French advice/tips/help!

[Glitterbox81]

I have my first paying client on Wednesday. Hurrah!. Except she wants a Shellac French and I suck at French. I have spent ALL week watching videos, reading all the tips and hints on threads on here, trying all the different techniques and practising like a mad thing and I still can't do it.

This is today's best attempt and it's rubbish:irked:

What I mainly need is tips on how to sweep with a brush to tidy the line I've figured out that the way I find easiest to paint on the smile is side to centre, side to centre sort of crossing over in the middle but this makes the apex of the curve a bit pointy- how do you hold the brush when you tidy the smile? Do you do it side to centre side to centre or in 1 movement. I've tried both ways- when I go for 1 sweep I get all tangled up in the 2nd half of the nail because I can't work out how to hold the brush. When I do side to centre side to centre I end up having to keep going back and forth because I take too much from one side.

I can do it alright on MrS's short nails where the smile is just a thin stripe across but when it comes to these massive nailpops I lose it.

It's going to get easier isn't it? Any hints, advice on where I've gone wrong or anything is gratefully received. (I know the rest of the nail is a bit rubbish I just did that quickly it's the smiles I'm worried about).

 

[Nixiesbeauty]

Hi there I use Gellux
When I do French I use a nail art brush with a long thin brush to do the white I find it gives a good smile line xx

 

[Glitterbox81]

Hi there I use Gellux
When I do French I use a nail art brush with a long thin brush to do the white I find it gives a good smile line xx

Like a striper brush? And do you fill in the white with that too or do you use the striper to do the curve and then fill in with the normal polish brush?

Thank you for replying. It's so frustrating not being able to get the hang of it!

 

[Beautylicious-M]

I think you've done a really good job there already! More you practice the better you'll get and if you don't feel confident by Wednesday then you can always cancel. Took me months to be able to do french properly it is very frustrating you're probably better than you think you are.

 

[Glitterbox81]

I think you've done a really good job there already! More you practice the better you'll get and if you don't feel confident by Wednesday then you can always cancel. Took me months to be able to do french properly it is very frustrating you're probably better than you think you are.

Thank you.

Maybe I'll be lucky and she'll turn up and see my super sparkly nails snd decide to get those instead. I can but hope.

The husband keeps telling me not to panic- if worst comes to the worst and I do a terrible job then she'll just never come back I'm losing nothing by trying. But I want to do it perfectly!

 

[lelu]

Not that I'm an expert but I would make sure white not too thick so it lays flatter. Two thin coats usually does it for me.

 

[Beautylicious-M]

Thank you.

Maybe I'll be lucky and she'll turn up and see my super sparkly nails snd decide to get those instead. I can but hope.

The husband keeps telling me not to panic- if worst comes to the worst and I do a terrible job then she'll just never come back I'm losing nothing by trying. But I want to do it perfectly!

You will probably do it great on the day because you know you have to cos shes paying for it - you wont just be practicing. Your colour pops are good for french already from that photo.

I use Gelish but I find it comfortable doing it in one movement across and tidying up if needs be. Stick with the way you find it easier and practice just that way.

Take your time and keep your client talking, I find it takes the pressure of me thinking shes just staring at what Im doing whereas if shes talking she'll be more distracted from what im doing.

Practice on your hubby too be good for you to take a break from colour pops and practice other shapes of nails.

 

[Beautylicious-M]

Not that I'm an expert but I would make sure white not too thick so it lays flatter. Two thin coats usually does it for me.

Yeah agreed, keep your layers thin!

 

[souz]

practise on yourself! much more realistic than pops.

have you tried brushing in strips so from nail outwards to free edge and then tidying smile line. an angled or pointed brush is best for tidying up and either sweep all the way across or go centre to outer and then centre to outer the other way around. hoping this makes sense xx

 

[Glitterbox81]

Thank you everyone. Lots of good tips. I'll keep practising. The brush I was using for tidying wasn't a pointed one so maybe that will help- it was quite a square brush.

I do normally make the layers thinner but was concentrating so much on getting the curve right that I forgot to check the rest looked okay :lol:

 

[lelu]

I also find it easier to tidy smile line with brush if first coat thinner. Once first coat is cured the second one is much easier.

 

[cheekychick]

practise on yourself! much more realistic than pops.

have you tried brushing in strips so from nail outwards to free edge and then tidying smile line. an angled or pointed brush is best for tidying up and either sweep all the way across or go centre to outer and then centre to outer the other way around. hoping this makes sense xx

I do this! I find it so much easier and it helps keep the coats thin as its easier to pull off the excess with your brush.

But to tidy up I use a fat brush that I bought from an art shop. The bristles are really soft but just pushing the brush (dampened with d sperse) upwards towards the free edge once Gives the perfect smile line with no faff.
Ill try an get a pic up when I'm home.

But whichever method you use, it will get easier with practice. so try not to stress
sam
xx

 

[Glitterbox81]

Thank you everyone. Don't know what I'd do if I hadn't discovered this site. Cry and give up probably!

 

[Glitterbox81]

Okay I've tried the pulling the brush to the free edge and using a teeny pointed brush for tidying up and it's definitely better thanks! Here's a picture. It looks a bit messy because I'm having issues getting the 2nd coat of white in the exact same place as the first coat but I think I've got the general shape which is what I was struggling with and I didn't swipe the free edge (which I'd always do on a proper person)so that could be neater.

Do you cure both your white coats for 2mins or do you do the first coat then flash cure, the 2nd coat then fully cure?

Thank you all so so much for the tips. I feel much better already. :hug:

 

[lelu]

Fully cure before second coat. You can also tidy up second coat if you go over the smile line.

(I agree with you about this site - I've learnt so much).