Will I get better at gel and acrylics?

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Van_Beau-T

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Hi! I am currently in school to become an esthetician. Recently, we have been learning how to apply acrylic and hard gels using forms and nail tips. I feel super demotivated because the nails that I do look awful. They are bumpy, and I can’t seem to figure out how to properly shape them (they look fat and weirdly shaped). It also takes me a few hours to complete the service. I’ve watched SO many videos on application to finish filing (currently we are using hand files, but will learn how to use e-file this week)and I just can’t seem to make mine look even half decent. Will I ever get better? I invested in those fake practice hands and fingers.. but I’m finding them hard to work with. I feel really bad for anyone that has to get their nails done by me. Not sure what to do.. at this point I’m feeling super sad about the whole process and I’m thinking nails just isn’t my thing- even tho I really had an interest in them. Everyone in my class seem to be doing such a good job and mine are just yuck.
 
Awe. Cheerup.

We all start out that way. I am about to take the practical for Nail Technology and I feel where you are coming from. If you have interest in nails like you say, you're going to learn how to do things so awesomely and when you look back at your progress concerning the lumps and bumps, you're going to laugh. Everyone in my nail class had experience. Their family OWNED a nail salon. I am a country girl. The most my family owns is land. You can imagine how crazy it is for me to be in a nail school with so much experience. I was intimidated and took forever to do nails. One day, I realized that I shouldn't be looking around and holding myself back. When I did that, I did a better job on time management. I freed myself from overthinking because my teachers said that I do a good job (after all, they own the school and have been doing nails for eons). The longer you do nails, the better you get. Even professionals make mistakes on nails. Looking at that type of stuff also made me feel better about the job I was doing. I'm still not that great at nails because I only have done acrylics on me and the hand. Real people's hands are not that rigid (although you will be able to tell when they are not relaxed). I love that you guys learned to hand file. If you can get fast at that, you're going to be an awesome nail tech. The drill is fun (to me) btw but at first, you may not like that either. Congrats on being in school. I hope this helps.
 
Hi,
I totally understand how you feel. I went to school and I was the only one totally brand new to nails, I have never ever in my life had a manicure or used nail polish and I was the oldest person in the class, dead and with MS ...I graduated, got my license and here I am ...
you are ok and you will be great.
Practice at home on fake nails on tacky blue on cloth pegs. What state are you in?, some States do things differently (Florida uses 3 pearls when teaching to do acrylics, other states are ok using 1) , but I would say: master the basics regular manicure, nail preparation, application of colour ...
watch videos from YOUNG NAILS, they have amazing tutorials, Tammy Taylor ... OPI has an application you can download and learn...
Watch videos from professional brands and trainers not regular people .
compare how they do things and then come out with the style, technique that works best for you. your goal is to have your paying client happy and willing to come back.
 
Yes it will get easier but it takes so much practice to master it. The more practice you do the more you’ll get used to the product and how it applies.
Use your practice hand and as soon as you feel more confident practice on yourself, friends and family.
Watch videos on social media too.
Most of us needed to do lots of filing in the beginning but ideally in time you want to get some to apply the product so there is minimum filing and shaping needed.
 
Thanks everyone! I’ve been watching video and practicing. I just need to remind myself that it’s going to take a lot of practice! We started using e-files this, and I am feeling a bit more confident. On that note, anyone have any e file recommendations? I want to purchase one
 
Thanks everyone! I’ve been watching video and practicing. I just need to remind myself that it’s going to take a lot of practice! We started using e-files this, and I am feeling a bit more confident. On that note, anyone have any e file recommendations? I want to purchase one

I have a Kupa and saeyang and recommend both. The saeyang is cheaper than the kupa
 
When it comes to acrylics, it should take around 1-3 months to become good. Any longer than that you should quit.

Most techs are at a stage that is considered good. Excellent are the techs who excel above the rest - which are the rarer ones. Good is where you want to be. But if you can't get there in 1-3 months, you simply don't have what it takes and you will just waste your time. I speak from experience with this.

Nails may look simple, but it involves a very good working mind. You have to be able to feel and hold images in your brain while you shape and form the acrylic. If you don't have that ability, don't do nails. Some people don't have that ability believe it or not but its quite rare. It can due to drugs, hormones, lack of sleep, etc. Its actually called working memory. I lack this ability.

If you continue to do nails after 3 months and it still doesn't look good - it will continue to be that way and thats no way to work. You'll feel bad about every customer that you do and your confident level will be low every day and going to work is very stressful.

Looking back I wished I had just done something else. But nails was in my family so that was all I knew. I tried very hard to become good at it but to no avail. But I've learned valuable lessons even in failure - there's better things in life than just nails.
 
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When it comes to acrylics, it should take around 1-3 months to become good. Any longer than that you should quit.

Most techs are at a stage that is considered good. Excellent are the techs who excel above the rest - which are the rarer ones. Good is where you want to be. But if you can't get there in 1-3 months, you simply don't have what it takes and you will just waste your time. I speak from experience with this.

Nails may look simple, but it involves a very good working mind. You have to be able to feel and hold images in your brain while you shape and form the acrylic. If you don't have that ability, don't do nails. Some people don't have that ability believe it or not but its quite rare. It can due to drugs, hormones, lack of sleep, etc. Its actually called working memory. I lack this ability.

If you continue to do nails after 3 months and it still doesn't look good - it will continue to be that way and thats no way to work. You'll feel bad about every customer that you do and your confident level will be low every day and going to work is very stressful.

Looking back I wished I had just done something else. But nails was in my family so that was all I knew. I tried very hard to become good at it but to no avail. But I've learned valuable lessons even in failure - there's better things in life than just nails.

I’m sorry but this reply is really unhelpful and misleading....the bit where you say 1-3 months where do you get this from? This is you and YOUR experience! Everyone is different, some people may take longer than others to get something but that doesn’t mean that they never will!! As long as you are having the correct training and you have the passion for it and the determination to work hard anything is possible!
 
I’m sorry but this reply is really unhelpful and misleading....the bit where you say 1-3 months where do you get this from? This is you and YOUR experience! Everyone is different, some people may take longer than others to get something but that doesn’t mean that they never will!! As long as you are having the correct training and you have the passion for it and the determination to work hard anything is possible!

I agree that everyone is different that why I said 1-3 months. However if you take longer than that to learn, something else is hindering your learning and Ive touched on that a bit. People are actually very fast learners. But acrylics can take a while since its a more specialized skill. However it shouldn't be taking you longer than 3 months. Thats the cutoff line and there needs to be a line.

The reason why I know this? When I did nails, I was surrounded by new techs. So I had a gauge for how quickly and how well new techs pick up a skill.
 
But acrylics can take a while since its a more specialized skill. However it shouldn't be taking you longer than 3 months.

I think it took 2 years for me to feel completely at ease when a client sat at my desk. So there are levels of 'learning'. Basic application can be taught in a few days, perfecting skills takes as long as it takes. Fully confident, and thats something different to learning, for me, took 2 years. By then I'd had just about every issue I could encounter sit at my desk from broken stress area crack from car door trappings to greenies from pushing rebalance appointments too far. Severe nail biters with little or no nail bed to exotic dancers who wanted nails so long I was joining two tips to make it happen (in the days before super long tips were available and I hadn't mastered sculpting). One day I realised that I knew what to do without second guessing myself and wasn't worried at what would come through the door.

I believe I learn everyday, each client brings new things to my desk everyday. I like to thing I get a bit better every day too.
 
Exactly, everyone learns at their own rate, there's on cut off line! As @Trinity says she's still learning every day. I've been doing nails since the '80's!! and still learning and using new technics along the way. Don't give up, one day you will look back and wonder why you even had a problem! Practice is the key. We all remember our first sets of nails, once it took my boss 2hrs or so to file down my huge 'duck bill platapus' set of acrylics I had done on myself so I could actually use my hands as I was meant to be hairdresser training that evening. I don't think anyone's could look like mine did!!
 
Nothing can replace experience and practice. We have all been there. Look at every set you do as a learning opportunity. Reflect on what you did well and what you didn't. Honing what you did well to perfection and continue practicing what you didn't so that each time you get closer to your dream. Oh and BTW no ones perfect. We just say we strive to be perfect, but no one actually is. We continue to learn every day and with each new set. You'll never stop learning, you'll just get better at what you do and it just takes time. So don't panic, just have fun with it. If you don't have fun with it you will begin to hate it and thats even worse. No one likes to do a job that they hate. Each set used to make me feel anxious when I first set out, now I love doing nails, it's so relaxing and give me time with my clients that other treatments just don't give you. Just keep going, invest in yourself and give yourself a shot you deserve it. You'll look back after a few years and you'll wonder why you worried. Anything worth learning is worth learning well. Take your time, don't rush it. If it take three hours to do a set thats just how long it takes. Get the skills sorted first and the timing will come later as you get faster.

Nicky x
 

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