Coloured gel

[Flic22]

Ok, dont laugh at me for asking this. I trained in gel nails only 3 years ago. I was trained to do french manicure style. I dont do many sets at all - wouldnt be totally confident in getting the smile line perfect. Anyway i have been asked quite a few times if i do coloured gel nails, to which i always say 'no'. I dont honestly know how to do coloured gel?

Should i do a conversion course or is it something i could pick up on my own? How is it applied?
For pink and whites i use nsi products.

 

[rachirv]

Is it the hard gel you are using? If it is, I would just do the whole nail in the pink, or clear if you have it, and then finish with a gel polish. Or if not, the. You could invest in some coloured gels, I'm sure NSI do them, and you would just do the nail the same, but with the colour instead x

 

[Flic22]

Yes hard gel, sorry, i should have said. I think i would like to try the coloured gels.

 

[Trinity]

Are you sure the clients actually mean coloured hard gel not Gel Polish? Cients don't always know what they are asking for, or why, and sadly many many newbie techs are referring to Gel Polish manicures as Gel Manicures, which is adding to the confusion.

I would be very surprised if clients as asking for coloured hard gel, I think they are getting confused and mean Gel Polish.

In answer to your actual question, there are several suppliers who have coloured gels, I don't use them so can't recommend any but I've seen them in Scratch magazine for instance.

 

[Flic22]

No they are definately asking for hard gel as i do Shellac already and they know that.

 

[perfect10kb]

So then your coloured gel would be applied over your building gel . So apply your builders as normal . buff to refine shape . Cleanse then just apply your hard colour as you would your shellac and apply top gel .

If you are using NSI hard gels then I am sure they do hard colours as well

x

 

[Flic22]

Brilliant - thanks so much for that!

Anyone know anything about the soak of gels that i have heard about?

 

[perfect10kb]

Depends on what soak off gel you are talking about ? Shellac is soak off as are most of the 'gel polishes ' . But you can also get soak off 'hard ' and 'soft ' gels !

 

[Flic22]

I suppose its the soft gels that i am talking about! I never knew there was hard soak off gels. I was trained to be told they need filed off.

 

[perfect10kb]

I suppose its the soft gels that i am talking about! I never knew there was hard soak off gels. I was trained to be told they need filed off.

Again NSI do a soak off hard gel system called secrets so if you already use them makes sense to stay with the range . Am sure someone will come along who can tell you something about soft gel soak off but I do not use any myself ... Hard gel girl through and through
x

 

[sammi010]

NSI have their hard gel range - balance - they have a variety of coloured gels in this range. They also have a soft gel range which can be soaked off - Secrets - and have a variety of coloured gels in this range.

To apply I would always start with a thin layer of clear, builder layer of clear and then file/buff. Coloured gels can be very unforgiving with even the smallest of lumps, bumps or dips. Then apply your coloured gel and top coat.

By using clear first if the client wants to change colour you can take it back to the clear layer rather than having to remove the whole thing.

 

[perfect10kb]

Just to clarify though Sammi you would ALWAYS normally use a builder gel under a hard colour . It is not usual to put a hard colour directly onto the natural nails ( apart from toes ) as that is not what they were designed for
x

 

[sammi010]

Just to clarify though Sammi you would ALWAYS normally use a builder gel under a hard colour . It is not usual to put a hard colour directly onto the natural nails ( apart from toes ) as that is not what they were designed for
x

Yes I know I have seen so many techs who have never used or been trained in colour gel apply it straight away and then struggle with breakdowns so thought it was worth mentioning.

 

[MrsBB2013]

Do you think they might be trying to explain that they want bio sculpture or calgel? X

 

[Flic22]

Thanks for all the replies. I will look into the NSI products and see!!

 

[carolwheatley]

Thanks for all the replies. I will look into the NSI products and see!!

NSI do a brilliant hard gel top coat called Glaze n Go.... it's brill.... to go with their little pots of colored gel x

 

[Flic22]

Yeah i use Glaze n Go already, its brilliant. I havent had time to go into the salon shop yet but will do over the week.

Is coloured acrylic easier to use than coloured gels?

 

[Persephannie]

What is the advantage of using hard color gel over an enhancement rather than just gel polish? Wear with gel polish over hard gel is like 3 weeks. Why would anyone want more grow out than that? At 3 weeks they would be coming back for a fill anyway. Also you wouldn't be able to use the hard color gel on gel polish clients but you could use gel polish on hard gel clients over top. It seems like the money would be better spent on more gel polish. Perhaps I'm missing something? I'm newly trained and have worked with gel polish and hard color gel but don't really understand the advantage of buff off color gel.

 

[Carla-laa]

What is the advantage of using hard color gel over an enhancement rather than just gel polish? Wear with gel polish over hard gel is like 3 weeks. Why would anyone want more grow out than that? At 3 weeks they would be coming back for a fill anyway. Also you wouldn't be able to use the hard color gel on gel polish clients but you could use gel polish on hard gel clients over top. It seems like the money would be better spent on more gel polish. Perhaps I'm missing something? I'm newly trained and have worked with gel polish and hard color gel but don't really understand the advantage of buff off color gel.

I was thinking the exact same thing. I have used ibd gels for the last 13 years and always used their pots of coloured gel before gel polish was around, ibd have now done away with the pots and only do the just gel polish for coloured nails which is sooo much better!
What do you all think the advantage of the hard coloured gel is?

Flic22 do you apply your shellac colours over your gel enhancement clients nails?

I've used both and much prefer gel polish to apply over hard gel and it saves spending a fortune on a load more products!
I don't want you to waste your money x

 

[Flic22]

I was thinking the exact same thing. I have used ibd gels for the last 13 years and always used their pots of coloured gel before gel polish was around, ibd have now done away with the pots and only do the just gel polish for coloured nails which is sooo much better!
What do you all think the advantage of the hard coloured gel is?

Flic22 do you apply your shellac colours over your gel enhancement clients nails?

I've used both and much prefer gel polish to apply over hard gel and it saves spending a fortune on a load more products!
I don't want you to waste your money x

Do you know - i hadnt thought of using Shellac over the gel nails. Doh or what?? Thanks so much. Im so stupid at times.
So, do you usually do a french manicure or just a clear or pink gel over the tips?