Nail Advantage Gel - Clear and Coloured
Nail Advantage Gel System.
This gel system
has been manufactured to provide the Technician with 'ease of application' and
the Client with a result that they will be more than happy with.
We are proud to
offer this range which is manufactured for us in Australia. The presentation of the pots is superb, they
do not leak when tipped over and we have the wonderful support of an Australian
Chemist behind the product. The range
can be cured using 6W or 9W globes (our instructions are based on 9W, so please
increase the curing time to 3 minutes for 6W).
This system
works on the basis of a Clear Builder gel for structuring the nail and an Ultra
Gloss finishing gel which is
non-yellowing and provides a permanent high shine finish.
The colours in
the range have been manufactured at our request and we believe they represent a
good variety of choices. The range can
be increased and if you believe we can improve the selection, then please
forward us a sample of your favourite colour for us to assess. The colours we
have chosen are complimented by very similar polish colours from the Joss range
of polishes.
I have briefly
covered application of the coloured gel, but there is so much more you can
do!! Try applying a glitter gel over a
standard colour, swirl colours together for a marbelled effect, embed nail art
etc etc - Have fun and experiment!!
As with most
enhancement systems, the standard procedures of sanitation and preparation of
the nail plate are imperative to produce a high quality result. Although we
have tested and applied this product without applying primer, it is still my
belief that the application of primer improves adhesion and reduces the risk
of nail plate disorders. (Remember to
prime the natural nail only.)
The following steps are assuming that tips
have been applied if required and that the nail plate is prepped and primed.
Clear Application:
Apply a very
thin coat of Bonder in a circular motion over the entire nail. Snap cure for 30 seconds.
Building:
'Dribble' a small amount of Builder gel across the stress area and allow to
self-level. If needed, ask the client to
turn their hand over so that gravity can pull down the gel. Turn hand back over
and wipe any excess from nail walls and cure for 2 minutes. Then proceed to
apply the gel to the entire nail, again turning the hand over if required and
removing any excess. Cure for 2 minutes. Gel can be placed again on any area of
the nail if the shape indicates that it still requires 'building'. When you are satisfied with the overall
shape, remove any sticky residue with gel wipe and proceed to buff and define
the enhancement.
Finishing: When
the desired shape has been achieved, use a strong nail brush to remove any dust
residue. (If at this stage if you feel
you may have inadvertently contaminated the enhancement with oil - be it either
from you finger pads, or using a file which may have been in contact with
cuticle oil etc, then I would suggest wiping the nails down with either gel
wipe or prep again. Oil and gels just do
not mix. If you apply gel to a surface with any oil present, it will separate
like 'scrambled eggs' or 'mini craters'.) Apply the Ultra Gloss finishing
gel to each nail, making sure to seal in the free edge. Cure this final coat
for 3 minutes then remove any remaining residue with gel wipe. If you feel the need, you may use a fine
natural nail file such as a 'Black Beauty' to file gently down the side walls
to remove any residual gel that may have cured. Finish by asking your client to
wash their hands, then apply cuticle oil or hand cream if desired. If you wish
to paint a polish you may do so and will not require the use of a base coat.
Coloured Application:
My favourite application is that of coloured gel toe nails
and this is how I do it:
Sanitise the
feet, push back the cuticles, file the nails to shape, then use either a white
block or 180 grit file to etch and smooth the nail surface. Of course I then
apply nail prep dehydrator and primer.
Fun part! Using
the coloured gel like a nail polish, I apply one thin coat to the entire nail
and remove any excess on the surrounding skin with an orange wood stick. Cure
for 2 minutes and without wiping in between, I then repeat the application of a
second, thin coat. This brings out the true colour of the gel.
If the client
is adventurous, I will then apply rhinestones etc to decorate. I seal this in
with my finishing coat of either Ultra Gloss or Duragloss.
- When using coloured gels, you MUST
always stir the pot of colour with an orange wood stick to mix up the true
colour. Like a tin of paint, coloured
gel settles and your results will be far from impressive if the colour is not
consistent.
- Ultra Gloss or Duragloss? Ultra Gloss
is stronger and thicker and increases the strength of the enhancement. Duragloss is a thin gel sealer which does not
leave a tacky residue. It is an excellent sealer over acrylic (which already
has strength) and as most toe nails are not long or require added strength,
Duragloss is a suitable finish.
- Permanent French: Apply the white gel
to the free edge area with two thin applications and then apply the clear
builder to the back zones of the nail, bringing down over the white. Finish
with Ultra Gloss for added strength.
- Twinkle Toes: Apply Clear Builder or
chosen colour over the entire nail. Then place diamantes in any design be it
along the French line or over the entire nail. Seal in with Ultra Gloss or
Duragloss. Examine carefully! You may
need to apply a second top coat to ensure the diamantes are properly secured.
- Removal: Gel must be buffed off to
remove. I have tried many solutions which are supposed to dissolve gel, but I
haven't yet found any to be effective.
As gel is a softer enhancement, it is easy to buff away. Just be careful
not to be too vigorous with your filing - you dont want to damage the natural
nail!
- OOPS! Problems?
Small craters or separation: the
nail was somehow contaminated with oil.
Little dots: when applying (before
curing) if you see little dots, it usually means
one of two things: either you do not have enough product applied or there is
dust or fibres on the nail plate.
Lumpy when applying: either the gel
was not mixed sufficiently prior to use or the coat you are applying this one
over was not cured for long enough. Check the globes in your UV lamp and ensure
client is positioned correctly within the lamp.
Dont panic, the product can be
lightly buffed to remove imperfections and reapplied. Use lint-free wipes and
keep your work area clean when applying gel.
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