Pinching a C curve in gel-help!

[missjones]

Hiya,
Can someone help me, i have been playing with gel for a little while but have found that it goes quite brittle/hard adfter curing. I know i am going to have to attempt to pinch a c curve into new nails but i dont know at what point to do it. Do i freeze the gel for a few seconds and then pinch or just shape the forms as tightly as poss before curing. I have not got a clue. Any advice would be more than welcome. xx Missjones.

 

[angel fingers]

shaping your forms well when fitting them will really help and may mean you do not reqire pinching.
if you do decide you want to pinch the curve, when you sculpt the extended edge put on a thin layer of gel that just comes level with the existing free edge of the natural nail and overlaps only slightly. then cure for 3 seconds [aprox] remove from the lamp and pinch into the shape you require before curing for the full time your gel requires.

on most gel nails i do i find that its perfectly possible to build the nail into a lovely shape with the gel alone and not need to pinch curves. you must exercise caution if you attempt it as it can cause damage to the natural nail.
also beware of over exposure to yourself through touching uncured gel when pinching, it would be best to use a tool designed for this purpose if you must use this technique.

 

[geeg]

I agree with Susan. I never pinch a c curve into anything. I prefer to build it with my brush.

I think too many get confused with competition 'tricks' and forget what is the 'real' way to perform salon sevices.

 

[missjones]

Thank you so much, that really helps. during my training we only laid over tips and i have been trying my hand at sculpting lately xx Kell

 

[geeg]

Thank you so much, that really helps. during my training we only laid over tips and i have been trying my hand at sculpting lately xx Kell

Even with sculpting, if your form is good and applied correctly there should be no need to pinch EVER.

Pinching was started by those who wanted to achieve 40%of a circle curve to to match competition criteria ... no ones natural nails have a 40% c curve!! IT is most unnatural.

Apart from that, pinching is a rather crude way to achieve a slimmer line when in my opinion any nail tech 'worth his/her salt' should be able to produce a slim and beautiful enhancement with their brush.

Think of it this way: you can paint your lounge and be cutting in around the door frame and splodge the paint and use your finger to wipe it off or you can take more care with your brush and do the job right in the first place.

 

[Essential]

Even with sculpting, if your form is good and applied correctly there should be no need to pinch EVER.

Pinching was started by those who wanted to achieve 40%of a circle curve to to match competition criteria ... no ones natural nails have a 40% c curve!! IT is most unnatural.

Apart from that, pinching is a rather crude way to achieve a slimmer line when in my opinion any nail tech 'worth his/her salt' should be able to produce a slim and beautiful enhancement with their brush.

Think of it this way: you can paint your lounge and be cutting in around the door frame and splodge the paint and use your finger to wipe it off or you can take more care with your brush and do the job right in the first place.

I have a very wide nail bed and find that building out with a perfectly shaped form and perfect application of gel still doesn't create as beautiful a shape as the unnatural pinch creates for me... Without pinching, it's just a perfectly shaped c curve on a wide nail bed. There's no right or wrong here. It's called a preference dear. You absolutely can not deny that a pinched nail will ALWAYS look distinctly different than a perfectly sculpted c curve ESPECIALLY on a wider nail bed. I've done it both ways. And yes it is uncomfortable to have a pinched nail but only for a day or so. I Find that after a while of pinching them , the natural nail will actual start to grow out that way for a little while without the product on, eventually it will expand back out again. I find that a lot of my large hand clients really appreciate the pinching. To assume that nail techs only pinch a nail because they lack the skill to perfectly shape and fit a form and apply products properly is extremely short sighted. Nothing compares to a pinched nail. It's distinction is obvious.

 

[Vicky X]

You are responding to a post from 2009! Lol

 

[Miss Sylk]

But what if your client has flat wide nails??? A pinch would be required there.