Hi everyone and I hope you've all had a lovely Christmas.

Something someone said on another thread struck a cord and got me thinking about rebalancing and the amount we file off before reapplying. I'm trying to get my timings down and apply less product in the first place, in order to decrease the amount of time I spend preparing the nails for a rebalance, but I still seem to take too long and wonder if I'm wasting time taking too much off?

I remember that when I was having enhancements applied by someone else, she just used to spend a minimal amount of time going all over my nails with a white block and that was it. She would then dust them off, apply primer and then get on with the new product. As for me, I fastidiously file away with my hotshot, then my koala and still agonise over anything I think just might be a bit of lifting, when it's probably just the faintest amount of remaining product on the natural nail?

Has anyone got any advice or suggestions, please, for deciding when to stop filing and just get on with it?

in my opinion that is what will set you apart from other techs!
I spend a lot of time thinning the enhancement.. but only to the point where i know when more product is applied i will have no lines nor discolouration.. using a little dehydrator will help you see the finish properly..
I cannot imagine getting a nice rebalance that looks like a new set using only a white block..
Starting from the FE and working up with a new 240 grit is the best and quickest way to rebalance.. thinning from the fe up saves alot of time rather then just going straight for the bad areas..
hth

Thank you. I remember on my foundation course that we were taught to put a little scrubfresh on the product as we were filing, to check for any remaining lifting. What concerns me is that once we've finished all that and we're getting ready to apply new product, we're supposed not to get any of it on the existing stuff as we clean the regrowth. How do we reconcile the two and ensure we're not compromising the new set?

Hiya .... do you mean not to get any scrubfresh on the existing product...? I always scrubfresh the whole nail, paying attention the the new nail growth, but it does go on the whole nail.

I only remove what i have to, sometimes by the time i have finished the nail looks a right odd shape from the side......but thats cos i have only removed what needs to and left what doesnt...then i just replace what i have removed and skim over the rest. x

Gee, thanks, Bagpuss, that's exactly what I mean and you've cleared it up for me! As fast as I 'Solve' one problem for myself I seem to develop another one <in myhead> and you've helped to clear this baby up for me. Mwah!

Deena - Don't worry you're not the only one!!! I really struggle with my times too.

Preparing the nail for rebalance takes me a very long time at the mo, but I feel it's worth it when it looks like a totally fresh app when I'm done. I especially remove a lot at the free edge (most of it) so it doesn't get too thick.

I know where you're coming from.....