Mica vs Additives?

[LyndseyD]

Ok, before anyone shoots me down in flames about not appreciating the quality of CND products, that's not what this is about.

I wondered now that the additives are available in the UK if anyone has experience of using both them and mica powders and if they can give any advice or opinions if and why one out ways the other? I want to buy additives but also love the variety that the mica powders come in. Any opinions would be great. Thanks geeks xx

 

[Princess Layla]

I know that additives can be mixed with acrylic.

 

[xxJackiexx]

I've just bought the CND Additives. The reason I have bought them over mica powders is I know the Additives if used correctly will not cause any service breakdown with Shellac , L+P and Gel. The guess work has been removed they have been tested and approved for use with those three things.

If I was to buy micas off Ebay , I feel I'd be buying blindly , panicking about possible service breakdown and hoping for the best lol :lol:

Basically CND is a name/brand I trust - they take the hoping for the best element away for me as I know anything they produce will be top notch x

 

[izzidoll]

You need to be careful what Mica powders you buy as some craft ones have warnings that they are not to touch skin and warn about breathing in the dust.
Cosmetic grade mica powders are fine, but at least with a powder like Additives brought out by a nail company you know you are getting something you can safely use on nails.....therefore covered by your Insurance.

 

[busybee32]

As the others have said there are different Mica powders available, to work safely you have to ensure that you are using Cosmetic grade powders which CND Additives are, they are approved by the FDA.
With regards to what the differenec between the 2 is, mica powders give a subtle pearlised veil of colour where additives are a fuel injected power punch of colour, And they can be used with Shellac, Brisa and Perfect colour powders and CND monomers, plus the new Ret+ powders.
You can also be as subtle or as bold as you like with CND Additives.
Jen xx

 

[LyndseyD]

Thanks all! Going to order the additives as I love the colours and the fact you get brushes with the starter kit. Just wondered if it was worth buying some mica powders too. As always, helpful advise from fellow geeks xx

 

[syncage]

You can get bright coloured mica powders they don't have to be the subtle pearlised finish ones. If you look for the mica thread on this forum I posted a picture of a very brightly coloured set I own which definately pack a punch!

The advatages to me of the CND is the brand. You know you are getting a quality product that clients will recognise. The colours and effects may not be anything new but the education classes and nail art is giving something extra over mica.

Techs, including CND ambassadors have being using mica powders for ages now over shellac and as long as you are using cosmetic grade and correct technique, service breakdown is not a problem and the same nail art looks can be achieved. It is no different, in fact potentially less problematic than doing rockstar nails. If you are not confident in sourcing quality cg mica or in your technique theh CND has done it for you so it is an easier option.

I would not mix mica with brisa or l&p so this is something new if you use those products. Some of the funky nail effects with these are amazing.

Hope this helps and is a bit more of a balanced view and corrected some misinformation given.

 

[elmo]

I too thought 'isn't this just the same as mica powders?' :-/

 

[izzidoll]

I too thought 'isn't this just the same as mica powders?' :-/

Not really, for the reasons given above.

 

[a little TLC]

Additives by miles!

I have all 12 and as yet have only used a few but the effects are amazing.
The various shades, colours, contrasts that can be made are only limited by your imagination.

 

[Pippit]

You can get bright coloured mica powders they don't have to be the subtle pearlised finish ones. If you look for the mica thread on this forum I posted a picture of a very brightly coloured set I own which definately pack a punch!

The advatages to me of the CND is the brand. You know you are getting a quality product that clients will recognise. The colours and effects may not be anything new but the education classes and nail art is giving something extra over mica.

Techs, including CND ambassadors have being using mica powders for ages now over shellac and as long as you are using cosmetic grade and correct technique, service breakdown is not a problem and the same nail art looks can be achieved. It is no different, in fact potentially less problematic than doing rockstar nails. If you are not confident in sourcing quality cg mica or in your technique theh CND has done it for you so it is an easier option.

I would not mix mica with brisa or l&p so this is something new if you use those products. Some of the funky nail effects with these are amazing.

Hope this helps and is a bit more of a balanced view and corrected some misinformation given.

I want to ask, when you mention education for CND additives are you getting this from the CND website or finger fixer? The reason I ask is I have tried so many times to register on the CND website to access education etc with no joy.

 

[syncage]

By education I mean't the step by steps on CND website,(you do need to be a cnd prof to access these) , you tube videos by fingernailfixer and cnd which anyone can see and the new cnd training class which is coming.....

It may not be anything new to many techs, and as for using additives with shellac the looks can be recreated easily with mica - from what I've seen so far.

All this trumpeting about how any look/colour can be achieved makes me laugh as cnd didn't just invent colour theory! There isn't even a pure white pigment so you can't actually make all colours.

 

[syncage]

As the others have said there are different Mica powders available, to work safely you have to ensure that you are using Cosmetic grade powders which CND Additives are, they are approved by the FDA.
With regards to what the differenec between the 2 is, mica powders give a subtle pearlised veil of colour where additives are a fuel injected power punch of colour, And they can be used with Shellac, Brisa and Perfect colour powders and CND monomers, plus the new Ret+ powders.
You can also be as subtle or as bold as you like with CND Additives.
Jen xx

Are they FDA approved? Does that mean they are edible! If so in Europe additives are technically 'E' numbers!! I do a lot of baking and am now wondering if I could use my edible cake glitters and pigments on my nails!

Btw... Mica are not a pearlised veil of colour. You shouldnt rubbish + spread misinformation about an alternative product as it discredits CND, the product and any other claims you make about the additives, especially as you are an education ambassador. With all there products the quality, brand and education are enough to distinguish them so surely the same principles apply to additives. Sorry to be rude/blunt but your post should be corrected.

 

[busybee32]

Are they FDA approved? Does that mean they are edible! If so in Europe additives are technically 'E' numbers!! I do a lot of baking and am now wondering if I could use my edible cake glitters and pigments on my nails!

Btw... Mica are not a pearlised veil of colour. You shouldnt rubbish + spread misinformation about an alternative product as it discredits CND, the product and any other claims you make about the additives, especially as you are an education ambassador. With all there products the quality, brand and education are enough to distinguish them so surely the same principles apply to additives. Sorry to be rude/blunt but your post should be corrected.

I am speaking here from experience with regards to the pearlised veil of colour I have been using mica powders for quite a while before Additives came out and I am just giving My own opinion, not the opinion of CND. I am not misinforming anyone. I have bold mica powders and it is still not as punchy a look as the additives, even when using over Cream Puff Shellac.
No where in my post have I rubbished an alternative product and I have taken offence at your aggressive tone of post.

 

[syncage]

No offense intended. Obviously there you are welcome to have your opinions but they were not stated as opinions but as an education ambassador explaining the differences beyween additives and mica. If you want to stand by your comment that micas produce a subtle veil of colour so be it.

Mica powders over white....

 

[Pippit]

By education I mean't the step by steps on CND website,(you do need to be a cnd prof to access these) , you tube videos by fingernailfixer and cnd which anyone can see and the new cnd training class which is coming.....

It may not be anything new to many techs, and as for using additives with shellac the looks can be recreated easily with mica - from what I've seen so far.

All this trumpeting about how any look/colour can be achieved makes me laugh as cnd didn't just invent colour theory! There isn't even a pure white pigment so you can't actually make all colours.

I thought that was what you meant and I am CND trained, but just can't seem to register on the website, it won't recogonise my phone number & postcode for some reason ! Have emailed them but had no reply.

 

[LyndseyD]

By education I mean't the step by steps on CND website,(you do need to be a cnd prof to access these) , you tube videos by fingernailfixer and cnd which anyone can see and the new cnd training class which is coming.....

It may not be anything new to many techs, and as for using additives with shellac the looks can be recreated easily with mica - from what I've seen so far.

All this trumpeting about how any look/colour can be achieved makes me laugh as cnd didn't just invent colour theory! There isn't even a pure white pigment so you can't actually make all colours.

I only use shellac syncage, do you think I'm just as well with mica powders then as I won't be mixing with l&p etc or do you think the additives are still a better investment in the long run? xx

 

[syncage]

I personally am not going to buy the pigment colours as I already have micas very similar. I also have some inteference micas which I think are similar to pink/gold/violet effects so the only ones I might be thinking about are the bronze colour which I personally don't like (just my colour preference) or the spectrum shimmer which some have complained is not smooth and has more of a texture so is perhaps more suited to use with L&P or Gel rather than shellac.

I really don't know the answer to be honest but I think it will very much depend on the type of clientele.

I was just thinking today although many of these new additives looks are very clever or artistic but would I really want to wear them for two weeks (or longer if in gel/l&p?)

Has anyone used additives on paying clients yet and has anyone had any requests for additives?

 

[beautybemine15]

I am sticking to using normal mica.. i think Cnd additives are no different and what i don't like about cnd is the fact that the cnd ''brand'' keep banging on about additives being a new innovation however mica powders have been used by nail techs for years well before cnd .I mean i find its all money money and more money these companys are after and i find that there products do not help my business any better then if i used what i was using months or years before... sorry rant said:evil:

 

[xxJackiexx]

I personally am not going to buy the pigment colours as I already have micas very similar. I also have some inteference micas which I think are similar to pink/gold/violet effects so the only ones I might be thinking about are the bronze colour which I personally don't like (just my colour preference) or the spectrum shimmer which some have complained is not smooth and has more of a texture so is perhaps more suited to use with L&P or Gel rather than shellac.

I really don't know the answer to be honest but I think it will very much depend on the type of clientele.

I was just thinking today although many of these new additives looks are very clever or artistic but would I really want to wear them for two weeks (or longer if in gel/l&p?)

Has anyone used additives on paying clients yet and has anyone had any requests for additives?

I've had requests I put pics up on fb and generally rambled on about them on fb about how I could now create colours etc with shellac that we couldnt create before with layering eg. Yellow .

I also leave them out on my table in their box with the sleeve on it - everyone has asked "whats that ? " this gives me the opportunity to tell them all about it and show them some colourpops/Tips etc.

I like the fact that it's branded CND as it ties in perfectly with the CND Shellac . CND is a brand that I trust and a brand that 1.My clients have heard of. 2.My clients trust . 3. My shellac clients already love lol x