Opinions of LCN

[RiniqueB]

Hi guys!

I’m a Somatology student and so recently needed to do my gel tips course. And someone told me I should do the LCN course, and so I did. After 3 days of training and A LOT of money spent on course fees, my LCN soft gel tips KEEP on breaking no matter what i do. Was it a mistake to choose LCN? I’m really disappointed and frankly depressed about the time and money I spent and not one succesfull gel tip client.

My sequence is as follows:

Sanitize
Cut, file, cuticle work
Making the nail rough
Wipe with acetone to dehydrate
Apply Planet nail prep to cleanse nail
Fit tips and roughen tips before application
Apply LCN brush glue to LCN tips and stick to nail
Shape and blend tip
Thin layer of LCN Recolution 2in1 Bond&Seal and cure
2 layers of LCN Recolution gel Polish and cure after first and second lyer
Top coat of LCN Recolution 2in1 Bond&Seal and cure
Remove tacky layer with LCN super shiner

 

[Trinity]

ETA - I've just Googled LCN Recolution - it's not a name I've heard of and discovered it's a Gel Polish...you can't create extensions with Gel Polish it's not strong enough to support a tip/sculpt extension. So disregard the information below about Gel Extensions, although I haven't deleted it as it might be useful if you decide to go down the route of further training in Gel Extensions.

It's because you haven't built a stress apex in, or strength spine. They are completely flat and therefore have no strength at the stress point. This is typically where the tip joins so often newbies think it's the tips that are the problem. There is no strength in a tip, the entire strength of the enhancement is in the structure of the overlay product, that can be gel, L&P, hybrid, whatever, it's the same principle.

LCN have been around for years, are really big in other European countries who are more Gel focused than us here in the UK so it's not the product, it's beginners teething problems. Go back to to your course work, have a re-read of the application sections and specifically how to create a stress apex. Failing that, use the search option on here for lots of posts about it, and google is also a good resource. Don't get disheartened, it's a really really common issue for beginner Gel techs. Gel naturally wants to 'level out' - you have to learn how to keep it where you need it.

(PS - I did my beginners Manicure and Pedicure with LCN about 15 years ago, some of the best training I received)

 

[RiniqueB]

ETA - I've just Googled LCN Recolution - it's not a name I've heard of and discovered it's a Gel Polish...you can't create extensions with Gel Polish it's not strong enough to support a tip/sculpt extension. So disregard the information below about Gel Extensions, although I haven't deleted it as it might be useful if you decide to go down the route of further training in Gel Extensions.

It's because you haven't built a stress apex in, or strength spine. They are completely flat and therefore have no strength at the stress point. This is typically where the tip joins so often newbies think it's the tips that are the problem. There is no strength in a tip, the entire strength of the enhancement is in the structure of the overlay product, that can be gel, L&P, hybrid, whatever, it's the same principle.

LCN have been around for years, are really big in other European countries who are more Gel focused than us here in the UK so it's not the product, it's beginners teething problems. Go back to to your course work, have a re-read of the application sections and specifically how to create a stress apex. Failing that, use the search option on here for lots of posts about it, and google is also a good resource. Don't get disheartened, it's a really really common issue for beginner Gel techs. Gel naturally wants to 'level out' - you have to learn how to keep it where you need it.

(PS - I did my beginners Manicure and Pedicure with LCN about 15 years ago, some of the best training I received)

Thanks alot! I will definitely try that. I think I make it too thin to avoid creating a “chunky” or too thick nail. So yes I will definitely try to create a stress apex. I love LCN, just hard when i’m the only one in my year to choose LCN but yeah this has been very helpful Thank you

 

[Trinity]

Thanks alot! I will definitely try that. I think I make it too thin to avoid creating a “chunky” or too thick nail. So yes I will definitely try to create a stress apex. I love LCN, just hard when i’m the only one in my year to choose LCN but yeah this has been very helpful Thank you

Did you see the bit about the fact that you can't make an extension with Gel Polish? It's not strong enough, so it doesn't matter if you do create an apex, it still won't hold a tip extension

 

[RiniqueB]

Did you see the bit about the fact that you can't make an extension with Gel Polish? It's not strong enough, so it doesn't matter if you do create an apex, it still won't hold a tip extension

I see. That’s weird because during my training i was taught to do soft gel tips. So applying the recolution over the tip? I haven’t had training in hard gel/resin. In my exam I had to do medium length tips with soft gel.

 

[Trinity]

I see. That’s weird because during my training i was taught to do soft gel tips. So applying the recolution over the tip? I haven’t had training in hard gel/resin. In my exam I had to do medium length tips with soft gel.

I'm very confused because I've just googled the training course with LCN and nowhere does it mention 'tip application' in the Recolution training, it says Gel Colour - the product is not capable of creating an extension so I can't see why would teach you it can. Who exactly did you train with?

 

[RiniqueB]

Yeah I’m also very confused. I’m actually from South Africa. I did my training with a woman here in Cape Town. And we have daily contact. I even send her the pictures of the broken nails, so she knows I’m struggling.

 

[Trinity]

Yeah I’m also very confused. I’m actually from South Africa. I did my training with a woman here in Cape Town. And we have daily contact. I even send her the pictures of the broken nails, so she knows I’m struggling.

So not via an official LCN training acadamy?

 

[RiniqueB]

Yes the woman who trained me was an official LCN trainer.