Problems with gel overlay

[slipperyangel]

Hi All
This problem has been driving me nuts for a few days so I thought I'd ask (ok beg lol) for your help.
I have a client on Friday who wants a french polish with a gel overlay as she is a bridesmaid on Saturday, sounds simple enough.
However the problem I am having is I cant seem to get my overlays to stay on. I have been experimenting on my own nails this week and keep having the same problem, the gel keeps peeling/chipping away from the free edge.
I trained with star nails and have done everything I was taught i.e thorough prep and capping, but the same thing keeps happening.
I have tried the Quattro and that peeled away, I have tried their gel and had the same result. If someone has a picture/video tutorial on this I would be eternally grateful (especially capping as Im not sure Im doing it right.
I am so worried that her nails will end up peeling/chipping before the wedding.
Please help
Thanks
Stacy
p.s sorry for being so long winded

 

[Bagpuss]

Hi...

Are you doing the gel over enamel...?

In my experience this doesn't work....the gel doesn't adhere well to enamel....best solution would be to either just use enamel and use a good base and top coat...or do the whole french look using pink/clear and white gels...HTH x

 

[slipperyangel]

Hi...

Are you doing the gel over enamel...?

In my experience this doesn't work....the gel doesn't adhere well to enamel....best solution would be to either just use enamel and use a good base and top coat...or do the whole french look using pink/clear and white gels...HTH x

Hi
Yeah I was going to do gel over the enamel. I didnt think it would work so I tried doing a thin layer of gel first, then the enamel then another thin layer but the same thing kept happening.
Could it be that my nails are really flexible and soft?????

 

[Bagpuss]

Sorry just to say...if you are already doing the whole french look with gels only then try making them a little thicker....if its applied too thin it cant withstand and knocks and chips off. So thicker and special attention to capping the free edge. I cap with every layer i do....then be careful not to file this cap off when refining your final shape.

 

[Bagpuss]

Hi
Yeah I was going to do gel over the enamel. I didn't think it would work so I tried doing a thin layer of gel first, then the enamel then another thin layer but the same thing kept happening.
Could it be that my nails are really flexible and soft?????

No i think its down to the fact that you are using enamel....in most cases gel needs either its own sticky layer or a buffed surface to adhere too....enamel is neither of these so wouldn't adhere well.

 

[Nco London Gina]

why are you trying to put gel over nail polish??

can't you just do a gel french with white gel??

I am confused??

Gina xx

 

[slipperyangel]

Ive done nail art on natural nails in the past and used quattro to seal it in and its lasted ages (had to be filed off as it was growing out)
so I cant figure out why its not working so well now.
Thanks for all of your advice

 

[slipperyangel]

why are you trying to put gel over nail polish??

can't you just do a gel french with white gel??

I am confused??

Gina xx

Its what my client wants.
She doesnt want white gel, she just wants her french polish to last a little bit longer than normal

 

[Bagpuss]

Its what my client wants.
She doesnt want white gel, she just wants her french polish to last a little bit longer than normal

:lol: I am sure what she wants is a nice french overlay that isn't going to chip....:lol:

You are the proffesional...you need to explain to her that what she wants wont work...... if she wants a long lasting french overlay then using white gel is how its done.

 

[wg19]

Sometimes what clients want is not possible!

 

[slipperyangel]

Thanks for your advice
Ill ring her tomorrow to discuss what she wants and the best way to achieve it.

 

[NoLimitNails]

Hope you found a solution with the bridesmaid....

I just have to add to your comment about nailart under gel-topcoat. This is very different from havin the entire free edge covered in enamel, when the free edge is entirely covered in enamel or even paint, the gel cannot find a place t adhere to. If it's nailart (and I presume it didn't cover entire free edge) theres a lot more the gel can adhere to, thats my experience anyway.:hug:

 

[dellaznailz]

If she is adamant she doesn't want white gel then I would do an overlay in clear or pink gel and then enamel and topcoat for the French. this way she has strong nails and can change her French if she wants to.

It wont chip as she has gel underneath!

hth's:hug:

 

[slipperyangel]

Hope you found a solution with the bridesmaid....

I just have to add to your comment about nailart under gel-topcoat. This is very different from havin the entire free edge covered in enamel, when the free edge is entirely covered in enamel or even paint, the gel cannot find a place t adhere to. If it's nailart (and I presume it didn't cover entire free edge) theres a lot more the gel can adhere to, thats my experience anyway.:hug:

Hi
The nail art was done on top of enamel which covered the entire nail plate.
perhaps its just my nails it doesnt want to work for lol
Ill find a guinea pig to practice on tonight

 

[Bagpuss]

Its not your nails or anyone elses...it just doesn't work....people on this site have tried many times to use gel on top of enamel and its always the same...it chips off..enamel doesn't have the correct surface that gel requires to adhere.

If you have don't this before (as stated above) with no problems then why are you having problems now...?

Gel requires either itself or a buffed surface....its nothing to do with your nails or what the client wants.

 

[Chix Nails]

Okay, so I did something similar to this a few years ago and had the same results you were having, so I called the company of the product that I was using and was told that Gel over Enamel most likely would not work and they suggested using another product that they offered. It was a "Glass Glaze" it worked! perfectly! It actually sealed the polish and gave it a thick non-chippable coat, I've been using it ever since. The company changed the name of the product this past year but it is still the same formulation, I looked up online Star Nail Products because you said that's what you were using and they offer the same product, it's called "Glass Seal". Let me know what you came up with, I'd love to know what works out for you.

 

[Nail Perfection]

Okay, so I did something similar to this a few years ago and had the same results you were having, so I called the company of the product that I was using and was told that Gel over Enamel most likely would not work and they suggested using another product that they offered. It was a "Glass Glaze" it worked! perfectly! It actually sealed the polish and gave it a thick non-chippable coat, I've been using it ever since. The company changed the name of the product this past year but it is still the same formulation, I looked up online Star Nail Products because you said that's what you were using and they offer the same product, it's called "Glass Seal". Let me know what you came up with, I'd love to know what works out for you.

Do you have a link to the product at all? I have did a search and only found "glass seal" by Nouvou or Star Nails seem to do a UV sealer, the bottle has a green label?