Help with gels please please please...

[LizzyLizzy]

Hi all. I am new to gels. I love the benefits of gels vs.traditional acrylics, but I am having trouble getting the techniques down. I use Brisa gels. What is the best way to build up the nail bed thickness? I get the white thick enough (I think) but I end up filing it all down to get it even with the pink. Then I just end up with thin, fragile enhancements, with a somewhat bulbous free edge, but mainly I end up with flat nails. Plus, I have a hard time getting it all smooth before filing. They are quite lumpy. Is that normal, or is it just my inexperience? I am determined to get a grip on this, but I am getting discouraged. With acrylic you can get it smooth with your brush before filing. Thanks in advance!

 

[LizzyLizzy]

Let me add, I have watched the Brisa video many times and I took the 2-day Brisa Master class.

 

[geeg]

I think it is your inexperience. Creative teach a very cool way of applying the whites or sculpting them which works wonders for both the smile lines and so that you do not have the thick end/low apex you describe.

Have you done a class with Brisa Gels? Have you watched the video closely? Both describe the method to you very clearly. Basically you do the pink first and then the white, forming your apex and smile line with the pink gel and then just butting your white up to it. Works great and the results are so sharp.

The surface should not be lumpy and finishing should be very fast and minimal.

There is only so much one can tell you verbally ... demonstrations are best. Attend a show and have a good look at the demos, or have a 121 class to solve your individual problems.

I see you added another post while I was typing!!
I think when you are used to getting a perfect smooth result with L/P, then gel does seem to take a bit of mastering but I'm sure that with perseverance you Will do it. Just rememberhow long it took to masterthose pink and white liquid and powder nails!! It did not happen over night. It is too easy to trot back to where you are comfortable and do those L/P nails. Try to do all new sets with Brisa so you keep getting the practice and improving.

 

[luckybird21]

Hi all. I am new to gels. I love the benefits of gels vs.traditional acrylics, but I am having trouble getting the techniques down. I use Brisa gels. What is the best way to build up the nail bed thickness? I get the white thick enough (I think) but I end up filing it all down to get it even with the pink. Then I just end up with thin, fragile enhancements, with a somewhat bulbous free edge, but mainly I end up with flat nails. Plus, I have a hard time getting it all smooth before filing. They are quite lumpy. Is that normal, or is it just my inexperience? I am determined to get a grip on this, but I am getting discouraged. With acrylic you can get it smooth with your brush before filing. Thanks in advance!

i use ibd, so i dont know the ins-n-outs of brisa, but i do know a bit about gels. If you are filling down the white to level with the pink, you may not be putting enough pink on, try applying the pink so it is already in line with the white.

The gel should self level, if you wait just a little bit, the lumps should level out themselves, then you can stick 'em in the lamp to be cooked!

On my nvq we were told that if you were having trouble with getting the slight hump over the stress area, ask the client to turn there hand over so that their palms are facing the ceiling, then the gel will form a slight hump, dont leave it for ages tho, or it'll look like a hump back whale! LOL

we were taught 2 ways one was to load the brush up quite a bit and apply it without dragging and just teasing into shape, the other was to apply thin layer, cure then dip brush in gel, pull out so you have a long 'thread' like peice of gel hanging from it, then to pull the thread up and down the nail to build the perfect shape. cure, then layer on top to fill in any lumps n bumps.

a good idea when getting used to gel is only do a couple of fingers at a time, and maybe do the other hand whilst the first is curing. take your time, and really inspect the nail before you use the finishing wipe and buff, make sure the nail looks really smooth, if it looks like it has a slight dip in zone 2, for example when you have finished applying (but haven't wiped yet) just apply a little gel to the dip and cure it, to even it out.

sorry i go on, and im not even brisa trained, therefore all the info most probley doesnt really apply to you.

any brisa users out there to help?

ne-who good luck with it hun!!! Don't get dis-heartened! Keep at it girl!

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Have you used L&P previously? When I switched from L&P to gel I found Iwas still trying to pat and push. When you apply gel you literally float it on (ie it is not a brushing movement), the easiest way to do this is once you have placed your main ball of gel, put a small blob of gel on the end of your brush and hold it at a right angle to the nail, so when you are trying to move it you are moving gel with gel , not gel with a brush (hope this makes sense, if not pm me and I'll try and explain further). This way you will get a smooth application and filing is left to a minimum.

The IBD stringing method is good and allows you to build a good stress curve really easily, but I don't think you can do it with Brisa. if this is one of your areas of difficulty, you could try doing 2 layers of application (don't remove the sticky dispersion layer after your first cure) and that should help you build up to the correct thickness until you become more confident with your application.

I hope I have advised you okay as I don't use Brisa, and have given you LCN tips. If you can't do this with Brisa I'm sure a Creative bod will let us know!

 

[geeg]

You can use both of the methods described with Brisa Gels.

 

[LizzyLizzy]

Thanks a bunch guys. I will try those techniques. Once again, y'all are the best!

 

[~bec~]

Practice! Practice! Practice! Its a real skill to master, gel that is. I still havent but i am getting better!!!!!!

 

[stacia2577]

I've been reading some comments about the move to brisa gel. Is gel easier to apply then acrylic or is it much more difficult. Can anyone recommend any classes that might be around. Also what is the rough idea of prices on brisa kit and the lamp.
Many thanks for your help.

 

[geeg]

I've been reading some comments about the move to brisa gel. Is gel easier to apply then acrylic or is it much more difficult. Can anyone recommend any classes that might be around. Also what is the rough idea of prices on brisa kit and the lamp.
Many thanks for your help.

Gel is different to apply and to be excellent takes the same amount of practice and experience a anything else.
Contact the Creative Nail Academy (0113 275 5719) for Brisa class dates and prices. The kit is still a bargain and comes with the free UV lamp while the deal is on.

 

[stringfelloe]

I specialize in Gels and I use NSI. Don't get discouraged, it takes a little while to get the hang of it. I don't know the Briza system but I do know that gels are self leveling. Give the gel more time to level before you cure it. And if you have to build with two or three coats to get the pink level with the while then do so. Don't worry about how long you are taking yet. Try a few different techniques and see what works best for you. Don't stick to something because it works on the video. Try something different, who knows you may develope your own style that no one else thought of.