Rebalance - still struggling!

[Jaffacake]

Hi, I am still struggling with my rebalances! I know what i should be doing but they dont always look as good as they should when i have finished. Thankfully im not getting any lifting lately (phew) but when i file the old product down ready to apply new, I cannot seem to get rid of the dreaded line so that it dissapears into the natural nail? what am i doing wrong? :irked:

I have read loads of threads and tutorial about this, and i really try hard not to 'chase the line' but even if i do get rid of it, by the time ive done all 10 fingers and start to apply L&P, i can see a white line, like lifted product, just at the very edge of the old product. Its a really fine line and doesnt seem to be lifting but it shows through when i put my new product over the top! Should It be completely gone before i start?

One thing that crossed my mind is that I may not be getting consistantly even ratio? maybe if my ratio is a little wet it wont be as opaque as it should be and therefore wont cover as well? does this sound like it could be the answer?

Help! I am dreading rebalances because they dont look like 'salon new' when ive finished. Painted mine last night cos they were horrible..... :sad:

[geeg]

Well, we've got to take the bull by the horns here and say

1. You shouldn't be getting the lifting in the first place.
2. You shouldn't be having to chase a line.

Have you thought about taking the Creative Master class on Rebalancing??
Or having some 121 time with a trainer re application?
Are you pressing firmly enough to get good contact with your product?
Are you nails well balanced and not too thick?
Is your prep really thorough enough?
Are you sure you apply to a nail surface that is completely dry?

Really I'm worried about this lifting you are getting in the first place ... you shouldn't be getting it at all .... at the most it should be a rare sight not a normal one.

[heavenly]

i can see a white line, like lifted product, just at the very edge of the old product. Its a really fine line and doesnt seem to be lifting but it shows through when i put my new product over the top! Should It be completely gone before i start?
Does this line look chalky? When I infill or rebalance, after buffing, the bottom of zone 3 always looks like there is a very fine chalky line. This dissapears after scrubfresh. Are you scrubbing the natural nail below zone 3 with scrubfresh?

I hope this doesn't sound silly. You said in your post that your nails aren't lifting anymore so maybe it is something simple??????

[Jaffacake]

Thanks for that Geeg, maybe im not explaining myself very well.. I am not getting any lifting, my prep is thorough and they stay on lovely until the rebalance (unless caught etc).

I think I may be causing the problem with the way I am filing or something? I normally use a higher grit (120) to start with and then turn over to a 240 to smooth it out (not creative file though), is it the 120 thats causing me the problem do you think? maybe its too harsh and causing too many vibrations? If so, can you recommend a creative file that I should be using for a rebalance?

I blend the old product in zone 3 and it seems ok, but after ive done this to all 10 fingers and am ready to apply more product, there is a white line where there wasnt before? (not always on every finger though) Its as though if i blended and applied to each finger one at a time it wouldnt have time to appear, but thats not the way its done is it? I read one thread where i think ruth advised that to see if it would show through l&p, wipe with scrubfresh. Well it didnt show when it was wiped with scrubfresh, but it showed through the l&p :sad:

Think i will just have to get myself booked onto the rebalance class asap. Been wanting to do this one anyway.... x

[Jaffacake]

sorry heavenly, posted that the same time as you i think...lol

Yes it does look a bit chalky, like filings that look like they will brush off but they dont! I do scrub with scrubfresh in that area but they only disappear when wet, dries back the same.....

[geeg]

Thanks for that Geeg, maybe im not explaining myself very well.. I am not getting any lifting, my prep is thorough and they stay on lovely until the rebalance (unless caught etc).

I think I may be causing the problem with the way I am filing or something? I normally use a higher grit (120) to start with and then turn over to a 240 to smooth it out (not creative file though), is it the 120 thats causing me the problem do you think? maybe its too harsh and causing too many vibrations? If so, can you recommend a creative file that I should be using for a rebalance?

I blend the old product in zone 3 and it seems ok, but after ive done this to all 10 fingers and am ready to apply more product, there is a white line where there wasnt before? (not always on every finger though) Its as though if i blended and applied to each finger one at a time it wouldnt have time to appear, but thats not the way its done is it? I read one thread where i think ruth advised that to see if it would show through l&p, wipe with scrubfresh. Well it didnt show when it was wiped with scrubfresh, but it showed through the l&p :sad:

Think i will just have to get myself booked onto the rebalance class asap. Been wanting to do this one anyway.... x
I think I am understanding you now.

The old saying , "if it's working don't fix it." may apply here.

Presuming you are preparing for your rebalance zone by zone and starting at zone ONE and working progressively towards the eponychium (NOT heading straight for zone 3) then I would advise using a softer grit abrasive than the one you are using to prepare this area
.
I usually prepare zone 3 with a 240 abrasive just to remove shine and make sure all edges are well sealed. If they are then you really do not need to do hardly anything here in this zone. Safer for the natural nail and also not so jarring for the product.

Did You Know??
BTW, just as a point of interest and (depending where the abrasive is made) not all 100 grits are she same not all 240 grits are the same!! Depends on how the grit is calculated. Some calculate 240 grit to the half inch .... some to the centimeter some to maybe something else. This can make a 240 grit from one supplier very soft and from another it is more coarse.

[*JOANNE*]

didnt know that..............thanks geeg

[Jaffacake]

well..... you learn a new thing everyday!
Ok, next time i will try just using a 240 grit in this area, maybe thats my problem....thought i was speeding things up using a coarser file first, but it definately cost me time in the end!

Thanks for the help and advice.