Problems with Brisa

[[email protected]]

Hi all,

I have a question. I first started my training with gels using brisa. I live in the midwest in the USA so not only has not many people even hard of gel nails here, most haven't even heard of Brisa.

Aside from that, in using the brisa I've had so many problems with lifting on people (despite doing proper prep work which I know is the most important thing). I decided to switch to calgel and LOVE it, almost totally eliminated any lifting problems. Why then do I read so many people love Brisa and have such luck with it on this website? I found it to be a beautiful gel, but so difficult to stay on the nail. Just curious, because I do love the look of the brisa, but can't find one person who can come back in 2 weeks with no lifting. My bulbs are new by the way on the brisa lamp.

I have alot of Brisa gel left and would like to use it still, but now I'm so turned off by it. I got the trial kit for akzentz for those people that like the harder gel I thought I would try. Just curious because I have a friend that went to get her nails done with brisa at a salon here and still had some lifting problems, and spent $60+ for the set. How do you all have such luck with it?

Thanks!!!!!!

Terri

 

[[email protected]]

By the way, like I said, I know I'm doing the proper prep work, and I've noticed the brisa will stay on some of the nails PERFECTLY, other nails it just lifts of cracks, or chips. And I'm doing the same prep work for Calgel and experience no lifting at all, so this is why I'm thinking its the product (brisa). I can only get the calgel from a place in California and it is more expensive than brisa, not that I mind if I have a product I can stand by and trust.

 

[Bagpuss]

Hiya ...

Have you any Brisa training...?

Are you working the first layer of gel into the nail....not just applying like polish...?

What is your prep...?

What prep solutions are you using....?

lets see if we can get to the bottom of it...there are lots of Brisa people on here that can help. x

 

[[email protected]]

Thank you....

Yes I am working the clear layer of gel into the nail....

For prep, I cleanse hands with blue cleanser gel, apply cuticle remover , push back cuticles and and remove dead tissue, along the sidewalls too. Use soap and water to get off cuticle remover. Shape and smooth with kanga file. Buff nail to remove all shine, even in sidewalls with boomerang or kanga file. Use scrub fresh on each nail real good.

 

[[email protected]]

Forgot your one other question, Yes I do have Brisa training, i've taken 2 brisa classes, plus watched their video.

 

[Bagpuss]

your using the brisa bond right...?

whats the main problem...lifting...cracking or chipping and is this on some of your clients...and not all...?

 

[Wee Fee]

Hi Terri,

sorry to hear you are having challenges with Brisa. Let's see if we can find out the cause for you.

When it comes to lifting problems with Brisa there are three parts of the procedure to look at first.

No 1 = P.R.E.P.
From your post it sounds like you are doing things thoroughly here. Just remember after removing shine gently in the direction of growth you can check the natural nail surface under your desk light to ensure you've got all the shine eliminated.
Also, are you using Brisa Bond? (formally known as Liquid Bond)

No 2 = The base layer.
We wanna do more than just work the base layer in, we wanna SCRUB that base layer into the entire surface of the natural nail with the brush to ensure maximum adhesion. But do be careful to leave a tiny free margin between the product and the soft tissue around the nail, which leads us on to...

No3 = Product on the skin?
If there is gel touching the skin you are gonna get lifting, and the fact that you are only getting lifting on a few nails per client, leads me to believe that this could be the culprit.
During a Brisa application, the most likely time one could get product contacting with the skin and not notice would be at the very end when you are applying your UV Gel Top Coat. Often we get the hands out the lamp, Scrubfresh off that inhibition layer, whack on the Solar Oil and don't take the time to check each nail just to make sure no Top Coat has pooled over onto the skin. Cover this base by gently pulling back the lateral folds whilst you are rubbing in the Solar Oil. It'll take 2 minutes and could make all the difference.

I've been using Brisa with a lot of success since it came on the market. I can understand how frustrating it must be to have invested money and time in product and training and then have problems like this. I can assure you that these problems can be resolved! Good luck, let us know how you get on!

 

[[email protected]]

Thanks ladies,

Yes I have been using the brisa bond, sorry I didn't mention that...as well as all the other cnd brisa products, the solar oil, the cuticle remover, etc. And I know how important it is to remove the shine so I always check in the light as well as making sure there is no product on the skin/cuticle. I feel like I've studied it and studied it and gone to the brisa classes, watched the video to keep seeing what I'm doing wrong, to no avail. So I've put all my brisa items in a black box and put the away I'm so mad at them!!!

And like I said, I'm having fanastic luck with the calgel. But after doing lots of research on here with that, there are also people that can't wear calgel either, so I'm worried my good luck streak with it will end! (probably because the brisa issues wore my confidence!)

I hope I answered all the questions......thanks Terri

 

[[email protected]]

Ah hah, I did forget to answer one question: lifting or cracking?

I would have to say with some people lifting, and some people cracking.....sorry! I'm trying to think......I was having more lifting problems when I first started using it. Then after practicing and practicing and research, the lifting issues got better, but there was always then the cracking or chipping. I know you have to cap the free edge. And I do realize that some people are pickers and find a corner and pick at it and some people just aren't suited to gels at all.....

Terri

 

[adelekeegan1]

When I first started using Brisa I did find that I got lifting if the edges of the gel were too thick. I found that buffing the margins until they merged with the natural nail was the answer - HTH

 

[Bagpuss]

When I first started using Brisa I did find that I got lifting if the edges of the gel were too thick. I found that buffing the margins until they merged with the natural nail was the answer - HTH

thats a very good point Adele....:!:

 

[Ignatz]

Also check your apex placement. If the enhancement is unbalanced it may result in both lifting and cracking

 

[[email protected]]

Yes, I'm careful with the apex placement, I did learn that at my cnd class. I've also made sure my margins are filed down to the natural nail surface, so there is no bumps.....I don't know what else to do differently.

Thanks for your help!

Terri

 

[ValencianNails]

You haven't (from your previous posts regarding gel) been doing gels for very long and have tried Light Elegance, Brisa and Calgel already.

I think you'd benefit from a skill-building class with your Brisa educator so that they can see exactly what you're doing re your application. There has to be something you're doing that you're unaware of that's compromising the finished enhancement.

Hope you get it sorted out as Brisa is a fabulous product to work with, gives long lasting enhancements and has more benefits that a lot of other gels on the market :hug:

 

[The Geek]

Hey there, lifting and cracking are two totally different beasts (if we rule out under curing). Let me ask... what are the differences between the preparation you do with Calgel versus Brisa? Are you 'roughing' the nail up more? Are they different clients? Are you using different lamps?

 

[[email protected]]

Yes I've only been doing nails for 6 months, started with the brisa, tried the light elegance, then just a few weeks ago started with the calgel. I have the brisa and calgel lamps.

I feel like I am careful about the application, in fact I feel more confident about the brisa application than the calgel because i worked with it the longest. I've been practicing on my sister, my daughter and myself and recently started doing friends. Before I work at a salon I want to be proficient at it. As I've said I took 2 brisa gel classes and 1 OPI class which is very similar. I did have 2 friends that the brisa stayed on better, my other friends (5 of them) they didnt really have the patience and weren't used to artificial nails, and they had more problems with them. As I said the lifting issues got a little better, but I've noticed since I've been using the calgel I have no lifting problems. The calgel prep I do is the one they recommend with their products and files, etc.

Thanks all. I definately can hyperfocus on something and even tho have only been doing it 6 months have really learned alot and spend alot of time doing it. I just wondered if you thought brisa does have more issues (whether lifting, chipping) than calgel.

 

[geeg]

Yes I've only been doing nails for 6 months, started with the brisa, tried the light elegance, then just a few weeks ago started with the calgel. I have the brisa and calgel lamps.

I feel like I am careful about the application, in fact I feel more confident about the brisa application than the calgel because i worked with it the longest. I've been practicing on my sister, my daughter and myself and recently started doing friends. Before I work at a salon I want to be proficient at it. As I've said I took 2 brisa gel classes and 1 OPI class which is very similar. I did have 2 friends that the brisa stayed on better, my other friends (5 of them) they didnt really have the patience and weren't used to artificial nails, and they had more problems with them. As I said the lifting issues got a little better, but I've noticed since I've been using the calgel I have no lifting problems. The calgel prep I do is the one they recommend with their products and files, etc.

Thanks all. I definately can hyperfocus on something and even tho have only been doing it 6 months have really learned alot and spend alot of time doing it. I just wondered if you thought brisa does have more issues (whether lifting, chipping) than calgel.

I think you can see from the posts by Brisa users that they are more than happy with the performance of the product.

I think that with more experience you will find that Brisa works perfectly well for you and your clients just as it does for the majority of users.. Good luck.

 

[Anna Lee]

I just wondered if you thought brisa does have more issues (whether lifting, chipping) than calgel.

The thing is, that its difficult to compare Calgel with Brisa.

Calgel is a soft gel and Brisa is a hard gel. The composition of each gel is different and the application is different. There are things you can do Brisa that may not work as well with Calgel and vice versa.

So I guess the results are depended on what you do with it and how you use it.

 

[Louise Manby]

to me it sounded as though you were doing/applying too much 'stuff' before the brisa. I know many companies say to do this do that before applying, but after 10 years doing this I have found that the less products you put on the nail before the application of gel the better (and for acrylic)
For example, I dont use cuticle remover, water, soap etc to remove cuticles. I go round the cuticle with the file, which buffs the surface and removes the stuck down skin both together.
Remember that water, cutice remover etc will soak in slightly to the nail plate and may cause it to swell slightly which will then cause the gel to lift once he nail plate has shrunk back to its original size a while later.
To put it basically, I just file round the cuticle, clean/dehydrate with an alcohol product (star nail finishing wipe) or scrub fresh will do, then I apply IBD Bonder (and cure under lamp for a minute) then apply the gel. Sometimes i dont use the bonder (if Im in a hurry) and the gel still doesnt lift.

One thing, is the gel lifting from the cuticle end or the free edge?
I find if you are doing overlays (without any form of extension) then the gel will always lift from the free edge (no matter what product/company you use).
If its lifting from the tip/free edge (and it has a plastic extension underneath) then you may be leaving the gel too built up and thick at the very tip. It should slant down and taper towards the tip.
If its an overlay or the plastic tip has grown out and its lifting, then it could be that the client has very oily nail plates or they are using too much oil or water with their nails. I usually find people that use baby oil or are constantly touching their face with make up on get lifting.

If it is lifting from the cuticle end then it is either, you havent removed the cuticle/dead stuck down skin from the nail plate OR yo have built it up too much at the cuticle end/its too thick at cuticle end. It also should taper down at the cuticle. Thats very important. The smoother the join between nail plate and where the gel starts, the better the adhiesion.

 

[geeg]

to me it sounded as though you were doing/applying too much 'stuff' before the brisa. I know many companies say to do this do that before applying, but after 10 years doing this I have found that the less products you put on the nail before the application of gel the better (and for acrylic)
For example, I dont use cuticle remover, water, soap etc to remove cuticles. I go round the cuticle with the file, which buffs the surface and removes the stuck down skin both together.
Remember that water, cutice remover etc will soak in slightly to the nail plate and may cause it to swell slightly which will then cause the gel to lift once he nail plate has shrunk back to its original size a while later.
To put it basically, I just file round the cuticle, clean/dehydrate with an alcohol product (star nail finishing wipe) or scrub fresh will do, then I apply IBD Bonder (and cure under lamp for a minute) then apply the gel. Sometimes i dont use the bonder (if Im in a hurry) and the gel still doesnt lift.

One thing, is the gel lifting from the cuticle end or the free edge?
I find if you are doing overlays (without any form of extension) then the gel will always lift from the free edge (no matter what product/company you use).
If its lifting from the tip/free edge (and it has a plastic extension underneath) then you may be leaving the gel too built up and thick at the very tip. It should slant down and taper towards the tip.
If its an overlay or the plastic tip has grown out and its lifting, then it could be that the client has very oily nail plates or they are using too much oil or water with their nails. I usually find people that use baby oil or are constantly touching their face with make up on get lifting.

If it is lifting from the cuticle end then it is either, you havent removed the cuticle/dead stuck down skin from the nail plate OR yo have built it up too much at the cuticle end/its too thick at cuticle end. It also should taper down at the cuticle. Thats very important. The smoother the join between nail plate and where the gel starts, the better the adhiesion.

Now isn't it strange that I use the products recommended by my product supplier and do a gentle prep of the nail plate (cuticle remover and rinse) and I don't have lifting as a problem either??

Nothing wrong with a dry prep, however as a teaching site we concentrate here on the salon geek, on safe methods and accurate information for students (that is what we are known for andhow we have gained the reputation we have here) ... so in the spirit of offering good
education and good advice I would never recommend to a new nail technician for instance, that she file cuticle off the nail plate ... especially when you have not even mentioned the grit of the file or the safe method of how to do it.

If peeps are going to pass on their 'experience' let it be done responsibly so that we can help the nail techs of the future to work safely.