UV Lamps

[Lemmonie]

Hi there guys,

I trained in gels but dont use them and dont have any kit.
I do use acrylic and fibreglass systems but i am really interested in a gel top coat system something like Quattro (what else is there?) to mainly protect a french finish on the fibreglass and to add high shine etc.

When it comes to lamps i have noticed different voltage ones from 6V to 36V. I intend on buying one second hand for the moment but need to know what difference the voltage makes (time?) and what i will need.

Thanks
Melanie

 

[ValencianNails]

The wattage of the lamp isn't what you need to know about, that just tells you how much energy it uses, you need to find out the UV Output needed to cure whichever gel top coat you wish to use. It's very important to have the right lamp for curing each gel brand.

http://www.salongeek.com/general-articles/35947-choosing-uv-lamp-your-gel-system.html

hth's

 

[Nessie]

Most of the bulbs in these lamps are 9w, so it doesnt matter which lamp you buy, they will all do the same job if you have 9w bulbs in them.

£20 ebay is the cheapest I have seen them. I have one, as my Creative one broke and I wasnt going to spend £120 on another. It works fine and there has been no change in my clients nails.

 

[ValencianNails]

Most of the bulbs in these lamps are 9w, so it doesnt matter which lamp you buy, they will all do the same job if you have 9w bulbs in them.

That statement isn't true...

When Doug Schoon and his team were testing different bulbs for the Brisa lamp they actually found some lower wattage bulbs gave out more UV than higher wattage bulbs.

The only way you can ensure you are getting a 100% complete cure is to use the correct lamp for your gel system alongside the recommended bulbs... why risk service breakdown, uncured product, potential over-exposure to your clients etc etc etc... It's so much easier (and dare I say more professional) to use the right tools for the job, UV lamps/bulbs included!

 

[Bagpuss]

Most of the bulbs in these lamps are 9w, so it doesnt matter which lamp you buy, they will all do the same job if you have 9w bulbs in them.

£20 ebay is the cheapest I have seen them. I have one, as my Creative one broke and I wasnt going to spend £120 on another. It works fine and there has been no change in my clients nails.

Yet.....service breakdown can happen when you do not use the right lamp for the right gel...Brisa Gel requires the Brisa Lamp...just like your powders require the right liquid.

 

[angel fingers]

buying seconhand will probably be a false economy.
the bulbs must be changed every 6-12 months and the chances are that the bulb wont be new when you buy 2nd hand. so renewing the bulb will add to your costs.
there is an excllent lamp from the daylight company that is on special offer at sallys this month.

 

[Nataliya]

I absolutely agree with Sandi and others. From personal experience - I had a 36 watt Daylight lamp left from when I used NSI Balance gels which were perfectly cured in that lamp. When I switched to Brisa I did not get the light right away and that caused a lot of problems with my clients, eg lifting, thumbs were breaking and gel was peeling of the tips. When I enquired about this with my CND Educator I was given enough reasons to get Brisa lamp and all problems disappeared. I still sometimes use colours that I have left from NSI and IBD and this is where my Daylight lamp comes handy.

I know for sure now if I completely follow manufacturers recommendations I would not have service breakdown)))

Hope this helps))

 

[fiona wallace]

One other thing to consider is your insurance cover. Is your secondhand ebay lamp going to be covered by your insurance providor? Or indeed any lamp that is not recommended by the supplier of your particular product?

 

[Nataliya]

One other thing to consider is your insurance cover. Is your secondhand ebay lamp going to be covered by your insurance providor? Or indeed any lamp that is not recommended by the supplier of your particular product?

That a good one, Fiona)))) :idea:

And if it arrives faulty, how likely are you to at least get your money back???:irked:

Happened to me! False economy indeed and more hassle to deal with!
As per products purchased on ebay - how do we know it is genuine and not something else from somewhere else??? Happened to me as well(((

Only buy your products and tools from authorised distributors!!!:!:

 

[siulum1314]

Hi there guys,

I trained in gels but dont use them and dont have any kit.
I do use acrylic and fibreglass systems but i am really interested in a gel top coat system something like Quattro (what else is there?) to mainly protect a french finish on the fibreglass and to add high shine etc.

When it comes to lamps i have noticed different voltage ones from 6V to 36V. I intend on buying one second hand for the moment but need to know what difference the voltage makes (time?) and what i will need.

Thanks
Melanie

The difference in the lamps are, the higher the watt is, the faster it cures the gel, so like if ur using a 36 watt uv lamp, thats like 4x faster for curing in comparison to the 9 watt uv lamp.

 

[ValencianNails]

I do sometimes wonder if people intentionally skip replies...

The wattage tells you how much energy is used... it doesn't have much to do with the curing.

As I said before (a few posts up) when Doug Schoon was testing different wattages of bulbs he found that some lower wattage bulbs gave out more UV than higher wattage bulbs... yes, it's true!!!

Remember, it's the UV that cures the gel, not the wattage!