Hi All!

I have never used IBD soak off products before, but wanted to know if anyone had any advice on doing french manicure on natural nails? It seems as though there are lots of processes (which can go wrong!) and wondering if Cagel may be easier...and quicker!

Is there a risk in over-curing the nail when doing a french manicure? Any suggestions on colours for the pink/white?

Does anyone have any photos of a french on natural nails using soak off colours?

Sorry for so many questions! Very grateful for any suggestions!

Thanks!

I use ibd and for french I find the extreme french amazing ,you can choose what pink you want according to your clients hands.
I haven't used soak off but in my album there's pic of french with the extreme.

That sounds great...the white looks much brighter too, unfortunatly I think the extreme colours are not soak off or suitable for natural nails

Do you do many nno's? Trying to find the best soak off colours that will last on a natural nail! Trial and error is very expensive!

Thanks for your advice!

You are right about the Extreme not being soak off, but they are suitable for natural nails! And they are pretty good, too!

Hi, I have no problem using Calgel or ibd soak off for French NNO.

With Calgel I used clear and white and with ibd I use pink and white
the ibd pink is called Dreamy it is translucent pink.

I have no over curing prob either. With Calgel NNO French I use No 1 white straight onto the natural nail and cure (two layers) and then clear gel over the whole nail. (cure for 1 min to get a better shine)

If I use ibd Dreamy and white - I cover the whole nail with Dreamy pink and use my brush to wipe off where the white will go cure and then put on the white and cure then clear over the whole nail. If your client wants the pink to be pinker then just repeat thin layers of the pink gel for 30 sec a layer until the required pinkness.

I also use Brisa Paint on white which is bright white. With Calgel this has to be applied onto clear cured gel that has its sticky layer cleaned off and lightly buffed (to make an undercoat so to speak) Then used POW and after curing clean off sticky layer and buff lightly before clear gel goes over. Only if you are using non Brisa clear gel.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Debbie and all for your responses! Debbie do you use an IBD soak off white? I have found that the whites are a bit dull for a french and may try calgel with IBD like you suggested?

Its a bit tricky trying this out on my nails - I have thin short nails which dont seem to like anything I try....! I will keep trying...!

You can use a non soak off white with a soak off clear for french.

Because you 'sandwich' the white between the layers, it still soaks off.

No soak off white gels are brighter and their clarity remains for the entire 3 weeks between infills

Gina xx

Thanks for all your help guys...I shall give that a try! Some of the IBD colours are just not deep/bright enough...4 layers later usually! Just takes too long!

Does anyone regularily mix brands of soak off colours for nno? And I just keep trying to make my nno last longer...I suppose its practise, but does anyone have any suggestions? I heard that some people recommend curing each layer for longer...and freeze curing to make sure it doesn't shrink back?

Thanks all! k x

Hi, as Gina said you can sandwich between the clear with a buff off white.
this is what I said I do with Brisa Paint on White because it is brighter than the soak off whites. Calgel do a competition white that is the brightest soak off white I know. You have to sandwith this because it is well know for lifting if you put the comp white straight onto the natural nail. PM me for more info if you prefere.

Debbie...thanks! It is great to get some info before trying all the different whites at my expense! I've ordered some and looking forward to trying it out.

Ta! K x