Pink and white first time - honest advise

[Gemsnails]

Ok, so i read through million dollar smiles.
Plenty of tapping and kneading - no stroking.
This is my first time to do pink and white on someone (ok my nail trainer!!) other than myself.
BUT i am not that happy with them.
They are not perfectly white. Its like.... uummm, .... patchy.
PRACTISE i hear you say but its so damned frustrating. Wondering if there is any other advise that anyone might have.

I am left handed and i think this has something to do with the fact that the left side is slightly thicker than the right side. i didnt notice until after i filled.

I was stuggeling a bit with getting the smile lines right. And even all that, i dont think they are that great. What do you think?#

Advise would be much appreciated.
Thanks Geeks
Love Gem

 

[Bagpuss]

I think they are quite good....they could do with have a little more smile to them as they look a little straight across but they are tidy and crisp, i would maybe do a little less white to make them look a little more balanced but thats just personal taste.

I think for your first go they are very good.

 

[deanosnana]

I think you did a great job.

 

[Doorie]

for a first time??? it's really good!!

as for your issue with filing, when you think you're done, or even better, while you're putting your nail in correct shape, make it move in every possible angle and look from the profile, the edge, turn the hand (nice to work with a nail trainer as you cannot move it too much and then be lost with a client's hand) and look, are my corner points on the same line? is there too much product here or there? are my square nails square or do they need a bit more filing?

and you'll get there... but great job for a first attempt!

 

[Gemsnails]

I think they are quite good....they could do with have a little more smile to them as they look a little straight across but they are tidy and crisp, i would maybe do a little less white to make them look a little more balanced but thats just personal taste.

I think for your first go they are very good.

Thankyou for that. I just cant get the hang of making the smile more smiley.
As for less white, yes i agree, it was just a test on my smile and white application rather than being how i would do aa set on someone.

Actually, how do you get around that.... if someone wants extra long nails in forever french?
Like you said, the balance wouldnt be right would it?!

 

[Doorie]

it can be right... you just have to use an opaque pink... and then balance with it.

now if she wants extra long free edge... then it usually doesn't look right.

 

[marioned]

I put a tip I got at the Event on this thread
http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/82722-smile-lines.html
People seem to have found it helpful in improving their smilelines. Give t a try and I think you will find a difference. xx

 

[Gemsnails]

I put a tip I got at the Event on this thread
http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/82722-smile-lines.html
People seem to have found it helpful in improving their smilelines. Give t a try and I think you will find a difference. xx

Get yourself a cheap box of clear tips from ebay, ones you wouldn't dream of putting on a client. Get a permanent marker pen and put 3 dots on the underside. One where you want the base of your smile line to go, and one on each side where you want the ears to go.

Now put your bead on, a bit lower than the middle dot. Push your product up to one of the ears, then the other, almost in a v shape. Don't touch the product in the middle as you do this. Now smooth the product over the tip. Dry off your brush and using little pushes, tuck the white back down till you get a wonderful smile line. Keep going, putting the tips down in order and I guarantee you will see a huge difference betwwen your first attempts and your last attemps.
HTH Marion xx
(Thanks to Rox at the Event)

This is amazing Marion Thankyou so so much. I cant wait to have another go! My other half will probably forget what i look like once i shut myself away in the spare room again for the 3rd afternoon in a row!!!
Thanks again

 

[JackieO91]

I am a lefty too, and sometimes I have a hard time with my smile lines, and unfortunately we don't always get that client that has the "perfect" smile line where you can just follow their natural free edge...I have learned to start in the middle of the tip, or nail and pat,(I use gel, so I float the gel)the product up to the side I am working on, and then the other side. Then I take my brush, dip it in the cleanser, or liquid monomer, and smooth out the middle from the middle to the "ear" on each side evening it out...It works for me, so I hth's...wish you luck.

 

[Doorie]

great advice!!!

 

[Gemsnails]

I am a lefty too, and sometimes I have a hard time with my smile lines, and unfortunately we don't always get that client that has the "perfect" smile line where you can just follow their natural free edge...I have learned to start in the middle of the tip, or nail and pat,(I use gel, so I float the gel)the product up to the side I am working on, and then the other side. Then I take my brush, dip it in the cleanser, or liquid monomer, and smooth out the middle from the middle to the "ear" on each side evening it out...It works for me, so I hth's...wish you luck.

Great, thanks for that too.
Will try, i use l&p.

 

[fifitrix]

This is a great tip, quoted from Nailclass by Gigi; "Most right-handed tend to complete the right corner first and then the left-the opposite for 'lefties'. It's strange, but many technicians have found they do better smiles when they reverse this habit and start to make the smile line on the opposite side to the one that they are used to."

I now do this and it has really helped me, I can't explain it but I work that bit quicker doing my smiles this way which helps. The above book is fab and I refer back to it all the time.

hth