The Gel Bottle (converting from CND Shellac)

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It's me

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Hi! I’m looking at converting to the Gel Bottle. Currently I’m using CND shellac but I’m finding it just isn’t lasting as well as it used to :-(
After a lot of research I’m looking at picking up just a few key colours from the gel bottle to start - what would you recommend? What have you all found to be most popular?
My most popular from CND was satin Pajamas, bare chemise, and dark lava. Along with honey darlin and tropix. Does anyone know the equivalent in the gel bottle?
thanks in advance x
 
Before you spend a lot more money, have you tried lecente Smooth It under shellac. It makes the nails stronger and clients can get 3 weeks wear. It soaks off too.
You could also try Young’s protein bond primer - really improves attachment.
 
Before you spend a lot more money, have you tried lecente Smooth It under shellac. It makes the nails stronger and clients can get 3 weeks wear. It soaks off too.
You could also try Young’s protein bond primer - really improves attachment.
Yes I’ve tried smooth it. Made no difference to my nails Whatsoever :-( I normally Try everything in my own nails first as I can get about a month out of shellac, well I used to, as now I’m struggling with getting a week eek!
Just looking for a few recommendations to start me off x
 
Hi! I’m looking at converting to the Gel Bottle. Currently I’m using CND shellac but I’m finding it just isn’t lasting as well as it used to :-(
After a lot of research I’m looking at picking up just a few key colours from the gel bottle to start - what would you recommend? What have you all found to be most popular?
My most popular from CND was satin Pajamas, bare chemise, and dark lava. Along with honey darlin and tropix. Does anyone know the equivalent in the gel bottle?
thanks in advance x
I’m also curious about what the most popular colours are as I also currently use CND Shellac but I’m about to buy around 12 bottles from The Gel Bottle to try. I’ve tried googling but not found much info on popular colours, hopefully someone on here can give us an answer
 
I’m also curious about what the most popular colours are as I also currently use CND Shellac but I’m about to buy around 12 bottles from The Gel Bottle to try. I’ve tried googling but not found much info on popular colours, hopefully someone on here can give us an answer
Hi! You’re in the same position as me then! I’ve literally googled everything I can think of and looked at sooooo many swatches now that I’m completely bamboozled!!!
Really hoping someone can help!
 
Have you tried joining TGB Facebook page/group? You’ll be able to see lots of their colours there. My most popular colour is Ophelia - I’ve never used CND though so can’t tell you what it is similar to.

Edit: You might want to research TGB a little before you start investing a lot of money.
 
Have you tried joining TGB Facebook page/group? You’ll be able to see lots of their colours there. My most popular colour is Ophelia - I’ve never used CND though so can’t tell you what it is similar to.

Edit: You might want to research TGB a little before you start investing a lot of money.
Hi. Yes I’m a member of the group and I have also compared so many swatches to my current ones. But unfortunately a real life comparison to a photo isn’t the same and I’m struggling to get a good match, hence why I was asking if anyone had converted over and knew the best matches.

i have done quite a bit of research yes..... I looked at converting several months ago but decided to hold off as I was about to go on mat leave at the time.
Im getting the feeling you have some negative experiences????? If so please share as I’d be keen to hear other experiences
 
Yes, I agree, sometimes photos do not represent the actual colours very well.

I personally haven’t had any issues and in all honesty, I love their products. However, there has been some inference that some of their builders and bases may be the cause of oncholysis in some clients. Whether it’s accurate or not, I don’t know, however I have seen enough posts and pictures that I’ve recently sold all my builder gels - although I’m hanging on to my colours for the time being as I use these over acrylic/gel. I am also trialling other brands at the moment - I’ve just purchased some INK items and I going to get some Magpie products soon.

I hope they get to the bottom of it and come up with some answers or resolution - I would love to have the confidence to continue using their builder products again.
 
Yes, I agree, sometimes photos do not represent the actual colours very well.

I personally haven’t had any issues and in all honesty, I love their products. However, there has been some inference that some of their builders and bases may be the cause of oncholysis in some clients. Whether it’s accurate or not, I don’t know, however I have seen enough posts and pictures that I’ve recently sold all my builder gels - although I’m hanging on to my colours for the time being as I use these over acrylic/gel. I am also trialling other brands at the moment - I’ve just purchased some INK items and I going to get some Magpie products soon.

I hope they get to the bottom of it and come up with some answers or resolution - I would love to have the confidence to continue using their builder products again.
That’s interesting..... I haven’t found too much about that issue.
I will look at those other brands though also.
I’m just so concerned that CND just isn’t lasting anymore. When I first started using it I was getting a good 4 weeks out of it. Now I’m struggling to get 1. And I’m not doing anything differently. :-(
 
Did you decide to switch over to The Gel Bottle? If so how are you finding it ? If you are using the CND lamp I’ve herd once the bulbs start to get old the performance with formula doesn’t work so well?
 
Did you decide to switch over to The Gel Bottle? If so how are you finding it ? If you are using the CND lamp I’ve herd once the bulbs start to get old the performance with formula doesn’t work so well?
Hi! I’m actually going with a different brand altogether. The gel bottle seems to have a cult following, but from research it seems a lot of clients have had problems with it due to its very high hema content. So I’m going for a different brand - ikoniq. As they have no hema In most products, and I feel after the current situation, people will want as risk free as poss. Hopefully it pays off!!! I’ve tested it the last two weeks, using my CND lamp, and apart from two nails That I jammed in the seatbelt it’s lasted a lot longer than the shellac xx
 
Lol, my record so far with Ikon.iQ is a lady who partly lives abroad.... She went for 8 weeks and it was still intact on her return, albeit looking a bit funny as her natural nails had grown out so much.
 
CND shellac is only 14 days. However, if you switch to a different product, you are putting yourself at risk for skin problems 5-10-20 years later. Once this happens, youre looking at a different profession to work in. All that experience and expertise will go down the drain. So protect yourself first and put yourself first. You make money to enjoy it. But of course, using CND is only a first step. There are a lot of other things, you as a nail tech, must do to protect yourself.
 
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CND shellac is only 14 days. However, if you switch to a different product, you are putting yourself at risk for skin problems 5-10-20 years later.
Like CND Shellac, the IKON.IQ PRIMA gel polish is also hypoallergenic.
 
CND shellac is only 14 days. However, if you switch to a different product, you are putting yourself at risk for skin problems 5-10-20 years later. Once this happens, youre looking at a different profession to work in. All that experience and expertise will go down the drain. So protect yourself first and put yourself first. You make money to enjoy it. But of course, using CND is only a first step. There are a lot of other things, you as a nail tech, must do to protect yourself.

Tuan, you do know that Ikon.iQ is the safest, most hypoallergenic gel on the planet? You should research before you recite. Tsk... Honestly![emoji849][emoji38]
 
Tuan, you do know that Ikon.iQ is the safest, most hypoallergenic gel on the planet? You should research before you recite. Tsk... Honestly![emoji849][emoji38]

No I agree with you, I haven't looked into Ikon products. So I shouldn't be saying definitively that it does or doesn't cause allergies. With CND, I have seen convincing information to where I know its a safe product when used correctly. Thats simply not the case with other brands. The only info they have is that they have a paragraph on their website that claims its hypoallergenic.

A while back, I asked Bob how his products are formulated and how they are tested for proper cure. He pretty much said that it he can't give me that information, but I believe there are always exceptions. So he has a few things going against him. (1) I understand how products are made and the cost of it all. (2) If his products are good, I am the right person that he should convince that his products are safe if he is to ever show someone how their product is formulated and tested. I hold no grudges against Bob and I believe his products are good. But there should be an independent third party to evaluate products and exchange knowledges.

Some of you guys should know how I am by now. I will speak my mind on a subject that I believe in, no matter if its against the grain. Where I was wrong before was that I choosed very foul language and I apologize for that. But again if I find a product(s) or technique(s) that I truly believe in, I will give my calloused opinion because I have the research skills to look into these things.
 
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No I agree with you, I haven't looked into Ikon products. So I shouldn't be saying definitively that it does or doesn't cause allergies. With CND, I have seen convincing information to where I know its a safe product when used correctly. Thats simply not the case with other brands. The only info they have is that they have a paragraph on their website that claims its hypoallergenic.

A while back, I asked Bob how his products are formulated and how they are tested for proper cure. He pretty much said that it he can't give me that information, but I believe there are always exceptions. So he has a few things going against him. (1) I understand how products are made and the cost of it all. (2) If his products are good, I am the right person that he should convince that his products are safe if he is to ever show someone how their product is formulated and tested. I hold no grudges against Bob and I believe his products are good. But there should be an independent third party to evaluate products and exchange knowledges.

Some of you guys should know how I am by now. I will speak my mind on a subject that I believe in, no matter if its against the grain. Where I was wrong before was that I choosed very foul language and I apologize for that. But again if I find a product(s) or technique(s) that I truly believe in, I will give my calloused opinion because I have the research skills to look into these things.

Frankly Tuan, if I had invested a fortune in developing competition standard gel formulas that don’t contain a single high risk compound in their composition... and then invested another fortune to authenticate them against the highest EU standards... AND spent a fortune working in collaboration with a chemist and lamp manufacturer to ensure the correct levels of photo initiators for perfect curing....

I think I would be disinclined to hand that data out willy-nilly as well, it’s very valuable!

Read CAN’T give you data as WON’T give you data. Why should he? You don’t use the products and there is no benefit in your opinion.

Information is provided to those who require it as a duty to compliance and given he has developed a unique chemistry I think on the whole he is quite generous with the information he makes available, but quite rightly he isn’t about to hand over secret formulas for every Tom, Dick and Harry to copy. The same as any other reputable brand.
 

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