I had a fantastic time at the GMEX last weekend (first time), and was in total awe at the amount of famous "industry" icons I saw...

I had my first ever demo done by "Creative's" Samuel Sweet. As I had just purchased the Brisa Gel kit it gave me a helpful insight into a new system. So impressed by meeting the "Grand Master!" himself I decided to go on a bit of a "celebrity" hunt! I spotted several big names - Antony Buckley, Sabrina Malik, Gina Wallace to name a few - then I spotted Leighton Denny at "The Edge's" stand. Now here was an opportunity I wanted to grab - the chance to watch someone I held in such high esteem work for five minutes (sad arn't I!). So, he did the prep in ultra quick time, and proceeded to carry out a sculptured nail.."I can never get sculptured nails to look any good, they're always flat" I said...he replied "I wouldn't worry babes, your not in a competition" (but I DO worry, I couldn't charge a client for a set of flat nails)...he chatted away for the next few minutes, nice bloke, very down to earth, then as he finished the nail, proclaimed that his looked real, and my other demo looked false (?)... Now this is the bit I have stressed over - should I post this/shouldn't I post this - my nail was (for want of a better word) crap. It was crooked, and had 2 lumps where the L&P had seeped under the form...and after 2 days the nail had lifted all the way down one side so I took it off. I don't proclaim to be an expert - far from it, nor an industry icon, but I know when a nail is good - maybe Leighton was having a bad day, maybe he was rushed - I don't know, but it makes me feel better about my bad days - because even icons arn't perfect!

Nice to know, it's not just us mere mortals....we all get a bad day now and then....
Sue x

if you having trouble with your sculpts looking too flat...have you been show how to 'pinch in the c curve'?
this not only makes the nails look fabby and v real, just like they have grown and are not extentions at all, you can also take th enhancement thinner as they have a better structure and are v strong
you can also pinch a set of tips too....i did some tonite on a work colleague....i know its a sat nite.....lol....i will try to get some pics done tomorrow and post them so you can see the differance

Jess
xox

ps- its a shame you were disappointed with your demo nail ive not see Leightons work at close hand so i cant comment

I'm sorry to hear about the shabby nail you received. As you said, sometimes Icons can have a bad day too. A lot of the time they might feel rushed, or have other things going on in their heads, or just ready to move on to the next thing. I don't know........ I'm not making excuses for it, but I have experienced it and I know you feel. You're thinking, this person is supposed to be perfect at this! I was once demo'd by a Creative educator and the finished nail was a little crooked, and it started to lift the next day.

The trouble is, when you have such a high profile as Leighton has, the world and it's mother looks up to that...... or waits for them to trip up........
It's a shame you didn't get an answer to how to solve your flat nail problem......I would not have been happy with his explanation either, nor dissing the other nails if his where lacking somewhat..........This would have been a chance for LD to shine and share his tips and tricks with you...A show Demo should show the public how great nails are done...thats why the Demo team is chosen with such care, they can and have to produce fab nails from the first of the day to the last one of the day..... afterall it is a company's chance to say "hey use our product and you can achieve this look".......Use us as your training provider and let us teach you all we know....At least he made you feel better about your bad days , so hey not all was lost .... ...........

Good brush technique will solve your flat nail problems in a jiffy! Look at some of the product control tutorials and you will see that getting this curve into the nail is as simple as how you use your brush angles and strokes. There is no need to pinch a c curve into a nail if your brush technique is good and your sculpting forms hold a c curve well.

I'm not trying to 'score points' or denigrate Jess's comments ... there is always more than one way to do everything and pinching is the EZF method, but be aware that pinching puts pressure (sometimes painful pressure) on the nail plate forcing it into an unnatural position where as brush technique 'builds' in the shape while letting the nail plate stay in its normal position. When you both pinch the product and the product then shrinks there is double pressure on the nail plate.

Brush technique is hard to master and 'pinching' is perhaps the quick easy way ... I have never been one for the quick and easy way but more into skillfull techniques. You have the choice.

Hi, just a quick comment....

I can vouch for the pain when someone pinches in the C-curve!!

I was at Gmex and I'd asked for a sculpting demo at one of the stands. I didn't know what the lady was doing and had to ask why she was pinching my nail!! It was really painful... I probably should have said so I know... but didn't, as you do!

Isn't there skill involved in piching a nail, you don't just go in gung ho and give it a good old old squeeze.

I don't claim to be an expert but you need to get your timing and pressure exactly right to ensure no damage is done. You need to know your product extremely well to do this well and right.

Don't all the major league competitors pinch!

It is true that the timing is crucial for pinching ... I suppose you could stretch a point a say it is skillfull timing? The fact is, that one is forcing a nail plate into an unnatural position whenever you pinch. Sometimes it is painful some times it is not depending on the severity of the change in shape. I prefer to make my C curve with my brush. As I said, there is more than one way to do things. Just stating my preference and the reasons for it.

There is a fine line with pinching. As Gigi mentioned, any real force that is applied to the enhancment will stay once the enhancment has cured. This can create tremedous pressure on the nail bed and can lead to vertical onycholysis.
Saying that though... I 'pinch', however its not really a pinch per say... its really a gentle 'hold' around the love handles (as in my sculpting tutorial).

nJoy

Dear Sarah - I am sorry that your experience at GMEX wasn't perfect or as you would have expcted!! I certainly don't accept that 'supposed' people at the top should have 'off' days!! On the contrary - they should be hotter and more on fire than anyone else; I don't see Antony having 'bad' days or Sam, Amanda etc!! Who ever is asked to demo on the stand should be the best that there is...maybe Alida just hasn't got it right yet, or maybe there is better to come