Question about gel viscosity

[spjelgus]

I was in "class" the other day and my trainer was doing gelish on top of gel enhancements and we were watching. She used the clear builder gel to layer the tip before applying gelish. As asked if she could not use the normal clear gel since she only wanted a thin layer but she said that it would not be strong enough. Is this true? Are thicker viscosity gels stronger than thinner ones after curing? Using builder gel to do clear overlay over tips seems to me like asking for extra filing time...

I really don't trust everything she says because somethings just dont make sense. F.e. that you HAVE to use the special Nail Harmony soak of pink solution and cannot use pure acetone...

 

[spjelgus]

Anyone know this?:o

 

[rachael204]

There are hard gels and soft gels. Soft gels (like gelish, bio sculpture, many gel polishes) are soak off and will not be strong enough to create an extension with.

Hard gels are not soak off, they are file or buff off and they are such as Harmony Hard Gelish or Brisa gel and they are strong enough to add length.

Hope this helps x

 

[spjelgus]

thank you I am talking about the hard gels, not soak-off. So there is no difference in f.e. builder gels and non-builder gels (thick vs thin) when comparing strongness?

Sent from my Blade using SalonGeek

 

[Anne Niven]

You seem a bit confused.

A Tip applied to nail needs builder gel to create strength. If you applied just Gelish for example, the nail would have no strength and the tip would not last. You would also have a flat nail as you cannot build structure, apex etc with Gelish.

Gelish can be applied to the natural nail (NO EXTENSION) and this will last for around 2 to 3 weeks.

The pink remover has probably got oils etc added to it to protect and not just strip the nail when removing.

I appreciate that in college not all trainers have the time to answer every question. However, do try and trust your trainer and the products that go with your chosen brand/system. Companies do not just create products to make you buy them (usually) they create them so that you get the best from the products and you will get good results.

Also just because 'it doesn't make sense' to you, doesn't mean there is no sense in it. You perhaps need to look deeper into the reasoning why. To just take things at face value and decide there is no sense in it could land you in trouble.

Hope that helps you.

 

[mum]

There is so much confusion in these posts I'm not sure where to start!

I can't see the point of putting Gelish over a 'hard gel' enhancement for a start! To remove it needs acetone and this will react with the plastic tip (not the gel) so completely undermine the enhancement!? Therefore it will need buffing off so why use Gelish. A trad polish will last 2 weeks on an enhancement.

A builder gel is better to use over a tip. As its name implies, it is thick enough to build an apex so this is what makes it stronger.

There are soak off gels that can be used over a tip and are strong/thick enough. e.g. Bio. Thin gels can be used but a few layers are needed then shaping.

Acetone WILL remove gel polishes but many prefer to use the proprietary removers as they do not appear to be so drying. The lecturer was wrong on this one (and not exactly right by using Gelish over a hard gel without explaining what will happen!)

i wish it were not the case but I do not believe every lecturer can be believed! There are SO many posts on here that prove otherwise, this being one of them.

The OP wasn't taking things on face value and deciding they don't make sense! She came on her to ask and I hope I have unravelled the confusion

 

[spjelgus]

Thank you I know that products are sold for a reason but that doesn't mean that other products can't be used as well.

But my question still remains unanswered. I am NOT talking about Gelish soak of gel. I am talking about Nail Harmony hard gel. There are two types of clear gel in the Gelish HARD gel line. One is called "clear builder gel" and the other is "clear gel". The builder gel is thick and the other is thinner. Are they equally strong after curing?

Here are pictures of the two:

Hope someone can answer me

 

[spjelgus]

Thank you for that mum! You are right about not all trainers being reliable. I have double checked a few things she has told me and somethings are not right:/

But I understand why she uses gelish on top of enhancements, she only uses the harmony product range and they have no hard gel colors. Putting gelish on top of enhancements and then buffing it off when it's time for a refill.

I dont like using builder gel unless its for sculpting or doing p&w with pink first. I would rather spend 5 extra minutes putting an extra layer of thinner gel than 15 min filing the builder gel.

 

[spjelgus]

So by using gelish there is no drying time, no smudging etc...

 

[mum]

Thank you I know that products are sold for a reason but that doesn't mean that other products can't be used as well.

But my question still remains unanswered. I am NOT talking about Gelish soak of gel. I am talking about Nail Harmony hard gel. There are two types of clear gel in the Gelish HARD gel line. One is called "clear builder gel" and the other is "clear gel". The builder gel is thick and the other is thinner. Are they equally strong after curing?

Here are pictures of the two:

Hope someone can answer me

It's only stronger because it easily creates an apex. i.e strength where its needed

As to the time using it, this comes with practice. It is much quicker applying the builder gel and curing, then just smoothing (not buffing/shaping as it won't need it) then going on to the colour as it is adding more layers (I don't think just 1 more layer of thin gel is enough for most, not all, nails as it cannot correct shape ). If you watch a skillfull application of this, usually using the 'stringing' technique or 'push and pull', it is MUCH faster.

As with everything 'nails' it is always down to practice