Tip blending

[Dolly_Day_Dreamer.]

God I've just done my mums nails (2nd practice) and its taken me over 3 hours!!

I really struggled with blending the tips, it took soooooo long and in the end they still were not great....

Any tips??

 

[Cindy2021]

Lots of us use well less tips which need much less blending.
There are also ultra thin tips and only the wings need a quick blend

 

[Dolly_Day_Dreamer.]

Lots of us use well less tips which need much less blending.
There are also ultra thin tips and only the wings need a quick blend

Im using the CND Velocity tips.
Jeez its so hard when you're starting out!

I know using forms can be a pain in the butt but I can totally see why people choose to sculpt xx

 

[Rabz]

Try the tip blender it helps x

 

[Dolly_Day_Dreamer.]

Try the tip blender it helps x

I dont think that CND do one of those x

 

[Trinity]

I don't find blending tip a problem, but I know many do. There is a knack to it, it's pretty hard to explain, easier to teach in person (like most things nail related). I blend 'up' not 'down' or 'across' - so I start with my abrasive on the tip (towards the free edge) and stroke upwards towards the cuticle. This means I can put a fair amount of pressure on the abrasive as I'm nowhere near natural nail, my abrasive is on the tip at all times. I hold my abrasive almost diagonally across the nail and sweep upwards, lift the abrasive, turn the nail a few millimetres, do my next upward stoke of the abrasive, working my way across the nail from side wall to side wall.

I found 'downward' strokes made me scared of hitting the natural nail so it made me too tentative, so I was buffing and buffing and getting nowhere. I can blend a tip in just a few strokes now. It took a while, don't misunderstand me, it didn't happen over night, but like with most nail techniques it suddenly clicked one day.

Practice, practice, practise - a trainer hand is your best friend. and if you can blend a CND Formation tip you can blend anything!!

 

[Cindy2021]

Im using the CND Velocity tips.
Jeez its so hard when you're starting out!

I know using forms can be a pain in the butt but I can totally see why people choose to sculpt xx

Pro impression tips are great quality and available in individual sizes to refill. Stiletto tips are great for coffin shaping as you don’t need to cut and shape the sides as much.

 

[Dolly_Day_Dreamer.]

I don't find blending tip a problem, but I know many do. There is a knack to it, it's pretty hard to explain, easier to teach in person (like most things nail related). I blend 'up' not 'down' or 'across' - so I start with my abrasive on the tip (towards the free edge) and stroke upwards towards the cuticle. This means I can put a fair amount of pressure on the abrasive as I'm nowhere near natural nail, my abrasive is on the tip at all times. I hold my abrasive almost diagonally across the nail and sweep upwards, lift the abrasive, turn the nail a few millimetres, do my next upward stoke of the abrasive, working my way across the nail from side wall to side wall.

I found 'downward' strokes made me scared of hitting the natural nail so it made me too tentative, so I was buffing and buffing and getting nowhere. I can blend a tip in just a few strokes now. It took a while, don't misunderstand me, it didn't happen over night, but like with most nail techniques it suddenly clicked one day.

Practice, practice, practise - a trainer hand is your best friend. and if you can blend a CND Formation tip you can blend anything!!

Thank you for your detailed response it makes sense!
Although when I watch videos im like yep, looks easy........then I do it and it just isn't happening lol.

I had my CND training this month and cant believe im struggling more with the tip application and blending more than the L&P! Not that im that great at that either...

I do have the hand trainer which is great and like you say its just practice isnt it so I am sitting here now doing it.

I find it hard to be confident that im not hitting the natural nail. When I watch videos they say "As you can see im not touching the natural nail" but I cant see that just the movement accross the nail in general.

Maybe I could draw some lines and if they disappear then ive hit the natural nail and i can perhaps get some rhythm going.

Im a terrible over thinker unfortunately x

 

[Dolly_Day_Dreamer.]

Pro impression tips are great quality and available in individual sizes to refill. Stiletto tips are great for coffin shaping as you don’t need to cut and shape the sides as much.

Thank you, im defo going to take a look but for some reason I feel like im cheating lol x

 

[Trinity]

Maybe I could draw some lines and if they disappear then ive hit the natural nail and i can perhaps get some rhythm going.

Im a terrible over thinker unfortunately x

CND is some of the best training in the world so you're starting with a great foundation. Now you know why we bang on about 1 or 2 day complete nail technician courses being rubbish. It takes a long time to learn each individual part let alone the full service.

If you are struggling with something ask your tutor to explain it again, you are paying a premium for good training so ensure you get all the help you need, its what they are there for.

No need for pen marks, the removable nail beds have a shine to them, if you hit them you'll see the scuff marks.

I think most Nail Techs in training are 'over thinkers' it's that determination that makes us good techs in the long run

 

[Cmaria]

Don’t be disheartened by it it used to take me 2/3 hours to do a full set and I used to feel so embarrassed when you can tell clients are getting frustrated with how long it’s taking. Then all of a sudden it just came one day and I felt like I had finally got the knack to it. Practice makes Perfect just keep going and don’t give up

 

[Cindy2021]

L&P and all the prep that goes with it looks easy but it’s not! It takes many hours of practice until you can do a decent set. I’ve been doing approx 5-7 sets per day for 4 years and I still get frustrated at my shaping and constantly try to improve.