How often do you re-Bob?

[Sal]

My Daphne is stored in a black coffin and lovingly looked after very carefully by me!

However I do fall out with her sometimes when trying to get my mix ratio right for perfect pink!!!

 

[Jaydee]

I clean my brush out in clean monomer and at the end of the day give her a quick clean with scrubresh, wrap her up in a lint free pad and put her to bed in a coffin. Zzzzzzzzz

David

 

[Boogaloo]

I am not sure, would have said once a year depending on how many sets you do, but I now know what it is like to love your brush, got my pro-styler today (It was love at first sight and my son who is 3 has named it BUZZ, he loves toy story!

 

[Jeni Giles]

This poll hit the nail on the head, or something for me today, our state inspector came in and he is STILL trying to get the state to understand that you do not have to wash your brush with soap and water then disinfect it in barbacide between clients. Yes, you read that right, and it is not a laughing matter, please make sure that you take an active roll in your law making and the political process that your laws evolve from so that you don't end up in the same boat. I have to say, I would have to be stinking, filthy rich rolling in the dough to throw away a brush each time I did an infill, new set or a polish (they dont think those brushes are sanitary either!) So with my sick sense of humor, I had to answer 3 to 6 months in reality, but every freakin' time I do a set of nails if it's the state inspector asking!!:smack:

 

[~bec~]

im a gel lady and i change my brush when the hair cout gets low. Ive been doing gel now for 9 months and im just about on my third brush

 

[Kirsty Dalton]

I was having problems with contamination on my brush quite a lot and i couldnt work out for the life of me (and my brush) why it was happening i always cleaned it in monomer then i out it in an old jewelerry box with the head wrapped in a lint free pad, but still no joy so i ordered a new one and tried a new way of storing it, i no longer wrap it in the pad or put it in the box i now just clean it in the monomer and then i pop the head back in the little plastic funnel that it comes in when it arrives in its new packaging to protect the hairs from dust etc then i lie it flat on my table! so far so good everthing has been great but i sometimes wonder is what iam doing ok for my brush e.g the plastic funnel isnt going to breed some kind of bacteria inside it is it? any views on this geek?

 

[leah82]

Most non CND techs clean with acetone or brush cleaners and are unaware of the damaging effect it has on brushes. Why? Many companies actually sell brush cleaners. And yup... it’s mostly acetone or derivative thereof


toooodels

Glad you mentioned this as I use/was shown & told to use brush cleaner & yep occasionally my brush.... (got to name it now)! looses some strands, nothing drastic as yet but might go that way!!! Also ocassionally I've had yellowing of the acrylic which I could only put down to the fact that I didn't clean my brush throughly enough once using the cleaner. (Not had this problem in a while, touch wood & my brush doesn't appear to be contaminated as only happened a couple of times but couldn't think why). Also was told that using monomer was more expensive? So can I ask then what do you do if your brush does become clogged, even slightly just leave it up right in the monomer & hope for the best?!! Wouldn't it be wrong though to leave a brush standing in monomer though due to the smell/over exposure?
Still got brush I trained with but point on it isn't as great, bought another recently & don't want to damaged this one!! What would you suggest pleaseeeeeeeeeee, all tips welcome!! Oh was taught though to lay the brush down when not in use & fold in kitchen roll to protect it from dust/contamination etc, both mine are Kolinsky brushes!!! ....Thanks

In answer to your question though been about 6mths!!

 

[leah82]

I am not overly suprised... Did you have to demonstrate 'cutting the cuticle?' (um... the eponychium would be more accurate... and no... you should never cut it). Do tell what the choices were (if you remember)

Toodles

Didn't have to demonstrate nipping the cuticles but do have them (cuticle nippers) & was taught to use them. Told you can do this both at where I initally trained & with college if felt needed eg: witlows, un even cuticles (bits that need tidying up, want to explain better but having mental block, tired lol) but only use them if you were careful as you could causing them to bleed if not done correctly.

 

[VHunter]

In the past year and a half, I have changed brushes many times.
A) to try a different brush and see what I thought
B) Twice, late at night, forgot to cover and store my brushes (I work evenings at home) and hubby opened up the curtains the next morning while on his way to work... 2hrs later when I woke... VOILA cement brushes (uv gel exposed to daylight errrrr)
C) they have glitter in them that I can't take out.
D) I'm just plain picky and like 'fresh' brushes LOL


Usually, what I do is have 4 brushes.
One for applying regular CLEAR gel.
One for 'cleaning' smile lines that gets dipped or swiped in dehydrator
One for any glitter I do
One for coloured gel polish.


I'm a brush pig.:green: I like them in mint condition. I dont have new ones every day. But probably more often than the 3-6mths.. that's for darn sure. More like ummmm 1-2mths? LOL Replace my 'main' brush with a new one, then the original becomes the 'colour' brush and so on down the list.

Recently, to my HUGE surprise.. after hubby had cooked my brushes YET AGAIN :irked: I had to race to an art's supply store to fetch brushes as there was NO WAY any distributor could get me brushes for that very same evening.
I was doubtful. Although I don't choose the 'priciest' brushes... I can be a bit finicky. I 'had' been using sable as the nylon/synth's that I had tried were too stiff.
Well, low and behold, found 'soft' nylon/synth's at the art store which I have TOTALLY fallen in love with. Perfect size, perfect shape, soft but not too soft.. I'm soooo loving them.
AND then I got to the cash register..
Then I loved them even more....
2 for 3.98$:!: :!: Ok, I'm a fan now of "Plaid" artist brushes LOL
And no longer have to worry if hubby cooks them LOL

I then promptly tossed my 18$ 'big name brand' brush out with glee (hated it anyway, too stiff, didn't like shape and handle was too thick and heavy'ish)

And there I was previously spending a fortune on sable or top name brand nylon brushes that I didn't feel comfy with... go figure. LOL
Usually, ME, "miss save a dollar" where I can.. was using pricey brushes. HAHA
NO MORE! lol (not at the rate that I toss'em anyway lol)


And I don't abuse them.
I clean them by wiping on a 'wipe' saturated in dehydrator.
Wrap in foil. and store....
not upside down either. Either flat or 'standing' in their stand.

 

[ariaaland]

i have three brushes cuz i use three diff products, tammy taylor, ez flow 508 and a cheaper brush for glitters plus i have two gel brushes so i actually dont change my brushes that often, and regarding cleaning of brushes, i have a bottle of tammy taylor "brush cleaner" but i know it is monomer in it so when that bottle finished i used monmer to clean my brush and i lay them flat on a piece of paper towel.. this is okay right?

 

[Artsy Canadian]

I will give my brush a quick dip in acetone if it get's really mucky then clean out the acetone with monomer (if that makes any sense lol). I store my brush head up in a pencil holder and as a result the liquid runs down and mucks up the handle a bit. I gotta try a new storage method.

do you think the acetone will be okay if it's wiped out and re-dipped in monomer? It seems to work okay for me. unless it should be working better than it is.

 

[Lana]

I will give my brush a quick dip in acetone if it get's really mucky then clean out the acetone with monomer (if that makes any sense lol). I store my brush head up in a pencil holder and as a result the liquid runs down and mucks up the handle a bit. I gotta try a new storage method.

do you think the acetone will be okay if it's wiped out and re-dipped in monomer? It seems to work okay for me. unless it should be working better than it is.

1.NO acetone,period.You are drying your bristles.
2.Lay your brush flat ,not up.Monomer will get in the ferule and you will get yellowing in your product.

 

[becki x]

I voted evert 3 to 6 months,the reasron for this is am relatively new to the buisness and with little help from my tutor when i was training,i have not yet found a brush that "fits" me.
Partly because i am a little unsure if what i need,ie size and shape,and partly because there are so many out there to try.
Hopefully this will all change when i do my creative induction,wich i booked yesterday,and some one can point me in the right direction.
Hence the reason my brush has no name,i just don't have the feelings i should about it,lol.

As for cleaning,i submerse in monomer and wipe,then apply cuticle oil,is this right ?

 

[avivajoy]

Old subject but new entertaining twist! lol

You know what, I am always surprised when "brush cleaner" is sold for acrylic brushes. I thought that it was common knowledge that you only clean with monomer. Have I just been conditioned by CND? Or do other companies recommend monomer as well? And who is telling these poor unsuspecting nail techs to clean their brush in "brush cleaner" ? Isn't it acetone?

When I was 'taught' to do nails a brush cleaner was an essential. It was only when I started learning about nails/enhancements properly from this site and an l&p induction that I learned to bathe my brush gently in a room temperature bath of her very own.xx

 

[Lana]

Call me weird ,but I get attached to my brushes,they become part of me and I take good care of them.I clean my acrylic brush in monomer and don't use anything to clean my gel brushes,just lightly wipe them with clean paper towel and store away from light.Last time I changed my gel brush was well over two years ago .And they are still in perfect condition.

 

[avivajoy]

I am not overly suprised... Did you have to demonstrate 'cutting the cuticle?' (um... the eponychium would be more accurate... and no... you should never cut it). Do tell what the choices were (if you remember)

Toodles

Where I studied they also have a mani/pedi course. One day I went in to say hi and there was a girl giving a guy a manicure. Blood everywhere, I though shed cut his finger off!!! I asked the tutor should there really be bleeding and so much of it (I was trying to be tactful)and she said yes. Then I asked shouldnt the girl be wearing gloves at least and isnt it icky and dangerous. Guess what the answer was. No sanitation either, really awful. And this is one of the better places. WHat would I have done without you guys, books and CND?xx

 

[madferrit]

I change "cuff" every millenium like i polled lol cos i love him so much!! hes my acrylic brush and then i have "link" which is my gel brush and hasnt been changed yet because it just seems to last forever.
I clean cuff in monomer and store him vertically with bristles facing down so old monomer doesnt fill the barrel .
Link is kept in a plastic tube and cleaned with NSI cleanse.

 

[melissaq]

I adore 'Sarah' I clean her regular then put her in the box at night away from dust but my 'Sarah's do get replaced every 9-12 months ( I like her perky !).......'Mina' is my gel baby ( she's 2) and she has never been cleaned she just gets a fresh wipe by a clean paper and away she go's to a different box away from floating dust and light .

 

[tamimac]

My brushes graduate to 'higher plains' I by a fresh brush every 6-12 months. when a new brush comes on the scene, my old one becomes my backup for the 'just in case' After a while it becomes my glitter brush, then it graduates to being my swiper/cleanerupper. then it dies and get sent to that great kiddies artbox in the sky.
That means I usually have 4 brushes on the go at any one time. I have always stored mine with the bristles tightly wrapped in a clean gauze wipe and tucked inside an old (clean) make up brush tool roll. It has 10 slots and holds all 4 brushes, two monomer pipettes, my pushie and chisel(freshly sterilised and wrapped) and some orange wood sticks. Its a bit like the creative toolroll but better shaped and suited for brushes.
My brushes are called Fatso (ultra sculptor), Sweetie Pie (old prostyler), Crapface (my expensive mistake from Grafton, now my very expensive swiper) and Rusty Trusty, my very very old student brush that just copes brilliantly with glitters.
They all get bathed before and after work and tghen get wrapped up and put to bed. Ive only had contamination once and that was when I changed systems but not brushes.

 

[babyshakes]

I voted 3-6 months. I had the brush from my training course with CND, but then earlier on this year it started losing hairs, so I demoted it for painting purposes and invested in a new one. I do hope that this one lasts a little longer though!

Use a separate dappen dish with a litlle monomer in which i keep a lid on just for cleaning. Even though I was advised not to, I bought a creative brush case which has served well for storage so far (however, I have found if you put the brush in when it is too wet it can 'stick' to the inside so have to watch for that)