Is this normal pedi and mani techniques?

[JDs]

Hi all...
I have just experienced my first ever NSS pedi and white tips polish on natural nails.

Let me explain why i did it before anyone shoots at me,

I had a semi formal wedding that took place on a Yacht to attend and all the stylists at the salon were booked up already, so I and my sister went to a local nss salon and had a spa pedi and I had a white tip polish done on my natural nails. No mani involved.
I myself do not do pedis and i am not good at freehand white tips..so...

Anyways, had the pedi done first, which was nice with the big foot spa chair but when she dipped my toesys in the paraffin, i just about came out of the chair because the wax was so hot. She had a very firm grip on my ankle so I couldn't kick her. :lol: She left the wax on for no more than 3 mins each foot which I could not see the benefits of it when she didn't put any lotions on prior.
She did a white tip polish on my toes and made the white part about 1/3 of my nail, which I found very wierd looking..but anyways

When it came time for my white tips on finger nails, she took a buffer to the tops of my nails and buffed all the shine off them before applying the base, white polish and overcoat. (which this is only the second day of having them done and the polish is already chipping off in big pieces):cry:

My question: is it normal to buff the natural nails before doing the polish for a french?

BTW..she did all this in under 1 hour. I asked my sister since she has gotten pedis done by these guys before if that was all normal and she said yes. I then informed her that she was freaking crazy to go back again and pay good money for such a rushed job.

Never again but at least now I know what it is like...

 

[claireamy]

My question: is it normal to buff the natural nails before doing the polish for a french?

Whenever I apply polish to natural nails I remover the shine gently and dehydrate as I find teh polish stays on without chipping for longer. hth xx

 

[beautynails]

Whenever I apply polish to natural nails I remover the shine gently and dehydrate as I find teh polish stays on without chipping for longer. hth xx

Me too. I was taught to prep for polish the same as for enhancements. Remove cuticle, shape & remove shine, scrubfresh, and then base, colour x2, topcoat.

 

[pure]

At college I was taught to buff the natural nail before apply polish too. It just help smooth out any ridges to give a good base ready for application.

 

[wickednails]

Do you use a white block to buff surface and then use scrubfresh or similar to dehydrate?

 

[MINKUS]

Me too. I was taught to prep for polish the same as for enhancements. Remove cuticle, shape & remove shine, scrubfresh, and then base, colour x2, topcoat.

this is how i do it too.

Paraffin wax can get VERY hot and it can be uncomfortable.

Did she 'dip' your foot into a foot bath or 'paint' it on with a brush?

Either way both treatments in 1 hour thats VERY fast !

I prefer the 'whites' to be thinner than 1/3rd of the nail on toes especially or they can look 'stumpy'.

The whites on the nails are probably chipping because she didnt leave hardly any 'drying' time i would think and /or possibly did the whites too thick.

Sorry to hear you received such poor service.:irked:

Amb x

 

[Cathie!]

I buff the nails with a 3 way to a high shine before I apply polish....fingers and toes, toes I will sometimes give a wee buff with a 240 to smooth out any imperfections. I was taught to do this as a buffed nail gives a better finish to the polish.

 

[geeg]

I too have always (I prefer to describe it ..) ezfoliated the surface of the nails to remove oils, dirt and to smooth and then I dehydrate the surface so it is 'squeeky clean' , before applying basecoat etc. Normal procedure.

 

[Cathie!]

I too have always (I prefer to describe it ..) ezfoliated the surface of the nails to remove oils, dirt and to smooth and then I dehydrate the surface so it is 'squeeky clean' , before applying basecoat etc. Normal procedure.

Do you buff to a shine or just exfoliate and squeak?

 

[geeg]

Do you buff to a shine or just exfoliate and squeak?

I only exfoliate and squeak. I do not see the point of buffing all the way to a high shine. I don't think it makes the final look any shinier than just smoothing the surface. IMO

 

[kim sexton]

I would not recommend buffing nails before polish as it brings natural oil to the nail plate which then means that the polish does not grip well!
Kim

 

[Cathie!]

I would not recommend buffing nails before polish as it brings natural oil to the nail plate which then means that the polish does not grip well!
Kim

I only exfoliate and squeak. I do not see the point of buffing all the way to a high shine. I don't think it makes the final look any shinier than just smoothing the surface. IMO

Thank you.....learn something new everyday! I'll stop wasting time buffing in the future, although I do squek before polish application which would remove any oils !

 

[wickednails]

Thank you for this tread. I having been trying to find out whether it is best to buff to shine or just dehydrate before polishing. Although I was not taught to bring to a shine before polishing it is good to know what others do. I will carry on doing it as I have been taught and I can do my first paying manicure tonight without worrying.

 

[JDs]

LOl okay..well then I guess this lady was doing it right, but I have never done any buffing unless the nail had really high ridges then I would gently buff and smooth. But bringing it back up to a nice natural shine.

She gave me a very quick 30 sec nail mani, cuticle , dehydrate, oil had me go wash hands, came back and she shaped and filed and then buffed the tops with a white block buffer. seemed a bit course.But then again I am a bit of a wuss when it comes to doing anything to my nails. I know how they can start breaking just over night.
Then she took the brush and dusted my nails and started the polishing.

Thank you all for your replies. You're the Bestest!! :hug:

Thank you for this tread. I having been trying to find out whether it is best to buff to shine or just dehydrate before polishing.

Glad to see someone else learning from it also.