Think I have wrecked my CND brush, help please!

[nicola90]

Hi guys,

I wonder if any of you can help me. I know there's lots of threads on contaminated brushes and cleaning them, and I have honestly sat here for hours reading them all before I post this! I have the CND ultra sculptor size 10 which I have only had for a couple of weeks. I'm still training so was expecting to get through a couple of brushes, but I thought with splashing out for this brush I was doing a good thing.

Anyway I'll get to the point, I think my brush had contaminated a couple of days ago, as it was leaving a yellow tinge on the nails on my nail trainer. I cleaned it well with fresh monomer, and the yellow tinge disappeared. The next day I noticed that the brush was leaving strokes in the product (l&p) on the nails, and was sort of clumping up and making a right mess. It wont dry enough to take its shape back, no matter what I try, and it just won't get the correct mix ratio like it used to. Everytime I try and use it, the product just clumps into the hairs on the brush, and makes horrendous strokes in the acrylic. I can't afford a new one at the minute as I'm about to do Gelish 101 training, and I'm at my wits end cos I can't practise which is driving me mad!

Like I said, I have tried soaking it in fresh monomer for a couple of hours, and then again overnight even. I have tried to reshape it on a paper towel to no avail, and I have even tried using boiling water (which I saw on a post by geeg) and even that hasn't worked. Can anyone let me know of any other suggestions please that I may not have tried, or if my brush is ruined for good really hope not cos I don't think I can wait 3 weeks til payday!

Thanks in advance,
Nikki x

 

[honeymummy]

sorry for sounding a synical old bat, but is someone else using your brush at work? wondering if they had used a different monomer on it??

I can only say what is probably on here about cleaning the brush, i did mine with shampoo and then conditioner. then soaking it in monomer.
also never store your brush upright - if thats what you do!
best of luck !!

 

[nicola90]

Thanks for your reply, I'm still training at the minute so thankfully not working on the public, otherwise I would be stuffed! Just practising on my nail trainer, so it's only me with access to the brush which is even more annoying! I'm so careful as well to clean it after every use, and I store it flat in it's original packaging.

Thanks for the tip about the shampoo, I saw that on a thread and tried it as well, very gently with baby shampoo, and it just didn't help. I will try it again now though, as I'm willing to do anything! Thanks again for your help x

 

[deanosnana]

Are there any chunks of product left in it?

It sounds like the brush is trashed as it is, so you have nothing to lose. My suggestion is to give it a good bath in solar oil, wrap it in painter's tape (as if it is in a cast) and let it go for a day or two. Keep it like this as long as you can.

Then, do the shampoo and warm water (to get rid of the SO), and try with fresh momomer.

I sincerely wish you all the best! My heart goes out to you!

 

[nicola90]

Yep, big chunks of product in the bristles, I don't want to attempt to pick it out as I know that's a big no no although soo tempted

Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it, will give it all a go, like you say I have nothing to lose x

 

[nikkisbeauty]

What's this about shampooing ur brush Iv never heard of this and I have two brushes which are dead I think but can't bring myself to get rid and keep trying to resuscitate every now and then maybe this is summit I could try and the solar oil ??!

 

[nicola90]

Thanks so much to all of you who offered advice, I have managed to fix my brush! So happy its unreal! Here's how I did it- washed it gently with baby shampoo twice, then let it dry on a clean towel. Then soaked it in acetone (following advice from a geek who pm'd me, thanks!) for about half an hour. I took it out, wiped it gently then left it to dry. Did this earlier today (about 10am) and have just looked at it now, it has dried out fully which it wouldn't do before, and just had a really quick go on my nail trainer, and it works perfectly! Going to be so careful now so it doesn't happen again. Thanks again to all who offered advice x

 

[geeg]

Thanks so much to all of you who offered advice, I have managed to fix my brush! So happy its unreal! Here's how I did it- washed it gently with baby shampoo twice, then let it dry on a clean towel. Then soaked it in acetone (following advice from a geek who pm'd me, thanks!) for about half an hour. I took it out, wiped it gently then left it to dry. Did this earlier today (about 10am) and have just looked at it now, it has dried out fully which it wouldn't do before, and just had a really quick go on my nail trainer, and it works perfectly! Going to be so careful now so it doesn't happen again. Thanks again to all who offered advice x

You will have to be careful in future because soaking your brush in Acetone is a desperate-one-off measure and you will not be able to do it repeatedly. No wonder the person sent you a pm !! :lol:

I think you should also concentrate on why the brush got gummed up in the first place .. And I can answer that one for you ... Your mix is too wet and you were brushing the nails you were making for way too long! Over brushing can gunk up a brush in no time. So be mindful of that.

Make sure from now on that the brush is thoroughly cleaned in clean ( not gunky) monomer after you are finished using it. :hug: If your monomer gets thick and gunky it is yet another sign that you are working too wet.

 

[nicola90]

I know, that's why they send me a pm I think! Seems to have done the trick thank goodness, and I am going to be SO much more careful from now on. Thanks for letting me know where I'm going wrong, as I'm still training I was expecting to replace my brush once or twice, but have really fallen in love with this brush! I've got a couple of mix ratio laminated sheets to work on, so definitely going to try and work on the root of the problem. Thanks geeg for letting me know where I'm going wrong, excellent advice as always

 

[MissJulesBeauty]

You will have to be careful in future because soaking your brush in Acetone is a desperate-one-off measure and you will not be able to do it repeatedly. No wonder the person sent you a pm !! :lol:

My college trainer actually told us to quicky dip our brush in acetone at the end of every full set. I am alarmed that this is not meant to happen. i have been doing it since I qualified

 

[geeg]

My college trainer actually told us to quicky dip our brush in acetone at the end of every full set. I am alarmed that this is not meant to happen. i have been doing it since I qualified

Brushes are made of very fine hair ... imagine what your hair would eventually look like if you dipped it in acetone every day!!

CND do not recommend to their users that they clean their brush in Acetone nor do I know of any manufacturer that recommends cleaning their brushes in acetone. It shortens the life of an expensive brush.

I don't think there is any need for alarm just common sense really. Acetone will dry our the hairs of your brush and contaminate it.

 

[robin moses]

hello everyone!!! i have a tip too. first i would suggest the shampoo and rinse....but then, i would run your brush over a bar of antibacterial soap...over and over until it is thick and then "shape it into a perfect point" let it dry over night and its almost like a shampoo set for the brush....the next day, i would rinse completely clean and dry and then when you go into clean monomer see if the brush is back in shape...if it isnt.....try then to oil or condition it with a natural oil that will soak in and give your brush a hot oil treatment and then let THAT set over night and then i wipe mine back and forth then through clean monomer again..........i cant tell you how many times i have saved brushes this way over the years....i do this too for all of my art brushes and its how i keep the hairs so perfectly in "shape" for detailed nail art. robinmosesnailart on youtube my avatar shows my hand painted art the best of luck and maybe others will find this tip useful! xoxoxoxo

robin