Oooo were these like glitter strips? Where would you get these from?! x x

So if you used a straight pigmented polymer with your monomer it wouldnt have enough BPO to cure basicaly.. and then you are exposing to hazards? And say if half of the bead has BPO it would need to be strong enough to cure..
Does this or is this, something you can learn by looking at the bead? I mean with practise and experiance can you tell that the bead has enough of the qualities you are looking for in your end result.. (my turn to hope that makes sense!)

Thanks for the advice.. taken into account and will definately do alot more research into the components of polymers and monomers, and use only one system from now on.. TY

And by BPO do you mean - Benzoyl Peroxide?

Chel, coloured polymers are easy to make, use your normal powder and add mica pigment to it, bright and bold and almost identical to those expensive colour polymers u can buy.. and when I make it up its about 98% of my chosen powder (normally CND PP Clear) so I doubt the ratios would get out of whack there?

Yep. I brought these from someone down here in NZ.

I googled mica pigments.. but got lost in cyber land... Do you have a link i caould look at.. Not sure if i can get it in OZ??

I'm PMing you some details now

I googled them in Oz a few days ago and found heaps.

I'm using a new Host.. and what i thought was google was Yahoo.. not used to this web browser and got lost in some car manufacturing plants web site..

I was getting too many pop ups, so i changed to this one still working out.. not lazy promise!

I can't really comment on adding anything to your powders that was not put there by the manufacturer. In the case of extra pigments, I really don't see coloured powders being any more expensive than the powder you are using as a base and with those you at least know that they will be compatible! Anyhoo...

What I am saying is that all powders contain various ingredients and levels of ingredients. One very important ingredient with most powders is BPO (yup! Benzoyl Peroxide). BPO is one ingresient that is responsible for controlling the curing of your monomer. Too little means a slower cure time (in some instances a nail that never fully cures!). Too much and you will 'shock cure' the enhancement. This is why mix ratio is an important part of working with your L&P system. The wetter of a mix you use, the less BPO. The drier of a mix you use, the more BPO. This can radically affect the performance (and more importantly) the safety of the application.

When you start intermixing systems, you start intermixing amounts and levels of BPO (as well as other ingredients) so you really don't have a clue of the ratio you should be working at. Each monomer is specifically designed to work with a specific polymer - there are no exceptions. Most of the companies that say their polymer is 'universal' are the same companies that do not have an R&D facility and to me seem more interested in making a quick sale then investigating the reality of the situation. A good example is Moxie liquid - you shouldn't use original SolarNail powders with it, only use Ultra or Perfect Color powders. If powders were universal, why the silly restriction? Because CND have an R&D lab that designs their products and they realise that you can not make a powder that works with all liquids!

I have said it 1,000 times before: If you want the most optimum performance and you want to provide the safest service possible, NEVER intermix systems.

If you like Brand A liquid, use their powder. If you like Brand B powder, use their liquid!!!

The EXACT same thing goes for UV lights (think of the UV light as being the 'BPO' part of your gel application. Too little UV exposure is like working too wet, too much UV exposure is like working too dry).

In my eyes, safety and security for my clients are NEVER negotiable.

HTHs!

Thanks for that Sam.. Makes alot of sense as usual!

OK, I have another question.. when finishing my enhancements yesterday, i noticed floaters in my salon cuticle oil.. I realised that after i have filed and before i get them the wash their hands (again) I am buffing oil into the nail with my koala..
I am using my fluffy to dust off the nail, but obviously the cuticle oil brush is picking up dust left behind.. and depositing it in my oil..
I am concerned that im exposing my clients.. as the little particles are soaking in the oil and then im wiping oil on skin.. Perhaps im being too anal.. as when im finishing i am getting this dust on my own skin and theirs.. but then its washed off..
I have solar oil that i use after they have washed there hands.. and before the go out the door.. but this one i am talking about is for buffing into the enhancement..
So would cured acrylic dust pose a problem when left in oil? would it contaminate the oil?

Hey little foo-fighter. This should really be another discussion as it doesn't have anything to do with mixing systems - but lets tackle it anyway as it's a quick and easy one!

Regardless of the contamination issue, it does make for a manky buff

What I do is either use the larger size bottle with the dropper or I bring up enough oil on the brush so that the drop at the end of the brush comes into contact with the nail. In other words, a drop of oil forms at the bottom of the brush and I touch that drop (not the brush) on to the nail. This prevents me getting dust on to the brush and hence prevents the dust in the oil

HTHs!

i had this problem but i bought one of the biggest solar oils which came with a dropper as well as a brush, and haypresto no dust in the bottom of my oil no more!!!

**slaps head** all becomes clear now!! i will use the drop method you described.. and keep an eye out for a dropper!

**sorry should have started a new thread but i didnt want to clog up the forums with my junk!**

i'm sure you creative supplier will have one chic, xxx

Well i am leaving to do my conversion in about 2 hours.. and im taking plenty of money to spend when i am done!!
Cant wait to start .. My best mate (hand model) and i are heading off for a few nights in a hotel with mini bar!! I will finaly get some one to one experiance with a system i love and some sculpting tips to boot!!
((I'm also nervous as im sure i have picked up some bad habits since going alone.. and she (the instructor) sounds like a no nonsence kinda gal!!))

Thanks for all the advice!