winter hand care
nails: gel q&a
Q:How can I prevent gels and gel polish applications from lifting at the side walls?
KarinHirschorn&EstherAnderson: “Push back the cuticles using a stainless steel cuticle pusher, use a small knife to lift any dead keratin sitting on the nail plate, and pay particular attention to the sides of the nail plate. Use sanitiser to clean the nail plate,making sure you are thorough as this will remove any grease or dust sitting on the nail plate which can cause product to lift.”
Steven RhysWells: “To prevent any gel overlay fromlifting at the sidewalls or around the eponychiumsimplymake sure you push all of the skin back and remove any excess cuticle fromthe nail plate. Dehydrate and prep the nail as normal. Ensure when painting that you leave a very small gap between the skin and the product, which will stop the gel fromlifting if it has contact with the surrounding skin.”
TaraOldham: “Firstly choose the right gel for your client’s nail type. A thin flexible nail will not support a thick viscosity gel as the gel will not flex with the nail plate. Secondly always prep the nail thoroughly. Think about where gel lifts and separates fromthe nail plate (side walls, free edge etc) and focus prep here as well as at the cuticle area. When buffing the nail plate, pull back the skin at the side walls to make sure that all the surface shine is removed fromthe nail plate and then cleanse the nail thoroughly removing all dust and
debris.Make sure that neither you nor your client touches the nail once it has been prepped and cleansed.
“When you are shaping and filing the nailsmake sure that the gel is completely blended into the nail
plate.There should be no bump or lip in the gel where it joins the nail plate. Run your thumb over the gel without looking to feel for any transition fromnail to gel and ensure it is completely smooth. If there is any build up at the side walls and cuticle area clientsmay be tempted to pick at it and it can also catch and start lifting.”
NataliyaAl-Ta’ai: “Pay attention to sidewalls during the preparation of the natural nail plate ensuring proper removal of hidden cuticle that can cause a barrier for
adhesion.Make sure to leave a tiny freemargin between the sidewalls and product to prevent lifting during application.”
Image courtesy of CND (Creative Nail Design Inc.).
Q: Can you explain the difference between using a UV lamp and an LED lamp?What should I look for when choosing a lamp?
KarinHirschorn&EstherAnderson: “Most UV lamps cure a layer of gel in twominutes to a flexible finish, whereas the LED lamp cures within 30 seconds creating amore durable finish for your client.You don’t need to replace bulbs in a LED lamp but you will need to replace the bulbs in a UV lamp approximately every sixmonths.”
Steven RhysWells: “When choosing a lamp you need to look at the products you will be using first. Some products are UV curable only, some products are LED curable only and some products aremulticure and can be cured in both UV and LED. If using a soak off gel polish and you want to use a UV lamp then try and aimfor a lamp that uses more than one bulb; a single bulb lamp isn’t enough to give such a pigmented product a full even cure on all contours of the nail.”
Q:How long after opening a pot of gel or a bottle of gel polish do I need to use it by?
Steven RhysWells: “All products have a shelf life after opening. Look to the back of the product or on the info leaflet and there is a small diagramof an open pot with a number inside it. Some say sixmonths, 12months or 24months depending on the product.”
Marie-Louise Coster: “As long as you keep the lids on polishes tightly, store themout of direct sunlight and give thema really good shake before you use them– in order to ensure the UV particles are mixed in the polish evenly – you will get a good life out of them. I have some polishes that I have had for around 18months that are still going strong. If you fail to store themcorrectly and shake themwell before use and application, they will start to go very thick and gloopy and youmay only get six to eightmonths out of them, which can be costly.”
LauraMaddock: “Our gel polish will last 18-24months typically, customers will experience a longer shelf life if the polish bottle is kept out of direct sunlight and closed correctly after use.”
TaraOldham: “Certain gels work with UV and certain gels work with LED. It is all down to the photo initiators in the gel and what wavelength these work on, so when choosing a lampmake sure you know what you need to cure your particular gel system. Gels cure fromthe top downwards so even if a gel appears cured on the surface itmay still be wet underneath whichmeans that you could end up over exposing your client to the gel which in turn could lead to a serious allergic reaction.”
RachelGribble: “The difference is in thewavelength;UVhas awide band, spanning from315nmto 400 nmwhereas LEDhas a narrower waveband of 400 nmto 410
nm.This affects the curing time of gel, LEDbeing faster, usually 30 seconds, compared toUVwhich is usually
twominutes.Also, LEDbulbs last a lifetimewhilstUVbulbs need replacing every sixmonths or so.UVlamps are also larger and heavier than LEDandUVlamps are usuallymuch cheaper than LED.”
NataliyaAl-Ta’ai: “Always use the lamp recommended by the manufacturer of the product. Using a lamp that is not calibrated to be used with a specific product will not cure the product properly, which in turn results in service breakdown, dullness, yellowing, allergic reaction or exothermic reaction.”
GUILD NEWS 103
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