TayloredBeautybyLauren
New Member
I'm looking for some advice on gel polish please. I'm a newly qualified nail tech and have been using Premier Gel gel polish, as it was recommended by my teacher. She said it was the same formula as Gel Bottle but a lot cheaper, so I stocked up. However, I've not been happy with the results and I'm sure whether it's something I'm doing wrong, or not doing, or whether it's down to the product. I am repeatedly finding it's lifting and peeling really easily, even just a few days after application.
At first I thought it was just after I'd used it on fibreglass or silk, but it's happening with natural nails too (I know it's a crime amongst nail techs, but I have just peeled off the gels I did on myself on Wednesday - they peeled off so easily). And I did a set on natural nails on my mum on Tuesday - on Saturday they were still fine but on Sunday it looked like polish had almost shrunk away from the cuticle and nail wall (I can't imagine it's growth in that short space of time). A friend from my course who also uses Premier said when she used hers last week it had gone gloopy, almost like it had a film, and caused a bubble on the nail.
When I spoke to my teacher, she said to wipe the natural nail with acetone before base coat and that would make sure it's not down to oil on the nail, but that doesn't seem to have worked. I wonder if when I do manis/pedis with gels I should do the gels before the exfoliation/massage etc? I've seen some nail techs online do it that way. Is that where I'm going wrong? (Although when I used the gel polish on myself I hadn't done a massage or exfoliation!).
I'm using a Sun UV lamp, no dehydrator or bonder, just straight in with 1 coat base coat, 2 coats colour and 1 coat no wipe top coat. Each one cured for 60 seconds.
If Premier Gel isn't considered good quality, what alternative brand would you recommend please?
Thank you.
At first I thought it was just after I'd used it on fibreglass or silk, but it's happening with natural nails too (I know it's a crime amongst nail techs, but I have just peeled off the gels I did on myself on Wednesday - they peeled off so easily). And I did a set on natural nails on my mum on Tuesday - on Saturday they were still fine but on Sunday it looked like polish had almost shrunk away from the cuticle and nail wall (I can't imagine it's growth in that short space of time). A friend from my course who also uses Premier said when she used hers last week it had gone gloopy, almost like it had a film, and caused a bubble on the nail.
When I spoke to my teacher, she said to wipe the natural nail with acetone before base coat and that would make sure it's not down to oil on the nail, but that doesn't seem to have worked. I wonder if when I do manis/pedis with gels I should do the gels before the exfoliation/massage etc? I've seen some nail techs online do it that way. Is that where I'm going wrong? (Although when I used the gel polish on myself I hadn't done a massage or exfoliation!).
I'm using a Sun UV lamp, no dehydrator or bonder, just straight in with 1 coat base coat, 2 coats colour and 1 coat no wipe top coat. Each one cured for 60 seconds.
If Premier Gel isn't considered good quality, what alternative brand would you recommend please?
Thank you.