Doing Nails With Flair!

[Glorsclaws]

Hi, Can someone please help me out! Had a client last night - no really I did and I sculpted her nails as I have done in the past, using Calgel (soft, soak-off gel).The nails looked fine as I did them with a nice c-curve but once they'd been under the light they seemed to have 'flaired' a bit at the smile line and looked flatter.Of course I filed like mad along the side-walls but although the 'flair' had gone, obviously they still looked flat. I have another couple of clients who are just overlays and they seem to spread slightly too. Happens when I overlay my own nails but as they are dry and turn in slightly from the free-edge this seems to open 'em out and makes them look more balanced but, obviously I dont want this effect on my clients nails. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Please help as I have another client booked and I want to be able to correct this for then. Thanx

 

[MichelleAU]

Hiya

I don't do gels so I'm not sure if you can use this technique, but with sculptured acrylics I wait until the acrylic is almost set and then use my thumbs to pinch the C curve.

 

[Glorsclaws]

Hi Michelle, Thanx for your response but, no it doesnt work with gels . I had a demo nail done by Anthony Buckley of California Nails a couple of months back and he did what you suggested - pressing in the side-walls with his thumb nails. I'd never seen it done before and was fascinated, :shock: especially when he produced a little pouch of 'tools' and put a little metal tube under my free- edge to get a good c-curve, tricks of the trade, eh!

 

[The Geek]

Sounds like a case of Egyptian hats to me.

The gel is flowing as you are working with it and will not stop flowing until cured. Essetially the gel will flow to the lowest part of the nail and in this case, give you width and thickness along the sides.

Try using less and/or "lock it" as your working by sticking it under lamp for a moment.

Wheres Anna when u need her? Shes the Gel guru here

 

[Glorsclaws]

Hi Geek, Yup, I think you could be right about the Egyptian hat thing - or at least I think theres some of that in there!. The odd thing is though my own nails grow very long and from smile line to free-edge the sides have begun to turn in over the last few years (was told it was due to an illness I have) I also know about the dehydration thing and use oils a couple of times a day. But back to the point, when I overlay them and look down the barrel, my abnormal 'n'curve is now a nice 'c' curve and its not an illusion of thick gel on the sides either, the nail actually looks as if its been corrected :huh: . Dunno what to make of it but one things for sure , my next client is going to be a hoot! Her nails are 'fan-shaped' as it is :cus:

 

[Sue]

Good Luck Gloria with your next client - she of the fan-shaped nails!

Thought I'd send you good wishes to this board - hope thats ok Mr Geek!

Sue
xxx

 

[Anna from Toronto]

Sounds like a case of Egyptian hats to me.

The gel is flowing as you are working with it and will not stop flowing until cured. Essetially the gel will flow to the lowest part of the nail and in this case, give you width and thickness along the sides.

Try using less and/or "lock it" as your working by sticking it under lamp for a moment.

Wheres Anna when u need her? Shes the Gel guru here

Wow, thanks Geek, what I compliment (I mean it!) I must print this post from you

My suggestion here would be..
*Do I nail at a time and place it right away under the light...in the mean time work on the other hand....
*Dont use too much self leveling gel (too thick of a layers) for the reason Geek suggested.
*Place a string of gel horizonataly on a cured layer (but not wiped) the gel to add some arches ... will not self level on a sticky surface.cure.
*Pinch the forms bit more
*Make sure that the client is not pressing down on the forms while her hand is in the light...tell them to place the hand into the UV gently and keep is very straight for the first 10 seconds....

Let me know if that was what you were asking for please..... :?

 

[Glorsclaws]

Hi Anna, thank you so much for your reply. I'm gonna make a little note of the things you and Geek suggested and keep it next to me (where client cant see) until I'm sure all my habits are good ones. I never gave it a thought about client pressing down on the forms :hit: so thats something to look out for . Will also make sure that my first layer is really thin. I didnt realise that the gel wouldnt self level on a sticky surface either . Wish you could come over to England and be my tutor :salute:

 

[Glorsclaws]

Hi Sue, Thanx for the message. Fan-nailed lady has just left and what hard work she was. It took me over 3 hours to do her nails. They had flat beds and were er ...fan shaped and bitten . People! how do you make nails like that look pretty. She seemed over the moon and has booked her infil but as she left I felt like saying "So glad you're happy with them,........ just dont say it was me that did them"

 

[Peppercorn Nails]

Hi Gloria

I know what you mean about some peoples' nails just never looking quite as beautiful as you would like, but you have to remember that 'to have a good painting, you have to have a good canvas'

(I don't know if this is strictly true, but I think you'll get the jist )

Generally speaking, what you have just done for them is usually a far cry from what they would have looked like naturally

Adele
[/quote]

 

[Glorsclaws]

Hi Adele, Thanx for that :thumbsup: I know what you mean about the good canvas - just wish I could find one .Last night at work my boss asked me to bring in a price list, as she's going to the annual greyhound ball -all posh frocks & penguin suits. "Delighted to" says I :goal: . Then I glanced down at what can only be descibed as - 'bloody shovels, man!'. I looked back into her face and her expression was thus :queen: while I was trying to hide ig: - as in trotters!!! Are the only good beds I'm ever gonna work on be my own

 

[Peppercorn Nails]

Hey Gloria

Unfortunately the 'ladies' with lovely nails tend not to need our help so much....god damn it :twisted:

I seem to be having a run of ski jump nails and I just hate the buggers.......... however :idea: (in a moment of inspiration), on the positive side if you can make trowels :shock: out of shovels when you do get some lovely lady with lovely, lovely plates just think what a piece of p*** it will be :tongue:

Speak to ya soon honey, Adele

 

[BrendaLeeNPW]

:o My sister has them so bad. The ministry aide at our Church has them too. My sweet daughter has 2 on each hand. They are quite distressing. Guess what I do? I tell them: "no pain, no gain" and I pinch those C curves like I'm a robotic vice!!!!! I also give them more of a squoval shape. The only other way I'm able to change the look of their nails is to
use tips. build up an arch so they'll have a bit of of a curve to their nails & pinch a c curve (just not as hard as when I sculpt them) My daughter has decided she want to wear hers fan shaped!!! She said she wants to start a new trend. I have not allowed her to do it because everyone is always looking at her nails to see my work. those shovels are a "trip"! We can fix 'em though! We are professional nailtechs! See the S on your chest?