Gel layer comes off in one piece

[IllustratedGirl]

Hey everyone!

I'm new here. I tried to find the answers to my problem via google and forums, but it has been difficult to find. Anytime I search gel nails coming off, I find a billion results on how to remove them, which is not my problem, haha.

I've been doing my own gel nails for about 8 months now. I am slowly getting better. However, after a week or so they eventually start to come off in one big piece one nail at a time. Sometimes I don't even have to soak them off! I can't get them to last two weeks for the life of me. I've tried different base coat brands, using really thin layers or gel, two base coats, gel builder, base coat followed by builder, two top coats, you name it! It's driving me crazy! What on earth am I doing wrong? Hopefully someone can enlighten me. My next idea if maybe I need a better bonder, and I'm looking into trying a different brand of that. They don't peel off a little at the top like at the salon.. they just come off in one whole piece!

I also use a lot of rhinestones, and they come off pretty quickly. I've done top coat, rhinestone, top coat, and they usually don't last too long that way. I've done top coat + glue + rhinestone and then another top coat. That seems to work better, but I'm still losing some. Gel builder helps with the larger decorations, but I still can't get the smaller rhinestones to stay on. Most of them do but I lose maybe 1-5. I don't want to lose any! Haha

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. This has been driving me a crazy! I attached a photo for reference from two manicures ago lol this last oen was really bad.. one of the gel layers actually came off only a matter of hours later!

 

[blossom]

hiya

what product line do you use and how long since you qualified? Or did you mean you just do you own nails? x

 

[IllustratedGirl]

Hi!

I just do my own nails. No professional training here..

First I was using Daisy, and now I use IBD. I also started using Lina gel builder

 

[BronzeBeauties]

It looks as though you are flooding the cuticle area with the gel. Their should be a gap. If the gel is attached to the skin they will lift x

 

[IllustratedGirl]

Thanks for that advice. I do try to keep it away from the cuticle, but I'm not very skilled yet, haha. I will pay more attention to leaving a gap. However, I am not sure that is the answer as they don't begin to lift from the cuticle, they lift from pretty much anywhere. It seems as if they just aren't sticking to the nail.

 

[Nikki May]

It takes the professionally trained years of practice so all I can advise is practice makes perfect.

Sent from my ST23i using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[IllustratedGirl]

Oh yes, I totally understand perfection takes time.. But surely I am doing something wrong which can be corrected, if the entire later comes off in a week, and sometimes in a matter of hours. There is some step I'm not doing correctly, and I just can't figure out what it is.

I'm also using a 36W dryer and the timer is for two minutes. Is it possible this is too long?

 

[Sass]

Perfection doesn't just "take time"!! Perfection takes 'TRAINING'!!! :grr:

It also takes commitment, investment and lots of skilled training!

You are posting on a professional ONLY forum, where everyone else is either paying to be taught or are already qualified.

So, obviously your number 1 problem with your gels not lasting is lack of knowledge!!

Hopefully we will see you in the coming year posting as a student and look forward to helping you. :idea:

Have a Merry Christmas :hug:

 

[IllustratedGirl]

While I would love to learn how to do my own nails professionally, that is not something I am realistically able to do with my job. I'm also not looking to do other people's nails, just my own.

Are there any consumer kits you would recommend? I've watched tons of video tutorials, read articles, and tried my best to follow the instructions.. But something isn't working!

 

[IllustratedGirl]

I understand I am not a professional and therefore am lacking professional training. I am here hoping to gain advice from others more experienced than myself. If this is not the place for it, is there somewhere I can be directed to? I do not want to be asking in the wrong place.

 

[Aphrodite26]

It looks like your application could be 2 thick.
Also professionals do take years of practice and training to perfect out methods which is why people come to us to have nails done etc. to be honest consumer kits etc do not have the staying power of those that us pros use.
You will find pros reluctant to give you tips on how to do your own as it is taking business away from ourselves and other pros. We have paid to get the knowledge via training which is why if can be annoying to be asked to give this knowledge away.
I don't want to sound mean or anything but it's the same in any business.
Vic x

 

[Sass]

I understand I am not a professional and therefore am lacking professional training. I am here hoping to gain advice from others more experienced than myself. If this is not the place for it, is there somewhere I can be directed to? I do not want to be asking in the wrong place.

Nail Care - PurseForum

HTH :hug:

 

[IllustratedGirl]

Thank you both. I will check those out. I apologize for intruding. Have a great day ^-^

 

[Aphrodite26]

Thank you both. I will check those out. I apologize for intruding. Have a great day ^-^

Don't apologise hun. Hope you don't think I was being "off" I was just trying to explain why some geeks may not reply. Hope you get sorted and have a great Xmas ⛄️ X