What's wrong with me?

[Ambur30]

I have had my license since January and I just opened my own business in March of this year. So, I am REALLY new at this and since I live in a small town, I haven't really had a lot of practice in acrylics.

I have read all of the threads on preventing air bubbles in acrylics. I feel like I have literally tried each tip posted 20 times each! It's insane. I would like to list the steps I take for applying an acrylic nail and if you see anything wrong, please tell me. I STILL have bubbles in my acrylic. I am SO frustrated that I will not do another set until it's fixed. :irked:

Sanitize the nails, shape/trim (if needed), apply cuticle remover, push cuticles back and clean the surface of the nail, nipping any debris that's loose.

Scrub the nail with Scrub Fresh, removing all traces of cuticle remover and debris.

Gently buff the surface of the nail to slightly etch and remove shine.

Scrub the nail once more with Scrub Fresh, removing all debris and dehydrating the nail.

Apply tip. Trim and shape tip. Blend tip with natural nail.

Apply primer.
Beginning acrylic application, I press my brush to the bottom of the dappen dish to release air from the brush. I drag the brush up the side of the dappen dish, turn the brush and drag the other side to release excess liquid.

Dip the brush in powder and make small rotating circles. (I count to about 3 before taking the brush out of the powder.)

I count to 3 again (using the 'going-going-gone' technique someone suggested), and if the powder absorbs completely before I get to 3, I try again. If it's not all absorbed when I get to 3, I try again, until it's just right.

I apply the bead to the tip of the nail then count to 3 again, until the ball smoothes out and becomes like little rounded piece of glass.

I use my brush to press the bead to the sidewalls and looking down the nail from the tip, making sure it has nice shape and is smooth.

I apply a 2nd bead of acrylic in the same manner to the smile line, press and smooth. Then I apply a 3rd bead to the cuticle area. (Of course, careful to never touch the skin)

Once the nail is smooth all over and cured, I file to remove any inconsistencies and buff until smooth.

What do I have? A perfect, shiny acrylic nail.... with AIR BUBBLES. *frustrated*

Brush: Starpro Precision Size 10 oval.
Liquid: CND +Retention
Powder: CND Perfect Color - Clear
Primer: No Lift Nails

Could it be my brush?? Or product?? I've tried every tip (I think). I've done a nail without using my lamp, as I was told heat from the light could be causing it to cure too quickly. Still had bubbles. I practiced with multiple mix ratios, even did one super dry (in my opinion) because I was told "most nail techs mix ratio is too wet." I thought I may be working the bead too much, so I put a bead on a tip and didn't work it at all! It has air bubbles from the beginning. They're teeny tiny little pin-point bubbles and each one of them are on my last nerve! Any ideas?? Please? Haha.

 

[Ambur30]

OH! I almost forgot. I've tried pressing my brush all the way to the bottom to release the air (burping) before each new bead.

And I've tried tapping the dappen dish with the powder to level out the surface and release any air that's trapped there...

I. Am. At. My. Wits. End. !!

 

[Baggybear]

I was told to press the brush flat on the bottom of the dappen dish and wait for all bubbles to stop coming from the brush, then turn the brush over in the liquid and press flat on the bottom again to get any little bits of air that are still trapped in the brush.

It helped me to stop getting bubbles. Worth a try.

 

[user 35377]

Try not swirling or dragging your brush in the powder. Just dip, count, lift.

 

[Naily13]

hi someone correct me if im wrong please as i am a learner! but i didnt think we had to use a primer if you use cnd retention?? i use cnd and dont use a primer,just wondered if that had anything to do with your air bubbles!? as i say im a learner but thought was worth asking about the primer!x

 

[Hannahmaxwell]

Hi

No you dont need to use primer with CND Retention.

x

 

[dellaznailz]

A few things for youto look at :

You need to remover cuticle remover with water and liquid soap to neutralise it not Scrubfresh

Retention Plus does not need a primer as it has the covalent bond built in

Do you wipe your brush? This can be a major issue creating bubbles

If these don't help book a session with your educator, they will see straight away what you are doing to make bubbles

 

[kirsty]

I had exactly the same problem with retention+ my educator sugested I try moxie liquid and hey presto, problem solved! You do use primer with moxie though.

Kirsty x

 

[scottishjoy]

we've been taught that overworking the product can cause air bubbles.. so if your patting too heavily instead of just guiding and pressing that could cause air bubbles x

 

[geeg]

I had exactly the same problem with retention+ my educator sugested I try moxie liquid and hey presto, problem solved! You do use primer with moxie though.

Kirsty x

Kirsty, you do not need to use primer with Moxie. Primer is optional as with Retention+ and Radical ... all the same in that respect. I never use primer and don't even own a bottle of it ... it really is to help new ones along and when you are confident in your PREP try not using it .. you will soon give it up altogether.
Who needs the extra expense or the extra step? If you don't need it then you dont have to use it.

To the OP ... Too much patting and over brushing can cause bubbles in any product. Everything else it sounds like you know what you are doing perfectly well. Moxie sets faster so you have much less time to play with it so it is not inherent in the actual product, it is being caused by your technique.

There is also no need to remove air from your brush every single time you dip your brush in monomer! There should not be any air in your brush after the initial removal of it. If there is, then it is caused by you excessively wiping and cleaning your brush in between every bead ... this may be causing your problem.

My advise is to relax and start improving your technique by working slowly and methodically and stop over-doing the pressing, patting and brushing. Read my tutorials here on brush control and product control. They are taken from my book, 'nailclass' and will improve your technique if you work with them. Good luck ... this is a fixable thing so relax and stop stressing about it and over thinking it ... :hug:

 

[milliondollars]

I would ring/email whoever you trained with. If they are a good company they should be able to help. I managed to pop along to another training session they were having nearby before the course started and the trainer sat with mr for ten mins and went through any hiccups I had
Xx

 

[kirsty]

Kirsty, you do not need to use primer with Moxie. Primer is optional as with Retention+ and Radical ... all the same in that respect. I never use primer and don't even own a bottle of it ... it really is to help new ones along and when you are confident in your PREP try not using it .. you will soon give it up altogether.
Who needs the extra expense or the extra step? If you don't need it then you dont have to use it.

Sorry geeg, I was only going by what Justine had told me. Although, thinking back I did tell her I still had slight lifting issues, so no doubt that's why she advised me to try moxie with primer.

 

[Ambur30]

Thanks, everyone, for your replies and tips!! I'm certain I am over-working the bead, as I'm still new. I have managed to get the bubbles down to a minimum, though a few still lurk.

I am a bit paranoid about lifting, so I use primer just to ensure I won't have any problems. I had problems in the beginning, and I don't really want to stop using primer just to see if I'm still having them! In the beginning, I was using an electric drill to remove debris and cuticle from the natural nail. (Please don't fault me! I wasn't taught the proper way, and later learned that is very wrong!) I have since stopped using the drill and only use cuticle remove and a pusher, then a buffer to lightly buff the nail. However, even when using the drill, I "forgot" to apply primer to a client's hand, and her nails lifted and came off the very next day. This was one of my first sets, but I was still discouraged.

I haven't had the luxury of being 'educated' on acrylics. I went to class to achieve the hours required for licensing. However, my instructor was a hair dresser, not a nail technician. So, she could not help me with acrylics, as she did not know much more than I. What I have learned about acrylics has been trial and error on my own. I would love to locate a CND class! The problem is, I live in a little hole-in-the-wall town, and the nearest class would probably be upwards of 4 hours away!

Thanks again for the tips!! I'll keep you updated on how the bubbles are going!

 

[Ambur30]

I've gotten the bubbles down to a very minimum with CND. They're super tiny and you can't see them unless you put the nail right up to your face! There may be 10 teeny bubbles on the entire nail.

I bought OPI Absolute today. It advertises as "bubble free" though it may be wrong since bubbles are mainly the fault of the tech. Anyways. I'll let you know if I have bubbles with OPI! I'm doing a couple of sets tomorrow. Thanks again!