8 items in this article The contenders. Photo: Dominique Pariso I’m willing to try a lot of different beauty treatments in the name of research. But in all my years as a beauty writer, I’ve never been willing to mess around with my nails . No regular gel , no builder gel, no Aprés extensions, no press-ons. I get a regular manicure every two weeks like clockwork with the occasional home manicure to fill in between appointments. And I’ve been rewarded with long, strong nails that rarely break.