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!

Gelish (finally) answered my question!

A few years ago I participated in a Facebook Live chat with Danny Haile, founder of Hand & Nail Harmony. It was a Q&A session, and my question for him was something like “What enhancement or extension product would you recommend so that you’re able to remove the Gelish from enhancement, but not the enhancement itself?” (That’s as close as I can get… It’s been like 4 years so I really don’t remember my exact question.) At the time there was no product in their line-up that wasn’t affected by acetone, so he responded that they recommend Structure Gel.

Fast forward to 2017. I’m still using Gelish gel polish, dealing with the consequences of soaking it off each time I need to do a fill. And now Gelish introduces Polygel. It’s unlike any other product we’ve seen before. People are experimenting with it and finding some great uses for it. But what I want to know is: Can I soak Gelish off Polgyel without destroying the enhancement underneath?

YES!

The answer is yes. You can soak off the Gelish gel polish, leaving the the Polygel behind, ready for a fill. How great is that?  Check out the Smoke & Mirrors YouTube channel for a demo of how this is done!

 

 

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!

Unboxing: Gelish Polygel

Check out the Smoke & Mirrors YouTube channel for a new Gelish Polygel unboxing video!

In the video you’ll see what is in the Polygel Trial Kit, including:

• Natural Clear Polygel
• Slip Solution
• Tube Key
• Multi-purpose tool (which is also the Prohesion Stir Stick & Cleaner)

The video also features the new PolyTool, created by Gelish for use with the Polygel.

Nail Tech Event of the Smokies 2017 Wrap-Up

As you read previously, Smoke & Mirrors attended the Nail Tech Event of the Smokies earlier in July. Here’s the wrap-up!

The Nail Tech Event of the Smokies is held every summer in the Gatlinburg Convention Center. Gatlinburg, if you have never visited, is the play place of the south. It has every activity imaginable – from whitewater rafting and ziplining to shopping and spas, and all kinds of tourist attractions.  Although I have lived in the southeast for most of my life this was my first time visiting, and I was blown away.  If you come to this show there is no shortage of activities for you to choose from outside of show hours.

The convention center itself is small but well-kept and clean. It was hot outside but the temperature inside the venue was comfortable. There were friendly show coordinators stationed just inside the doors, ready to answer questions about the venue, show schedule or classes.

Billed as a three-day show, this is primarily a one-day show with an early check-in day before, and a workshop/classes day after. (Unfortunately no Continuing-education credits are given for any of the classes.)  I arrived on Saturday for early check-in and ready to begin shopping, only to find that Saturday was vendor setup day. The only thing you can do at the show on Saturday is choose from a couple early workshops or check-in. So I checked-in and went back out into Gatlinburg for some sight-seeing fun.

During check-in we received a nice gift from Nail Art Elegance.com, whom I had never heard of before that day. They carry a great selection of “Nail Charms, Decals, Flatback Swarovski Elements and Rhinestones, Glitters” on their website, at great prices! And, Rock Bottom Soap Company provided a trial size of their Lavender Body Polish, which smelled great! Rock Bottom Soap sells hand-made goat milk soap in London, Kentucky.

On Sunday, the show floor was packed! Every major nail product company had a booth, and some re-sellers and consultants were there, too. They all had representatives available to discuss and sell product, and some were doing product demos on show guests.

I stopped by the Gelish booth to pick up some of the products from my wish list and was disappointed to find that they were not doing Polygel demos (they were too busy selling product to a line of customers). The booth attendant explained that they would later, as time allowed.

Here’s that I bought at the Gelish booth:

Check the Smoke & Mirrors YouTube channel later for an unboxing video for the PolyGel Trial Kit. It was my understanding that show vendors usually sell their product below MSRP, but the items I bought were pretty much full price. I paid MSRP for the PolyGel kit, and the Gelish was $13 per bottle. All of my items were wrapped in a nice reusable plastic bag with the Morgan Taylor logo on one side, and Gelish logo on the other.

I also stopped by the OPI booth and picked up some fun items:

Actually, I didn’t even buy the bottle of nail polish. The booth attendant just handed it to me. I bought the t-shirt to wear at the salon, and it has been a great conversation-starter so far!

On Monday I wasn’t scheduled for any classes, so we went home on Sunday night. All-in -all, it was a good but tiresome weekend.  If you are looking for a NAILS ONLY show that is more intimate than the larger beauty shows, NTES is the one for you. The venue was just right for this show, and you can have a great time in the Gatlinburg area. Also, be sure to check the workshop schedule because I’m sure they have some useful classes that can help build your career.

I’m so glad I went, but I’m not sure when or if I’ll go back. I was looking to stock up on some supplies at below MSRP, and I didn’t really get to do that. I also would rather visit Gatlinburg when it not high season – too hot and too many people there in July! I actually felt bad for a couple of the vendor reps at the show because they were clearly exhausted from a week at another beauty show out west, and had flown straight in to work NTES. Too bad NTES couldn’t be held at least a couple weeks before or after the other show.

Have you ever attended the Nail Tech Event of the Smokies? Are you thinking of going next year? I tried to give a feel for the show in this post, with some things I wish someone had told me before I went. If you have any questions or comments about the show, please leave a comment!