My first manicure took ages, what should I be aiming for?

[Claire@OBNMK]

I'm currently doing my gelish training & have to do 10 sets of nails within 2 weeks.
So i did my first set of nails (2 colour coats), my model was very happy BUT
the first hand took me 1hr!!
and the second took me 50 mins.

So i managed to shave off 10 mins, but how embarrassing!! :o:o:o

I know with practice I will get faster but it's that damn cuticle work, i worry if I'm getting it all off and worry as i dont want to scrape bits of nail off!


What a time to aim for ladies? How long does it take you to do a Gelish mani?

 

[PerfectPolish]

Do you use a cuticle remover? I use CND Cuticle Away with both Gelish & Shellac, it makes the cuticle work much easier. It takes me no longer than 45 minutes to do a set of Gelish now but it depends on what the natural nails are like when they come in & the colour they choose. I find some, like Black Cherry Berry, tricky & I'm definitely slower with it! The more sets you do, the more you'll improve so just concentrate on getting your technique perfect for now xx

 

[Melk]

It takes me around 30 to 40 minutes to do gel polish when I started it took 1 hr. I know how it feels first set of acrylics took me 2 1/2 hrs got it down to 2 hrs second set, still need to get quicker but need models to achieve that.

 

[Claire@OBNMK]

Do you use a cuticle remover? I use CND Cuticle Away with both Gelish & Shellac, it makes the cuticle work much easier. It takes me no longer than 45 minutes to do a set of Gelish now but it depends on what the natural nails are like when they come in & the colour they choose. I find some, like Black Cherry Berry, tricky & I'm definitely slower with it! The more sets you do, the more you'll improve so just concentrate on getting your technique perfect for now xx

No I don't use cuticle away, I can't get hold of it as i need to have my certificate before i can join Ellisons or CND (I get my certificate in about 7 weeks as my course finishes on the 16th)

Is there another cuticle remover you can recommend for the time being, that i can buy without the need for a certificate?

 

[Nats5125]

I've recently trained with gelish and they said they don't recommend using any products to remove the cuticle, but I don't love doing a dry cuticle removal as I feel it makes the nail area look worse and there is so much dust.
Do you find that using the cuticle away makes no negative difference to the gelish lasting on your clients?
If this is the case, I might get some.

 

[Becca@PolishedToPerfection]

I use skintruth cuticle remover i think its fab! You can get it from sallys its available to everyone and only cheap xx

Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk 2

 

[PerfectPolish]

I don't find that using a cuticle remover affects the wear time of my gelish, almost all of my ladies get 3 weeks with no problems. Just be sure to deactivate it with water (I use a spray bottle with warm water & a pump of Scentsations wash or get the client to wash their hands) when you've finished your cuticle removal or it can cause lifting. Using cuticle remover still counts as dry prep as you aren't soaking the nails so it shouldn't have any negative results. It makes my life easier so it makes sense to use it

If you can't get CND yet I'd try the one that has been recommended from Sally's as you can buy from there without a trade card x

 

[Smellenor]

If you can prove you're a student you can get a Sally trade card before you've finished your course x

Sent from my GT-I9100

 

[Claire@OBNMK]

Thanks for the help guys.

Went to Sallys today, got a student card got the Skin Truth stuff, gonna give it a go.

xx

 

[x3stephanie]

I've recently trained with gelish and they said they don't recommend using any products to remove the cuticle, but I don't love doing a dry cuticle removal as I feel it makes the nail area look worse and there is so much dust.
Do you find that using the cuticle away makes no negative difference to the gelish lasting on your clients?
If this is the case, I might get some.

I use cuticle away and it has no effect gelish. As long as it is de-activated with soapy water it won't be a problem

 

[NourishedNails]

I use cuticle away and it has no effect gelish. As long as it is de-activated with soapy water it won't be a problem

I find it actually helps gelish last longer!! It is amazing stuff!

To the OP I used to take about 1hr- 1hr 30 mins but now I am all done in around 45 mins, if we don't chat too much lol, as long as they are pleased with the end result I wouldn't worry, it is their pamper time so I am sure they were not even bothered it took that amount of time, they probably just enjoyed the pamper xx

 

[Claire@OBNMK]

I find it actually helps gelish last longer!! It is amazing stuff!

To the OP I used to take about 1hr- 1hr 30 mins but now I am all done in around 45 mins, if we don't chat too much lol, as long as they are pleased with the end result I wouldn't worry, it is their pamper time so I am sure they were not even bothered it took that amount of time, they probably just enjoyed the pamper xx

Thats exactly what she said, she liked the pampering and she knew I'm new to this.

So not warm water alone to remove the cuticle remover, I need to add some soap to it, as all i have here is soap and shower gel.

 

[Emily S]

Just a random thought.

You mention how long each hand took - did you do your prep & then polishing on one hand THEN the other or did you move across from one hand to the other for each step?

If you're finishing one hand and then starting the other, you'd be best changing your method and doing each step across both hands - you'll be surprised how much time it cuts out

 

[x3stephanie]

I find it actually helps gelish last longer!! It is amazing stuff!

To the OP I used to take about 1hr- 1hr 30 mins but now I am all done in around 45 mins, if we don't chat too much lol, as long as they are pleased with the end result I wouldn't worry, it is their pamper time so I am sure they were not even bothered it took that amount of time, they probably just enjoyed the pamper xx

I know, I mean't it didn't have any negative effect x

 

[Claire@OBNMK]

Just a random thought.

You mention how long each hand took - did you do your prep & then polishing on one hand THEN the other or did you move across from one hand to the other for each step?

If you're finishing one hand and then starting the other, you'd be best changing your method and doing each step across both hands - you'll be surprised how much time it cuts out

Hi yes i prep, colour TIO one hand then move to the other.

So if i prep all 10, foundation all 10, colour all 10 then TIO all 10 you recon it'll be quicker?

I'll give it a go tomorrow
(did my first french today that took forever too! nevermind. She was extremly happy with what i did tho which is a bonus :biggrin:

 

[rachelt73]

It sounds like you are doing just brilliantly Claire, we are always our own worst critics. I've done my first two now, and found the dry cuticle work took ages and if anything made the nail look messier than before I could pick holes in the finished results until the cows came home but both ladies loved them and are already talking about re-booking so we must be doing something right!

Have my first French tonight - so the butterflies are already kicking in!

 

[rachg]

If i was you i'd do your prep on both hands, then do one hand with the base coat and while that is being cured do the other hand with base coat. While that hands being cured do your 1st colour coat ect ect, just make sure u allways have one hand being cured while your painting the other rather than only doing one hand at a time this will cut your time down alot.

Don't worry about it too much with time you will get quicker and you'll end up a much better therpist if you take longer but do a great job than rushing and doing a bad job

 

[Claire@OBNMK]

If i was you i'd do your prep on both hands, then do one hand with the base coat and while that is being cured do the other hand with base coat. While that hands being cured do your 1st colour coat ect ect, just make sure u allways have one hand being cured while your painting the other rather than only doing one hand at a time this will cut your time down alot.

Don't worry about it too much with time you will get quicker and you'll end up a much better therpist if you take longer but do a great job than rushing and doing a bad job

Got it down to 1hr 20 mins, thanks so much xx

 

[Nats5125]

I've only been doing gelish for 2 weeks and I did my first soak off and reapplication tonight and it took 1hr 30mins which I'm pleased with, inc the soak off so our times are fairly similar.
I'm struggling with the cuticle work as that is where I'm spending most of my time.i guess it's just practice.
Good luck with it!