Smile lines when doing a French Manicure

[sukic]

Hi

I'm pretty new to the whole beauty thing, my mani and pedi's are ok. I'm fearful of French manicures though. I practice my smile lines on myself mainly, but my hands so shaky they just look rubbish! If I try to clean them up with nail varnish remover and those pointy cosmetic buds they don't look too bad, but they are quite big and not very precise. If I used a brush instead is there a special one I need to buy? What do you use?

 

[Bagpuss]

The best advise I can give you is to practice...day and night...get some cheep old tips...or even just save the left over tips that you cut off when doing a full set and just keep painting on a smile line...over and over again. What happens if that because we don't feel great about doing something we kinda try not to do it.....but the more you do it the easier it will become.

 

[deanosnana]

The best advise I can give you is to practice...day and night...get some cheep old tips...or even just save the left over tips that you cut off when doing a full set and just keep painting on a smile line...over and over again. What happens if that because we don't feel great about doing something we kinda try not to do it.....but the more you do it the easier it will become.

I could not agree more! Great advice. Practice does make perfect. When my smile lines aren't perfect, I use a small, natural hair (not synthetic) art brush dipped in acetone. I'm gearing up for some Nail Fresh tho, next time I'm at the beauty supply!

Best of luck!

 

[satinbaby]

practise practise practise... there is guides and that but once youve go it its plain sailing you can put a false tip on some blue tack and on the end of a pen you can get a good practise like that xxx make sure you have a good white thats not gloopy xx

 

[DEBI-DEE]

I sometimes use a small pointed brush to tidy up my smile line, but i also love my polish corrector pen dipped in acetone. I do keep meaning to by nailfresh as its meant to be fantastic for cleaning up smile lines.

 

[AllThumbs]

i prefer to use a large size 20-22 round acrylic brush, like you would see in a vietnamese salon. dip in acetone, and slide it around in a fan motion so that the edges barely sweep the smile line. and like the others practice practice. there may come a day when you don't have a brush handy and need to do it old school. you can also practice with the polish by starting in the center of the nail and dragging out and up to create your corner and then do the same on the other side. just touch up the center to make it round. Try holding your polish brush stationary and rotaing the finger slightly. you'll get a straighter line. good luck!

 

[::Natasha::]

I sometimes use a small pointed brush to tidy up my smile line, but i also love my polish corrector pen dipped in acetone. I do keep meaning to by nailfresh as its meant to be fantastic for cleaning up smile lines.

i couldnt agree more!! thats all i use when i do a polished french mani. its easier to control, and the tip holds the acetone/remover way better than using an orange wood stick or anything like that.
best advice - perfect each smile line individually. dont apply all the whites then go back, i find when the polish is in its tacky stage it gets a bit messier with the polish corrector pen. HTH! xxxx

 

[geeg]

I'm thinking that maybe some tips on how to APPLY a beautiful French Manicure rather than tips on how to CLEAN UP might be more useful?

This advice is only how to paint the white free edge.


Always apply base coat
Use a top quality professional polish that has a good brush (CND comes to mind)
Don't over load your brush with too much polish.
Apply thin first coat of white ... doesn't matter if it is streaky.
Apply this first coat FAST ... the slower you apply the more wobbly the smile. Do all 10
Apply a second thin coat to perfect and even out the white.

I promise that the faster you sweep your brush across the smile the more even it will be then any corrections you need to make are only very minor ones. You WILL get some polish on the skin ... no problem ... just clean up later with a brush and some Nailfresh form CND for a flawless end result.

Then carry on to finish the manicure polish with your favourite French pink and then top coat.

 

[loubilicious]

thank you Geeg. That's exactly the kind of tips I personally am looking for. I'd much rather get it right with minimal amount of 'repair' work than rely on 'patching up' My problem seems to be getting the white even.....my smiles aren't too bad but my white always seems to be a bit patchy....so it's practise, practise, practise!!! Now where's that blutack???
Lou xx
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[jankax]

I'm thinking that maybe some tips on how to APPLY a beautiful French Manicure rather than tips on how to CLEAN UP might be more useful?

This advice is only how to paint the white free edge.


Always apply base coat
Use a top quality professional polish that has a good brush (CND comes to mind)
Don't over load your brush with too much polish.
Apply thin first coat of white ... doesn't matter if it is streaky.
Apply this first coat FAST ... the slower you apply the more wobbly the smile. Do all 10
Apply a second thin coat to perfect and even out the white.

I promise that the faster you sweep your brush across the smile the more even it will be then any corrections you need to make are only very minor ones. You WILL get some polish on the skin ... no problem ... just clean up later with a brush and some Nailfresh form CND for a flawless end result.

Then carry on to finish the manicure polish with your favourite French pink and then top coat.

Brilliant, just what I've been looking for, thanks Gigi.
What sort of brush would i use to clean up afterwards? I have a tiny gel brush that I dont use, would that be ok?
:hug:

 

[geeg]

Brilliant, just what I've been looking for, thanks Gigi.
What sort of brush would i use to clean up afterwards? I have a tiny gel brush that I dont use, would that be ok?
:hug:

I tend to use a natural hair brush like an old Acrylic brush that still has a decent point ... it must have a good point as this is all you use.

NailFresh would pretty much destroy a synthetic brush I think !!

 

[nailzoo]

funny (but logical) tips for you.

Hold your breathe on each nail

Don't drink too much coffee.

Don't try/concentrate too hard.

 

[Bagpuss]

funny (but logical) tips for you.

Hold your breathe on each nail

Don't drink too much coffee.

Don't try/concentrate too hard.

and....tell your client to shut up.... i do find that when some of my clients speak it makes their fingers move...maybe its an invisible string going from their lips to there hands....:lol:

 

[MINKUS]

here's a cool vid that 'some random' nail tec did !:green::hug:


YouTube- Acrylic Nails - Short Freehand French Paint

Or..............persuade them to have gel !

Dry straight away...lasts 3 times as long....will help their nails grow...........wont smudge or chip.

 

[MINKUS]

and another..

YouTube- Acrylic Nails - Freehand French Paint