Calgel French maintenance.

[Tatts1]

Hi fellow geeks,

When I done my Calgel training we were advised that when it comes to "infilling" a French, it's best just to soak off and start again. Now my notes say that when using the calgel Calaway product for soak off, the natural nail must be left for at least one hour before the gel can be applied. Hopefully I've picked this up wrong as I wouldnt imagine client being very happy with this lengthy procedure! Can I have some pointers please? Also when soaking off, do all you Calgel users use the tin foil over each finger method? I also find this takes some time too. Any advice on this would be great. x

 

[gillian w]

I nearly always soak off (with foil and acetone ).Most people i do for french just have clear and white.If you add a bit of purple into your clear pot this stops them looking yellow as the clear gel is a honey colour.

When just using clear and white if they still look good and not unbalanced at maintenence, then you can just fill in the bottom and refresh, i do find pink and white infils take longer than soaking off so never bother and they never look as good as new.

You do not have to wait an hour after soak off i never do and dont have any problems.Just make sure you still do your proper prep.

To speed things up in soak off buff the surface of the gel well and file the free edge to break the seal of the gel and especially in this cold weather,after you have put foil on all fingers put a warm wheatbag over them.

 

[Tatts1]

I nearly always soak off (with foil and acetone ).Most people i do for french just have clear and white.If you add a bit of purple into your clear pot this stops them looking yellow as the clear gel is a honey colour.

When just using clear and white if they still look good and not unbalanced at maintenence, then you can just fill in the bottom and refresh, i do find pink and white infils take longer than soaking off so never bother and they never look as good as new.

You do not have to wait an hour after soak off i never do and dont have any problems.Just make sure you still do your proper prep.

To speed things up in soak off buff the surface of the gel well and file the free edge to break the seal of the gel and especially in this cold weather,after you have put foil on all fingers put a warm wheatbag over them or electric mits would be good if you have them.

Thank you very much, this is really helpful

 

[Emma_Louise]

i have been usign calgel for over 3 and half years and i have never been told to soak off instead of infilling. i know i do at least two or three sets of infills before a new set.

its easy to do the more people u do the quicker u get, trust me!

are u doing french with clear and white or a pink and white??
ill tell u how i do my infills if i know which one u do x

 

[Debbies Gellies]

I only soak off French if I have to ie., if there is too much lift or discolouration in the clear gel. I infill most of the time.
As Gillian said, there is no need to wait 1 hour after a soak off, take Gillians advise for soak off. (warming up the acetone after you have applied it to the nails makes it work faster.)

 

[MINKUS]

there is a bit of a double sided coin to this !

Do you want to ....

soak off and send clients home with a fresh new shiney set everytime that takes 15 mins max to soak off and the enhancements are nice and thin.

or...do you want to spend 1/2 hour buffing and titivating for the nails to look thick and discoloured with 'another layer' of 'freshening on top'

I wrap and soak everytime, i give them a good thinning down first and foil all of them.....i then offer a tea/coffee/drink of any discripton! chat away....then try the first nail i foiled....scrape a bit off ...IF NEEDS BE i re wrap.

Nobody wants thick discoloured nails...if that means a 15 min soak and new set every time i'd prefer to do that !

 

[oey]

I am with Amber (minkus) on this one - soakable gels are a nightmare to buff because of the rubbery texture so it is just easier to do a quick soak off and new set.

 

[Thanh55]

Im quite new with gel but if you soak off and do a new it always quicker and look alot nicer than infill.

 

[Jellinails]

I will only soak off if more than three nails look as if they cant be saved. Otherwise i tell my clients when they have had a new set on to expect a soak off if they dont treat them well. Infills need lots of practice and are easy to do eventually. However, rebalancing that french needs A LOT of practise especially with gel. It can be done, but sometimes you just know when it is best to soak off and start again!