Calling all LCN techs! Gel infills

[amirose]

Hello,

Im using the LCN gel phasique system and just need a refresh on what I'm supposed to be doing with infills. This is what I have been doing.

1. Filing off any lifting trying to blend where the natural nail and old gel meet.
2. Filing over the gel to file down product and removing shine from natural nail
3. Remove dust wipe with cleaner
4. Apply bonder
5.Then applying gel/sealent as normal.

I have a nightmare friend ok shes not a nightmare but when it comes to the nails she is! Shes a nanny so her nails are taking an enormous battering. I done her infills yesterday. She had actually managed to crack the gel in the middle of two of her nails. I wasnt sure what to do tried to file it down then applied gel over the top, thinking about it now I should have removed those two. Anyway today she rings me and tells me one of the cracked ones has "pinged off" and shes cracked another one right down the middle this time on her right hand - which was just a standard infill unlike her left (shes left handed) which were cracked.

Wanted to make sure I was doing the infills correctly and ask why this was happening - is it her or me? :lol:

Thanks
Ami

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Without seeing your work it's hard to tell whether it's you AND her, or just her. If she is continually breaking nails then either you need to build them thicker in Zone 2, the apex and/ or she needs to have them shorter. Plus of course she needds to take greater care too.

However if you are using the Phasique system then to get maximum strength you MUST use Phasique 1, 2 and 3 as each component has an element of strength in it. Bonder and Sealant (they are designed for use with the Sculpture system) don't have this and so you are compromising strength as a result.

HTH

 

[amirose]

Hi Sassy Hassy, Thanks for the reply

I am using Phasique Phase 1 but I thought that was bonder. My tutour describes Phase 1 as bonder phase 2 as strength and phase 3 as sealent. Infact my Phase 3 that come in the phasique box is just called sealent :irked:

It would make sense if I'm not doing it thick enough as this has been a general problem with all my applications. I applied thinner this time as it was an infill but perhaps too thin?

Ami

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Hmm, talk about how to confuse you! LCN has many systems, but two of them are 3-phase systems.

Their king of gels is the Sculpture system, this comprises of Bonder (for maximum bond) Sculpture (the builder layer for maximum strength) and Sealant (for maximum shine). It is a non-levelling system and very hard to master, however it is the strongest gel I have ever used ... and also the most expensive by far!

Then there is the Phasique 3-phase system which they call their queen of gels. it is not as strong as Sculpture, but it is self-levelling so much easier to apply. It consists of Phasique 1 (the bonding layer - NOT bonder), Phasique 2 (the builder layer to build up your stress point) and Phasique 3 (the final layer which gives some shine, but not much which is why most peeps use Sealant). However as I said what is VERY important about this system is that all 3 contain an element of strength, so if you don't use 1, 2 and 3 then it will never be as strong.

If you have a bottle that contains sealant then either they have changed the system since I trained, or they have given you the wrong stuff. I would phone their Head Office and ask their advice.

When you infill you need to make sure that your apex is still in the right place and still as thick as when you did the original set. It could be that you are also filing back too much product and not reapplying enough. Also not all clients are the same, and sometimes we have to work thicker in zone 2 to accommodate the more heavy handed ... if they are still breaking them then they have them too long for their lifestyle.

 

[amirose]

Hi again,

I have just gone and dug out the box that my three step phasique system came in and it does say phasique phase 3 and not just sealent I have done 5 sets of nails now is it a bit late to ring them? I vaguely remember noticing this at the time but because I thought phase 3 and sealent were the same dismissed it. They do make this complicated dont they!

I was shown with infills to applt the gel at the cuticle area on zone 3 and then pull a thin layer over the rest of the nail. Or at least I thought I was :smack: :lol: I completley understand what your saying and Im going to have a much better understanding of what Im actualy trying to achieve when I do my next set of infills tommorow night. My sister in law (whos getting the infills tommorow) has had hers on nearly three weeks and has inly lost one so I dont think Im doing to bad - this will be her first set of infills.

I didnt realise you should/could apply thicker on "heavy handed" people. Im deff going to try this and I think Im going to shorten them too.

Thanks
Ami

 

[Sassy Hassy]

If you have phase 3 then you have the right product. I have to say when I used it I did use Sealant as I preferred the look, but until you get more confident and know your product inside out stick with 1,2 and 3.

If you are only applying in zone 3, but filing down in zone 2 then you are of course weakening the nail as you are making zone 2 thinner without building it back up again. When you do an infill / rebalance then the nails should look the same as when they were a new set.

However LCN complicate things further (or again they did) as they have what they call an LCN manicure (even more confusing as it's not a manicure!!!). This is at the 2 week stage where you just buff off the shine and reapply a layer of Sealant / phase 3 to cover the are of growth at the cuticle end. However I have to say that I never did this and always did a full procedure!

yes of course you can make them thicker. but not thick so they are like doorsteps! You will find that you get clients who come back with them looking perfect and some who trash them and you wonder what the hell they do. Have a read of this and it will give you an idea http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/16999-stop-doubting-your-ability-let-your-confidence-soar.html

It will take a while before you know if it is your fault and / or the clients. What we do is not an exact science - everyone is different and sometimes it's a case of trying different things unti you get it right for that client. Keep your record cards updated so you can keep an eye on what you have done and find out what works.

Just remember, for something to break a certain amount of force has to have been applied - ask your client how they broke, this will help you determine how much thicker / short you need to make them. For example, if they flew off in the wind :lol: then you have made them waaaay too thin, but if they have been at their day job as a blacksmith then you know it is a safe bet to think they are the one at fault. Extreme examples I know, but it will help you get my drift!

 

[amirose]

Hey Sassy

Thanks so much for your help. It makes things so much clearer when someone explains the reasons behind what you are doing and what your trying to achieve!
I didnt explain myself very well with regards phase 3 - says phase 3 on box and bottle says sealent so they have put the wrong one on the box.

Ami

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Ah okay! Give them a call then hun! As I said things may have changed, but I know when I had probs with strength they said you really should use Phase 3 and not Sealant.