There are several types of nail techs.

Two distinct schools are:

The ones who strive to do every phase of their work using precision techniques that with practice end up being fast and efficient and they never need to use anything but their skill.The True meaning of the word professional.

Then there are the ones who never bother to spend the time or energy learning the real skills and resort to 'other' products to hide their inadequacies. Never admit that they don't know it all. Say they have no problems, but of course we all know that they do just like we all do. The difference is I know how to solve my problems and don't just accept them or try to say i DON'T HAVE ANY AT ALL.

For many they have what I call an "Oh it'll do!" attitude rather than an "I WILL get this right" attitude. I suppose there is room for both in business but thankfully this site attracts the former type of technicians who want to learn and accept new ideas and the others soon realise that they don't really fit in.

Many come here who want to be pandered to instead of getting information for themselves. I am more than happy to share and pass on information to anyone ... information learned from the worlds best experts in their fields .... but please don't ask me to look up the page number for you .... because that kind of work I am not going to do. Ask Doug yourselfs like I DID and do frequently.

I remember struggling with my blending when i was just starting out & tried everything including Tip Blenders to try help me along but i have to say i hate them & i stuck to the proper blending routine & i can guarantee you the more you practise the easier it becomes!! But nowadays there are so many well-less pre-blended tips on the market that you dont need to blend, if you prefer the blending scene then all i can say is practise practise practise & you'll master the art. x

Gently use an 80 grit file .... what the?

That's like saying "gently cut your throat"

80 grit, what kind of company even considers 80 grit?

Oh ... it is so GOOD to have you back on the site, Carl. I need a laugh and you aLWAYS make me chuckle.

I was wondering the same myself.
The ONLY time that should come out of a drawer is when you have NSS shovels to remove.....

And Geeg... DITTO

I don't think it has caused a stir but there is certainly disagreement. But then this is what this site is all about. Healthy discussion.

In some ways it is an ideal discussion as it has those who are convinced about a 'short cut' method and those who are convinced about the basic, skill based method. Add to this scientific facts as opposed to marketing stories, you have a perfect discussion that others can read and make up their own minds.

LOL good to have you back Carl...

And back to topic, (besides the obvious damage on the natural nail in the video) I don't get the tip-blender thing, why would you need it?
I have had a very long period without using tips, only sculpting, I hated blending too... Then because of a CND ambassador I felt I had to try again, and It didn't take me any longer than sculpting.
Why? Well IMO, besides quality of tips, it's all down to the filing, and as I have had lot's of experience filing the right way, suddenly the confidence and hand-eye coordination was there. So keep practising, but with quality tips, and theres no need for tipblender , well that's what I think.

Wow.. a blender to help save time!!.. NO THANKS!!

I don't get it... why would you bother?.. just get thinner and better quality tips without wells if you want to save time.

I'm sorry but I can still see the seam.. it's still not blended fully in my opinion and I know I would blend my tips much faster in the time it took her to blend slightly, then apply the product, allow to dry and blend again

Think I'll stick to my own method ta

I was shown tip blender in school but not to teach me to use it, to show my classmates and I why its not worth the effort. It came as part of the EzFlow kit at the time. A classroom of gunked up (and kindly replaced) abrasives later we decided it wasn't for us. That was the tutors aim and with me at least, she succeeded as I still wont use it.

Hi All,

Well, I agree with Heather on this. She's spot on. If you use a thin contact area tip and/or pre blend the tip there is no need for a tip blender. This particular one is more aggressive than acetone and the potential downside for any tip blenders is that they can weaken the adhesive bond between the tip and nail. It's best to work as Heather suggested.

Doug Schoon

I'm surprised that this can happen Doug, because it has never been an issue for me. Could it be because I use resin based products and not monomer?

Hmmmm.. very interesting thread.
I must say that i was tought (13 years ago) using tip blender then few years later I learned how to sculpt and i almost never use tips anymore.
When I teach (I teach both method of extending the nails- sculpting and tip application) I do utilize tip blender because I remove almost all the overlapping tip leaving only a thin extension. The structure of the enhancement comes from the product after all (gel, L&P or resin) and tip is nothing more then the form of the extension... that's how I see it...

But Gigi and Doug made some great points, I never really thought of that..
I never had any problems using tip blender but like Gigi says, sometimes you don't even know you have problems because you are so used to them.
I must try blending your way
Hmmmmm...... Ya learn every day

Thanks guys!!

Resins are acrylates too, as are UV Gel and L&P.

OMG I had "seen" 180 and was like... yeah, that's what I learnt to use as well back then boo me...

Hi,

I'm not sure what product you're talking about. "Resin based" is a marketing term. All nail products are based on acrylic ingredients in chemistry, including all liquid and powder, UV gels or wraps and adhesives.

Cyanoacrylates is the type of acrylic used to create wraps and to adhere nail tips to the natural nail. The issue is with the adhesive (glue) itself. These materials are not cross-linked, like liquid and powder and UV gels. That's the important difference. That's why wraps and adhesives dissolve so easily in acetone. They are easily attacked by some solvents and that's how tip blender work.

I'm not saying that if you use a tip blender, that the tip will fall off. I'm saying that if you use tip blenders, your tips will not be as securely adhered in place. In other words, the adhesive bond may be weaker.

That depends on how the product is use. Unfortunately, people tend to think that "more is better" or they get working so quickly that they flood the nail with the blender, which can significantly weaken the bond.

My recommendation is to use thinner tips and/or pre-blend the tips. if you're going to use a tip blender, use it sparingly.

I hope that answers your question.

Doug