CND Shellac nails peeling

[Rebecca Sheppard]

I am posting under my wife's account as it's me that does her nails (her husband).

My wife is a trained hairdresser and holds a number of nails technician qualifications, and she has guided me through the process of painting her nails for her.

About three years ago we started buying CND shellac nail stuff, and I would do my wife's nails every 2-3 weeks, using a standard Gel nail lamp. The nails would easily last around 10-14 days. However, about 10-12 month ago we started to notice that the nails were no longer lasting, they'd simply peel off completely. We purchased a standard gel LED lamp thinking the original lamp was the issue, that didn't resolve the issue. We purchased new bulbs for the original lamp we were using, and that still didn't resolve the problem. So finally we purchased a CND LED lamp, and even that isn't stopping the gel nails from peeling.

So I'm posting here for some advice, we believe that for whatever reason that my wife's nails have become too soft and bendy, and this has resulted in too much flex in her nails causing the shellac to peel off. Is there possibly a nail enhancer product that can be applied under the base coat to strengthen the nail?

Having read a number of threads about peeling shellac nails know that there's always the same responses, either you're not REALLY using CND Shellac because you're missing a vital CND branded product or tool, or because you're not CND trained and are not doing it correctly. So before posting something along these lines I'd like to point out that for 2 years we didn't have any issues and we've not changed the process.

The process I follow is;

- My wife tidies up her cuticles, trimming etc.
- Clean the nails with CND scrub fresh to remove any left over oils to aid the binding process
- Apply a thin coat of CND Shellac base coat (including sealing the edges).
- Cure under a CND LED lamp for 10 seconds
- Apply a thin CND shellac colour coat (including sealing the edges)
- Cure under a CND LED lamp for 60 seconds
- Apply a second CND shellac colour coat (including sealing the edges)
- Cure under a CND LED lamp for 60 seconds
- Apply a CND shellac top coat (sealing edges)
- Cure under a CND LED lamp for 60 seconds
- Clean up the nails using Isopropyl alcohol
- Apply and rub into the nails/cuticles CND solar oil

Any advice would be appreciated.

EDIT: My wife has tried to do her nails herself, without any help from me and we still have the same problem.

 

[blossom]

Maybe it's more about what she's coming into contact with at work. Something different perhaps?

 

[Rebecca Sheppard]

Not that we're aware off. She's working 2-3 days a week at the moment, so it's not like she's constantly exposed to something at work that would cause an issue. One example was a while ago, we did her nails ready for going on holiday, and they peeled off on holiday.

 

[blossom]

Is it all nails or just certain ones?
I'd still wager it's something she's coming into contact with, powerful anti-ageing creams or high factor sun creams can unfortunately chemically dissolve the seal at the edge and the it can lead to peeling or chipping, as I'm sure your wife is aware of

 

[asteropi]

If she overbuffs the nails, it's possible she has thinned them over time. I won't however bet on it. Has she started any medication?

By the way you needn't seal the edge on 2nd colour coat, as this is bound to create a rather bulky finish and probably cause the nail to chip. Try without it and see how you get on

 

[Char M]

Have you tried a different brand? And is her clients having the same problem with her products?

 

[asteropi]

Before you get a whole different system, try double base coat if it's the original, or get duraforce base coat

 

[Lysa.G]

Have your or your wife attended the Shellac course? As there are a few details within your detailing of how Shellac is applied, which could be something that you are doing to what is actually taught.

 

[Rebecca Sheppard]

Char M - nope, we've not tried a different brand

asteropi - this is a possibility. My wife used to always buff her nails to give the base coat something to 'cling' to, but over the past few months she's stopped doing that as it's not something CND say you need to do as far as I'm aware, and it just weakens the nail. I've gone ahead and ordered some DuraForce, and will also try double base coat next time.

Lysa.G - I would normally agree that attending a course may help, but as the process we've been following has worked for 2 years and we've not changed the process, I don't believe it's the process that's causing the problem.

My wife hasn't used Shellac on anyone else, so we don't have anything to compare our process against sadly, but we are pretty confident that the issue is the softness and flexibility of her nails that's causing the problem, and are particularly looking for ways to strengthen them. Hopefully a double base coat and Duraforce top coat will help provide some additional strength/protection.

 

[Alicia07]

do you take breaks every once in a while? for a week or two depending.

 

[tinkerbell80]

Are you shaking the bottles before use? If not the solvents will eventually evaporate from the top and make the products less efficient!

 

[Hannah's Nails]

This sounds really strange and must be so annoying for you.

Perhaps try a bonder for now? Like IBD Bonder? Before you apply the base coat and just see if that works?
Another thing I would think, is - is she on any medication? One of my clients had all their nails peel off and her nails went really thin, then she told me she had recently been put on a cocktail of drugs for back pain and she is having a break for now while her hair and nails repair.

I hope you manage to find your answer.

 

[asteropi]

Trying Young Nails Protein Bond as a primer under base coat might help too

 

[fluffycloudland]

Do you rinse the cuticle away off with water? & are all the CND products/lamp bought off SweetSquared or ellisons?.