Don’t Toy With My Heart

For this design I used a technique that’s been around for awhile but I had not yet tried: the “smoosh” manicure.  Here are the colors of Gelish I used:

• black – Black Shadow
• red – Don’t Toy With My Heart (also used on full coverage nails)
• gray – Fashion Week Chic
•  nude/neutral – Taupe Model

I did one coat of Taupe Model as the base, cured it, then applied small drops of all the colors in various spots on the nails.  Next, I used my Morgan Taylor clear stamper to smoosh the drops around so they blended a little, but not so much that the colors became “muddy”. Finally, I cured the design for 1 minute.

Once the smooshing was done I thought it was a little boring so I stamped on top using a design from the Morgan Taylor Designer Plates Flirty Florals collection.  These are some great stamping plates that would do even better with a better stamping polish. (Next time I’ll try using polish from Clear Jelly Stamper.) Check out the macro shot!

This ended up being super easy (and quick) to do, but got a lot of notice. I wore this manicure for over two weeks!

Have you tried the smoosh mani? Let me know how it turned out in the comments!

Tips for working with Gelish PolyGEL

After working with Gelish PolyGEL™ off and on over the last few months, I certainly am not an expert, but I do have some tips for you! Here are some ideas to your PolyGEL experience better right out of the box, and some answers to common questions I have seen online.

1. Use the key! Provided in the trial kit there is a PolyGEL Tube Key. Put it over the sealed end of the Tube and, with the lid on the tube, push it down so that it moved the product down towards the opening of the tube.  I noticed that people are having issues with the back of the tube coming apart when they squeeze the tube, OR having trouble squeezing the product out of the tube. I believe the key is solution to both these issues. PolyGEL is a hard product, and if you squeeze at the middle of the tube you will pressurize the tube towards both ends, eventually forcing the PolyGEL into the back end of the tube. You want the tube to be squeezed on the back end by the key so that you can use the force of the squeeze to get it out at the tip.
2. Roll the PolyGEL onto the cuticle area, then move it towards the tip with your brush.  This might be personal preference, but I’ve found it easier to apply PolyGEL near the cuticle and try to get it flush at the cuticle first, then work on the stress area and tip next. This is similar to the one ball method when working with traditional acrylics.
3. If you must apply more PolyGEL, do it before curing. If you didn’t apply enough product on your first slice, try adding a bit more while you’re still sculpting and before curing. If you add it after curing, you may get some white lines or spots in the finished product.
4. PolyGEL will move a tiny bit on the nail. I know the promo videos from Gelish emphasize that PolyGEL stays in place after you roll it on but, until it is cured, it can move a little bit over a few minutes if the nail is not horizontal.  For instance, if you apply PolyGEL to all the nails of one hand and then rest the hand in a neutral position (with the thumb nail at approximately a 90 degree angle), the PolyGEL will move slightly on the thumb nail over time. This product does not defy gravity for more than a few minutes. It’s simple physics. Please don’t expect it to be frozen on the nail from the moment you roll it on (obviously this could not be the case, because then you wouldn’t be able to shape it on the nail!). It does stay in place long enough for you to sculpt a set, without having to chase it around the nail; it’s not going to run off onto the cuticle or sidewall areas while you’re working on the other nails.

Practice helps! The more you work with this product, the more you will be come comfortable with it. Before you buy the full-size products, I recommend picking up the trial kit.

Have you tried PolyGEL? What are some of your tips? Let me know in the comments!

YsNails Dual Forms review

A couple years ago I wrote a post explaining dual forms vs. inverted nail moulds. Now I’m back with review of another brand of dual forms (also called reverse forms)! (Note that I bought all the items mentioned in this post, and the opinions expressed are my own. This is not a sponsored post.)

Dual forms gained infamy when nail technician Amy Becker used them in a competition in 2013 to sculpt a full set in less than 8 minutes. She now holds the World’s Record for fastest set of sculptured pink and white acrylic nails thanks to her innovative use of this product. Many nail techs still think using dual forms is “cheating”, but I find that they are simply a quicker way of producing beautifully shaped enhancements on the natural nails. They cannot replace paper forms or nail tips, but are another viable option for nail techs and home users.

I have been using ASP Form-A-Nail dual forms on myself off-and-on for the past couple years. Recently I watched a video review on YsNails dual forms from another nail tech, Denise John, on YouTube, and decided to give them a try. I bought the YsNails dual forms on Ebay.  They came in a plastic bag inside a bubble wrap mailer, with some brief instructions.  If you don’t know how to use these there are a hundred videos online that can help!

Overall I like these dual forms. It’s convenient to have a length guide on the form, though this isn’t a deal-breaker because I measure the length of my nails while finish filing, to make sure they’re all even, anyway. These dual forms built a nice nail for me (I usually prefer squoval), and I didn’t feel bad about re-shaping the form for my thumb nail because the package came with so many forms… more on that below.  However, the plastic did seem a bit thinner than the other dual forms I’ve used, making them feel flimsier overall. Here are the nails I built with them, using Gelish Hard Gel:

If you’re looking to buy dual forms, buying them online or at Sally Beauty is probably the fastest and easiest way to get your hands on some. Comparing the two brands I personally have used…

ASP Form-A-Nail – around $8 for 24 forms in 12 unique sizes

• work consistently well (I’ve tried them with hard gel, acrylic and Polygel)
• have tabs on the side to hold so you can more easily rock the dual form until it pops off the nail
• no length indicator
• shape of the forms fits well to the typical nail bed
• form a decent nail shape, perhaps a little flatter than I would like

YsNails dual forms – $9 for 120 forms in 12 unique sizes

• worked just as well as the more expensive versions
• have length indicators – very helpful!
• seem to be a thinner plastic than other brands
• you get more in the pack than with other brands
• have a very rounded cuticle area; my thumb nail cuticle area is very flat, so I filed the edge of the dual form to match

Some other brands:

• Pronails Poppits– these seem to be the original. They have a tab at the tip to help with removal.
• Bio-Swift system – like a couple other techniques that pro and home users have been using for years (such as stamping nail art and acrylic dip systems), it seems that dual forms are gaining attention in 2017 from professional brands. BioSeaweed Gel introduced this reverse forms kit recently
• ASP Form-A-Nail – I mentioned these above and in my previous post about dual forms, but I’m listing them again here to supply the link

Be aware that whether you use gel or acrylic, this is a two-handed process. You’ll need to use one hand to hold the form in position on the nail of the other hand until the acrylic dries or while the gel is cured enough (about 20 seconds) for the form to stay in place during the full curing process. I have never used these on clients because I don’t have a lamp that will cure gel while I am holding the dual form on the nail with my two hands. You’d probably need an overhead lamp or a flashlight-style LED lamp.

Also be aware that it’s easy to push the dual form down on to the nail using too much pressure, resulting in a precariously thin enhancement and a vulnerable nail-to-extension transition (meaning the area where the natural nail abuts the gel nail). This can lead to easy breakage and shorter wear time. I also prefer my extensions to be a bit thicker, after finding that the super thin extensions just don’t hold up to the rigors of everyday life as well as those that are a little thicker.

Reverse or dual forms are easy to use but, just like any other product, they still require practice.  Have you tried any of these brands of dual forms? What do you think about them? Please leave a comment below!

Review: Gelish PolyGel

Over the past couple weeks I’ve been doing some product testing with Gelish® PolyGel™. (Of course I have to thoroughly test it on myself before recommending it to others.) This is a photo of my nails enhanced with clear PolyGel and then polished with one coat of Gelish Tickle My Heart (which Gelish is, unfortunately, no longer manufacturing).

I was going for a simple, neutral design with this set, but couldn’t resist a polish with a bit of glitter! You can see that I used the PolyGel to extend the nails, basically doubling the length of my free edge.

After using and wearing PolyGel for about 3 weeks now, I am happy to report that it is as user-friendly and easy to apply as they say. I had watched a few videos on the application of this product, yet I was still blown away by how easy it is to work with. It’s really something you have to experience for yourself!

PolyGel enhancements also sit on the nail very comfortably – it’s light and feels natural on my nail and fingers. This is in contrast to acrylics, which I have trouble getting used to… acrylic on my nail always feels like an enhancement to me.

I’ve applied both Gelish gel polish and regular polish to my nail with no issues, and experienced great wear time. As far as wear and tear, the PolyGel has held up very well. The only minor issue I’ve noticed is that the corners of my square nails are now rounded, especially the nail of the middle finger on my right hand. I believe this is due to the softness of PolyGel as compared to acrylic or even hard gel. But after ~3 weeks of wear, that isn’t too bad! I have experienced very little lifting – much less than I usually do with acrylic or even hard gel.

Some tips for working with PolyGel:

• Pour the slip solution onto your PolyTool over the dappen dish, with the brush-side down. The Polytool will guide the slip solution liquid into the dish, and at the same time your are priming your brush with slip solution.
• Slice off only a small amount of PolyGel. You can always add more product.
• You don’t need a lot of Slip Solution on the brush. Be sure it’s not dripping, only saturating the bristles.
• If the PolyGel starts to feel gummy or tacky under your brush as you are working with it on the nail, then you’ll know it’s time to put some more slip solution on the brush.
• PolyGel is great for techs who prefer to hand file because it files so easily and quickly. Use a fine bit and a low speed if e-filing!
• I recommend starting with the trial kit and PolyTool because that’s everything you need to get squeezing, slicing, and rolling with PolyGel. Once you get a feel for the product, you can add always buy other colors or brushes and tools to your arsenal.

Have you tried PolyGel yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this product!

My, Myself-ie and I

As we enter the final weeks of summer 2017, I felt some neon pink nails were in order. This is Gelish Me, Myself-ie and I, from the Selfie collection, with some hand-painted nail art. Some nails are topped with All That Glitters Is Gold from the original Gelish Trends collection. I used black and white acrylic paints, a striping brush and a dotting tool to paint the design. This design was done on enhancements (tips) done with Gelish Dip, and not only do they look pretty good but they’re holding up very well!

Check out how beautifully all the colors work together in this collection:

Here’s a photo of my entire Gelish Mini Selfie collection. I rarely buy the mini sizes any more, but decided to purchased them in the smaller size for this collection because neons don’t see a lot of use from my current clients.

This summer I’m loving the corals and pinks in this collection. What about you? What’s your favorite Selfie color?

Fade to black

For this design I used the following Gelish colors:

• Black Shadow – for the tips
• Fashion Week Chic
• Let’s Hit the Bunny Slopes
• Clean Slate – for the base

Inverted nail moulds vs. Dual form system

Lately I’ve done a bit of research on the inverted nail moulds technique (very popular in the UK, which is why I am spelling mould as I am) as it compares to the dual form system (found in the US). I thought I would share with you a few of my findings as well as some links where you can find more information or buy the systems discussed.

First, dual form systems: I have the ASP Form -A-Nail brand, available at Sally Beauty.  The ProNails dual forms also get good reviews.

I can’t understand why more nail techs don’t use these rather than tediously sculpt acrylic and gel enhancements on forms.  You basically sculpt your nail from the underside and go up, rather than from the topside and down.  Check out this how-to video from ProNails:

You can find the ASP brand of dual forms at Sally, or just search “dual forms” on Amazon or Ebay for other options.

Now the inverted nail moulds, which are like a tip combined with the dual system.  You essentially sculpt your nail into the mould, as you would with the dual forms, but after application it does not pop off. The mould is made to stay on the nail.  (Honestly it seems to me like the mould is basically a full-well clear tip that you add to as desired, then apply more L&P to adhere to the nail.)  This video shows application of the moulds:

The clear advantage of either system is in creating embedded enhancements, in that your rough surface from embedding won’t be on the top side of the nail and therefore doesn’t have to be finished off as carefully, as you would if you were to apply a tip and then build on top of it. These seem like a real time saver!

Many people also ask if you can use gel rather than L&P and the answer is yes, though clearly gel requires more practice to obtain perfection. Air bubbles and lifting at the cuticle are a nuisance when using gel, but can be eliminated with practice, I think.

I’ll be experimenting with these over the next few weeks, so I may have some photos for you in the future!