The Tricks of the Trade ...

[Mrs.Clooney]

also, when painting a french, I take the brush first down the nail to make the french, do this on all nails, then go back to the begining and do another coat from side to side as i find this way you get right into the corners, does anyone else do it this way.

Sorry Jac, not sure I follow you here. Can you elaborate please?
By the way, excellent thread by Geeg.

 

[jac extreme]

Sorry Jac, not sure I follow you here. Can you elaborate please?
By the way, excellent thread by Geeg.

I knew I hadn't explained it clearly.
When applying the French white polish, I do the first coat along the French line, but instead of sweeping it across, I make about four or five sweeps from the smile line to the free edge ( is that better):lol:

 

[pazzy]

Go, i knew i hadnt explained it clearly. when applying the french white polish, I do the first coat along the french line, but instead of sweeping it across, I make abput four or five sweeps from the smile line to the free edge ( is that better):lol:

I know what you mean cos I do it exactly the same way...

 

[*JOANNE*]

if someone has broke the tip end of an enhancement dont soak the rest of the overlay off just thin down the exsisting product and reapply a new tip then overlay(if the product left on has no lifting and is still nicely adhered to the natural nail) . saves you waiting for that nail to soak off (15-20) minutes.
saves time if its just someone coming back because they have broke one nail off at the tip

 

[geeg]

Here's another one. For those of you who use an odor free liquid and Powder.

Did you know that the sticky 'roll off' layer and the dust therefrom is very apt to cause sensitivity and eventually allergic reaction?

To avoid the risk, simply complete each hand and then submerge fingertips into water that is at about body temperature for approximately one minute. This will completely cure the sticky layer so that there is no uncured product left to cause sensitivity to either you or your client!! No roll off layer to remove either so you can sculpt the nail enhancements thinner and use less product.

 

[Cathie!]

If you need to soak off just one or two nails, use the cotton wool and tin foil method which lets you carry on with your prep for rebalance and by the time you have finished these, the soak off will be done, ready for you to prep....

To do this, thin out the nail to be soaked off, I usually file off what is left of the free edge too, unless I will be doing a natural nail overlay after the soak off, soak a cotton ball in some product remover, place over the nail and wrap in tin foil....oven ready style.

It means that as you haven't got a finger stuck in a pot of some description, you can carry on working on the rest of the hand as the client can move the finger that is soaking off wherever you need her to!

OK, I'm trying to think of a better one

 

[cherubs]

When soaking off enhancements in acetone I always put a little cuticle oil in aswell, Not that good I know but it's my little contribution!!!!!!

 

[pinkshell_nails]

When trying to pick up those damned rhinestones, the best, and cheapest method ive found is to get an orange stick, and stick the tinyest bit of blutack on the end. That way the rhinestone will pick up straight away, and without the need for water, much cheaper than a picker upperer!!!

Michelle

 

[kadie]

I knew I hadn't explained it clearly.
When applying the French white polish, I do the first coat along the French line, but instead of sweeping it across, I make about four or five sweeps from the smile line to the free edge ( is that better):lol:

i do it this way to, i find it so much easier to control. i do my gel this way too. x

 

[1999judy]

I use a cocktail stick to pick up rhinestones and store all the sticks in a little plastic tube that once held mini eggs it's just the right size. I took the wrapper off of course!

 

[min11]

When trying to pick up those damned rhinestones, the best, and cheapest method ive found is to get an orange stick, and stick the tinyest bit of blutack on the end. That way the rhinestone will pick up straight away, and without the need for water, much cheaper than a picker upperer!!!

Michelle

I was trained at the decor class to barely touch the 'picker upper tool' or corner of an orange stick into a tiny bit of topcoat thats either been dripped by you into a tissue or just touch the brush in the bottle. The rhinestone sticks to it until you touch it to the nail and if your ready and know where the next few stones are going it will last a few before you have to touch the topcoat again. Its just to make the tool or stick tacky so you can wipe most of it off first.

 

[ariaaland]

hi gigi... been doing the polish remover thing for most of my teenage early twenties... but forgot about that method since my "training" in nails and the advent of so many new products made for accidents of this nature. thanks for reminding us that "new broom sweep clean but old broom knows the corners" i hope you undesrtand this west indian saying..if you dont it translates to mean that new stuff is good and all but sometimes its the old tried and proven methods that really do the job. cheers

 

[Northern Nails]

also, when painting a french, I take the brush first down the nail to make the french, do this on all nails, then go back to the begining and do another coat from side to side as i find this way you get right into the corners, does anyone else do it this way.

this is the way i do it for the exact same reason, i can get right up into the corners.

 

[River]

also, when painting a french, I take the brush first down the nail to make the french, do this on all nails, then go back to the begining and do another coat from side to side as i find this way you get right into the corners, does anyone else do it this way.

Sorry Jac, I've had 4 hours sleep and my brain has stopped working.

What do you mean by "take the brush first down the nail to make the french" ?



River

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

I knew I hadn't explained it clearly.
When applying the French white polish, I do the first coat along the French line, but instead of sweeping it across, I make about four or five sweeps from the smile line to the free edge ( is that better):lol:

When I come for an L&P trial on my poor fingers, perhaps you can give me a demo. I'm always keen to learn new tricks of the trade although I think my French polish smiles have come along with practice.

 

[geeg]

Sorry Jac, I've had 4 hours sleep and my brain has stopped working.

What do you mean by "take the brush first down the nail to make the french" ?River

What Jac is describing is a method of French Manicure that is first done with several small strokes in a North - South direction (from the smile line to the free edge) that creates her smile line and a thin coverage. I presume she then goes on to her 2nd coat working in a West - East direction and sharpening the smile line and thickening the coverage as she sweeps across.

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Here's another one. For those of you who use an odor free liquid and Powder.

Did you know that the sticky 'roll off' layer and the dust therefrom is very apt to cause sensitivity and eventually allergic reaction?

To avoid the risk, simply complete each hand and then submerge fingertips into water that is at about body temperature for approximately one minute. This will completely cure the sticky layer so that there is no uncured product left to cause sensitivity to either you or your client!! No roll off layer to remove either so you can sculpt the nail enhancements thinner and use less product.

Ooooohh Geeg, I wish I'd known something like this when I started doing nails!:cry:

 

[mum]

This is just for natural nails: when it time to clean under the free edge (after filing, buffing, massage etc etc) have a white nail pencil (from chemists) handy and use that. It is fantastically efficient and the 'cleaning out' and leaves the nail looking great. After use, just give it a quick sharpen and it's ready for next time.

Bit of an old tip but give it a go. I think you'll be surprised! I recommend clients have one in their bag too as its safer and more efficient than digging around with all sorts of pointy things when nails get grubby.

 

[mum]

Thought of another!

When removing polish, specially darker colours, start with the little finger. If you get enough remover on your pad and wait the couple of seconds with the pad on the nail before wiping, you could go right accross all fingers of one hand leaving them perfectly clean.

By starting with the little finger, the coloured polish on the pad will be a little patch, getting bigger as you go accross to the thumb. If you go the other way the patch will be big and end up all over the skin of the other fingers.

 

[geeg]

My lifesaver has been either Scrubfresh or Nailfresh to tidy up the smile line in a French polish. Thinking cap on:idea:

By far the best way to ensure perfect detailing of your polish is to use a Brush (it can be an old acrylic brush or any with a point that you like) dipped in Nail Fresh (Creative Product) and then used to remove any polish from the skin or to make that cuticle line perfection. Always wipe between uses on a lint free paper or wipe.

The most useless article ever invented for doing this job is the ubiquitous Polish Corrector Pen!!! Never waste your money on one. They are entirely unsuited for the job. They get dirty the very first time you use them. They smear and ruin the polish job ... they just don't cut the mustard. And a manicure stick wrapped in cotton fiber is possibly even worse!!

Why use Nail Fresh as opposed to any old polish remover or acetone?? simple ... it evaporates the quickest of anything so therefore, the polish never goes sticky or icky. You can use the others, but they wont do the job as well.