Help please! nail varnish on acrylic looks grainy

[Penny H]

Hi
I'm new - I've read loads, and it's been really helpful, and lovely to see how much everybody helps each other. So I hope you don't mind, but I've joined you!
I would be soooo grateful for help on this - I've asked my college tutor, and she said if you're going to apply varnish to acrylics stop when you get to the 240 grit sponge, otherwise follow on with oil & a 3-way buffer.
I've tried following both of these with base coat & varnish &/or topcoat, and to me it always looks a tiny bit grainy, rather than nice & glossy.
Thanks
Penny

 

[magsham]

so is she saying to go with the buffer after you've used say a 180 to shape?

 

[Bagpuss]

if the enamel looks grainy on the enhancements then it must either be dust or the enhancements are not finished off smoothly.

 

[louiser]

Also are you applying a top gloss still?

 

[Penny H]

I have tried doing as my tutor said, and shaping down to 180, then surface buffing down as far as 240, then base coat, optional colour & top coat.

I have also tried (since that looked really grainy) finishing the buffing with oil & 3 way buffer, then base coat etc as before - it looked a lot better, but not totally perfect (which, although a beginner, is what i'd really like!)

thanks again,
Penny

 

[chantell simone]

hi penny and welcome

you need to squeak/clean the nail before you apply polish

 

[magsham]

What company are the products from? Just so that any geeks using the same can give you a little extra help. x

 

[Penny H]

we are using nailorder no! acrylic.
i wondered if it wasn't very good, because nobody on here seems to use it. i've got a trial kit from young nails, but only just arrived & not tried it yet.

i thought i squeaked them - but i'll go and try that on one of my many nail trainer attempts.

thanks
Penny

 

[loubylou]

If your enhancement is not smooth and shiny before you apply enamel it will not look shiny when you do apply the enamel, sounds like more elbow grease is needed hun to buff them babies to a great shine before painting,
refine to shape,
refine all scratches out,
buff with oil and a 240 grit
then buff again with a 1200 grit and oil (koala file from creative is brill for this),
now squeak clean with scrubfresh making sure you remove all traces of oil and use a 3 way buffer till the nails shine like a mirror,
use your 3 way way buffer in the shape of a X on the nail then you will get the sidewalls and cuticle area to shine too,
now paint them and they should be perfect hth

 

[Kayleighs Nail & Beauty Studio]

They should be 'smoothe as chocolate Minsterales' as i say lol

 

[g5m_sh]

I use 180 to shape, then a while buffer block then a CND glossing buffer! You can get a similar version of a glossing buffer at most wholesalers, they are white and green!!

The come up lush!! x

 

[Penny H]

thank you all for your help - particularly the detailed intructions from Louise, which i will certainly try.

sounds like i was on the right track ignoring my tutor & buffing more, just didn't go far enough, did need to oil-buff, but then squeak it off.

it sounds so obvious when you say that they won't be shiny after if they weren't shiny before, but i asked my tutor & she said definately no oil & only buff down to the 240 sponge - then she said just keep adding topcoat until it shines.

well after 4 or 5 topcoats i still wasn't happy with the shine, and i was even less happy with the thickness of topcoats!

thanks again - feel much better now
Penny

 

[g5m_sh]

Don't know why she is telling you to just keep adding top coat! It will take a lot longer than it will quickly buffing a bit more!

Hope you manage to get your nails to shine!!!

xx