasons for this.

One is that fake nails often give off a fake appearance.

It is rare for a girl to get fake nails that look natural.

After all, if you are spending the money on acrylics or press-ons, normally you are doing it to achieve a length of nail that wouldn’t be possible with your natural nail growth.

Additionally, false nails are usually significantly thicker than natural nails, which makes it obvious the nail is fake.

Many men report that women with false nails come across as high maintenance, which is part of the reason many guys are not attracted to women who wear them.

A set of fake nails costs anywhere from $25-$120.

Considering most women get their nails touched up every two to three weeks, this is a lot of money women are spending on their nails!

Many men are concerned about getting involved with a woman who spends thousands of dollars on her appearance each year just to maintain it.

Some men also report that false nails give off a sense of insecurity.

All of this being said, there are plenty of guys who like fake nails and find them attractive.

Many women with false nails have a lot of success in the dating scene.

 

What Kind of Fake Nails Do Guys Like?

 

If you want fake nails but you don’t want to compromise your attractiveness to men, the best thing to do is to get natural-looking falsies.

That means getting short or medium-length nails in a natural nail shape.

If you opt for a natural-looking polish, this might help hide the fact that you are wearing fake nails.

The best kind of fake nails to attract guys are the ones they don’t know are fake.

In some online forums discussing fake nails, women pointed out that while the vast majority of men say they detest fake nails, many would not be able to distinguish between a woman with fake nails and without fake nails.

Most men will not notice you have fake nails unless they are absurdly long.

It also isn’t the color that puts men off.

Many men report that nail polish is fine, but fake nails are not.

The men who have strong opinions against fake nails are probably thinking primarily of false nails that are poorly done.

Fake nails done by an inexperienced nail tech can be absurdly thick and give a very strange appearance.

 

Should I Get False Nails?

 

Whether or not you should get false nails is a separate question from if guys like them!

At the end of the day, you should do what makes you happy.

If you want to get false nails, go ahead and do it.

Don’t worry too much about if guys are attracted to them.

You don’t want to change your lifestyle or appearance to attract a guy.

While some men might see false nails as deceiving, the true deception is in pretending to be something you are not.

For many women, false nails are a form of expression.

They also can be a form of self-care.

If fake nails play an important role in your life, go ahead and keep your nail appointments.

 

Why Do So Many Women Have False Nails?

 

If most guys aren’t attracted to false nails, why do so many women have them?

Well, for one thing, many people are under the impression that men are attracted to false nails.

One of the reasons for this is the fact that many of the most popular celebrities sport false nails.

Sometimes celebrities sport quite extreme false nails!

These super long nails look interesting on the runway, so girls try to recreate them in their own looks.

It is interesting, though, that girls don’t try to recreate other red carpet looks in their wardrobes.

For example, extremely long nails are far more common than crazy, multi-colored wigs.

It’s fairly common to see a girl walking around a high school hallway with nails so long that they look like talons, but you will not see anyone trying to recreate Lady Gaga’s meat dress.

One of the reasons why false nails hold so much more popularity than other ostentatious celebrity trends is the amount of money the nail industry has to gain from their popularity.

Taking the previous example, it would be almost impossible for a normal civilian to recreate Gaga’s meat dress.

However, talon-like nails like the ones Cardi B wears are much more accessible to the normal person.

The artificial nail industry is supposed to reach a market valuation of $2.23 billion by 2030.

This means that there are likely hundreds of millions of dollars being spent on advertising alone.

Advertising is a strong factor in influencing women to get false nails.

 

Nails Are Highly Cultural

 

Whether false nails are going to make you more attractive is fairly culturally dependent.

Some cultures, like French culture, place a high value on natural looks.

If you are taking a trip to Paris and hoping to land a French guy, it’s probably worth waiting until you get home before you get a new set of nails or at least go for a natural look!

On the other hand, if all of your social circle has false nails, you probably aren’t going to negatively impact your dating options by getting them.

Interestingly enough, false nails originated in ancient Egypt.

They were reserved only for the upper class at first until they became accessible to all classes.

In American society, false nails used to be associated with being “lower class.”

This was likely because fake nails gained popularity in the hip-hop world first.

Even now when we see celebrities that sport fake nails, they are most popular in the rap and hip hop sphere.

Cardi B is one celebrity that regularly wears outlandish nails which are so long they would render most “normal” jobs impossible.

Now that hip hop and rap are considered mainstream music genres, the popularity of fake nails has been spreading.

The cultural roots of nails also show why you may want to keep your nails long despite the opinions of men.

If you come from a culture where long, acrylic nails are the norm, you don’t want to change yourself to attract a close-minded man.

He might like you with your natural nails, but if he is truly that judgmental, what will he think of your mom, your sister, or your best friends?

Even though it might not seem like a big issue, at the end of the day your nails are a part of your body.

If you let a man decide whether or not you get your nails done, you are giving up an element of your body autonomy.

 

What Nail Length Do Guys Like?

 

Most women who get false nails do it to increase their nail length.

However, most men prefer short or medium-length nails.

Simply getting a normal polish manicure can be enough to make your nails look more attractive and slightly longer.

Even though a polish manicure doesn’t involve adding length, it does include pushing back and trimming the cuticle, which can make the nail appear longer.

The nice thing about sticking with short or medium-length nails is that they are unlikely to negatively impact your life.

Long nails can create difficulty when doing normal activities like typing, putting in contacts, holding a pencil, or even feeding yourself.

In fact, for many men, it is precisely these kinds of challenges that make them want to stay away from long nails.

This perspective does have some legitimacy to it.

After all, would you want a man who is unable to cook, feed himself, or write his name?

Probably not.

Keeping your nails a reasonable length can allow you to live a normal life while still enjoying the benefits associated with false nails.

 

Do Guys Notice Nails?

 

Honestly, most guys will only notice your nails if you have something crazy going on.

If your nails are chewed to a nub or dirty, they will notice them.

If your nails are three inches long and bright green, they will notice them.

However, if you have a light pink or neutral manicure and your nails are short to medium length, guys probably won’t notice them.

This is most likely a good thing.

If we are being honest, no guy has chosen to date a girl solely based on her nails.

Girls who never get their nails done often get just as many guys as girls who do.

Keep in mind guys might not date you if you have hygiene problems (such as dirty nails), so cleanliness is of the utmost importance.

In fact, cleanliness is one reason why some guys don’t like long nails.

Long nails hold far more dirt and bacteria than short nails.

Even if your nails look fine from the top down, chances are he will see them at every angle.

Your guy might notice dirt under your nails more easily than you do.

This is why it is good to carry a nail brush with you and scrub your nails every time you wash your hands.

If you have excessively long nails, you might get uncomfortable questions from men.

For example, they might ask how you wipe after going to the bathroom.

Make sure you have a good answer because you don’t want your man to think you have fecal matter trapped under your artificial nails!

 

Nails Can Get in the Way of Intimacy

 

Long nails might get in the way when you are having an intimate moment.

Some guys like long nails when it comes to a back scratch or a head scratch, but beyond that, they are usually more trouble than they are worth.

This might be another legitimate concern of your potential partner when it comes to fake nails.

 

Do Guys Notice Nail Color?

 

Some guys will notice when you change nail colors and others won’t.

It depends on the man.

Think about it—some men don’t even notice when you get a haircut, and that is a bigger change than a new manicure!

If you get a manicure that involves nail art or bold colors, men are much more likely to notice it.

They are also far more likely to appreciate nail art than long nails.

Still, you do want to make sure your nails are tasteful!