Cuticle work for UV gel polish?

[Mrsmermaid]

Morning all,
Any tips on prepping cuticles for a uv gel polish?

I’m newly qualified and was always taught to do a dry prep/mini manicure but I’ve found a couple of people’s cuticles still look a bit ragged at base or have dry skin at the sides of the nail (ie actually on the hand) that detracts from the overall finish.

Should I be using cuticle softener?

Any help appreciated

 

[House Beauty]

Morning all,
Any tips on prepping cuticles for a uv gel polish?

I’m newly qualified and was always taught to do a dry prep/mini manicure but I’ve found a couple of people’s cuticles still look a bit ragged at base or have dry skin at the sides of the nail (ie actually on the hand) that detracts from the overall finish.

Should I be using cuticle softener?

Any help appreciated

I always use one, the Kaeso one. As long as you just use a little (like a cotton buds worth) and use acetone to degrease before the gel cleanser you are re all good.

 

[tuan]

The skin that seals the nail is often mistaken for cuticle. This skin is often damaged by people who use their hands frequently. It can also looks dry most of the time, which is why most nail techs cut it off but they are not suppose to.

Here's what you don't want to do when you are giving a manicure: don't push this skin back. When you push it back, you cause it to lift off the nail and become loose. This looks very ugly. If you push only UP TO the skin, the seal will remain intact and you've only pushed the cuticles off. So don't push the seal, only push up to it as close as you can to remove as much cuticles as you can.

This can be a hard concept to grasp since most nail techs have been doing the same things over and over. It will take some understanding and practice to rewire what you know. Some nail techs really don't give a shit and its pretty sad.

Also, most of the jagged skin that you need to trim off is on the side of the nails. When you pull the skin on the sides down, you will usually find skin that sticks out like little thorns. You can trim these bits of skin off the nail. Remember, skin is there to protect the nails from germs. So if you trim off big chunks of skin, you're not doing things right.

I found that CND cuticle remover works really well. But you have to use it according to the instructions otherwise youll damage the nails since cuticle remover acts like acid.

 

[Mrsmermaid]

The skin that seals the nail is often mistaken for cuticle. This skin is often damaged by people who use their hands frequently. It can also looks dry most of the time, which is why most nail techs cut it off but they are not suppose to.

Here's what you don't want to do when you are giving a manicure: don't push this skin back. When you push it back, you cause it to lift off the nail and become loose. This looks very ugly. If you push only UP TO the skin, the seal will remain intact and you've only pushed the cuticles off. So don't push the seal, only push up to it as close as you can to remove as much cuticles as you can.

This can be a hard concept to grasp since most nail techs have been doing the same things over and over. It will take some understanding and practice to rewire what you know. Some nail techs really don't give a shit and its pretty sad.

Also, most of the jagged skin that you need to trim off is on the side of the nails. When you pull the skin on the sides down, you will usually find skin that sticks out like little thorns. You can trim these bits of skin off the nail. Remember, skin is there to protect the nails from germs. So if you trim off big chunks of skin, you're not doing things right.

I found that CND cuticle remover works really well. But you have to use it according to the instructions otherwise youll damage the nails since cuticle remover acts like acid.

Thank you for such a detailed response. Do you use the CND cuticle remover before gels as well?

 

[tuan]

Thank you for such a detailed response. Do you use the CND cuticle remover before gels as well?

Sometimes I do sometimes I don't. It really depends on my mood. With CND cuticle remover, you have to use it within a 1-2 minutes after applying it or it will weaken the nail since its an acid. You have to make the client use a scrubber with soap to get it off or else there will be residue on the nails.

If im not using cuticle remover, I just soak the clients' nails in soap and water. This will soften the cuticle too. But long soaking in water isn't good for the nails either.

With either method you have to clean the entire nail wiith acetone to make it dry and clean for gel application. Some gels won't stick as well as others but gels are an entirely different subject.