Shellac removal difficulties

[Ruth29]

Hi Geeks,

I have contacted my CND educator about this too, but wanted to ask on here in case any of you can help me. I trained with CND on the Shellac Beginners course in mid-February, and have only done around 10 sets of nails. Here is the email I have sent my educator...

"I'm having some trouble with getting shellac to come off properly. I'm using nourishing remover, CND foil wraps, leaving for 10 minutes. Then rubbing the nail, twisting and pulling the foil off then using an orange wood stick. The trouble is I'm having to do a lot of pushing and scraping with the stick, and it's still leaving bobbly bits of residue behind.
I've added a couple of pictures to hopefully show what I mean. The first is my hand, the others are a clients. I'm not sure what to do! I've got someone booked for removal on Monday and obviously want to tackle it properly, if you can reply before then."

Any help would be massively appreciated! Feeling disheartened.

 

[fluffy26]

Personally I put solar oil on first, this I find helps the product "glide" off then SATURATE pads with remover, leave 10 mins then take pads off one hand at a time. (If you take all the pads off at once sometimes the product can be dried on the 2nd by the time you get to it,if your not working quick enough) I tend not to twist & pull as I find it too messy. If it's done right it should practically curl up & fall off. If you do have a slight residue after scraping with orange stick, which is more noticeable with darker colours, I get a little bit of remover on a pad & rub, just as you would do if you were taking off a regular polish. HTH X

 

[fluffy26]

Don't feel disheartened it's teething problems, we all have to start somewhere! Keep going! X

 

[Oasis]

I use cuticle away for these bits and a metal pusher, it gets any leftover bits, but as said before it should come off really easily anyway. If your clients hands are cold that can make removal difficult so you can put their hand in heated mitts or put a towel over their hands with a hot water bottle on top. This should fix the problem. Xxx

 

[Lorrainiac]

Take the wraps off one at a time. Gently using an orange wood stick begin to remove the shellac. If there any tough bits, give the nail a rub over with some nourishing remover on a hands down pad and then gently push off the remaining. Looks like base coat isn't coming off and a few coloured bits. As someone else has said when you do your cuticle work and your lifting the cuticle with your curette this should lift any remaining bits still left on the nail. Make sure you are using plenty of nourishing remover on your foil wraps. Also once I've put mine on, I gently rub the top to really get the remover onto the nail.

 

[BBCharmer]

I personally prefer D Sperse instead of Nourishing remover. I found the Nourishing remover only worked really well when clients oiled regularly, and only had two colour coats and top coat. If they had stamping or nail art I would struggle with removal.

D Sperse is basically acetone and can be a little drying to the nails, so I put a drop of solar oil at cuticle before wrapping and find this helps a lot. It's also cheaper than Nourishing remover!

Keep persevering you will get there in the end. :hug: x

 

[NancySyd]

When you have problems with removal (especially with Shellac), look at the other end of the process. I have found that difficult removals usually signal a too thick application. Try "scrubbing" the basecoat on and then being super thin on the color coats and top coat.

 

[nailcandymk]

I def was applying my base coat way too thick when u first started and had the same issue of not being able to get every last bit of polish off the nail. Also sometimes I realized that I wasn't soaking the cotton pad in nourishing remover enough and so it made the removal a bit more difficult. I find that if I use such a little base coat that it actually seems as if I'm scrubbing it on, (as has been mentioned above) than that is super easy to remove. Don't worry - one day everything will just come together. Still now I sometimes apply the Base coat on the first finger a little too think and have to try and pull as much off as I can and I know as soon as I am done that nail will be a bit more difficult to remove

 

[pure]

Leave the remover on for longer. I find 12 minutes with Nourishing Remover works perfectly. If your clients hands are cold this will slow down the process so invest in a wheat bag or wrap hands in a towel. Remember, removal should require no scraping only gentle lifting.

For any stubborn bits of base coat that may be left soak a plastic backed pad with NR and scrub the nail, this should remove any last traces without damaging the nail.

 

[xkayla_herex]

I use acetone, with the tissue pads n tin foil (although I've just started using the removal clips which are good)

I apply to both hands then after applying to second hand I wait about a minute then remove the first finger I started with, I never wait 10 minutes and it comes of really easy straight away maybe you are leaving on too long? As I find if left on too long the acetone dries and shellac re hardens?

It could be as said above the application is too thick. Also mack sure if your using tin foil that it is in really rightly.

 

[Sharyn]

I did my first removal today and had all sorts of issues as I'm new to gel polishes!
I don't feel so bad seeing that it's not just me so thank you for the post. I've picked up some cool tips from this thread.

 

[Ruth29]

Glad it has helped Sharyn!
Thank you Geeks for your replies (and sorry it's taken me so long to say so). I think my difficulties must have been: cold hands (the client is notorious for cold hands constantly), not soaking the remover wrap with enough liquid and not using an extra cotton pad soon enough (I only went back over with extra once I'd removed and scraped all 10 fingers).
I've fed this back to her and she said that all makes sense and it's just a learning curve. She was very good about it. I felt awful at the time so have her a free solar oil pinkie which she seemed to appreciate.
The next removal I did went much better

 

[NailsbyToni]

Umm, do you not rough up the surface of the nail a bit before you attempt to remove them?

I am thinking I must really need a play book for this forum because the methods you guys are being taught to use aren't the methods we use here (or at least the salons I'm familiar with).

I simply use a standard, throw away, cheap, Emory board (nail file) to rough up the surface a bit. It helps for the acetone (I too, use straight acetone and foil) to penetrate the layers of polish.

Yes, your base coat can be thick as well as your top coat. That's why we rough it up a bit.

 

[fluffy26]

Umm, do you not rough up the surface of the nail a bit before you attempt to remove them?

I am thinking I must really need a play book for this forum because the methods you guys are being taught to use aren't the methods we use here (or at least the salons I'm familiar with).

I simply use a standard, throw away, cheap, Emory board (nail file) to rough up the surface a bit. It helps for the acetone (I too, use straight acetone and foil) to penetrate the layers of polish.

Yes, your base coat can be thick as well as your top coat. That's why we rough it up a bit.

It was shellac specifically the OP was referring to so in this case you do not need to "rough up" the top coat, it is not necessary with the shellac brand. I know you need to do this with gelish & some other generic gel polishes though.

 

[NailsbyToni]

It was shellac specifically the OP was referring to so in this case you do not need to "rough up" the top coat, it is not necessary with the shellac brand. I know you need to do this with gelish & some other generic gel polishes though.

I'm thinking I need to stay out of "shellac" threads because I am starting to think you guys are being sold a line here. I do not consider any of the brands I mentioned generic in any way.

CND as a product line (Creative Nail Design) has been around forever. Their biggest product line used to be Solarnail (acrylic). And now I'm hearing you guys referring to Solarnail as a "service" and all other gel polishes as "generic" when referencing CND and I am reminded of this discussion on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/beth...e-educated-on-the-services-/10150995024038303

And it makes me sad to get the gut feeling that you ladies are being taken for a ride with this company by way of calling things "services" and such.

BUT, never fear. It's all good. I trust that everyone is going into this educated and aware. I just can't keep quiet about it.

And I still stand by my comment of "roughing it up" before removal. You'd be amazed at how much time you shave off your service time doing this.



(let me just add this: I am not hating on CND.Honest. I'm just taken back by the way people are calling it. It's something other techs have noticed lately (hence the link to the facebook post). Plus, I do have personal experience with this kind of manipulation and I know that at least in one case, this manipulation has affected my business with a client.)

 

[fluffy26]

I'm thinking I need to stay out of "shellac" threads because I am starting to think you guys are being sold a line here. I do not consider any of the brands I mentioned generic in any way.

CND as a product line (Creative Nail Design) has been around forever. Their biggest product line used to be Solarnail (acrylic). And now I'm hearing you guys referring to Solarnail as a "service" and all other gel polishes as "generic" when referencing CND and I am reminded of this discussion on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/beth...e-educated-on-the-services-/10150995024038303

And it makes me sad to get the gut feeling that you ladies are being taken for a ride with this company by way of calling things "services" and such.

BUT, never fear. It's all good. I trust that everyone is going into this educated and aware. I just can't keep quiet about it.

And I still stand by my comment of "roughing it up" before removal. You'd be amazed at how much time you shave off your service time doing this.



(let me just add this: I am not hating on CND.Honest. I'm just taken back by the way people are calling it. It's something other techs have noticed lately (hence the link to the facebook post). Plus, I do have personal experience with this kind of manipulation and I know that at least in one case, this manipulation has affected my business with a client.)

Whether you choose to stay out of a "shellac thread" or not is entirely Upto you. You obviously have an opinion (all of which are important on this site!) In my opinion no one is being misled or manipulated & No one is saying you can't rough up the surface of the gelish/shellac/gel polish,whatever brand it is you are choosing to use, to speed up removal, but what I am saying is with the shellac brand it is not necessary! I've been in the nail industry since 1998 & very familiar with CND products & they obviously have had product overhauls over the years & if clients come in asking for "solar nail" they are just asking for a branded service, in short L&P extensions probably! X

 

[NailsbyToni]

Whether you choose to stay out of a "shellac thread" or not is entirely Upto you. You obviously have an opinion (all of which are important on this site!) In my opinion no one is being misled or manipulated & No one is saying you can't rough up the surface of the gelish/shellac/gel polish,whatever brand it is you are choosing to use, to speed up removal, but what I am saying is with the shellac brand it is not necessary! I've been in the nail industry since 1998 & very familiar with CND products & they obviously have had product overhauls over the years & if clients come in asking for "solar nail" they are just asking for a branded service, in short L&P extensions probably! X

I think my problem is this: I had a client who came to me asking for "solarnails" one time. This client insisted that the salon she went to did solar nail services. Now, I've since found out that obviously, she meant to say they use SolarNail brand from CND, but what ticks me off is that the salon is pushing this as a service.

This wasn't one of those "salons" spoken of in the facebook link. This wasn't a cheap, dirty, run-down salon. This was an upscale, full service salon in a very nice area.

And what they were selling was a gimmick. CND is a freakin' awesome brand with amazing products!! It's the gimmick I detest. So they've gimicked up their polish by calling it "Shellac". ALL businesses gimmick up their products.

MY problem is that the salons then refuse to explain that this is a gimmick so that when I get these clients, I am the one at fault if I don't have the gimmick. And, the company that sells this product also refuses to man up and admit this as well, further complicating things.

Gel polish is just that--gel polish. It isn't shellac, it isn't a service, it's just gel polish that uses a UV light (of your choice or preference).

Are there products out on the market better than others--absofreakinlutely!!

Do you understand where I am coming from (it is hard to explain in words)? I've NO problem using CND (wish I could afford to!!). I've no problem using a company's product line (wish I could afford to)... but I am not a bad tech if I do not or I choose to use a non-CND UV light with this polish (or insert whatever else might fit).

No one here ever insinuated that, I know. All I am saying is that I wish, WISH, we could have a standard across the board (and pond!) and call services what they are instead of making up gimmicky things to go with the service, potentially affecting the business of some techs.

That is all I am saying. I'd go broke if I had to be certified by all the products the way I am reading some of you are. I know how to apply gels--both hard and polish and paints and soak off. I don't need a piece of paper telling me this and I certainly shouldn't be punished for not having that paper.

That is all I am saying.
(Should I insert a ton of smilies so that everyone sees that I am not being difficult, frustrating, or contrary; just stating my gut feeling???? :wink2::biggrin:)

 

[princessamie]

Shellac doesn't need to be roughed up before removal. It can be, of course, but there's no need.

No one is being sold a line. With the right application (thin base etc) and ideal circumstances (warm hands etc), the removal is quick and easy. Roughing up won't save any time unless you've done a double top coat or a thick top coat. It may seem like it saves time, but that time you're spending buffing the surface, they could be soaking off.

I admit, so of the things CND say do leave me questioning their motives but, how would the way they advise to remove Shellac benefit them at all? It wouldn't. Not in the slightest.

 

[NailsbyToni]

Shellac doesn't need to be roughed up before removal. It can be, of course, but there's no need.

No one is being sold a line. With the right application (thin base etc) and ideal circumstances (warm hands etc), the removal is quick and easy. Roughing up won't save any time unless you've done a double top coat or a thick top coat. It may seem like it saves time, but that time you're spending buffing the surface, they could be soaking off.

I admit, so of the things CND say do leave me questioning their motives but, how would the way they advise to remove Shellac benefit them at all? It wouldn't. Not in the slightest.

Actually, I do find it does save me time, not much mind you, but enough that my client isn't soaking in acetone quite as long. This is a preference, of course!

Yeah, you hit it--it's a matter of motives. As for what benefit it would have? That's a motive thing too, I think. Yes, of course, it is ALL in the application and the method used. Even Young Nails, who I am in love with, have a gimmick (C'mon, Greg Salo IS the gimmick. ;D).

I just have to learn that what you guys mean by Shellac is actually just gel polish.

 

[princessamie]

Actually, I do find it does save me time, not much mind you, but enough that my client isn't soaking in acetone quite as long. This is a preference, of course!

Yeah, you hit it--it's a matter of motives. As for what benefit it would have? That's a motive thing too, I think. Yes, of course, it is ALL in the application and the method used. Even Young Nails, who I am in love with, have a gimmick (C'mon, Greg Salo IS the gimmick. ;D).

I just have to learn that what you guys mean by Shellac is actually just gel polish.

Actually, no. When we use the term Shellac, we are referring to CND Shellac. It's a product.

Shellac isn't a gimmick. It's a product. One of many that CND have produced.