New Brush

[Nail Envi]

I've just returned from 2 weeks holidays to find that my brush has gone in the huff for leaving it so long, its contaminated, and I'm guessing its from drying out, (getting yellow streaks on pad), so thought I'd try one of the suggestions of soaking it overnight in monomer using blue tack to stop the flags touching the bottom of the jar, but the blue tack didn't hold and now my brush has a kink in it aargh!! Anyhows, I've now put in a rush order to sweetsquared for a new brush, but can't remember what Fee told us we had to do with a new brush to remove all the starchy stuff, was it just to keep dipping it into monomer and wiping on a pad until its all removed?

 

[Karen Minx]

No break the starch from the brush whilst still dry with a dry lint free pad, rub the brush head gently between the lint pad and two fingers and you will see the starch break away into dust. Rock it from side to side until it looks fairly clean from the starch then insert it into the monomer and wipe clean. Inserting a starched brush into monomer straight away will prob ruin it.

 

[Envy]

Just to add on...

The protective coating is an arabic gum, and you must thoroughly remove this as Karen has described, once broken up it will look like dandruff in the brush hairs. keep working until it's all out (or as close as humanly possible)

The saturate it into monomer, start training the hairs into shape right there and then, work the brush across a paper towel and start forming the flat sides of the brush, keep rewetting and reshaping until you have used all the liquid
*the liquid you do this initial prep with should never be used for forming beads as it will be contaminated with the arabic gum

hth's

 

[jafu]

Oh My word! I am new to all of this... I am not happy with the brushes that I have been practising with Kolinsky 6k and 10R. I never did any of this when I bought them a couple of weeks ago, I simply 'dunked' them into the acetone to get rid of any air bubbles, then started using. I find that they are not reaching a lovely fine point when using and the bristles almost seem dry and separate when not in use - they also seem to hold a lot of monomer which is resulting in large balls - please help me, my nails look quite good at the end, but that is due to the time I take on them, not something I could do for a charging client. Where am I going wrong, appreciate your expertise xxx

 

[Karen Minx]

Just to add on...

The protective coating is an arabic gum, and you must thoroughly remove this as Karen has described, once broken up it will look like dandruff in the brush hairs. keep working until it's all out (or as close as humanly possible)

The saturate it into monomer, start training the hairs into shape right there and then, work the brush across a paper towel and start forming the flat sides of the brush, keep rewetting and reshaping until you have used all the liquid
*the liquid you do this initial prep with should never be used for forming beads as it will be contaminated with the arabic gum

hth's

You described this so much better :green:

 

[Karen Minx]

Oh My word! I am new to all of this... I am not happy with the brushes that I have been practising with Kolinsky 6k and 10R. I never did any of this when I bought them a couple of weeks ago, I simply 'dunked' them into the acetone to get rid of any air bubbles, then started using. I find that they are not reaching a lovely fine point when using and the bristles almost seem dry and separate when not in use - they also seem to hold a lot of monomer which is resulting in large balls - please help me, my nails look quite good at the end, but that is due to the time I take on them, not something I could do for a charging client. Where am I going wrong, appreciate your expertise xxx

Firstly you shouldn't be dunking them into acetone, its too harsh and will dry out your brush!
You have prob ruined the brushes now by not cleaning them in the way described above. When you finish using your brush, clean it again in a small amout of fresh monomer and shape it back into its point when storing. Don't over dry your brush when storing away, this is why the bristles are seperating. And store the brush horizontal wrapped in a bit of kitchen paper towel and/or a brush case. Never leave your brush too long stored away has the brush will dry out. Give your brush a drink in fresh liquid at least once a week to prevent it drying and getting conaminated.
As for the large balls, make sure you draw your entire brush head gently from belly to flags against the dappen dish. Do it serveral times for a smaller bead, less times for a larger bead. hth...if i've explained things right x

 

[jafu]

Firstly you shouldn't be dunking them into acetone, its too harsh and will dry out your brush!
You have prob ruined the brushes now by not cleaning them in the way described above. When you finish using your brush, clean it again in a small amout of fresh monomer and shape it back into its point when storing. Don't over dry your brush when storing away, this is why the bristles are seperating. And store the brush horizontal wrapped in a bit of kitchen paper towel and/or a brush case. Never leave your brush too long stored away has the brush will dry out. Give your brush a drink in fresh liquid at least once a week to prevent it drying and getting conaminated.
As for the large balls, make sure you draw your entire brush head gently from belly to flags against the dappen dish. Do it serveral times for a smaller bead, less times for a larger bead. hth...if i've explained things right x

Thanx Karen the acetone thing is what I was taught on my course... beginning to wonder now!! I'll give your suggestion a try - thanx x

 

[Karen Minx]

Oh My word! I am new to all of this... I am not happy with the brushes that I have been practising with Kolinsky 6k and 10R. I never did any of this when I bought them a couple of weeks ago, I simply 'dunked' them into the acetone to get rid of any air bubbles, then started using. I find that they are not reaching a lovely fine point when using and the bristles almost seem dry and separate when not in use - they also seem to hold a lot of monomer which is resulting in large balls - please help me, my nails look quite good at the end, but that is due to the time I take on them, not something I could do for a charging client. Where am I going wrong, appreciate your expertise xxx

Just to add .... my brush never seems to reach a fine point either, i use the cnd pro styler mostly and i shape it into a paddle and then taper in the sides before storing. It has 2 points either side iykwim. xx