OK so I started my conversion/foundation for EZ Flow this week.....and I gotta say, WOW, what a cool product! So far, only two things that bug the *&( out of me (I'm sure its me)....but these are they/them, so any feedback would be appreciated.

First I know its harder to change habits when you train on one system and then go to another as each one has its own little....things about it.

1. So whats the point/reason about putting the brush into the powder horizontal thing....I was originally taught to go straight down with the flags into the powder. I asked the trainer about it, but she said thats the way EZF people do it.....so I'll do it that way, but its HARD! So does every EZF tech do it this way? And does it get easier? It sort of defies logic to me...

2. Why are all the EZF tips full well? (except the new well less french ones). Again, I asked the trainer about it, and she said thats the way it is and you have to tailor each tip for each client. OK, I get tailoring for each client (hence why I have always loved to sculpt, cos to me its easier...but whatever..)....she is a definite tip and go kind of technical trainer. And she pretailors a bit different then I do (OK, I understand that).

Its me right? Seriously, I'm not trying to be a big whiner/whinger, it just seems so.....odd to me. And she is seriously nervous around me too, cos she knows I have about 10 more years experience than she does, and I keep telling her to chill its OK, we each have our talents (she with tips, I with sculpting). I tend to ask questions and she looks at me like I'm a space alien sometimes (which makes me feel crappy for putting her on the spot) and I think we are *both* learning stuff, so its not a bad thing, I just want to get the most out of it, but I feel out of sorts in a way.

Thoughts?

Nancy

Hi Eni....glad you have finally started your course.

It seems strange to me that your Educator prefers tips, as EzFlow as a company are primarily all about sculpting, which makes me think you would fit right in!!

There are many little things that are different when changing to another brand/system, that seem strange at first, but once explained why it is done, are worth persevering with!!

I also found this difficult, after 10 years of doing something one way....doing it a different way is a challenge...right?

My main problem was that with the EzFlow porcelain dappen dish you do not wipe your brush on the side, but you press the brush against the side to drain the monomer. this way you still have enough to pick up a bead in the 2:1 mix ratio. If you wipe you definitely do not leave enough monomer in your brush. Trust me I KNOW!!
It took 2 Educators and finally Anthony Buckley himself to knock that habit out of me though!!!

Also picking up a bead by patting the brush into the powder quickly several times means your bead is layered and each layer has started to polymerise and when you place your bead you are good to go working it into place. Using the brush this way you can get a larger bead than I was ever able to before.....although the 508 helps there too

Is it Q monomer or HD you are using?? With HD it is a drier mix ration 1:1


With the tips, yes full well tips are good to tailor for each individual client, but sorry with all the good quality well less tips about these days...who has the time?? Don't get me wrong I still love the great fit a contact area and stop point give you, and blending is a walk in the park for me, but having used some fabulous well less tips now I think I am won over :
That said everyone should be capable of pre tailoring a tip etc, and that is why it should still be taught on your course.

Hope some of this helps, and also speaking as an Educator I much prefer a student who asks questions as it keeps the class flowing, and shows me who is motivated.

Good Luck!

Hiya



I'm Ezflow trained (I've had no other training) and as for the angle you put your brush in at... I count to 10 (QUICKLY) and while doing so draw a trail in the powder, then lift the brush, count to 5, by then the powder is absorbed and I then apply to the nail. With the HD powder I work with it immediately, but with the standard powder I leave it to "balance" before I work with it, otherwise it is too wet to work with.


As for the full well tips... No idea on that one! I have always struggled with tailoring... I'm a sculpting girl!!! I haven't really tried well-less tips, the french I was given to try (not sure what brand they are) had a well in them and I didn't like them much. I try to sculpt where I can, although lately I have been trying to tailor tips because I think that I need to get better at it, and you can only get better through practice!!!

Hope you go well with your conversion course... I love their products, especially the HD range, so fantastic to work with :-)

Hi Izzi,

OK, heres the thing, she did tell me to wipe it along the back side of the dappen dish (that damn thing is huge btw...when I first saw it I thought to myself "are we doing a set on King Kong???). and then take the brush and at a horizontal angle (less than 45 degrees) pat it in and lift up. I am having one hell of a time with the horizontal part. I understand the not patting multiple times into the powder. Interesting about the not wiping, cos thats what she had me doing.....hmmmmmmm. The horizontal thing has me confused though, cos its damned uncomfortable and just why???

So I had a play last night and if I hold the brush at a 45 degree angle and drag it, I still get a good bead in one go and it drops off (onto the practice sheet) and is fab...no circle of monomer around it and no marbling. I may have to ask her if its OK (cos I don't want to get beaned on the exam). I also didn't wipe on the back of the jar, I pressed it against the side (without being told, which is odd, maybe the EZF fairy was looking over my shoulder? )


I totally agree about the being able to tailor tips, cos you can't sculpt anyone (although she had me tipping a nail biter, and not saddling it, which of course, was a friggin nightmare). She is definitely a tipping kind of girl though. I had some fun wrecking a few tips last night, overfiling them. I think I have it sussed now although to be honest, its damned easier to cut half the well out and then tailor it. Can't do that for the class though :-(. So I grab the full well and do the 45 degree tailor of the well, carefully and then the preblend with the grey wolf.

I figure I have to do it her way as she is the teacher, but when I am done with class I can work smarter not harder (ie. cut the well and then tailor blend, 45 degree brush angle and pick up one bead and use the salongeek french smile placement).

She has me using the Q monomer, which is 2:1. I think I may prefer the HD with the 1:1 cos that is more what I am used to, although the weather here has been a bear cos she did one nail on me and it was like instantaneous cure when it hit my nail (she was using HD) and then when I did my pinky last night using Q, the white was flash and the pink was OK. Workability is an issue here lately with the humidity. But I am used to that after 13 years in Florida. (Ha ha). New York would get hotter than hades in August too, so I've BTDT.

Its the damn brush angle thats driving me batty......I MUST show her what I did last night and see if it will work.

Thanx Izz :-)

N.

Hi,

Interesting about the counting....cos I told the trainer that is what I was used to and she looked confused. What I said "exactly" was this: Brush into monomer, remove excess, put into powder, go "ABC" lift and turn to see bead (check if its too dry, too wet) no longer than saying "ABC" then apply.

She just reiterated wipe excess monomer out on back side of dappen, no drag in the powder, just lay it into powder FLAT, and lift, turn and apply. I asked if at "llift and turn" if I should count "123" or "abc" and she said no, just a quick look and apply.

I'm the student from HELL.....LOLOLOL. It is so much harder going into something from one to another, but the basic stuff should be the same, I would think. Thats the problem, I'm THINKING. HA HA AH HA

Thank you
N.

Wow, i learned more in this thread than i learned in my entire ezflow course!!!!
You guys really know what youre talking about!!!
Too bad my teacher was so bad, ezflow seems like a nice product, but im changing to NSI due to availability of quality training.

That's such a shame hun. EzFlow is a great brand and the training over here is fab....PM me who was your trainer.....we have fantastic trainers worldwide...this can easily be rectified.

You know something? I don't think about all this anymore it just happens. And if the bead isn't right I just do it again. Isn't it weird how you just suddenly become accustomed to something like second nature?
Sorry slightly off track but just made me think for a mo.

I wouldn't be too hasty... training is only as good as the trainer regardless of the product. It's such a shame that you should sack an excellent product for the sake of a bad experience.

I'm NSI trained and valued my training completely, it wasn't a bad experience at all. it had things in it that other trainers don't do on a foundation such as sculpting. I also love Ezflow products and their ethics and mission etc.

Don't get me wrong.. I'm not saying I don't like NSI, I'm saying it's a shame to change from a top notch product. And tbh, I too have learned more from this site than I did on my course, but isn't a foundation course just that.. a foundation course.

Not weird at all. I didn't question anything I was shown at the event, CND's way was all new to me but I just got stuck in and now its like I didn't learn any other way. I guess I'd have been the same the other way round.

I didn't know about the multi dipping into the product until I watched a demo clip online for EzFlow but as soon as I tried it I found it so much better than the single dip I learned at school. It gets you a much bigger bead hence my blog about the great big dollop of product (Remember Izzi lmao) but I like it now I'm used to it.

Maybe I'm not curious enough, I just assumed they have a reason for doing things differently. xx

Go for it.............!

Holy hell in a handbasket! Izz, thank you! This is HARD, as you know. I did show the trainer the brush and the way I hold it and she said its fine. (whew!). I've PM'd you on some other stuff as well.

Thx
N

hi been and used in cnd, ez flow and to be honest the most of all i prefer is NSI for no bubbles and price. What ever way you get taught you always find your own way, and if your clients nails stay on, dont lift, crack spilt or peel and they re=book another appointment, well you have cracked. Practise and practise then before you realise you have finished a set without realising. Trust me 10 years and still file file buff and buff