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Dolly_Day_Dreamer.

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So I've been very tunnel visioned into retraining with CND (I qualified 9 years ago but had a massive break).

So everything im looking at has been Shellac/Vinylux.

Now im seeing from this forum alot about "The Gel Bottle"

What is swaying me a bit is Shellac you only get 20 applications per bottle and TGB you can get 110. Really?? This is such a big difference!!

Any thoughts?
 
You might want to do some deeper delving before opting for The Gel Bottle. I have been using their products alongside another brand (using each complete system though, with correct lamps) and haven't personally had any problems, but there are many posts popping up on other forums where nail techs, clients and even educators have developed allergies and onycholysis since using TGB. The company have not properly addressed these issues in my opinion, and appear to have recently removed the MSDS from their website!

It's difficult to prove whether a specific brand has caused an allergy as over exposure could have happened over a long period of time, but there have been a number of issues since the brand started, like the fact they sold to unqualified people for a long time (and I understand it's still hit and miss whether people are asked for proof), there was no education program in the beginning, so a lot of people were and possibly still are, not applying or curing it carefully or correctly.

When buying into a brand, I want to know that the brand is totally knowledgeable about what they are selling and about the industry in general. I get the feeling with TGB that they are learning as they go!

Any brand you are interested in, do as much research as possible. There's no such thing as the perfect product for everyone, but you certainly want to be ticking as many boxes as possible.
 
There’s a tech I see on Instagram who has switched, she was cnd originally. They just don’t look as nice & the colours aren’t as good.

They don’t seem to have their own lamp which is a red flag too.
 
I used to use solely CND shellac, bought into it when it first came out and still have about 45 colours but I use the gel bottle builders for overlays and they are way better than anything I’ve used for thin bendy nails, it just doesn’t lift as it’s quite flexible and bends with the nail. So when I wanted neons this summer and shellac don’t do them, I bought some gel bottle colours and they’ve been fab. Easy to remove as well. Obv the colours are just that, no strength, same as shellac. I’ve since bought about 12 of their colours as they offer colours that I just can’t get with shellac. I love them.
Oh and they do have their own lamp, was about to put the price but not allowed but it’s def on th website x
 
There’s a tech I see on Instagram who has switched, she was cnd originally. They just don’t look as nice & the colours aren’t as good.

They don’t seem to have their own lamp which is a red flag too.

I’m fairly sure TGB do have their own lamp.
 
Thanks for your responses.

Its a really difficult one as it does seem to be a personal preference but to buy each system with the lamps just to try them is costly isn't it.

I am still swaying towards CND I think but have lost a bit of confidence I must say.

When you set up business did you find the outlay for the gels/polishes to be greater than the L&P system and accessories?
 
I stand corrected, they didn’t when I last looked.

Why not go to professional beauty north if you can & interview the different brands?.
 
Thanks for your responses.

Its a really difficult one as it does seem to be a personal preference but to buy each system with the lamps just to try them is costly isn't it.

I am still swaying towards CND I think but have lost a bit of confidence I must say.

When you set up business did you find the outlay for the gels/polishes to be greater than the L&P system and accessories?

Yes a lot more!!!
 
Thanks for your responses.

Its a really difficult one as it does seem to be a personal preference but to buy each system with the lamps just to try them is costly isn't it.

I am still swaying towards CND I think but have lost a bit of confidence I must say.

When you set up business did you find the outlay for the gels/polishes to be greater than the L&P system and accessories?

Just to confuse you even more! ... have you looked at Ikon.iq? If you are looking for a hypoallergenic and HEMA free range (like Shellac), this could well be your answer! Larger bottles at a much more attractive price, often only need one coat, so will last even longer! They offer a whole range of products to suit your needs and are constantly developing more. If you are setting up from scratch and spend over £180 (on specific products) they even provide their lamp free of charge!!

I have attended one of their See & Try events and I was very impressed. I tested their Prima gel polish on my own nails and it lasted really well :) Have a look at their Facebook page to get a feel for their products and I'm sure @BobSweden or one of the educators can guide you through it all.
 
So I've been very tunnel visioned into retraining with CND (I qualified 9 years ago but had a massive break).

So everything im looking at has been Shellac/Vinylux.

Now im seeing from this forum alot about "The Gel Bottle"

What is swaying me a bit is Shellac you only get 20 applications per bottle and TGB you can get 110. Really?? This is such a big difference!!

Any thoughts?

No need to spend a fortune on those expensive brands. Shellac is not great. Neonail, Semilac, russian TNL, Kodi are great.
 
You need the right lamp for the polish to cure 100% to prevent acrylic allergy. There’s a whole thread about it on here.
 
I second Ikon.iQ, I've been using it since February and tried pretty much everything in the gel range and there's a lot to choose from... two soak off options, three file off, and a stunning acrygel that I wear myself now instead of acrylics. Whatever the job, there's a perfect product for it.

You get the very best customer support and full and open expert information on product chemistry. All this and it's well priced, pro only and hypoallergenic so much safer to work with on a daily basis.
 
Acrylic has nothing to do with lamp for gel. As acrylic air dries.
Lamp should be powerful e.g. 48w or 54w. That is it. Brand doesn't matter.
I'm afraid you don't understand how lamps cure. I suggest you read the pinned thread about lamps at the top of the Nail Forum.
 
I have used CND for the past... 18 *eek* years.

I have recently used ikon.iq prima gel polish and was very impressed with the pigmentation - one coat gave PERFECT coverage. However, shellac is still my first choice.

You mention cost, and I wanted to mention that the cost per service between a good professional brand and shellac isn't enormous. As long as you price your services well, you will still make good money. I wouldn't personally give any brand where you get 35 gallons of product for a tenner any thought at all - to clarify, I am NOT saying TGB, as you mentioned that, is cheap rubbish.; I am just cautioning you to research any product carefully.


Finally, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, you do need to use the matched lamp to achieve proper cure. Gel products can APPEAR to be cured from around 54% cured. I've worked too long and hard to build up my business to play with that margin for error.
 
I'm afraid you don't understand how lamps cure. I suggest you read the pinned thread about lamps at the top of the Nail Forum.
I had a read of it. I understand how gels are cured. Oligomers and monomers in gel that are in the photoinitiator, harden from the UV light. The photoinitiator gets the energy from the UV light so the molecules can’t move any more and they have to be still therefore forming the Gel nail.
Article still overcomplicates everything. Forum is to express opinions. This is my opinion.
 
I had a read of it. I understand how gels are cured. Oligomers and monomers in gel that are in the photoinitiator, harden from the UV light. The photoinitiator gets the energy from the UV light so the molecules can’t move any more and they have to be still therefore forming the Gel nail.
Article still overcomplicates everything. Forum is to express opinions. This is my opinion.

Actually, this forum is to pass on factual information, not personal opinions in a way that implies they are fact!

Having read your reply to another thread here you mentioned that you have an allergy. This is most likely due to over exposure to under cured products, which could well be down to not using the correct lamps ....
 
Actually, this forum is to pass on factual information, not personal opinions in a way that implies they are fact!

Having read your reply to another thread here you mentioned that you have an allergy. This is most likely due to over exposure to under cured products, which could well be down to not using the correct lamps ....
I have done patch test, and my allergy is on nail prep and primer. Nothing to do with lamp.
 
I had a read of it. I understand how gels are cured. Oligomers and monomers in gel that are in the photoinitiator, harden from the UV light. The photoinitiator gets the energy from the UV light so the molecules can’t move any more and they have to be still therefore forming the Gel nail.
Article still overcomplicates everything. Forum is to express opinions. This is my opinion.

Unfortunately you've missed the fundamental bit about the spectrum at which the gel polish cures. They are not all the same, therefore it's not as simple as 'it's hard so it's cured'. The best analogy used by much cleverer people than me is to imagine it's similar to baking, you can cook a cake at 150 degrees and the outside will be hard, doesn't mean the middle is cooked.

And this is why the polish needs to be matched to the lamp. It doesn't specifically have to be a branded lamp but it needs to be approved by the supplier, and they need to have laboratory tests done to ascertain that.

As previously mentioned is site is for a factual information not simply opinions* (eta unless specifically asked for)
 
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