Help...Gel system dilemma

[Nash]

Hello Everyone,

I know there is a lot of chat on gels and I have read a good portion of them. However, I still have a few questions.

I am looking into doing gels. A few questions I have is do they have an order and if so is it like acrylic order? Has anyone worked with IBD soak off gel? I just read about it in the Nails magazine. Actually it just said it was one of the top 15 new products out there. I have seen Axxium and I have heard about CN having a gel system. I have also seen LCN for the fist time in a magazine. Does anyone know anything about that system? Also NSI which I have never heard of. Yes, I am very very new to this.

I work in a small space so I don't want the smell to be overpowering. Can anyone guide me in a good direction on doing gels?

If these questions have been asked before I apologize in advance. After doing so much reading I get so confused.

Thank you for any help,
Nash

 

[yuki]

Hi Nash,
Ive been working with gel for about 18 months now, having first trained with acrylic.
I started with Star nails gel, then Pure nails, then NSI which has a very good reputation.For very different reasons with each product ive just gone back to Pure Nails to try their Gelacryl-this is a combination of gel and acrylic powder and im extremely pleased with it.Im back to Pure for all my nail products-great delivery, customer service and value products.(Nail Technician Supplies UK :: Acrylic Nail Technician Training)
You do have a process to master but its well worth it.Any tutorials on this site or textbooks you may have will help but companies usually provide their instructions with their product if you ask or purchase a trial kit.There's no smell either!
Hope this helps!

 

[moopie]

Hi Nash!

Welcome to the site.. there's an amazing mess of information here, and it can sometimes be hard to sort through (as theres a lot of it!) but I think you should use the search tool and search for the different gels you're interested in.

Theres also a great article, I forget who it's by, in either the tutorial or articles section, that discusses the differences between buff off and soak off gels. If I understand right, soak off is usually more flexible and buff off is much more firm, similar to L&P (?), though I only use calgel myself!

When I was looking into finding a good buff off gel (as i hate the stink of L&P) I did come across a lot about IBD. When I do pursue this, I will probably go with them. There is loads of info on this site about them, too! Just search for it all!! GL! :hug:

 

[Wandawump]

I have some IBD soak off gels and am really not happy with them at all, they don't give very good coverage, for example, i used the black soak off gel polish and applied 3 layers (2 is usually enough with the buff off gel) and you could still see through it.
However the buff off IBD gels are great, i love them.

 

[Nash]

Thank you ladies for your reply. I am still reading up on the info that is out there, this could take awhile...LOL, and then in Jan. I will make my decision on which one I want to try.

Someone told me today about Solar Gel. They said it is good for people who like to lay out in the sun or go to tanning beds so that their nails don't turn yellow. Anyone know anything about that?

Off to do more reading...

Nash

 

[ValencianNails]

Hi and welcome to the site Nash.


I think you need to ask yourself a question or two...

What do you want from your new brand of gel?

What do you want the gel to do for you AND your clients?

Do you want to be able to tip and sculpt using gel?

Why do you want a soak off brand?


I use Brisa and find that it gives me the results that I (and my clients) expect and require. It has fantastic longevity, it doesn't yellow, it's hypoallergenic, it's as strong as L+P, and the most important bit is that it looks amazing.
Brisa have coverage gels as well as brand new colours and shimmer gels which allow you to custom blend a colour to suit the nailbeds of all of your clients.

Have a look at these threads, hopefully they'll help a bit...

http://www.salongeek.com/general-articles/35947-choosing-uv-lamp-your-gel-system.html

http://www.salongeek.com/misc-tutorials/35483-choosing-correct-gel.html

 

[Nash]

Hi and welcome to the site Nash.


I think you need to ask yourself a question or two...

What do you want from your new brand of gel?

What do you want the gel to do for you AND your clients?

Do you want to be able to tip and sculpt using gel?

Why do you want a soak off brand?


I use Brisa and find that it gives me the results that I (and my clients) expect and require. It has fantastic longevity, it doesn't yellow, it's hypoallergenic, it's as strong as L+P, and the most important bit is that it looks amazing.
Brisa have coverage gels as well as brand new colours and shimmer gels which allow you to custom blend a colour to suit the nailbeds of all of your clients.

Have a look at these threads, hopefully they'll help a bit...

http://www.salongeek.com/general-articles/35947-choosing-uv-lamp-your-gel-system.html

http://www.salongeek.com/misc-tutorials/35483-choosing-correct-gel.html

Great questions to ask.

Being so very new to this industry I don't know much of anything about acrylics and gels. I have been reading a lot of the info on gel over the past week. Will continue to keep reading as well.

First, concerning acrylics I have decided not to do them. The smell is the main reason, I work in a very small area. I know there is a no order by OPI and I have used that and I don't care for the tacky layer you have to file off.

Now, gels. I have had a demonstration by OPI done on one nail and I liked how you could work with it and get it just the way you want it before you cure it. I don't recall there being a oder, at least not much of one if there was. Unfortunately I didn't have the money when the class came, which was only one day. Is a day enough class time? I hear some of you say you are CN certified. Is this certification a one day thing, a week or what?

I found a post by Sharn, Did gel damage my nails on 21-09-07. I noticed a reply by Geeg where she stated that "Prep does not have to involve filing the nail plate if you use the best products and this keeps it healthy and strong" I would love to know more about this. I was under the impression that no matter what kind of enhancement you put on someone you had to file the shine off the natural nail. Is this not so? I would love to not file the natural nail at all. Also just exactly what is the best product to keep the nail healthy and strong?

This is what I am looking for:
1. Not to file the natural nail at all if I don't have to
2. No oder or little oder in a product
3. Not to use the e-file except for taking down length

Enough for now...LOL

Thanks for the help.
Nash

 

[adelekeegan1]

Hi and welcome to the site Nash.


I think you need to ask yourself a question or two...

What do you want from your new brand of gel?

What do you want the gel to do for you AND your clients?

Do you want to be able to tip and sculpt using gel?

Why do you want a soak off brand?


I use Brisa and find that it gives me the results that I (and my clients) expect and require. It has fantastic longevity, it doesn't yellow, it's hypoallergenic, it's as strong as L+P, and the most important bit is that it looks amazing.
Brisa have coverage gels as well as brand new colours and shimmer gels which allow you to custom blend a colour to suit the nailbeds of all of your clients.

Have a look at these threads, hopefully they'll help a bit...

http://www.salongeek.com/general-articles/35947-choosing-uv-lamp-your-gel-system.html

http://www.salongeek.com/misc-tutorials/35483-choosing-correct-gel.html

I'm with Sandi - I love Brisa

 

[Nash]

Hi and welcome to the site Nash.

http://www.salongeek.com/general-articles/35947-choosing-uv-lamp-your-gel-system.html

http://www.salongeek.com/misc-tutorials/35483-choosing-correct-gel.html

Thank you for the welcome Valencia.

I have read both articles and they are great. I really loved choosing correct gel. This clears up a lot. I do have a question. I didn't see OPI on either list. Where would they be, hard or soft gel or do they do both?

Thanks, Nash

 

[Nash]

I'm with Sandi - I love Brisa

Hi Sandi,

Why do you love Brisa? What does it do for your clients?

Nash

 

[geeg]

Hi Sandi,

Why do you love Brisa? What does it do for your clients?

Nash

Look at this http://www.salongeek.com/general-articles/4115-brisa-gels-q.html

and this

http://www.salongeek.com/general-articles/4146-brisa-gels-q-continued.html

That should answer all your questions.

You will find allot of info by reading articles in the articles section of the site.

I don't think you should have such a big dilemma after reading through these ...

 

[ValencianNails]

Hi Sandi,

Why do you love Brisa? What does it do for your clients?

Nash

It has fantastic longevity, it doesn't yellow, it's hypoallergenic, it's as strong as L+P, and the most important bit is that it looks amazing.
Brisa have coverage gels as well as brand new colours and shimmer gels which allow you to custom blend a colour to suit the nailbeds of all of your clients.

I have no complaints with Brisa at all, I love using it and love the results it gives (as do my clients).

hth's

 

[Chameleon]

If i had a file off gel to choose,it would undoubtedly be Brisa from CND.

I had a brisa sculpte gel applied by a proffesional nail technician 2 days ago,and i filed it off with a coarse grit to reduce the length,and then proceeded to file it off myself,something i would not particularly advocate for a non proffesional not trained in this system....however it was so easy to do,used a little scrubfresh in between filing so i could see the natural nail coming through,and voila,no damage whatso ever....so for a file off gel,it has to be Brisa...it changed my whole opinions on file off gel,and i think it is stunning,and oh so strong

 

[Nash]

Look at this http://www.salongeek.com/general-articles/4115-brisa-gels-q.html

and this

http://www.salongeek.com/general-articles/4146-brisa-gels-q-continued.html

That should answer all your questions.

You will find allot of info by reading articles in the articles section of the site.

I don't think you should have such a big dilemma after reading through these ...

WOW! Thank you Geeg. This helped a lot.

I think I have made up my mind to go with Brisa. Now a question about education. I notice there is a video tape with the Brisa Professional Kit. Is this enough training to start working with it? I don't see any class to take here in the US.

Nash

 

[ValencianNails]

Personally, I would say that the video isn't enough training to enable you to start using it on clients.

I found these details from the Creative website... Creative Nail Design - CND - Professional Nail, Hand and Foot Beauty Products - Artificial Acrylic Nails and Brisa Gel.

Graham Webb International
1621 N Kent St, 1617
Arlington , VA 22209
703-243-9322

and also this...
Jan Zanettini - 760-599-2900 x612
e-mail: [email protected]

It's worth giving them a call to see if they offer 1-2-1 training, or contact Jan to enquire about classes locally to you.

hth's

 

[Nash]

Personally, I would say that the video isn't enough training to enable you to start using it on clients.

I found these details from the Creative website... Creative Nail Design - CND - Professional Nail, Hand and Foot Beauty Products - Artificial Acrylic Nails and Brisa Gel.

Graham Webb International
1621 N Kent St, 1617
Arlington , VA 22209
703-243-9322

and also this...
Jan Zanettini - 760-599-2900 x612
e-mail: [email protected]

It's worth giving them a call to see if they offer 1-2-1 training, or contact Jan to enquire about classes locally to you.

hth's

First, Thank you to everyone who replied to my post. You have all been very helpful.

Second, I have decided to go with Brisa. I, like you Valencian do not feel like a video is enough education to start working on people. So I am looking into where I can get education on it. I hope by Jan or Feb at the latest I will be able to start working with it.

Thank you all again,
Nash