Gels breaking after a few days-please help!

[Mbx]

Hi,
I'm new to doing gels. I trained with the edge products & was told by my instructor that this was a good product to use as I'm doing it from home and didn't need to be buying the more expensive ones. She told me at the end of the course that I was doing them very well & to start charging straight away as I had done a good bit of practice. I charged for my 1st set last week & 2 nails had broken off in 4 days. 1 broke off at the tip & the other 1 cracked at the side where the tip meets the nail & there was also some gel coming off at the back of the nail. It was a friend of mine but was really annoyed about it & said when she used to get them done before from another girl they never broke. She works in a restaurant so I told her that maybe the sprays she's using to clean the tables with or washing dishes in water all day is weakening them but she says it's not. I'm really upset about it coz iv another client coming tomorrow for gels & I'm worried the same thing will happen. Please help me!:cry:

 

[Anne Niven]

It sounds like you have not built strength into the nail, maybe not enough gel at the tip too. Is it a white tip? You need to allow extra curing time if it is. You should be using a builder gel. The sprays she uses should not affect the nail. Hope that might help.

 

[Mbx]

I wasn't told anything about builder gels in my training. What is that? Ya maybe I'm not making them strong enough. Thanks for your help. Should I be using a better product or is the edge good? I haven't a clue!:sad::sad:

 

[tanfastic]

There is another thread running at the moment you should have a little read through
http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/200714-millenium-nails.html
hope this helps


I have just seen on your profile that you are using Shellac ? How is this possible. Did you do the CND course and are you using the correct lamp ? If you have then why are you still using The Edge, would it not be sensible to do the Brisa course and offer only CND treatments ?

 

[Mbx]

I haven't actually done the CND shellac course yet. I'm doing it in 2 weeks. I just looked up gel nail courses in my area and the one I did trained with the edge products and I'm using the edge lamp. I didn't realise that you have to be trained to use different products. I thought once you had a gel nail course do e then you can use whatever products you want. Its mostly the edge products they're selling in beauty supply stores around here too. I haven't seen brisa in any of them. I was told too that the edge lamp should work fine with shellac by the girl that's doing the training but I might just have to give the nails extra time to cure??

 

[Maz101]

Hun, if your doing the shellac course in 2 weeks you will need the CND lamp, as you have to have all the kit, lamp, disperse, shellac colours etc etc, S2 will have sent all that info in a letter.

If your not doing your training via S2 CND the it is not a shellac course, no CND shellac course trainer woud let you use anther lamp, it won't cure properly.

Shellac is only available via S2 or ellisons too

Also brisa is only available from S2 or ellisons and you can only buy it if your trained or have done a conversion course.

 

[JenBella]

I haven't actually done the CND shellac course yet. I'm doing it in 2 weeks. I just looked up gel nail courses in my area and the one I did trained with the edge products and I'm using the edge lamp. I didn't realise that you have to be trained to use different products. I thought once you had a gel nail course do e then you can use whatever products you want. Its mostly the edge products they're selling in beauty supply stores around here too. I haven't seen brisa in any of them. I was told too that the edge lamp should work fine with shellac by the girl that's doing the training but I might just have to give the nails extra time to cure??

Hi Mbx,

If you are doing Shellac training then you have to do it via Creative Academy in Ballymount Dublin, these are the official suppliers of Shellac in Ireland. There are some Education Ambassadors and another authorised trainer in Cork but I would strongly suggest you double check who you are doing Shellac training with as I know there are a lot of "training facilities" around Ireland at the moment offering Shellac training and its not actually Shellac. I swear if I hear that such and such a range is "the same as" Shellac I will scream- anyone who says this to you is clearly crap so don't fall for it. Check that you can get insured with the training you've received so far, is the trainer accredited and did they run through what insurance you would need etc?

There's a huge amount of extremely poor trainers in the country as well and to be honest, if a trainer told me that must because I worked from home meant I didn't need to use a better product or "more expensive ones" then that would totally put me off...I'm not saying that you need to use the highest price brands but being trained in treatments means you offer the very best you can to clients whether you are mobile, salon or home based. Being home based doesn't mean people are happy or expect to have cheapo crap products used on them.

There's a good range of brands in different suppliers, and I have to say I've seen a huge amount more than just the Edge products. If you want to let me know where you are based I can direct you to good suppliers or indeed if you want to get decent quality training and ongoing support then give the girls in Creative Academy a shout.

Nail courses and "nail techs" are ten a penny at the moment, if you want to make this work then learn from the mistakes of others and don't waste time on poor training or on trainers who clearly don't know the differences between products or indeed telling you your Edge lamp will work if you just give it extra cure time for Shellac - that's irresponsible an incorrect and will only result in problems for you.

The Edge lamp will not work with Shellac. You need insurance for working on clients and insurance will not cover you if you are not using the proper systems.
Just because you've completed a gel nail course won't automatically mean you can use whatever you want, Shellac for example you need to be qualified in manicure and pedicure in order to purchase.

Have a read through here, the search function is great for info on different brands and you will learn loads, give yourself a few hours though because there's a LOT!!

If I can be of any help just send me a PM and I will do my best to point you in the right direction!

 

[Mbx]

Thanks for your help girls. I thought doing nails was supposed to be fun. I'm sick of it already. I really want to do this properly. Im so confused. It's creative academy in Dublin that are supplying the CND shellac products for the course being taught by a trainer in Cork and she has already told me I don't need to get the lamp. She said the lighter colours will cure fine with that lamp but the darker ones would take longer! Everyone is telling me something different!
Can someone tell me if the edge products are any good because some people are telling me they're not and some are telling me they find them very good. I want to do this properly when I'm starting off!

 

[tanfastic]

Glad I sat back and did not say what I wanted to at first but here it is, I agre with the other geeks and you have had a really good offer of help. If I were you I would take it.

I would first get to be really good at doing gels with The Edge but ultimately you HAVE to start using a better product. The Edge is almost the next step up from over the counter if you know what I mean.

The decision you need to make is, do you practice to perfect your application with the product you were trained in .... or... change products and start from scratch.

Unfortunately products all have different ways of behaving. Some are runny, some are really thick, some are self leveling and so on. The mistake many new techs make is to chop and change because they are blaming the product for bad results. It is seldom the product that is to blame usually it is a combination of product and inexperienced / dodgy application.

It is a shock to find out that you are not as good as your tutor has told you. I know the feeling, my tutor told me I was a " natural" and that I did not need to do all the case studies required for the Diploma. She printed them all out for me on the last day of my fast track course. At the time I felt that I must be very special and then realized that she was really just wanting to see the back of her students. Why waste time assessing case studies weeks later? Grrrr. I am surprised that your tutor told you to stick with inexpensive products because you are working from home.

Anyway, back to your question Hun, don't get too despondent, Your friend is right to be cross if you charged her full price. I would offer her a freebie or even money back ( just keep the amount spent on products) Get hold of a nail trainer and work really hard at perfecting the C Curve and the Apex of the nails. They are what makes them strong. Practice your Preparation, bad preparation is a sure way of getting the nails to lift at the cuticle edges.
Many people use the Edge products so you can get a decent job done without spending more money at the moment but once you have used all your gels up then you really should change products unless you decide to bite the bullet and start over with a different product right now. Research and read up as much as you can on Gels, there is a wealth of information on here.

Good luck and let us know how it goes

 

[Maz101]

Thanks for your help girls. I thought doing nails was supposed to be fun. I'm sick of it already. I really want to do this properly. Im so confused. It's creative academy in Dublin that are supplying the CND shellac products for the course being taught by a trainer in Cork and she has already told me I don't need to get the lamp. She said the lighter colours will cure fine with that lamp but the darker ones would take longer! Everyone is telling me something different!
Can someone tell me if the edge products are any good because some people are telling me they're not and some are telling me they find them very good. I want to do this properly when I'm starting off!

Hun, no CND trainer would tell you it's ok to use a lamp that's not a CND one, promise you.

Re The Edges products, it's not one of the hi end products, I've never used it as only use NSI, but be heard it is prone to problems.

 

[JenBella]

Thanks for your help girls. I thought doing nails was supposed to be fun. I'm sick of it already. I really want to do this properly. Im so confused. It's creative academy in Dublin that are supplying the CND shellac products for the course being taught by a trainer in Cork and she has already told me I don't need to get the lamp. She said the lighter colours will cure fine with that lamp but the darker ones would take longer! Everyone is telling me something different!
Can someone tell me if the edge products are any good because some people are telling me they're not and some are telling me they find them very good. I want to do this properly when I'm starting off!

Hey,

Nails are fun, I know it probably is mad confusing right now but stick with it!

What's great is that you want to do it properly so that's a major advantage for you, the will to do it right.

I can't answer on whether the edge are good as I don't do gel nails, well I trained but training was woeful and I'd no confidence so stopped doing them.

Who are you doing the training with in Cork? I would be absolutely shocked if an authorised sub distributor doing training on behalf of Creative Academy said you could use Edge lamp...using the proper system is a fundamental of Shellac.

Do you get a kit as part of your training that you are booked onto?

 

[JenBella]

Actually the best thing to do is ring Creative Academy in Dublin and ask them about the place you are booked in to do training with...they will tell you if they are authorised. Their number is 01-4295122

You most definitely do need the CND lamp to cure every colour of Shellac whether its light or dark! You also need other products as part of the Shellac service.

As I said earlier if you need any help or direction just PM me and I will help.

 

[Maz101]

I agree doing nails is fun but learning is fun and hardwork and needs to be done right which abviously you want to do, I know when I booked my shellac course via Sweeet Squared, they checked 1st to see that I had the correct lamp, colours, supplies etc as I had to take my own kit along, if not then I would have had to buy it all as it was not supplied by CND or the trainer, they also checked my certificates, theo they already had this on file.

I think you need to double check that it's actually a CND course and not someone saying I'm CND trained and can teach you and I've bought my stuff to train you from CND. When you booked it who did you phone?

Hugs hun, you'll get there

 

[Maz101]

Actually the best thing to do is ring Creative Academy in Dublin and ask them about the place you are booked in to do training with...they will tell you if they are authorised. Their number is 01-4295122

You most definitely do need the CND lamp to cure every colour of Shellac whether its light or dark! You also need other products as part of the Shellac service.

As I said earlier if you need any help or direction just PM me and I will help.

Great minds think alike, I was just looking for the number

 

[tanfastic]

When my Lamp died in January I rushed out to Capital to buy a replacement and the girl at the counter told me that I could use the Edge lamp ( was on special offer) for Shellac. Fortunately I knew better and because I know better I do not offer Shellac, not until I have done the course and have purchased the correct kit. Just proves though that many people out there, even ones we feel we ought to be able to trust, do give really bad advice sometimes.

My suggestion is to contact Sweet Squared and speak to their training department. Not one of the satelite academies but the head office. They are the ones to believe. For all you know you may have spoken to a temp or a receptionist that does not have a clue. Always speak to the right person and you will get the right advice.

 

[Mbx]

So glad I joined up to this I wouldn't have a clue otherwise. Well when my friend got her nails done I wasn't going charging her much anyway but I didn't have any change so I told her pay me another time but when her nails broke I told her to come back & when she offered to pay me when I had finished re doing all of them she was so mad & I was so upset that I didn't take any money for it. It really is after knocking my confidence. I think I will stick with the edge for the moment and just change when I'm finished with this lot. I'm just going to have to do a lot of research I guess.
Iv sent you a pm jenbella to see if you know more about where I can get better product etc.
Really appreciate all of the advice girls x

 

[Maz101]

Good luck hun and hope it all gets sorted out, which I'm sure it will.

 

[JenBella]

How many sets have you done? Have any of those had any issues?

 

[Mbx]

Thanks maz101. I've done about 10 sets and I've Only had a problem with my last 2 sets. Pretty strange considering the 1st set I ever did stayed on no problem. I think I'm going backwards! Thanks for all your help girls. I'm going to ring creative academy now to see if this girl is actually trained to do it. I've a friend who is a gel nail technician with a few years so i've asked her to call later to do some on her to see if I'm doing something wrong! X

 

[JenBella]

Good plan, let us know how you get on but don't feel too down about it...we all have problems when starting out and it's how you learn. If you have done previous sets that have lasted fine then there's no reason why you can't build from there and keep getting better and better.