Gel infills/maintenance

[yvonne91]

Hi I have been doing gel nails a while and have been confused about how to properly do a maintenance, as I have been trained and went to a few different private courses and all do it differently. What is the correct way to do a maintenance? Do you take all the gel completely off? And when should the client return to get one? I know it depends on clients nails, mine usually return within 3-4weeks. Although there can be some lifting so Im just wondering am I doing the maintenance correctly.

 

[yvonne91]

I use IBD Gel

 

[NailtechJoe]

To my understanding, you only need to buff off (when using hard gel) if there is significant lifting; i.e. 30% - 40% lifting should be removed. Anything less can be filed down and then re-balanced.

 

[yvonne91]

Thanks for replying. Now rebalancing I have not been taught? that would I need to do this on every infill set?

 

[NailtechJoe]

Only the ones that require it.

When you infill, repair cracks/chips, parts of the nail will not be balanced hence why you need to "rebalance" the shape of the nail.

 

[yvonne91]

Okay, is this done with acetone? And is it rebalancing the apex shape?

 

[NailtechJoe]

Okay, is this done with acetone? And is it rebalancing the apex shape?

You can't soak it off with acetone if the gel is "buff off"; i.e. hard gel.

Yes, it is getting the shape right and moving the apex to zone 2 as this would move forwards.

 

[yvonne91]

Thanks I understand now, so once applying the new gel and building it slightly to give strength I buff and file to rebalance? Is this right?

 

[Absolutebeautyx]

A rebalance is what you would call an Infill they are the same thing. Just sometimes people call them rebalance because you are moving the apex down, or an infill because you are I filling the regrowth! You must always move the apex down to the correct place
So just file away any lifting and "infill" as you are doing xx

 

[yvonne91]

Okay I was getting so confused thanks so much [emoji4] i always do this anyways so I am rebalancing just thought it was completely different than an infill. Xx

 

[yvonne91]

Absolute beauty would u ever do a new set or just continue infilling? X

 

[fluffy26]

Infill/fills/backfill/rebalance call it what you will, but it's all about the correct care & Maintenance of enhancements/extensions. For example, whether it's l&p or gel, if they are a natural finish,eg. Not French, I file down, refine shape,length,apex & apply fresh product, normally just a pink or clear depending on client preference. For French I tend to file right down, pretty much filing off all the white, then reapply fresh white, & I then apply my pink over the top, refine, then apply my gloss top coat. Basically each time you rebalance/fill they should look as good as the first time you put them on. Also as long as the product looks fine & the client has no issues, you can carry on rebalancing without removing. Remember to look at length,apex & the c-curve down the barrel of the nail for the perfect finish! HTH x

 

[yvonne91]

Thank you [emoji4]. X

 

[Absolutebeautyx]

Okay I was getting so confused thanks so much [emoji4] i always do this anyways so I am rebalancing just thought it was completely different than an infill. Xx

I could see you were getting confused haha! I always just do rebalances unless of total lifting. I get my own nails done by someone else and I had the same set on from June last year to February this year, only got them off because I was having a small surgical procedure! A few had been replaced because I am quite heavy handed and broke them but most were still the original set (I know because my second infill was glitter acrylic, still some left when I took them off) haha xx

 

[yvonne91]

Ohh cool! Some clients have one or two off so that must be the norm, I was just doubting myself [emoji85] Thanks again xx