Becky, I have really....really short nails..to which I have applied both axxium sog and Shellac. (different times) I file often to keep the nails short...I do not want a free edge...they do not lift or separate. Well my left thumb on it's right side did separate a tad (shellac from nail) BUT...have to add this nail is very damaged and separated form the nailbed on that side..so it is super flexible. (chemo damage NOT my doing ) Shellac is holding up REALLY well. This is the start of my second week. I am curious tho..why did you NOT use the base coat? Could that be your problem?
Pati 'Good friends are like stars... You don't always see them, But you know they are always there. -----Original Message----- From: Becky <[email protected]> To: nailtech <[email protected]> Sent: Thu, May 13, 2010 3:52 pm Subject: NailTech:: Gel Polishes, my saga... need some help? OK. *sigh* I am irritated with french manicures. I hate gel. LOL This week I've had several new clients asking about SOG's. Sooooooooooo, I've applied several FRENCH MANI's and I have some issues. I will be as detailed as possible and feel free to chime in and correct me. French Mani #1 - No base coat, only dehydration with ScrubFresh - Axxium Hawaiian Orchid applied directly to the nail, one coat - Dispersion layer LEFT, applied white SOG - flash cured 4 nails at a time - White was way too thick, ended up BUFFING THE NAIL then topping with top gloss and curing 2 min On this particular manicure, as I was dripping sweat down my neck - STRESSING OUT because I my french mani's are usually FLAWLESS in acrylic or polish. This SUCKED! I ended up buffing the nail gently to smooth out the HUGE lip of white I had (I applied as thin as possible without being able to see brush marks - swiped the nails... cured. BEGIN PANIC ATTACK. She texts me the next day and says 2 of her nails are "lifting". BECAUSE the polish had gotten a little "crusty" on the free edge, I GENTLY filed the edge and apparently broke the seal - I'm not sure because I don't remember which nails this happened on WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE NEXT question: How are you people capping a short free edge (like on the video that Holly posted) and NOT getting those little crusties on the edge?!??! French Mani #2 - ScrubFresh THOROUGHLY, applied Protein Bond to free edge - Axxium applied directly over nail - White CINA pen to tips - Top It Off Gloss top coat On this one (same client, I had her remove all product and I re-did her nails), I applied Axxium, removed the dispersion layer and used the CINA Nail Art Pen to apply the white. Looks great, ok, moving on to other hand - come back to the first hand and some of the white has gotten spotty! REAPPLIED another coat of white, touched up - applied Top Gloss, DRAGGED HALF THE WHITE ONTO THE NAIL BED! ARGHHHHHH............ REMOVED ALL WHITES, tried again (remember the sweating from earlier? Yes, the pits are drenched and I'm frreeeakkinngg out inside, keeping my cool on the outside..... I feel a bead of sweat come down the FRONT OF MY NECK, LOL!!! Second attempt of Cina application - allowed it to dry more thoroughly and left a "buffer" of gloss on the brush so I wouldn't drag it this time, capped free edge (made sure to cover ALL Cina so it wouldn't wipe off) - cured, BAM! Gorgeous......the only exception is that the whites weren't perfect because that pen wasn't perfect, but that was only seen by ME - otherwise it was very nice. French Mani #3 - ScrubFresh thoroughly only - Axxium applied directly to nail - White Cina Pen to tips - Top it Off top coat This one went well, but I did have to file the free edge on a couple again (did this one before I heard that French Mani #1 had "lifted") so I'm scared to death she's going to call and say hers are lifting too. Notes: I HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE GEL FRENCH MANI's. I need an EASY way to do these and have them look great. So far, the best method has been applying the pink and swiping (reverse application) flash curing one hand, do the other hand, flash cure - apply white, butting it up against the pink where you swiped (so take care to make the swipe accurate) IF I am to use SOG for the entire process. If I use the Cina pen, I need some advice on whether to apply it over the dispersion layer or not and how to take care not to get the CRUSTIES on the free edge! I absolutely recommend that you do NOT file the free edge no matter how jagged it ends up - but I need to make sure it doesn't happen because clients will pick! MUCH advice needed! -- Becky F. Licensed Nail Tech KC, Mo. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en.
