Gel...to file, or not to file?

[remember_nomore]

I have a question for the masses. My instructer here in Florida is a firm believer on <b>never</b> filing gel. It's breaking the first commandment and is against all of her laws.

:irked:

Now I've looked around online and find that the general way of thinking is totally different than hers. Nobody is going to think the same, this is why I bring the question to you fine lady's and gents.

Can you and do you file gel nails? I have a kit with gel and being a newbie I never really used it because when it comes to gel I need some filing at the end to 'finish'.

If you file, what are the do's and don't's? Because right now I'm so confused and I have about $400 worth of OPI gel products in the closet that are going to continue to collect dust out of sheer fear of touching it.

 

[suzie49]

Well I must say I have never heard that before, I use Gel and acrylic, and file and buff them both.
I am sure some Opi user's will be along to tell you how they do their gel nails soon hun....x

 

[geeg]

If you want perfection then you will be filing some if not all of your gel nails.

Back in the old days, gel companies marketed thier product as being faster and better than L&P because you did not have to file it!! Many took this to heart and didn't! That is why there were so many hideous lumpy gel nails about.

There is no reason on earth why you should not file a gel nail to perfect it just as you would any other. It would be wonderful if we could guarantee a perfectly formed nail every time that needed no finishing but most of us who have an 'eye' for design and perfection need to tweak here and there with a file.

So ... in essence there is nothing to be confused about. File if you need to and don't if you ... don't need to. But equally do not feel you are failing because one person out of thousands said it was a no no. Maybe she had a giant ego and felt her work was so perfect she didn't need to file ... ever!! That does not go for all of us, most of us or even some of us.

The do's and don'ts are pretty much trhe same as with filing any enhancement except that you need to finish with a 180 grit file if you are applying a finishing gloss gel AND you mustn't touch the enhancement with your fingers or your finishing gloss will not go on correctly. No transfering of oil from your fingers. Dust with a brush and add your final touch of Finishing Gloss.

I have a question for the masses. My instructer here in Florida is a firm believer on <b>never</b> filing gel. It's breaking the first commandment and is against all of her laws.

:irked:

Now I've looked around online and find that the general way of thinking is totally different than hers. Nobody is going to think the same, this is why I bring the question to you fine lady's and gents.

Can you and do you file gel nails? I have a kit with gel and being a newbie I never really used it because when it comes to gel I need some filing at the end to 'finish'.

If you file, what are the do's and don't's? Because right now I'm so confused and I have about $400 worth of OPI gel products in the closet that are going to continue to collect dust out of sheer fear of touching it.

 

[remember_nomore]

Geeg, you made me laugh and thank you so much for your advice and knowledge. I am beginning to think more and more that I got shafted in school. Our class hours down here are 240 and I was there for 300 hours and I know there are things that I didn't learn and still need a great amount of 'learning' to do. She had her favorites and apparently because I was ill for 2 months I wasn't one of them .

Then again what can I say for a teacher who lets a student graduate because she has her hours when she doesn't know how to use a drill and made her 'demo dummy' <b>me</b> bleed and so sore doing a tip and overlay that she obviously didn't know how to do.

 

[geeg]

Geeg, you made me laugh and thank you so much for your advice and knowledge. I am beginning to think more and more that I got shafted in school. Our class hours down here are 240 and I was there for 300 hours and I know there are things that I didn't learn and still need a great amount of 'learning' to do. She had her favorites and apparently because I was ill for 2 months I wasn't one of them .

Then again what can I say for a teacher who lets a student graduate because she has her hours when she doesn't know how to use a drill and made her 'demo dummy' <b>me</b> bleed and so sore doing a tip and overlay that she obviously didn't know how to do.

Well we really do not need to add to that now do we?? I think that explains all. :lol:

 

[remember_nomore]

In a nutshell.

My other question is can you file anywhere on a gel nail? Or is there a spot you don't touch as not to break a seal of some sort?

I think my ? key on my keyboard is getting tired

 

[geeg]

In a nutshell.

My other question is can you file anywhere on a gel nail? Or is there a spot you don't touch as not to break a seal of some sort?

I think my ? key on my keyboard is getting tired

In my experience, you can file anywhere as long as your filing in a way to keep the seals protected. In other words, at the free edge for instance ,,,, make sure your file is at a 45º angle to the edge so that there is always a bit of the gel extending beyond the free edge of the natural nail (particularly important with natural nail overlays which can tend to separate from the nailplate if the 'cap' is not in place).

I treat as I would any other type of enhancement.

 

[remember_nomore]

That makes a lot of logic. I get it. Maybe now I'll break out the gel and play around for a bit...

So what would it take to get you to visit Florida and teach my butt all your wisdom? I'm a good cook...I can feed you!

 

[VHunter]

Get her book (Nailclass by Gigi Rousse), and/or read the tutorials and articles here on Geek:!:
They will help you IMMENSELY and fill in the holes left by your teacher AND correct your teacher's misinformation

I can't encourage this enough. I suffered through an abysmal course, and confess that I only know as much as I do now with thanks to Geeg and other valuable members of this site.

AND WOW, there's a wealth of knowledge here:!:

hth's

 

[geeg]

That makes a lot of logic. I get it. Maybe now I'll break out the gel and play around for a bit...

So what would it take to get you to visit Florida and teach my butt all your wisdom? I'm a good cook...I can feed you!

I'll be in Sarasota in 4 weeks time and I will be driving down to Marathon towards the end of a two week visit so anything is possible? ? Best go to pm's for this discussion .... good cooking is a great incentive!! :hug:

Just googled it ... totally doable if you want ... not that far south from my brothers place.

 

[marioned]

Oh my, a lesson from Gigi!! I'd jump at the chance!!!! xx

 

[ValencianNails]

It's breaking the first commandment and is against all of her laws.

:irked:

...and there is your answer :wink2:

If we didn't buff the enhancement (gel or otherwise) to a finish we'd have to be damn good at application, and by that I mean 150% perfect all of the time... it just isn't possible IMO.

You've been given some fantastic advice previously... hope you manage to fit in some training with Gigi, she's totally inspirational and a pleasure to have as an educator (and a friend) :hug:

 

[VHunter]

(pouting in a corner, wanting to move across the pond...... all the great geeks are on the wrong side of the water for me):cry:


You lucky lady!! You'd better grab that chance, or there'll be a host of geeks lining up to take a whack at ya:!::lol:

:hug:

 

[remember_nomore]

Oh believe me lady's, I'm jumping. A lot! And I promise to take care of her and feed her well. I'm already plotting to make my famous sausage and potato soup from scratch for her.

The funny thing is Sandi is that my instucter is going to be 65 next month and has been doing them so much that all the sets she does and shows us - gel and L&P - are so perfect that her files barely have a scratch on them

 

[Olivia Dawn]

We are taught to file gels here... what don't you file? at all? that is the only way I know how haha, I hear there are soak offs but I don't know how to use them, well i just never have

 

[geeg]

Remember that our GOAL should always be to sculpt the perfect nail with the brush and not the file ... that is a great goal and it is achievable for many but there is no need to be made to feel inferior while you are on the road to perfection, if you need to use a file to help you get there, and there is certainly no harm done by filing (it's just boring to have to do it forever)!!

 

[remember_nomore]

Agreed. I've had a few nails that I've done that didn't need much/any file work and it felt strange to me. But I'm noticing that I'm using the files and drills less and less these days and that actually makes me quite happy.

Dear lord, why am I still up? It's nearly 4am here and my nose won't stop and I can't sleep. *whine*

 

[RedAdmiral]

It can be hard to go against what you have been taught but it is clear from the above posts that filling on gel is no problem at all, use a spongey 180 file if you still dont feel confident - and hey if your getting great smooth results and not filling well done you!

 

[ValencianNails]

I've had a few nails that I've done that didn't need much/any file work and it felt strange to me.

Me too, however, I always refine zone 3 because in my 'eye' I'm looking for the 'perfect nail' :green:

 

[VHunter]

Agreed. I've had a few nails that I've done that didn't need much/any file work and it felt strange to me. But I'm noticing that I'm using the files and drills less and less these days and that actually makes me quite happy.

Same here.
There was a time I piled on the gel so thick :o in my fear of not having enough, and wind up filing until the cows came home :grr:

Now, on the rare occasion, I actually find that I left it a smidge too thin on a single finger (for new sculpts) now and then, and end up adding after. (this is usually at the apex area, which if I sculpt with clear alone, I have a tad bit of difficulty judging. No problem when using the white)

BUT that's way better than wasting the tonnes that I wasted before. (Ooohhh I could cry for the $$ lost on using too much gel)

Not to mention, all the unecessary dust