Nail Technicians Own Nails

[ClancyCutiecles]

Hi!

I am on my second week of my acrylic nail course and so far loving it. However, I myself have been wearing acrylics on and off for the past few years.

I have had my nails taken off for my course and a drill was used in the process...my nails are now very thin!

I want to have nice nails as nail tech! As you are your own advertisement and I know from past experience it doesnt give a good impression when you are getting your nails done and the nails tech's are broken/damaged etc.

But should I put acrylics on my nails when they feel so thin??

Sorry, may sound like a stupid question. But you guys are the pros here and you advice would be greatly appreciated

Thank you xx

[gr8nailz]

I'd recommend no to enhancements since your nails are in poor condition. At this point I think Shellac is your best answer. Until your nails build up some strength, stay away from gel polishes because they require buffing of your natural nail plate and if your nails are already thin, it's not a good idea right now. Use Solar Oil twice daily with your Shellac application.

Shellac is a great option because your nails will stay manicured while working on your clients and in the mean time, your nails may build some strength.

[NailsBeautyEtc]

Why oh why oh why are people allowed to use drills?!?!?!

xx

[gr8nailz]

An efile in the hands of someone well trained is a great tool. It is the untrained person or the person who plain just doesn't care who destroys clients' nails and give efiles such a bad name.

I always recommend that once a nail professional has mastered her hand filing, she may consider getting proper training in efile use. It makes a nail pro's life much easier. Those of us trained properly can tell you that using an efile has made a big difference for us. We can also tell you how very careful we are in its use.

[shuntersue]

I'd recommend no to enhancements since your nails are in poor condition. At this point I think Shellac is your best answer. Until your nails build up some strength, stay away from gel polishes because they require buffing of your natural nail plate and if your nails are already thin, it's not a good idea right now. Use Solar Oil twice daily with your Shellac application.

Shellac is a great option because your nails will stay manicured while working on your clients and in the mean time, your nails may build some strength.



I agree x

[ClancyCutiecles]

Oh thank you so much for the advice :-) I will definitely do that then. How long would you think it would be before I would be able to put enhancements back on? (approx)

xx

[kristen]

It takes 4 to 6 months for a new nail bed to grow from the matrix. I would just use a clear polish & wait it out. The same thing happened to me.

Don't you just love doing nails!! I do!!

[mizzy_dizzy]

As already said by Gr8nailz shellac is your way forword ,
It will protect and stay glossy , you shuld not damage it wile practicing , where as a clear polish or any polish will just come off at collage at the slightest sniff of acetone ,

Shellac is hypoallergenic and 3Free and as said will not require further buffing (=thinning) as other gel polishes do.

I had onycholysis On my pinky for about 3 years , every time it grew back I would knock it or let my acrylics get a bit to long it was horrid! I thought I would just have to live with it as a nail tech I couldn't not have anything on it with it 3/4 separated lol and polish wouldn't have lasted ,

I can hap ply say scine getting shellac (may last year) my pinky nail has completely re attached!!!! I never thought it would!

So my advice is Shellac! & solar oil

If solar oil is a miracle in a bottle then Shellac is divine intervention

[ClancyCutiecles]

Cool, thats great info and good advice. Thanks. Can you tell me how Shellac is removed please? x

[gr8nailz]

Shellac is removed one of two ways: CND Shellac remover wraps soaked with acetone , applied to each finger or cotton balls soaked with acetone wrapped with foil, applied to each finger.

After ten minutes with either method, working one finger at a time, you gentle push the product off your nail with an orangewood stick. Rehydrate with Solar Oil.

[Lolly22]

Shellac is removed one of two ways: CND Shellac remover wraps soaked with acetone , applied to each finger or cotton balls soaked with acetone wrapped with foil, applied to each finger.

After ten minutes with either method, working one finger at a time, you gentle push the product off your nail with an orangewood stick. Rehydrate with Solar Oil.

Can I jump in on this post and ask how do you find it best to remove your own? I found I couldnt apply the wraps tight and found my shellac was really hard to remove. It's probably also due to the fact it was my first application on myself and was thicker than meant to be.

[leah1978]

Lolly as we speak im sat here with cotton wool soaked in acetone wraped in foil on my toes, its working a treat.:)

[gr8nailz]

Can I jump in on this post and ask how do you find it best to remove your own? I found I couldnt apply the wraps tight and found my shellac was really hard to remove. It's probably also due to the fact it was my first application on myself and was thicker than meant to be.


If I don't have enhancements on, I prefer the old fashioned bowl soak method. I know it uses more acetone but I don't want to use CND Shellac remover wraps on myself, neither do I want to mess with cotton balls and foil.

I just pour a very shallow amount of acetone in two bowls and position my nails so that they lie flat on the bottom of the bowl. After I work on one hand, I have to put my other hand back in for a minute or two to loosen the Shellac again.

[gr8nailz]

Lolly as we speak im sat here with cotton wool soaked in acetone wraped in foil on my toes, its working a treat.:)

On my toes, absolutely, cotton balls and foil.

[Lolly22]

Great! I was thinking of doing that method on my toes but I found using the wraps on myself were just quite footery. And also a waste on me lol. So you soak then for how long would you say? And then just remove any excess with an orange wood stick in the same way?

After removing mines last week it took so long I am dreading doing it again lol!

[gr8nailz]

Great! I was thinking of doing that method on my toes but I found using the wraps on myself were just quite footery. And also a waste on me lol. So you soak then for how long would you say? And then just remove any excess with an orange wood stick in the same way?

After removing mines last week it took so long I am dreading doing it again lol!

It still should take just 10 minutes...unless you put it on thick again. :wink2:

[Lolly22]

It still should take just 10 minutes...unless you put it on thick again. :wink2:

Ok thanks, I will start doing it this way! Hmm I don't think it's thick this time, but I don't know how to be sure haha!

[gr8nailz]

You could always just soak both hands in one bowl. Much easier actually. I just like two bowls. Makes me feel like a DIVA.

[missjodylee]

When I need to soak off enhancements I use these bowls pictured. They hardly use any acetone and you can put them in a bowl of hot water to speed up the process. When soaking off my own I just do one hand at a time, normally when I'm in front of the tv :)

I bought them online. I bought two of them so if I soak off clients acrylics I use them both at once.
They were cheap & I love them. I use a liquid dropper to fill them with the acetone as pouring from the bottle just seems to go everywhere (I buy the big bottles). I store the dropper in it's own plastic bag with a label on it in the drawer that my bowls are in so I can never mix it up with my dropper I use for my acrylic liquid.

[missjodylee]

Here's a better pic

[gr8nailz]

Here's a better pic


Ooooo, I've seen this at Premier Nail Supply but haven't gotten one. If you recommend it, I'll give it a shot. Thanks, Jody.

[missjodylee]

Ooooo, I've seen this at Premier Nail Supply but haven't gotten one. If you recommend it, I'll give it a shot. Thanks, Jody.

Glad to help gr8nailz
I love these for removing acrylics. They use a small amount of acetone (not that its that expensive but still..). It's not uncomfortable to have your fingers in at all.
I think they are great.

Let me know what you think x

[missjodylee]

I also like these because when you have two of them and your working on the first hand, if one or two nails is taking a little longer it's easy and comfortable for the client to leave just one or two nails in and the rest out while you work on the other hand.

[missjodylee]

One last thing gr8nailz is if you want to put it into a bowl of hot water to speed the process up, I found a square ceramic dish the best to use. Like a small one serve dish size. I got mine from the local $2 shop. Seems to fit nicely into this as opposed to a round bowl. x

[Lolly22]

One last thing gr8nailz is if you want to put it into a bowl of hot water to speed the process up, I found a square ceramic dish the best to use. Like a small one serve dish size. I got mine from the local $2 shop. Seems to fit nicely into this as opposed to a round bowl. x

Sounds good. These would work for soaking off my own shellac too then? Thanks for sharing! X

[missjodylee]

Sounds good. These would work for soaking off my own shellac too then? Thanks for sharing! X

Yes absolutely can use to soak off shellac in this.
You can put it in a round bowl of warm water but the bowl needs to be flat if you know what I mean..

[mizzy_dizzy]

Yes absolutely can use to soak off shellac in this.
You can put it in a round bowl of warm water but the bowl needs to be flat if you know what I mean..

It's a bit over kill for shellac removal ,
If you can't use the shellac wraps on your self then try cotton wool and foil or even magis wraps on your self ,

You will be wasting acetone and overly drying your fingers and nails this way.

And I defiantly wouldn't do this for shellac clients.

[Lolly22]

It's a bit over kill for shellac removal ,
If you can't use the shellac wraps on your self then try cotton wool and foil or even magis wraps on your self ,

You will be wasting acetone and overly drying your fingers and nails this way.

And I defiantly wouldn't do this for shellac clients.

I know I wouldn't use it on shellac clients either but I was asking how the girls remove theirs personally. I had a nightmare with the wraps on myself I just couldn't get them tight enough or really on for that matter! I will maybe try the cotton and foil method but if not it will have to be soaking them! I know it's not the best way or the advised way but I just can't do the wraps on myself lol! CThanks for your advice though.

[missjodylee]

Sorry I shouldn't have offered any advice on shellac as I haven't done it yet. Sorry x

[kitkat84]

Great suggestion these are perfect.

I got mine on ebay just now. hope the link works:

Nail Manicure 5 Finger Soak Bowl x 2 | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nail-Manicure-5-Finger-Soak-Bowl-x-2-/200646791540?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3D LVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D2817266899996527200)

:p