gel nails still cracking.

[laurab71]

I am still puling my hair out on this one. I did a client at the weekend, who had gel nails. I don`t get many clients having gel, ( thank god) but when i do, they mess up. I dread it when they ask for a full set, but i go on & do them. They are lovely when i leave them, then a few days later, they crack across the free edge, across the cuticle area & sometimes up the nail plate. It has happened with the brisa gel i got, & the NSI, The Edge and now this new gel i have. I just can not understand it. I am following the curing times to the exact min. My prep is good. I am applying bonder instead of primer, as i read you always use bonder with gel, primer with acrylic. I am checking my apex.It is ok.I am capping the free edge with great caution. I just can not understand why they are all still cracking. Am i missing something here.
I am wondering if my lamp is too powerful for the products. I am using a 4 bulb lamp ( 36 watt). Should i go back to a single 9 watt or does it not really matter.
Advertising gel nails is costing me an absoulute fortune. I have 3 lamps and no end of gels as i can not find the correct balance. It is driving me mad.I did think at the weekend about giving up gels, but i just can`t advertise one product, as not everyone can wear acrylic. It would be so much easier to just give up, but i can`t. I would swap to silks but they are just a no no around here, so that would be useless.
Please, please, please...someone help.
Laura.x.

 

[geeg]

Laura, it is MUCH more difficult to judge the depth of a gel nail as opposed to a Liquid & Powder nail. No doubt you are making them too thin in the wrong place, otherwise they would not break and this would not be a problem with every client you do who has gel.

It is not your lamp (as you cannot over cure gel) but it may be your product is not as strong a gel as say CND Brisa gels, or the problem of depth. Try making them thicker for a start by adding another layer over the stress area.

If nails break, they are not in balance. i.e. too thin in the wrong area.

 

[Mrsnailamilo]

HI, have you done a gel courses? with which system? I only ask as some times the way they show you on the videos etc, never really cover everything??

 

[1999judy]

Have you thought about updating your skills with a skill building day in gel?
Are you using the correct lamp for your gel ie the Brisa lamp for Brisa gel?

 

[laurab71]

Yeh, we were trained at college for gel nails, but not as much as acrylic. The teacher wasn`t bothered by which product we used. There were about 5 different products. The instructor used NSI, but we were giving other stuff to use. I can just barely remember what she did.
As geeg said, i must be applying them to thin in the wrong place. But i also don`t want to apply to much to cause lifting. I do find that apex building a bit of a task though. I think i will need to practice this more.
It is great that it is not my lamp as i really like the one i use. It is a lot more professional than the others.
So i am gonna have to practice. It is just a bit difficult, as i now have no nails due to problems down to praticing in the past. But never mind. Must plod on. I AM NOT GIVING UP. NO NO NO. I will have to get my practice finger out.
Thanks peeps,
Laura.x.

 

[Anna from Toronto]

Are you sculpting or are you using tips?
Building an apex is important and it's important to build strong sidewalls. I see a lot of people when learning gel (99%) are not putting enough product on the sidewalls.
I'm not saing to apply too much product there that you end up with thick sidewalls, but there has to be enough of gel to support the structure of the nail.
Also most of my students at the beggining "think" that they are applying enough gel, but instead (because they have a heavy hand) are ending up wiping most of the product off.
Use very light hand with gels. The bristles of your brush shouldn't spread when you are applying the building layers. Only applying bonding layer the bristles can spread (because you are working this layer into the nail plate)

 

[angel fingers]

it sounds to me as if you would be spending money wisely if you were to have a day with a proper trainer who can see exactly where you are going wrong and then show you how to get it right. all these problems are costing you money to put right and loosing you clients. even 1/2 a day training with someone who really knows what they are talking about could really turn things around for you.

 

[stoney]

Doing a skills building course is excellent advise!

I did one and discovered that I was putting on the correct amount of gel but then filing most of it off!! :smack:
I have now corrected my placement and use a lower grade abrasive.

I was also taught the 'stringing' technique to build a great apex.

I use NSI BALANCE and it is a fantastic product ... providing we use it right. lol

Good luck

 

[Gina Silvestro]

I have some video tutorials on my website www.gelessentialz.com that might be of help to you. Proper structure is needed for a strong nail. Like geeg said it is very hard to judge the depth of the gel as you apply it. I find it much easier to use a gel with some color. I use a coverage pink for the nail beds and white to build me free edge. It is much easier with a color than with a transparent gel. Also, if you are finding it difficult to build your apex, you may want to use a stiffer gel in that area such as a builder gel.

 

[angel fingers]

to get a better idea of the structure of your apex, always view the nailfrom the side profile.