Finished look

[sammyt]

hey iv been doing acrylic nails for 2years, going to hopefully do creative conversion course in january so il be able to brush up skills then, but so far not getting the finished look that i want.

how do i get a clear even high gloss finish?
does everyone just use buffers? and if so sometimes i feel like its hard to make a high shine and the product seems slightyl scratched and bit cloudy.

any ideas

 

[jenny2]

The girlfriend buffer and solar oil from cnd is fab. have a look in my album they are from my first cnd training and first ever free hand nails buffed with the buffer. I am sooo proud xxx

 

[izzidoll]

Basically you have to work your way down the grits to get to a high shine.

If your application is spot on then you can start with a lower grit....but initially start with a 180 and work down to a 240 or 280...then on to your 3 way shiner. Black side to refine, white side to shine, grey side to supershine!!!!
Once you buff to a high shine and you still see surface imperfections or dull spots then go back to your 240 and smooth them off and use the 3 way shiner again. As your application improves the less work you will have to do.
A glass like surface is a must!!!

 

[Miss Pink23]

As izzidoll says you have to work your way through the grits to receive your high shine.
After application file with a 100 (if imperfections are quite evident) then go to a 180 then move onto your white block and finally finish with the 3-way girlfriend buffer, black, white then grey and you WILL receive the high shine you want.
You can cheat alittle and apply a high shine topcoat to miss out the girlfriend buffer if you are running out of time.
I am loving the glass-like finish too!!!!
hth's
xx

 

[jenny2]

Izzadoll u worded that fab chic, i am useless with grits, find it so hard to work out which one for what. On my course i was told with the girlfriend buffer, because it got a black part grey and white to think of it like this. Black and white makes grey. So black first then white then grey. Will never forget now xxxx

 

[yeahyeah]

don't forget to use a good oil first too knowing how to buff well is definetely important, I don't mean to cheapen the service at all but a UV cured top gloss, like nsi perma gloss, will give you a super shiney perfect finish with minimal buffing and give your clients some extra protection against staining and whatnot
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[sammyt]

thats great thanx guys, iv just so happen to have bought sum girlfriend buffers they are really good but as you all have said i found on certain fingers i havnt done even enough with acrylic went bit funny,so i filed smooth with the 180file to the buffer and it worked really really well.
shiney like glass,really good.:lol:

 

[sknight]

I love my leighton Denny buffer & the girlfriend buffer but a lot of techs also use UV top coats.

 

[marioned]

I love both the CND Glossing block and Ezflow Miracle Shine and the Snow Monkey. xx

 

[izzidoll]

I love my leighton Denny buffer & the girlfriend buffer but a lot of techs also use UV top coats.

I know a lot do that...but what happens on the day you forget to pack it if you are mobile????...or shock horror you run out!!!!
Back to the good old fashioned way of working down the grits and buffing to a glass like sheen, that's what!!! Roll up them sleeves :lol:!!!

I have to say though that using higher than a 180 grit on the surface of a newly applied nail, is a bit of a no no as it is just too rough and as the product is still curing it can cause more problems than it solves. Even if you are a newbie and the enhancement surface resembles the surface of the moon !!! 180 grit is the lowest grit you should use.
100 grit is OK for taking down length and refining the sidewalls, but no more IMHO.

 

[Gilly T]

I know a lot do that...but what happens on the day you forget to pack it if you are mobile????...or shock horror you run out!!!!
Back to the good old fashioned way of working down the grits and buffing to a glass like sheen, that's what!!! Roll up them sleeves :lol:!!!

I have to say though that using higher than a 180 grit on the surface of a newly applied nail, is a bit of a no no as it is just too rough and as the product is still curing it can cause more problems than it solves. Even if you are a newbie and the enhancement surface resembles the surface of the moon !!! 180 grit is the lowest grit you should use.
100 grit is OK for taking down length and refining the sidewalls, but no more IMHO.

I think I read in Doug Schoons book that excessive filing or the use of high grit abrasives can cause very fine cracks in acrylic that can lead to service breakdown/weakening of the enhancement.

I did start using glaze n go from nsi as the buffing to high shine option just seemed like too much hard work. However, I have since started using my abrasives to buff and I must say, the shine can be amazing if you work hard enough.

If you are going to use oil to get a better shine, when would you use it? Sorry to jump in with a question....

 

[izzidoll]

If you are going to use oil to get a better shine, when would you use it? Sorry to jump in with a question....

With CND products you would buff in oil with the 240 side of a Koala buffer after working down the grits. The 240 side of the Koala has a protective coating so that oil won't ruin it. Then you would remove the oil from the surface before using the Girlfriend as oil is not good for buffers. Buffing the oil in helps inhibit oxygen and speed up the cure.
With other systems this is not always necessary, and of course in competitions oil is not allowed.
I tend not to use oil, although I do love using a Snow Monkey and miracle shine buffing paste to get a gorgeous shine. Also not allowed in competitions :irked:

 

[Gilly T]

With CND products you would buff in oil with the 240 side of a Koala buffer after working down the grits. The 240 side of the Koala has a protective coating so that oil won't ruin it. Then you would remove the oil from the surface before using the Girlfriend as oil is not good for buffers. Buffing the oil in helps inhibit oxygen and speed up the cure.
With other systems this is not always necessary, and of course in competitions oil is not allowed.
I tend not to use oil, although I do love using a Snow Monkey and miracle shine buffing paste to get a gorgeous shine. Also not allowed in competitions :irked:

That's really weird because I'm just on the website looking at what goodies I want when I got to the Ezfkow roadshow... snow monkey and miracle shine were both on my list amongst other things.

I'm wondering what grit my sand turtle is from nsi as I've no idea. I do use this after the 180 before using my 3 way shiner though.

 

[siulum1314]

i rarely buff acrylics to high shine because the shine comes off immediately when my clients put polish on. i mostly offer them to do a UV top coat service.

A UV top coat is cured under the UV light, but the clear and high shine is instant covering all the minor scratches, and the UV top coat also seals the acrylics together. So UV top coat is a good choice if you dont wanna buff. and its permanent too, so the client doesnt have to reapply top coat every 2nd day

 

[sknight]

I know a lot do that...but what happens on the day you forget to pack it if you are mobile????...or shock horror you run out!!!!
Back to the good old fashioned way of working down the grits and buffing to a glass like sheen, that's what!!! Roll up them sleeves :lol:!!!

I have to say though that using higher than a 180 grit on the surface of a newly applied nail, is a bit of a no no as it is just too rough and as the product is still curing it can cause more problems than it solves. Even if you are a newbie and the enhancement surface resembles the surface of the moon !!! 180 grit is the lowest grit you should use.
100 grit is OK for taking down length and refining the sidewalls, but no more IMHO.

I agree which is why i prefer my buffer, plus my clients usually want their own buffer for their enhancements when they see what shine I achieve with mine. UV gloss is fine but I find it easier to buff

 

[magsham]

That's really weird because I'm just on the website looking at what goodies I want when I got to the Ezfkow roadshow... snow monkey and miracle shine were both on my list amongst other things.

I'm wondering what grit my sand turtle is from nsi as I've no idea. I do use this after the 180 before using my 3 way shiner though.

The green is 120 and the purple is 220.

 

[costa carolina]

I too belive in buffing!

For me, making that beautiful glass like shine appear is like a little reward (for myself!) I still find the transformation quite magical and I would feel as though I had cheated myself out of something good if I missed out this most pleasurable stage of the service.