Question about BL Sculpting

[Comley]

Hi everyone,

I'm still training to be a nail tech and thinking ahead and I have so many questions! I have a few questions about Brisa Lite Sculpting:

1. If I were to use the BL Sculpting clear for the whole nail (no french) do I still have to file the whole nail before using the top coat? Our trainer says that filing the whole nail prior to using the top is only necessary to even out the the white + pink/clear, so if you were not doing a french you can skip this step. Is that true?

2. How many of you rebalance the BL Sculpting? Our trainer says its best to just soak it all off each time, but I would have thought the rebalancing would reduce service time?

3. Can you use Shellac on top of BL Sculpting? Our trainer says that would be a waste of time and we should use normal polish/Vinylux instead.

Thank you for your time!

 

[izzidoll]

When I have used BL Sculpting Gel as an overlay on my nails I have done finish filing on it to seal the cuticle area and sidewalls, and ensure a smooth finish. BL Sculpting is so easy to file it only takes a few swipes and it does make for a better finish.

You can infill/rebalance with BL Sculpting Gel and that is recommended. It is BL Smoothing Gel that gets removed every service.

I agree with your tutor that normal polish is best on BL sculpting enhancements as it will last just as long and look as good as Shellac. Polish should be applied over the completely finished top coated nail.
However if your clients already love the Shellac colours and want it then you can still apply it on enhancements, but you need to charge extra for this, you can apply Shellac right after the finish filing finishing with the Shellac topcoat.

 

[geeg]

Hi everyone,

I'm still training to be a nail tech and thinking ahead and I have so many questions! I have a few questions about Brisa Lite Sculpting:

1. If I were to use the BL Sculpting clear for the whole nail (no french) do I still have to file the whole nail before using the top coat? Our trainer says that filing the whole nail prior to using the top is only necessary to even out the the white + pink/clear, so if you were not doing a french you can skip this step. Is that true?

2. How many of you rebalance the BL Sculpting? Our trainer says its best to just soak it all off each time, but I would have thought the rebalancing would reduce service time?

3. Can you use Shellac on top of BL Sculpting? Our trainer says that would be a waste of time and we should use normal polish/Vinylux instead.

Thank you for your time!

1. I would say that for perfect shaping and the best result, yes you would need to file finish.
Filing is not just to even out the white and pink, it is needed to refine the whole surface of the enhancement. It would be some great technician who applied gel so perfectly that it would not need any refining.

2. I re-balance the Sculpting gel until the client wants a new set ... Just the same as liquid & powder. It is not necessary or desirable to remove the gel at each appointment.

3. You CAN use Shellac on top of any enhancement and if you do want to do it, you don't need to apply Shellac Base coat.

I agree with your trainer on this point though; it does seem a waste of time and money when we have VINYLUX to use instead.

Most clients would not want to pay extra for Shellac on top of the gel and remember, you would have to file the Shellac off at the rebalance appointment because soaking would compromise the gel beneath it.

HTH

 

[geeg]

Ha ha .. I was typing at the same time as you Izzi and then Simon interrupted my typing to ask me something which delayed me sending the post. So ... Sorry if my answer exactly echoes yours.

 

[Comley]

Oh, thank you both so much for your quick answers!

Reading your answer, Izzidoll, brings up another question I have : I have in mind this lofty goal that as a professional nail tech I should always have nice nails. I dream that I would be able to do my own nails, but I have trouble doing my right hand (getting the gel on the 3 zones in the right proportions) as I'm not ambidextrous. You said, "when I have used BL on my own nails....." How long did it take you to be good at doing your own nails? Was it hard?

 

[geeg]

Oh, thank you both so much for your quick answers!

Reading your answer, Izzidoll, brings up another question I have : I have in mind this lofty goal that as a professional nail tech I should always have nice nails. I dream that I would be able to do my own nails, but I have trouble doing my right hand (getting the gel on the 3 zones in the right proportions) as I'm not ambidextrous. You said, "when I have used BL on my own nails....." How long did it take you to be good at doing your own nails? Was it hard?

The wonderful thing is, that even if you don't do your dominant hand as perfectly as the other hand with your brush, you can always file it into perfect shape with your file! So no worries.

 

[Lucy_Lu]

Oh, thank you both so much for your quick answers!

Reading your answer, Izzidoll, brings up another question I have : I have in mind this lofty goal that as a professional nail tech I should always have nice nails. I dream that I would be able to do my own nails, but I have trouble doing my right hand (getting the gel on the 3 zones in the right proportions) as I'm not ambidextrous. You said, "when I have used BL on my own nails....." How long did it take you to be good at doing your own nails? Was it hard?

I definitely have to sculpt with my file on my right hand...oops! Xx

 

[geeg]

I definitely have to sculpt with my file on my right hand...oops! Xx

I would guess that most people do. I don't think you are unique in that. :hug:

 

[souz]

I find myself throwing a spanner in the works on here a lot! So here goes....i rebalance bl sculpting generally until clients nails have grown to just have an overlay on them (thats what my clients want) or until a new set is asked for...

I do shellac over extensions instead of vinylux most of the time as my clients like the shine finish of shellac, they like that it stays completely in place no chipping etc until next appt snd all the art snd styles i can create in shellac, i charge enough extra to cover costs, i only offer art that i can quickly achieve so no real time lost. Dont get me wrong i love vinylux but for me over extensions shellac works much better as it is completely dry. Yes it does mean removing the shellac before infilling but if your shellac is thin enough it only takes s few swipes of a file.

 

[Comley]

Thank you, thank you!

Seeking more advice: I was reading through the long thread for BL and read about BL Sculpting 'as a base layer' and also doing two layers of BL Sculpting.
1. Do I understand it correctly that if you use it as a base layer, you are 'painting it on' as a base beneath Shellac?
2. Can you really just 'paint it on' for a bit of strength without properly 'building the nail'?
3. Why would you use two layers of BL Sculpting? Shouldn't you be able to build in enough strength? Or do you think it was a typo and they meant BL Smoothing?

Sorry if the answers are obvious, but our trainer hasn't referred to two layers of BL Sculpting (yet) and I am desperate to learn!

 

[Lucy_Lu]

I will sometimes use a thin layer of BL sculpting brushed on underneath shellac if I find smoothing gel isn't strong enough for the client. I don't know if there is a technical reason for why you shouldn't do this...but it certainly works on my clients xx

 

[Treacle44]

Hi Lucy Lu do you then just paint Shellac colour straight on top of the thin layer? Thanks

 

[Comley]

Treacle44, I just tried a thin layer of BL Sculpting + shellac rockstar 4 weeks ago. My nais were strong and thin and gorgeous. There are two nail where the rockstar is chipping, I suppose I used too much glitter in those two spots. but the other 8 nails are going strong