Oh wot a night, went to do a new clients nails got there, prepped and was about to size up tips when i found i had lost my adhesive . So theonly thing to do was sculpt using P Pink and S white L&P. which seemed ok to start with until i started to apply the white. I don't know if it was because it was soft white but it looked marbley along zone 1. I know i was working too wet as i am having trouble with my ratio in zone 1 at the mo. Could this have been why it looked marbled?

Zone 2 & 3 were fine it was just zone 1 that was crap. any ideas, i feel like crap as these nails were definately good, plus this was my first time at sculping on a paying client so was nervous too.

Hi Debbie,

Congratulations on giving it a go! Sometimes it pays to be chucked in the deep-end, and im sure with practice you will feel more comfortable sculpting. If your zone 1 was marbly looking, it probably was your mix ratio, it sounds like it was too wet. Or you may have white powder remaining in your brush, which would happen if you are working too wet, then this leads to the product that is next applyed looking marbly or cloudy.

hiya Michelle i think your right, i kept fighting with my ratio in zone 1 all night. I just cant seem to get it right these days,don't know why. It used to be in zones 2 &3 and Zone1 was fine but now it's the opposite!!

could it be due to applying to nail forms instead of a tip or not?

make sure you squeeze that liquid out of the brush you'd be surprised how much it holds. well done anyway girl on giving it a go.

I know i had to give it a go but zone 1 was definately crap, smiles were drop dead too

Hi Deb,

No it shouldnt have anything to do with whether you tip or sculpt. Just make sure at the start of each service, your brush is clean ( which it would be as you would have cleaned it after the last use), make sure you squeeze any excess liquid out, if your brush is holding any in fact i always give my brush a little "swirl" in the fresh liquid then squeeze the liquid out, then apply product as normal. Also remember if its too cold where you are working, it will affect your mix ratio, as the product takes longer to cure, so use the same mix ratio, but give a few seconds longer befor you start manouvering the product, as it will be wet for longer due to the cold! Hope this makes sense!

It wasn't cold so i cant blame that....lol. It since i did a skillbuilding class and was told to swipe my brush twice then pick up a bead where as i normally swipe about 4 times b 4 picking up a bead. THe beads ARE to wet cos i cant count to 3 b 4 it disappears. I was also told that when swiping brush against adappen dish that the bristles shouldn't bend. I just cant seem to get the liquid out swiping twice.

I just really hate doing a naff set of nails and beat my self up about it!!

its not a set rule how many times you swipe. if 3 or 4 works for you then do it. when i was sitting with Gigi the other day i did it about 6 times before my brush was dry enough to pick up the white!

I suppose its what works for you, and just remember that if your bead looks too wet, then just dont use it, get rid and start again. One day it will just clkick, keep up the good work though,

PS dont forget to mention my name to my aunt when she next has her hair done in the salon, her names janet needham!

Good for you Debbie for giving it a go.

With the white it does feel very different working it on a form then a tip as you found out, and the bead need to be bigger to compensate.

Get yourself some clingfilm or those plastic file things and practice your beads. Placing them onto the file etc. make big, medium and small beads and notice how many wipes of the brush etc and note it down, it may sounds time consuming but it will help you.

One main thing that makes sculpting take longer is the bead, when you first start out it takes forever to judge the size needed. But when you suss it, your timing will be better.

Take care xx

thats just it my bead was too small so i had to use two or 3 to get the length and thickness right so you can imagine this didn't help with the marbleing in zone 1...lol

It was an absolute nightmare it took me nearly 3hrs to do, as time was getting on i was getting more and more aware of the knew the whites where marbleing. I'm waiting for her to phone me saying they are crap or one has broken.

I just feel like i can't do it, just i thought i was improving.