Hi there, first of all dont beat yourself up, everyone has to start somewhere.
Ok, you need to work on your brush control as it seems the l&p is all over the place at the Eponychium area, as for filing once you get to this area then go for a finer grit file as it will smooth it gently then use a buffer and buff to a high shine.
For your smile lines, once you place them you need to go in while the product is workable and tidy them up a bit, you can practice doing this on some old tips etc. It looks in some places like you have some lifting, if you follow your prep routine to the letter and then place your product a couple of mm away from the side walls and Eponychium then you should hopefully cure this problem. I hope that this will help you in some way, if i missed anything then i am sure that a fellow geek will be along soon and rectify that. Well done for posting hun.Xxx

Hiya,

Thanks for coming back to me. Yes i have to agree with everything you say! They are so wonky. Yeah that part at the top really freaks me out because im terrified of cutting people (which i have done a couple of times as you can see from the pinkie on that photo!!) So using a softer grit file will help that, i'lll definately try it. Yes i have the printed out the brush control tutorials but i think im a bit thick at times but im sure if i just stick with it, it'll click eventually. Am starting to practice now with the gel so im doing a set later on and if i can i'll post up a picture of them aswell. Again, thanks for taking the time to comment i really appreciate it. I'm going to get nail class book aswell i had it ordered a while ago and the shop mucked up so am going to get on to that!.

Cheers
Antoinette
Antoinette.

i agree i like the shape of these and i like how smiley your smile lines are.your certainly on the right track its just a case of perfecting the skills.x

thank you tracey louise!!

Depending on what files you are using you can actually strip the edges of them, if you feel down each edge of the file and it feels sharp just run another file over the edge of that one and it takes the sharpness off, that will help you for now while you are still practicing, the better you get with your filing etc the less need there will be to strip the egdes. i hope that helps.xx

Good for you on posting these nails hun - much braver than I would of been so early in your nail career.

Like the ratio of pink to white, that a great start.

Ok - so there's lifting already on some of the nails in zone 3 - that is because you need to press the product into place, which you have not done, as I'm guessing you are so worried about getting it too close the the eponychioum, you've hardly dared go there! Well, if you place your zone 3 bead half way between zone 2 & 3, then press & push up with your brush, then pull back down, you will not only get the product where you want it, but also leave yourself a good smooth area at the eponichyum that hardly needs much filing to make it flush to the nail plate - remember to press it onto the nail plate - placing wont make it stick - you have to place it then press/push it too

Smiles - your smile lines are looking like they will be fantastic with a little more practise! When placing the white bead into zone 1, pop it into the middle, lower than the smile should be - the angle your brush at a 45 degree (handle downward towards you), then using the flags of the brush (ends) push & press up (keeping your brush tips just behind the white smile creating a ledge) towards the corners & move back across the zone & do the same at the other side - don't panic - you really do have more time than you think to do this.

Then, wipe your brush & turn it so the point of you brush is pointing downwards towards you, the pop it behind the white in the smile and tuck the whites into shape. I hope you understand what I'm trying to explain - once you see it, you'll know what I'm talking about!
Doing it this way will should create a ledge at the smile line & a small pocket just under the smile line, which will then help in placing your 1st zone 2 bead.
Check this tutorial out .....

Product Control Part 2 – Zone 1 - making it smile!

Million Dollar Smiles



When applying your zone 2 bead, place it just above the smile in the centre of the nail & work it by pressing & pushing into the side walls, then down towards zone 1, the 'ledge' you created doing your smile, will stop you pulling any pink over the white.

Here a great tutorial - again from this site regarding your zone 3.....
Product Control!! Part 4 - Zone 3 – Making it disappear

here's another tutorial regarding brush control....

Brush Control!! Part 2 - Getting the Angles

Have a good read through these tutorials, there may be some more you might like to read - be prepared for a long session!

I hope you have found that advice helpful hun, good luck, get practising & lets see the next set

Bev Rose,

thanks for taking so much time to repond to me, i really appreciate it. Im going to print of your reply and have a good read at home before taking out the nail trainer!! I have printed out the tutorials already so will have a good go and i'll post up a few pics as im improving, again thanks for your imput!.

Antoinette

XX

Thats as great idea!!!!