Ronda, thanks for the detail here - I'm thinking my frenches will be with Shellac since it acts MOST like polish - but Elaine mentioned wiping off dispersion and using white SOG on the tip, which is where my problem was (whites moving) so I may try that too. I know it takes practice with a new medium but why fix whaty aint broke? My polish and ac frenches look great - lol... I know the SOG will bring in more natural nail clients so I must master this! *evil laugh*
On 5/14/10, Rhonda Kibuk <rski...@gmail.com> wrote: > Becky, > > I too have been struggling with Frenches. I think I may have mastered it > this week, using a variety of suggestions and products but you may be able > to find a combination that works for you. This is what I did... > > Prepped nail - which amounts to push cuticle back, remove shine with a > buffer and clean nail with YN Swipe. > Prime just the free edge with Protein Bond > Applied ECO Base Cured 2 min > Applied Pink, swiped the free edge with a dry brush to remove pink and I > wasn't particular at all about it. Cured 2 min > Removed tacky layer. > I then applied Shellac's Cream Puff, just like I would nail polish and > cleaned up the smile line with my clean up brush. This was almost exactly > the look and feel of how you do it with polish. I got the best consistency > when I was applying it and it was like when your white nail polish would get > thick and you would kind of drag it on, with polish it looks crappy, with > the gel it evens out and looks great. > There was no need to flash cure the whites, just cure 2 minutes > I then applied a SO gel top coat and it filled in all the nooks and crannies > that were left by the gap between the pink and white and just finished it to > perfection. Cure 2 min > At the very end, and I do this also with all gel services, I filed the > sidewalls and free edges to remove any scratchies and then sprayed with CND > Solar Speed Spray to finish the nails and hands with some solar oil and the > client's love the smell. > > I have the above listed on my own nails for three days now and it's wearing > good even while in acetone and filing nails all day. I have it on two > client testers as well and so far so good! > > Hope this helps! > > R > On Thu, May 13, 2010 at 3:52 PM, Becky <enhandsme...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> OK. *sigh* >> >> I am irritated with french manicures. I hate gel. LOL >> >> This week I've had several new clients asking about SOG's. Sooooooooooo, >> I've applied several FRENCH MANI's and I have some issues. I will be as >> detailed as possible and feel free to chime in and correct me. >> >> French Mani #1 >> - No base coat, only dehydration with ScrubFresh >> - Axxium Hawaiian Orchid applied directly to the nail, one coat >> - Dispersion layer LEFT, applied white SOG - flash cured 4 nails at a >> time >> - White was way too thick, ended up BUFFING THE NAIL then topping with top >> gloss and curing 2 min >> >> On this particular manicure, as I was dripping sweat down my neck - >> STRESSING OUT because I my french mani's are usually FLAWLESS in acrylic >> or >> polish. This SUCKED! I ended up buffing the nail gently to smooth out the >> HUGE lip of white I had (I applied as thin as possible without being able >> to >> see brush marks - swiped the nails... cured. BEGIN PANIC ATTACK. >> >> She texts me the next day and says 2 of her nails are "lifting". BECAUSE >> the polish had gotten a little "crusty" on the free edge, I GENTLY filed >> the >> edge and apparently broke the seal - I'm not sure because I don't remember >> which nails this happened on WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE NEXT question: How are >> you people capping a short free edge (like on the video that Holly posted) >> and NOT getting those little crusties on the edge?!??! >> >> French Mani #2 >> - ScrubFresh THOROUGHLY, applied Protein Bond to free edge >> - Axxium applied directly over nail >> - White CINA pen to tips >> - Top It Off Gloss top coat >> >> On this one (same client, I had her remove all product and I re-did her >> nails), I applied Axxium, removed the dispersion layer and used the CINA >> Nail Art Pen to apply the white. Looks great, ok, moving on to other hand >> - >> come back to the first hand and some of the white has gotten spotty! >> REAPPLIED another coat of white, touched up - applied Top Gloss, DRAGGED >> HALF THE WHITE ONTO THE NAIL BED! ARGHHHHHH............ REMOVED ALL >> WHITES, >> tried again (remember the sweating from earlier? Yes, the pits are >> drenched >> and I'm frreeeakkinngg out inside, keeping my cool on the outside..... I >> feel a bead of sweat come down the FRONT OF MY NECK, LOL!!! Second attempt >> of Cina application - allowed it to dry more thoroughly and left a >> "buffer" >> of gloss on the brush so I wouldn't drag it this time, capped free edge >> (made sure to cover ALL Cina so it wouldn't wipe off) - cured, BAM! >> Gorgeous......the only exception is that the whites weren't perfect >> because >> that pen wasn't perfect, but that was only seen by ME - otherwise it was >> very nice. >> >> French Mani #3 >> - ScrubFresh thoroughly only >> - Axxium applied directly to nail >> - White Cina Pen to tips >> - Top it Off top coat >> >> This one went well, but I did have to file the free edge on a couple again >> (did this one before I heard that French Mani #1 had "lifted") so I'm >> scared >> to death she's going to call and say hers are lifting too. >> >> Notes: I HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE GEL FRENCH MANI's. I need an EASY >> way to do these and have them look great. So far, the best method has been >> applying the pink and swiping (reverse application) flash curing one hand, >> do the other hand, flash cure - apply white, butting it up against the >> pink >> where you swiped (so take care to make the swipe accurate) IF I am to use >> SOG for the entire process. If I use the Cina pen, I need some advice on >> whether to apply it over the dispersion layer or not and how to take care >> not to get the CRUSTIES on the free edge! >> >> I absolutely recommend that you do NOT file the free edge no matter how >> jagged it ends up - but I need to make sure it doesn't happen because >> clients will pick! >> >> MUCH advice needed! >> -- >> Becky F. >> Licensed Nail Tech >> KC, Mo. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "NailTech" group. >> To post to this group, send email to nailt...@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> nailtech+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<nailtech%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> >> . >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "NailTech" group. > To post to this group, send email to nailt...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > nailtech+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. > > -- Sent from my mobile device Becky F. Licensed Nail Tech KC, Mo. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to nailt...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to nailtech+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en.