Snakeskin Pedi! OMG so cool!

[Gelsbyjanice]

The Snakeskin Pedicure: The Latest Beauty Craze, Or Just Plain Crazy?: Daily Beauty Reporter: Beauty Reporter Blog: allure.com

this so amazing! Would you wear it? If i could afford it you better believe i would!

Hi Ladies! If I may, let me share with you some updated info on the snake SHED offered by Bio Sculpture. I have just returned from their corporate office in Irvine, CA where I visit regularly:

YES - you can now purchase the shed direct from Bio at $20 for 6" (I'd go to a pet store or a neighbor for their snakes shed myself although I live in Maui where snakes are NOT allowed).

The biggest thing in nails right now is TEXTURE. They are now using peacock feathers and shells among other things if you can believe it so if snake shed is not your thing, experimenting with other textures with the Bio gels could be a huge money maker for you. I've just returned from the mainland with peacock feathers and other textured items I picked up at Michael's craft store to experiment with.

Due to the full page article in the June Vogue magazine, Bio is getting a lot of attention. It can only do your business a lot of good to stay up on what the fashion public is demanding. If nothing else, a copy of the magazine in your salon will get attention. It's a first for Bio Sculpture. Because of the very nature of textures being the latest and greatest, and the fact that Terri Silacci in Monterey,CA came up with the idea, she is known as the "ambassador/high priestess of the pedicure".

The snake shed is very difficult to use because it is VERY fragile. In order to get the effect you see in VOGUE magazine, you have to use different shades of gel with it. First as a base coat, then to "paint" in between the scales to make them stand out. BTW, the photo in Vogue is airbrushed as you can see not only by the perfection of the pedi itself without any texture but also but the woman's foot wearing it. Not a single flaw. Nobody has feet that smooth and perfect.

Bio also offers a "mesh" as stated here in this thread, however, the one they offer now is made of metal. After applying a layer of Sculpting gel, you flash cure, then press then mesh into the gel to solidify the indentations created by the mesh. You then apply colors over and in the lines to give the look of snake shed.

I'm new to Salon Geek and the Bio Sculpture threads. I'm looking forward to sharing everything Bio with my new Bio family.

Aloha,
gelsbyjanice
Maui, HI

 

[Gelsbyjanice]

Well it's official for me. Today I tried both the real snake-shed and the mimic mesh snakeskin pattern. Neither one was a breeze, but the real shed was much more difficult to work with. As I had posted before (an educator shared with me) the shed is very fragile. It's so very thin and difficult to move around after you've set it in the gel as well as to get it to lay flat (yes texture is great but this was a bit much to me). When I tried to refine it, it lost its authentic look about it and the lines were blurred.

The mimic mesh effect is GREAT though using that metal mesh was tricky. It's sharp for one! I think with a few more practice runs I'll learn to love the faux though I can't see how you'd ever be able to use it on a pedi. Can you say fugetaboutit..:Scared:. If I attempt the real shed again, it will be on a pedi where there isn't as much surface to deal with.

I should point out even the mimic mesh faux snakeskin look is a LOT of work. Each and every one of the diamond shaped holes made by the mesh has to be painted. And to make it authentic, a third gel is necessary in random spots. It would take a lot of time to paint 10 nails this way!

 

[geeg]

I think I will stick to Minx which is very easy to apply and they have hAD THE SNAKESKIN PATTERN FOR ages. i reckon it will have a little flurry of popularity on the back of this or maybe it was the other way around. Who knows? If its good for business its good for business.

Happy 4th of July! xx

 

[TweezerHappy]

The only difference I can see between snakeskin/faux snakeskin and Minx is the texture. Maybe if Minx brought out textured Minx it would be easier for techs. Don't think I'd like the texture though.

 

[brittone05]

Snakes can indeed carry salmonella as can 99.9% of all reptiles, obviously as a keeper maintaining high levels of hygeine is of the utmost importance but as a nail tech that goes without saying

snakes are not harmed to get the skin used - snakes actually shed their skin regularly due to growth and will only do so if they are kept correctly ( at least will only do so in full - incorrect humidity and housing factors can have negative effects such as incomplete shedding, build up of layers of unshed skin and eyecaps ( yes they have skin over their eyes too ) and restriction of the body, particularly the ventral area near the base of the tail which can cause necrosis if left untreated )

I used to use my snakes skins and other reptile skins with texture regularly for my own nails, long before i followed my love of nails as a career and it can look amazing. i just think that with the process of sterlisation and other factors to make the skins suitable for use in the nail industry, Minx is a much more cost and time effective alternative to offer to clients

 

[NoLimitNails]

Yep MINX for me too, or a mesh, but mainly because I hate texture on my nails LOL. I love a smooth feeling on my nails and being a nailtech I know how much dust can collect in just a 3d rose, so a snakeskin uhmmm not for me:wink2:

 

[Gelsbyjanice]

Hi Ladies,

In the spirit of full disclosure, the following disclaimer as well as instructions for "sanitizing" the snake-shed are included in a package of the product.

I know we gather here to share what we learn either through personal experience or what we've learned through educating ourselves.

I thought I'd share this bit of info with all of you. I'm not making an opinion on it either way.

 

[eskimonailtech]

i don't like snakes on the grounds that i have gerbils and cant ever imagine my sweet little babies being eaten!!! ahhhh no no no!

still gross to me as well. wont buy snakeskin products ever! but i would consider doing the faux look if a client wanted it.

 

[meli_moo]

oh my gosh I've seen this whist flicking through a magazine!! I didnt read it properly...I didnt think it was really snake skin!!

 

[mizzy_dizzy]

its just Keratin same as your fingernails and hair,

People are happy to use feathers in nails art
(keratin and alot of larger birds would eat gerbils )

or slightly different to Keratin sea shells from mollusks ,

or hair extensions made with human hair ....but no one bats an eye lid ,

all of these can carry salmonella in there gut and many other icky things ... look at some of the things humans have !

the snake shed is natural occurrence like brittone said it happens painlessly with growth , it is not to be confused with the alligator / snake skin bags or shoes witch is made through the death of he animal,

Shed skin is delicate but less than if you wear using skeleton leafs ,it is afterall Keratin you can totally submerse it into barbacide, steam it , pray it
or boil it (you may feel like one of the 3 Macbeth witches)

there are easyer ways ,
air brush it ,
netting inprint
neting inbedded
konard stamping
minx
paint it

 

[nikkisbeauty]

Ok so be gathering images and watching different demos and seeing different end results and I think that both natural and fake snake skin( shed) nails are great but I really do prefer the fake or man made versions just my opinion xx

 

[Unique.Tips]

If you watch the YouTube video of the Today Show interview it clearly shows that it is SHED SNAKE SKIN. So no animals are killed in the making of these nails.

That being said, I would think you could get the same effect using wide mesh fabric tool. Or maybe MINX should come up with a "shed snake skin" design that is semi-transparent like the snake skin. That way it could go over colored Biosculpture or Shellac. That way the pieces would be pre-cut making for easier application.

I think it's a great concept! Hopefully ease of application will increase so I can incorporate this into my services.