Gel French manicure help please

SalonGeek

Help Support SalonGeek:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
try curing it for 4 mins instead of 2. It seems to be of thicker consistency for some reason
See I am doing extremely thin layers. If I was plastering it on I'd understand the light not getting through...
 
So the course you attended was for what? Gel polish only? Any enhancement course would have taught you how to correctly apply and blend tips.

If I were you, annoying as it is, I would research some of the best quality brands such as CND, OPI, NSI, Young Nails etc and retrain with them. Invest in top quality training and products and you will save yourself a lot of time, money and stress.
 
So the course you attended was for what? Gel polish only? Any enhancement course would have taught you how to correctly apply and blend tips.

If I were you, annoying as it is, I would research some of the best quality brands such as CND, OPI, NSI, Young Nails etc and retrain with them. Invest in top quality training and products and you will save yourself a lot of time, money and stress.
I was just about to ask the same thing, was it hard gel or a gel polish course? I find it very odd that if it's hard gels you wouldn't have learnt how to apply tips correctly or beeen taught how to sculpt. Have also never heard of applying a layer of gel then applying tips.

Also is your lamp that goes along with the system or just a generic 36w Uv lamp?
 
Last edited:
So the course you attended was for what? Gel polish only? Any enhancement course would have taught you how to correctly apply and blend tips.

If I were you, annoying as it is, I would research some of the best quality brands such as CND, OPI, NSI, Young Nails etc and retrain with them. Invest in top quality training and products and you will save yourself a lot of time, money and stress.
I agree with pure
Indeed I can't think of any hard gel course that wouldn't show tips. It sounds more like gel polish but the two are quite different. No enhancement course would ever not show you the total correct process of tips and/or sculpts. I really think you should consider going for a retrain
 
So the course you attended was for what? Gel polish only? Any enhancement course would have taught you how to correctly apply and blend tips.

If I were you, annoying as it is, I would research some of the best quality brands such as CND, OPI, NSI, Young Nails etc and retrain with them. Invest in top quality training and products and you will save yourself a lot of time, money and stress.

As much as I would like to take another course, I'm a single mother and struggle to afford these classes. I was due to attend a second course for sculpting with them in June but the class was cancelled last minute and I was refused my request for my deposit back. I've had to teach myself to do these things by asking advice and watching tutorials. I am fine with everything else I do, it's just the white tips I'm having issue with. It's a generic uv lamp yes
 
I agree with pure
Indeed I can't think of any hard gel course that wouldn't show tips. It sounds more like gel polish but the two are quite different. No enhancement course would ever not show you the total correct process of tips and/or sculpts. I really think you should consider going for a retrain
We were only shown how to prep the nails, apply gels and removal. I didn't attend the sculpting course as it had been cancelled last minute. I've always done a perfectly good job doing that myself. All I wanted was some advice on getting the white gel to stay on
 
I've gone back and read all the posts on this thread and I'm a little confused, as a bit of the info you provide is a little contradictory and a few things don't add up, what is the white gel, gel polish or builder gel?

Can you run through your prep steps again. As they were listed on different posts which don't correspond.

Also it's always advised to use the correct lamp for your system as not all products cure with all lamps, and there is no guarantee that a product will be fully cured if not used with the correct lamp
 
I've gone back and read all the posts on this thread and I'm a little confused, as a bit of the info you provide is a little contradictory and a few things don't add up, what is the white gel, gel polish or builder gel?

Can you run through your prep steps again. As they were listed on different posts which don't correspond.

Also it's always advised to use the correct lamp for your system as not all products cure with all lamps, and there is no guarantee that a product will be fully cured if not used with the correct lamp

Contradictory??? Didn't realise I'd said anything that was different.
The white gel is a hard gel white and the lamp I use is the same one being sold on the site I purchased the products from.
I prep the nail in the standard way. Bond. Thin layer of gel. Cure, Wipe and apply tips. File down, wipe and apply thick layer of sculpting gel, cure, wipe and file down if needed. Thin layer of white, cure, 2 thin layer and cure. Attempted applying top coat, got white streaks on the clear part, so wiped and the majority of the white came off.

On the first occasion using this product, I attempted to apply the white without wiping the clear layette after curing and it would not adhere, hence all the cleaning
 
If you have not had training for hard gel you need to put them away until you've been trained and please, please don't use them on paying clients. You will not be insured, and if you damage your clients nails, or end up causing a reaction or allergy you can be sued. It happens more and more in this country and being sued, without insurance, will cost you an awful lot more than the cost of another course. Be patient. Save your money. Do things properly. Save yourself from a potential nightmare.
 
Contradictory??? Didn't realise I'd said anything that was different.
The white gel is a hard gel white and the lamp I use is the same one being sold on the site I purchased the products from.
I prep the nail in the standard way. Bond. Thin layer of gel. Cure, Wipe and apply tips. File down, wipe and apply thick layer of sculpting gel, cure, wipe and file down if needed. Thin layer of white, cure, 2 thin layer and cure. Attempted applying top coat, got white streaks on the clear part, so wiped and the majority of the white came off.

On the first occasion using this product, I attempted to apply the white without wiping the clear layette after curing and it would not adhere, hence all the cleaning
We are only telling you about the tips because we wantto ensure you won't have any problems. Fact is you weren't shown how to apply them properly and that's causing you problems.
As to your white again, from what I understand, your white is also a scuplting gel and when you wipe off the clear underneath it has nowhere to adhere to so try this.
After you apply your tip, apply your white and cure *2, apply your clear sculpting on the nail bed only and cure, apply another layer of clear sculpting on the whole nail to cover the white and cure (If your previous application is good then you can also skip this step), wipe and file if needed, apply top coat and cure.
This way you will have encapsulated the white bettween 2 layers of clear. Give it a go
 
I wasn't trying to be nasty in any way, but if you go back and read what was written you will see what I mean.

I agree with both Pure and Asteropi, and we're just trying to ascertain if you had in fact done a gel polish or hard gel course as applications for each are different
 
We are only telling you about the tips because we wantto ensure you won't have any problems. Fact is you weren't shown how to apply them properly and that's causing you problems.
As to your white again, from what I understand, your white is also a scuplting gel and when you wipe off the clear underneath it has nowhere to adhere to so try this.
After you apply your tip, apply your white and cure *2, apply your clear sculpting on the nail bed only and cure, apply another layer of clear sculpting on the whole nail to cover the white and cure (If your previous application is good then you can also skip this step), wipe and file if needed, apply top coat and cure.
This way you will have encapsulated the white bettween 2 layers of clear. Give it a go
I will try that thank you
 
I wasn't trying to be nasty in any way, but if you go back and read what was written you will see what I mean.

I agree with both Pure and Asteropi, and we're just trying to ascertain if you had in fact done a gel polish or hard gel course as applications for each are different
Sorry I just get the impression I'm being told off by everyone. I've only had gel application training, the rest I've taught myself and I feel I am quite good at. It is only the white I am having issues.
I would like to do a sculpting course but I have spent an absolute fortune on gels since my training and being a single mother, I just can't afford it atm. I don't actually charge anyone, I only ever do nails for friends because I have no confidence to start a business. The bridal party I'm doing are friends
 
Sorry I just get the impression I'm being told off by everyone. I've only had gel application training, the rest I've taught myself and I feel I am quite good at. It is only the white I am having issues.
I would like to do a sculpting course but I have spent an absolute fortune on gels since my training and being a single mother, I just can't afford it atm. I don't actually charge anyone, I only ever do nails for friends because I have no confidence to start a business. The bridal party I'm doing are friends
Yes it is expensive to properly train in nails. That's a good thing! It keeps people safe and ensures that only those who are serious do it. I, like many others on here, have spent literally thousands on my training and products over the years, and most of that time I did it as a single mother too so I know how difficult it is. I understand how frustrating it is when you have to wait for what you want. But honestly no one here is having a go at you, we want to genuinely help, but we cannot take the place of proper training and qualifications. You will continue to have problems and waste money doing it your way. Please make is easier for yourself and get trained.
 
I was due to attend a second course for sculpting with them in June but the class was cancelled last minute and I was refused my request for my deposit back. I've had to teach myself to do these things by asking advice and watching tutorials.

Sorry I just get the impression I'm being told off by everyone. I've only had gel application training, the rest I've taught myself and I feel I am quite good at. It is only the white I am having issues.

We have all been there, and we understand how frustrating it is. That's why we are all trying to guide you. I do realise it might sound a bit harsh but that really isn't our intention.
Learning things on your own is not necessarily a bad thing, so long as you learn them the proper way. Which is why we all insist that you should learn the proper technique.
Hard gel, soft gel and gel polish are 3 very different things and none of us here has understood what it is you learned. You always say gel application, but really which gel? Is it hard gel or gel polish?
That along with you saying you haven't attended a scuplting course (which would be a hard or soft gel course with tips and/or sculpt enhancements), makes me think you only learned to do gel polish. But going from gel polish to hard gel with tips is not exactly easy! The white is the least of your problems. Even the company you are using is applying the tip on a bare nail, not over gel



I have checked your products and to be honest I don't understand at all your technique.
The Base Gel you mentioned is to be used for gel polish, not hard gel or sculpting. So skip that. You are mixing systems and it might look good at day 1, but it's gonna give you a system breakdown by day 3!
The Top Coat you are using is also for gel polish, not for sculpting! It's the first system I saw that doesn't have a hard gel top coat, but anyway. Using that top over any hard gel just won't work!

Apply the tips on the bare nail. Do not worry about buffing the nail plate, because if you are applying gel you are going to do that anyway. Just be careful not to overdo it. Buff gently to blend it.
Apply the bonder on what is left of your bare nail.
Apply your clear hard gel or sculpting gel. The sculpting gel you are using is thick and strong enough to be used for sculpting, not just on tips. It can indeed be wiped and filed.
Apply your pink/neutral and cure. Apply your white and cure.
Apply clear hard gel again over the entire nail to encapsulate. Not sculpting gel, be sure of that. Leave for a couple mins to self-level. Cure and wipe. No filling.
No top coat.
The second video is application of a french on a sculpt nail. You can combine the 2 videos (for the tips) following my instructions.



You need to study the company you have chosen, not just buy something and do whatever you were taught. Every company has a (slightly most of the times, although huge in your case) application. Yours for example doesn't have a top coat and that was your mistake to start with

And please, try to use the correct terms so we can understand better what your are saying. It's gel polish or hard gel. Not just gel.
You were mixing the systems and thus had all the problems you had.

First chance you get try to go to a hard gel training. It will help you greatly.
And post some pics of your results. Would love to see the outcome. Good luck
 
Last edited:
Hi, thank you for your reply
I've just sent my process to another girl so copy and paste job here lol
I do all the usual cleaning, apply bonder. Thin layer of gel, cure 2 mins. Wipe and apply tips (cause I've no nails lol) file down. Then apply thick layer of sculpt gel and cure for 2 mins. Wipe and file if needed. Wipe again, then thin layer of white, cure 2 mins, another thin layer. Then I tried putting top coat on, which gave me the streaks so then I wipe, which takes half the white off...

The products I use are from Gelessentials.com. pink sculpting gel and hard white gel. I used to use cheap ebay (asian) products which wiped off, so I thought paying more would help. Xx

I have never heard of applying gel then tips. The tips are stuck to the natural nail. How many watts is your lamp? Maybe you need a higher one.
 
We have all been there, and we understand how frustrating it is. That's why we are all trying to guide you. I do realise it might sound a bit harsh but that really isn't our intention.
Learning things on your own is not necessarily a bad thing, so long as you learn them the proper way. Which is why we all insist that you should learn the proper technique.
Hard gel, soft gel and gel polish are 3 very different things and none of us here has understood what it is you learned. You always say gel application, but really which gel? Is it hard gel or gel polish?
That along with you saying you haven't attended a scuplting course (which would be a hard or soft gel course with tips and/or sculpt enhancements), makes me think you only learned to do gel polish. But going from gel polish to hard gel with tips is not exactly easy! The white is the least of your problems. Even the company you are using is applying the tip on a bare nail, not over gel



I have checked your products and to be honest I don't understand at all your technique.
The Base Gel you mentioned is to be used for gel polish, not hard gel or sculpting. So skip that. You are mixing systems and it might look good at day 1, but it's gonna give you a system breakdown by day 3!
The Top Coat you are using is also for gel polish, not for sculpting! It's the first system I saw that doesn't have a hard gel top coat, but anyway. Using that top over any hard gel just won't work!

Apply the tips on the bare nail. Do not worry about buffing the nail plate, because if you are applying gel you are going to do that anyway. Just be careful not to overdo it. Buff gently to blend it.
Apply the bonder on what is left of your bare nail.
Apply your clear hard gel or sculpting gel. The sculpting gel you are using is thick and strong enough to be used for sculpting, not just on tips. It can indeed be wiped and filed.
Apply your pink/neutral and cure. Apply your white and cure.
Apply clear hard gel again over the entire nail to encapsulate. Not sculpting gel, be sure of that. Leave for a couple mins to self-level. Cure and wipe. No filling.
No top coat.
The second video is application of a french on a sculpt nail. You can combine the 2 videos (for the tips) following my instructions.



You need to study the company you have chosen, not just buy something and do whatever you were taught. Every company has a (slightly most of the times, although huge in your case) application. Yours for example doesn't have a top coat and that was your mistake to start with

And please, try to use the correct terms so we can understand better what your are saying. It's gel polish or hard gel. Not just gel.
You were mixing the systems and thus had all the problems you had.

First chance you get try to go to a hard gel training. It will help you greatly.
And post some pics of your results. Would love to see the outcome. Good luck


Hi, I've been trying to post pics but everything comes up as file too big . I think I've uploaded the description of the course I took. We were informed at it that their products are 'pure gel' and not gel polish. The majority of my colours are from this company. The main reason I don't want to pursue a higher course atm is because I felt the training I received with that company , I personally could have learnt from a video, though I realise I. Do need to actual get qualified, also I didn't want to be spending more money when I'm not confident enough yet to even charge people just for painting their nails.
I was just asked to do this for a friend and want to do the best I can, and I appreciate the help. It's likely I will just end up not doing them. But thank you
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20160902-185342.png
    Screenshot_20160902-185342.png
    358.3 KB · Views: 48
I have never heard of applying gel then tips. The tips are stuck to the natural nail. How many watts is your lamp? Maybe you need a higher one.
The tutor there just told us it was better for the nails to apply gel first :/
My lamp is 36w. I had considered buying an led one but we were advised at the course (even though using led) not to get them because they tend to break more frequently...
 
The tutor there just told us it was better for the nails to apply gel first :/
My lamp is 36w. I had considered buying an led one but we were advised at the course (even though using led) not to get them because they tend to break more frequently...
Ok so reading that description it was a gel polish course you did.
If you're serious about doing nails as a business to earn some money you can certainly do that as a natural nail tech, there are many who make good money and they never touch enhancements. It would probably be beneficial to upgrade your products when you can to a better brand though.

And one important note about the lamp......wattage is pretty irrelevant. That only indicates the power it uses, it doesn't tell you anything about the UV it produces. You should always choose the lamp which matches the brand of gel you use. That is the only way to guarantee a proper cure and will avoid service breakdown and any overexposure risk to both yourself and your clients.
 
Managed to finally get the white to stay in place. It did bleed in some spots when applying the hard clear bit I did my best to tidy it uo
 

Attachments

  • 20160902_230650.jpg
    20160902_230650.jpg
    499 KB · Views: 60

Latest posts

Back
Top