Gels suddenly gone wrong please help

[hertfordshire-1]

Hi Everyone I'm a newbie to this forum so god knows where this post will end up (if at all!) so I apologise in advance if I'm doing this all wrong...........I've got a huge prob that is stressing me out big time. I have been working in Gel Nails for past 8 months and have passed my diploma and everything was going fine, clients happy etc and then suddenly people are calling me up saying their gel has cracked or competely come off of a couple of fingers!. Oh my word this is freaking me out and I've been racking my brains and I haven't changed anything that I usually do or changed products so my only conclusion is it must be the lamps (I have 2 which were bought brand new and are only 8 months old). I then went and bought new bulbs (which are made for my lamps) and thought that would hopefully be the end of it. But no, my cousin phoned me tonight and said that 3 of her gels have cracked/chipped and she has only had them on for 5 days (with the new bulbs used) and they have never, ever ever come off of her before. Another person has just txt and said that they have 2 chipped gels (have had only 1 week!). OMG what is happening?????. Do you think it is defo the lamps/bulbs all of a sudden, especially being that I've got 2 lamps so would both have to cock up at the same time???!! I am heartbroken over this and am having to spend all weekend repairing everyones' chipped gels free of charge and trying to restore my reputation. What on earth could it possibly be?? Could it be that I'm suddenly doing something wrong??? My gels have been known to last 6 weeks and always last 3 weeks min so I am aghast at what's happening. Am seriously doubting my ability now and confidence is zilch so any advice and help will be sooooooo gratefully received.

 

[sarahhall36]

i really think it is your bulbs. have u got the name of the bulbs that were previously in the lamp? dont let it affect your confidence, i bet it didnt happen before the bulbs were changed xx:Love:

 

[hertfordshire-1]

Hi, the original bulbs and the ones I've just replaced them with have no name on them, just says professional 36watt. The lamp came with my course and just has "professional UV Gel Lamp" on the box and I bought an extra lamp from my trainer about 2 weeks after starting the course which is why I'm finding it weird that they could both go wrong at the same time unless they are from a faulty batch or something? I'm taking them back to my training salon and insisting they be replaced (not repaired) coz this is awful what's been going on. Is this what happens then when you get dodgy lamps??? (cracked/chipped gels and gels popped off????)
BTW they weren't cheapo lamps (£148.00 each) or maybe that is cheap I dunno lol x

 

[hertfordshire-1]

sorry, I've just realised that does it mean it may be the brand new bulbs that are causing the gel to crack/chip OR the dodgy lamps OR BOTH!!!!!?
What shall I do about the people coming for repairs tomorrow as I will still have the same lamps (training salon not open tomoz for m to go and get them exchanged)????????? It will mean that the repairs will prob chip off too won't it? OMG what a mess.................

 

[katiebbaby]

what products are you using?? that is quite expensive for a non generic brand of lamp, whom did you train with hun xxx

 

[hertfordshire-1]

blimey we're burning the midnight oil lol.. I use and trained with NCO London Gel who do both hard and soak off gels. I've been using the hard gels and they are fantastic quality and staying power which is why I'm so confused. The lamp is silver and just says "Professional 36watt UV Lamp" and has four 9watt bulbs in it. There is no makers name at all. (I bought 2 so that my clients were more comfortable and it's quicker when I'm freeze curing too. I just find it wird that BOTH lamps could've buggered up at the same time (unless they're from a faulty batch)??

 

[geeg]

For what it is worth, I don't think the problem is due to the bulbs at all.

I will guess that each client has natural nail overlays at this point. Possibly at the same time their nails are too long as well.

Gels are notorious for chipping on natural nail overlays.

The solution is to extend the gel over the free edge of each nail and make sure on finishing that you file at a 45 degree angle so that the gel always extends just a bit over the free edge.

Nails do not breaks or crack or chip unless clients are rough on them. Stop blaming yourself for everything and stop panicking. The clients did not go out your door with chipped nails. Neither did the nails chip or crack while the clients were sitting with their hands in their laps!

Clients get too used to their nails and after time are much rougher with them than when they first had them done. They need a reminder and telling that you will not in future be repairing for free. They will expect you to from now on every time THEY chip or crack a nail if you set a precedent with them. Don't do it. :hug: good luck and be firm.

 

[naturalnails]

I was going to say the same as Gigi. Over time clients will push the boundaries with their nails.

I used to offer free repairs because I doubted myself. When I started to charge for every repair, lo and behold my clients had fewer breakages.

 

[hertfordshire-1]

Thanks for your replies ladies and I know I'm not as advanced as you are but I defo think it's to do with the bulbs and not the clients as my mum was one of them that they chipped on and hers have never ever cracked before and she is soooo good at lookig after them. 3 of the people (that cracked) were natural nail overlays and 3 people were tips. All of them are fantastic with their nails and this has never ever happened before in 8 months of working so why would it suddenly start happening all in the same 2 week time period???? My own gels chipped last night too (I was wearing tips with colour gel) and I am really careful with my nails and know I didn't do anything at all to warrant a chip. Which leads me to conclude it must be the lamp or bulbs. But I need toknow from you guys what does actually happen when the bulbs need changing or the lamp is dodgy - does it cause cracked/chipped gels????
I feel absolutely awful about this as the people have not got loads of money and they expect the gels to last (which I would)
Any advice???? xxxxxxxxxx

 

[geeg]

Well I for one stand by whAT MY EXPERIENCE tells me. New bulbs do not undercure gel and neither do they over cure the gel.

I can't see the nails you have done. Maybe you are not building the right structure (more likely cause of cracking) and there is no proper apex. Maybe they are too thin in places. It is one thing to do a full set, it is much harder to maintain them.

If you think you have the answer in the bulbs then why are you asking here? Easy to blame the bulbs ... I for one very much doubt it. If you want your opinion validated, you wont get that from me. Sorry if that is not what you want to hear.

Look to yourself or your clients. One or the other will be the cause in my opinion, not the bulbs.

 

[secret rainbow]

I dont think its your bulbs. If you have been fine and you havent changed anything i would be asking other people using the same product if they have seen any difference in the product.
Contact the person who trained you and ask. It is possible for there to be a problem with the product.
Double check your application.

 

[hertfordshire-1]

Well I for one stand by whAT MY EXPERIENCE tells me. New bulbs do not undercure gel and neither do they over cure the gel.


I can't see the nails you have done. Maybe you are not building the right structure (more likely cause of cracking) and there is no proper apex. Maybe they are too thin in places. It is one thing to do a full set, it is much harder to maintain them.
.

I didn't mean to cause offence and I know that you are supremely experienced unlike me and I also understand what you're saying but I am doing the sets EXACTLY the same as before on the same people with the same gel and everything was fine with gels lasting 3 weeks minimum with no lifting/cracking/chipping at all. I am extremely thorough with prep, building and application and thus far everyone has been happy and the nails have lasted beautifully.

Today I experimented on my daughters nails and the gel didn't even cure on 2 fingers (gel came off totally with the inhibition layer)so does this indicate bulbs??

My lamp does not have an indicator showing that the bulbs are operating ok so can somebody please tell me what usually happens when the bulbs are not working properly. What happens to the gels then???

 

[hertfordshire-1]

I dont think its your bulbs. If you have been fine and you havent changed anything i would be asking other people using the same product if they have seen any difference in the product.
Contact the person who trained you and ask. It is possible for there to be a problem with the product.
Double check your application.

Thanks for the advice, I have contacted my trainer and she has said it must be the lamps and not the product as nobody else has had any problems with the gels.

However, obviously most of you don't agree with this so is it that far fetched???

 

[Nail123]

Hi I use NCO London Gels too and my gels come off or chip and I'm very frustrated as I'm so thorough but I'm very newly qualified so have put it down to my inexperience rather then the product . . . . . ?

 

[hertfordshire-1]

Hi, my gut feeling is that it's not the product as I've found NCO gels fantastic and have had no sets lift/chip/crack before with this gel but obviously I don't know for certain and everyone on here is of the opinion that it may be my fault which it might possibly be.......

I'm just totally confused and no nearer to finding out what's gone wrong

 

[geeg]

But you said the bulbs were new! How could new bulbs not be curing? Of course if they were faulty that would be a problem. But if they are new and they are functioning then it seems unlikely. If I understand correctly you also said you had the problem before and so changed the bulbs for new ones?

Are the bulbs flickering? Are they bright? Are they in anyway different? Certainly the gel should not just wipe off after curing but you never hinted of that before ... You said it was not lasting and cracking and chipping. Maybe with consistent and clear information one would better understand.

Get your lamp tested if that is truly what you think the problem is. Then you will know.

What you first described does not sound immediately like a bulb problem, especially when the bulbs are supposed to be new. What you now describe as the gel wiping clean off does sound like there is no cure.

 

[katiebbaby]

I would listen to Geeg,, I had a client almost similar but with L&P and she all of a sudden started having cracks and breakages,and the lifting. I could not work out what or why, I tried her with radical yet then she was STILL breaking certain nails (always same 2-3 nails).

I was having her come back atleast 1- a week for free,,,,,now I know it done me no favours by doing them for free as I feel it encourged her to think it was MY fault so therefore she could come every so often for a repair. One thing I did realise now in hindsight (glorious thing now ha ha) is that I never changed anything like you say if anything was more carefull, I double preped,, I tried tips as opposed to sculpts on form, everything,,,however I realised her nail length was too long for her lifestyle, I never shortened them as much as they shudda been,,,she liked them longbut unfortunatley she could not keep them long, she had small nail beds and worked on PC all day,, I shudda kept the free edge reeeallly short.


It stopped when I said I can no longer keep doing her nails it as obviously her body chemistry is not right for enhancments, I would do them last time and from then onwards would need to charge as it was not MY fault HER body lifestyle is not suited,,she could either make her appts every 10-14 days as opposed to 21 days and maybe this would help

This lady in question stopped coming to me 6 weeks ago,,,, I had a text yesterday asking to book her in for full set and rebalance every 2 weeks as she tried elsewhere and they were AWFULLLL,,,OMG, does she really think I dont know what im talking about,,|FGS I trained with the best of the best CND FGS,,,

My point is

 

[gillian w]

When i first started with gels they were coming off left right and centre ...all my doing not the gel not the lamp.It can be so many things......,Not working the first layer in properly too thin , too thick, going over onto the skin etc of course some peoples were great that was usually when i was really concentrating on what i was doing.The ones i did in training never came off.
The best port of call is your trainer and supplier they want to know any problems you are having so they can help you and they know their product inside out.Ring them and maybe go back for another training day.
You can ask and ask on here but we cannot see what you are doing and we all work with different gels.

 

[katiebbaby]

When i first started with gels they were coming off left right and centre ...all my doing not the gel not the lamp.It can be so many things......,Not working the first layer in properly too thin , too thick, going over onto the skin etc of course some peoples were great that was usually when i was really concentrating on what i was doing.The ones i did in training never came off.
The best port of call is your trainer and supplier they want to know any problems you are having so they can help you and they know their product inside out.Ring them and maybe go back for another training day.
You can ask and ask on here but we cannot see what you are doing and we all work with different gels.

I agree 100% yet some people would rather blame products or clients (not saying OP is so please dont think this) I was opposite I would look at me first and I would be 100% honest , but then again I was taught by CND and knew if I was having probs it sure as hell was not my products its gotta be me,,,,and as hard as it was,,,,,I was right.

xxx

 

[hertfordshire-1]

But you said the bulbs were new! How could new bulbs not be curing? Of course if they were faulty that would be a problem.

What you first described does not sound immediately like a bulb problem, especially when the bulbs are supposed to be new. What you now describe as the gel wiping clean off does sound like there is no cure.

Yes the bulbs are new but they do not feel as hot as normal and the gel wiping clean off only happened yesterday when I tried it out on my daughter as I have cancelled all clients until I change my lamps. I'm thinking it's more the actual lamps than the bulbs but is this possible? Oh yes, and I double checked the timer yesterday and it is about 11 seconds out but I didn't think this would have any effect as I always freeze cure each nail (so they get longer than the reccommended cure each time anyway).

Just to reiterate, I have been using the same products on the same people with the same length free edge as normal using my same application and suddenly this has happened to every single person so surely the odds of that happening because of my doing are low????? However, obviously I am open to other opinions.........

Can I also point out that I HAVE asked my trainer for help and she has said it's probably the lamps but hasn't offered me any other explanation or said she'll watch my technique again (even on one finger!) while I'm there to exchange the lamps. You all seem to go along with the assumption that all trainers are amazingly supportive but mine obviously isn't which is why I thought I would find a bit of help and advice on here but it's no good if you just tell me to go back to the trainer who IS NOT helping me either!!! :irked:

I will leave you all in peace if someone can just please please tell me how you know when your bulbs/lamps aren't working properly if there is no indicator button on said lamp????????

Thankyou

Rosie x