a simple trick? -cutting the smile line

[michaeldees]

today i was shown the trick of "cutting" the smile line with a tip. this idea really intrigues me, as it is a quick, simple, reliable way of getiing uniform smile lines. has anyone seen this trick? does anyone here regularly employ this method? i am interested in hearing your thoughts.

 

[MINKUS]

ANY pics?

love to see it done matey? lots 0f peeps been asking smile line question's lately

ambx

 

[michaeldees]

what you do is build up the white even across the tip, then using another tip one size larger, come from behind and cut out the smile, using the curve in the larger tip. i hope that made sense. i'll try and get some pics.

 

[nailzoo]

this is the method quite a few of the (dare i say asian salons) no prejudice intended, have been doing for aaaaaages, amazing what you can learn when you open yourself up. They make it look so easy too, you gotta hand it to em, they have defined their own style, often we ignore the fact that they are amazingly quick at what they do, i wouldn't mind employing a few and fine tuning them, rather than moaning about the competition, why not check em out, you never know what you may learn

 

[IllumeGirl]

definitley a fast way, ive never tried it tho hav read about it. wouldnt you risk having white smears tho? and wheres the skill in cookie cutting?

 

[princessniknox]

what you do is build up the white even across the tip, then using another tip one size larger, come from behind and cut out the smile, using the curve in the larger tip. i hope that made sense. i'll try and get some pics.

I can understand how you do it - but what do you do with the excess gel that your taking out with the tip? doesn`t it leave a streaky bit across the "pink to be" zones 2 and 3?

Or have i got the wrong end of the stick (or should that be the wrong end of the tip? he he) - sorry its early for me (7.50am) and the first coffee of the day has kicked in a little too quick :o

I`m interested to know how its done though and IMO I don`t think it makes anyone less skillful (no offence).

 

[bimbogeri]

I was shown this trick by one of my trainers after she'd been shown it by some Asian girls she was assessing for their NVQ.
Yes, OK, so it doesn't have the artistry of creating your smile line 'properly' but I think it's a clever evolution of skill to help those who maybe can't master a good smile line, to be able to do it quickly and uniformly, without having to resort to using white tips.
I've tried it with both l&p and gel and it works well with both (provided with the gel you have removed the dispersion layer of the pink first, or you can risk denting it with the tip), if the smile line is a little messy you tidy it up with a clean brush.
It has been a good help for me because it took the stress out of trying to create smile lines with my l&p, I could concentrate on making a good overall nail without breaking out into a sweat. Maybe then once you're more confident with that, you can go back to trying to create a smile line the traditional way.
I have to say I have only used it on my training hand as I don't have any client who want frenches, but I don't think I would hesitate to use it. I'll see if I can get the time today to do some nails and take some pics.

 

[NoticeableNails]

I'll see if I can get the time today to do some nails and take some pics.

That would be fab!
Cheers

 

[scattyfox]

funny you should say that nail zoo I was thinking this the other day i was that desparate for a job i even asked them, thought maybe i could edecate them in prep and hygiene and them me in application & decent products lol.

 

[geeg]

There are thousands of ways to do things and it doesn't seem to me that there is anything unsafe about this method. So if it works and it's safe, why not??

I'm not sure it would be any faster than for someone who is really proficient at applying white with a great smile ... but for those who can't, or to take away the angst that some technicians have about doing smiles ... give it a try.

 

[Bagpuss]

I did give it a go..and it was very easy and quick...but then i haven't had training in L&P (only Gel) and I just like having a go on my hand trainer and sometimes on myself...(must say i find L&P quite addictive...i am getting the bug..lol) What i found was although yes the line was sharp and crisp...it wasn't very curvy..it was a slight smile and not a smiley smile...does that make any sense..? I did the pink first...over whole nail..then used the well end of a tip and cut into the pink and scraped the excess away...leaving a ledge for my white to go..did my white and it looked good...but not that smiley. did i do it wrong...?

 

[pippadoodle]

This sounds great, I am just training in l & p, the hardest thing is getting that smile line, would be great to see any pics. Thanks for that tip, will give it a go. xx

 

[smiler13334]

Here you go, this is one of Vicki Peters 'Tips of the week'

Cutting the smile line out with a tip is another trick I have picked up in a
nail competition. Place the white tip product on the nail and let it set
about 60%-75%. You must use a full welled tip with a nice rounded top edge
that will resemble the shape of the smile line you want to achieve when
turned upside down. Size the tips to fit each nail and set them out on your
table. With the tip you have already sized out to match the nail, apply the
white tip powder on one nail. When the product is dry enough dip the edge of
the tip's contact area (holding it with the tip's edge up and the contact
area towards the table (another words upside down) into the dappan dish of
liquid monomer. With the tip wet but not dripping, like you would a cookie
cutter, place the rounded edge of the top of the tip at an angle, in the
white tip powder where you want the smile line to be Cut out the smile line
by pressing the tips edge into the white tip powder and cutting out the white
product. Wipe it away from you. If the product is too wet you may have to
use a new tip and do it again, so practice and know your product when it is
dry enough to do this perfectly. You may want to finish the smile line for
a more perfect shape by wiping it with your brush after cutting it out with
the tip. Sounds complicated but it really is simpler that building a smile
line and wiping it into shape.

Loads more tips here

http://www.beautytech.com/nailtech/vicstips.htm
Have fun with it.

 

[tamimac]

I have practised this on my nail trainer,doing the pink first then the white and its much less fiddly than doing the white first. Youre right though, the smile isnt very smily but if youre quick enough you can shape the edges before the acrylic dries. I havent used this on a real person yet as Im worried they complain.

I did give it a go..and it was very easy and quick...but then i haven't had training in L&P (only Gel) and I just like having a go on my hand trainer and sometimes on myself...(must say i find L&P quite addictive...i am getting the bug..lol) What i found was although yes the line was sharp and crisp...it wasn't very curvy..it was a slight smile and not a smiley smile...does that make any sense..? I did the pink first...over whole nail..then used the well end of a tip and cut into the pink and scraped the excess away...leaving a ledge for my white to go..did my white and it looked good...but not that smiley. did i do it wrong...?

 

[geeg]

Can't say I like the idea of dipping into monomer with the tip!!
Brushing afterwards? ... EASIER to practice and learn how to do it more efficiently yourself.

In a comp where every nail and smile has to be perfectly consistent then I can see all this sizing etc. But at the nail station?? It would take WAY longer to do whites that way. Very faffy.

 

[smiler13334]

I have never done this only read about it. Would like to see a picture tutorial on it. It sounds good. but surely all the sizing of the tips to cut out the smile will take more time? perhaps dipping the tip into scrubfresh or water would be better then monomer?

 

[bimbogeri]

I dip my tips into sani spray, I also use french or well-less tips not full wells, don't know how they'd work! I guess for a smilier smile, use deeper smile lined tips (like the EZ Flow french tips_. If you have an 'eye' for sizing then you pretty much use the same sized tip as you would apply onto the nail anyway, going bigger or smaller for a more or less extreme smile line, although if you go too much smaller there will be more tidying up to do.
I'll see what I can do with some pics but it might not be till tomorrow xx

 

[Prionace]

Well, i'm loving this thread. As soon as i saw this techniques i thought: Hey here is a great way to do my right hand smiles! I do my nails myself and the smiles in my right hand can be a pain! But how can this technique be used with gel? I saw that you could do it if you had wiped the dispersion layer of the pink, but i always apply the white before the pink (i just apply bonding gel, then the white, then the pink, the wipe and reshape, then top gloss), besides if you wipe the dispersion layer, then you have to buff before the white making the task a bit of a hustle right?

 

[Emmajt]

It sounds good. but surely all the sizing of the tips to cut out the smile will take more time?

Yeah i was thinking the same, also (sorry if this sounds daft), wouldn't it mean that you use 2 tips for each nail?? One on the actual nail and one to cut the smile line out - or have i got that completley wrong??

 

[princessniknox]

Well, i'm loving this thread. As soon as i saw this techniques i thought: Hey here is a great way to do my right hand smiles! I do my nails myself and the smiles in my right hand can be a pain! But how can this technique be used with gel? I saw that you could do it if you had wiped the dispersion layer of the pink, but i always apply the white before the pink (i just apply bonding gel, then the white, then the pink, the wipe and reshape, then top gloss), besides if you wipe the dispersion layer, then you have to buff before the white making the task a bit of a hustle right?

I`d like to know that too please if any one has any suggestions????