Issues with lifting and breaking gel nails

[ChromeJunkie]

Hi everyone,
I became qualified to use ProNails products last year and gave up after a few months as my confidence took a huge knock. All of my clients would lose nails or they'd all end up snapping off and I just felt that I couldn't produce a good enough set and I wasn't getting any better. No-one on here seems to use ProNails products so I'm getting a bit stuck

My prep work is:
ProSeptic
Cuticles
Shape the nail
Buff the nail plate to take the shine away
Add a tip (if required) and shape then buff the tip
Scrub the nail to remove dust
Primer
Base
Builder
Remove tacky layer
Re-shape the builder
Scrub the nail
Apply colour in 2 coats
Top Coat

I just don't know where I'm going wrong. I recently started again and have had the same problems - even on my own nails I can produce a lovely set of toes that I'm really proud of and walk away feeling fine but I always panic when I have a full set or an overlay booked in as I don't know how long they'll last and don't want to put customers off. How do I know if it's me or heavy-handedness on the clients part? I'm heavy handed so I know sometimes my nails break because I've not been gentle enough but I always get told by my clients that their nails just "pop off". Sorry for the lengthy post, I'm just at a bit of a loss.

 

[7th-Heaven]

You should contact your educator for Pro Nails, I'm sure they'd be happy to help. More than likely, your issue is with prep as well as improper structure. The nails need to have proper apex placement, lower arch and C curve, as well as a flush cuticle area. You didn't include any photos of your work from different angles, so we can't help on that front. As for prepping, you don't mention how you do cuticles, or how you remove cuticle stuck on the nail, or what grit file you use when you buff the nail plate. It could also well be because you're using tips instead of sculpting, and you're using tips that are too small which is a very common issue. Then they will pop off. You don't mention your filing routine. Do you start at the free edge? Or cuticle area?
As for how long they should last, most customers should expect 4 weeks lift free if they follow after care, and then come for an infill. Some come before this time too, and I have some that go even longer (although I charge more when they stretch it past 5 weeks, since that's more work for me).

But usually it boils down to improper prep. If the clients are heavy handed and always got their hands in water, this can accelerate the lifting, but won't cause it straight away. If the nails break, that's usually nails that are not structured properly. So you should consider going back to your educator, as well as furthering your skills by attending additional classes, either with your educator or a different place. Good luck.

 

[ChromeJunkie]

You should contact your educator for Pro Nails, I'm sure they'd be happy to help. More than likely, your issue is with prep as well as improper structure. The nails need to have proper apex placement, lower arch and C curve, as well as a flush cuticle area. You didn't include any photos of your work from different angles, so we can't help on that front. As for prepping, you don't mention how you do cuticles, or how you remove cuticle stuck on the nail, or what grit file you use when you buff the nail plate. It could also well be because you're using tips instead of sculpting, and you're using tips that are too small which is a very common issue. Then they will pop off. You don't mention your filing routine. Do you start at the free edge? Or cuticle area?
As for how long they should last, most customers should expect 4 weeks lift free if they follow after care, and then come for an infill. Some come before this time too, and I have some that go even longer (although I charge more when they stretch it past 5 weeks, since that's more work for me).

But usually it boils down to improper prep. If the clients are heavy handed and always got their hands in water, this can accelerate the lifting, but won't cause it straight away. If the nails break, that's usually nails that are not structured properly. So you should consider going back to your educator, as well as furthering your skills by attending additional classes, either with your educator or a different place. Good luck.

Thank you for responding I actually went back to ProNails that day and watched another nail technician who used a different technique to the one I'd been taught so I'm going to try that instead. I don't know why but I couldn't attach any photos with my post... It kept saying that the photos were too big?
I use cuticle remover and push back the cuticles across the entire nail plate to remove anything that's on the nail plate itself, I then use proseptic on this and scrub over it with a brush before drying it off with a lint free wipe. I use a 180 grit file to buff the nail plate. I was only ever taught to use tips, so don't feel confident sculpting. I try to be very careful with tip sizes but understand that it is common to choose the wrong sizes I start filing at the cuticle area generally and work my way up to the free edge.
I used to be able to get 3 weeks out of any sets that I had done personally but understand everyone is different with longevity. I had a hands-on job. I have a client who is a cleaner and always has her hands in water/bleach etc and hers don't last very long at all
Thank you for all of the advice