Acrylic question

[soniamarie]

Hi Everyone

I use Calgel at present but would like to learn acrylics, I have the NSI trial kit but the smell of the liquid I find really strong, as I would be mobile do any of you find the fumes a problem when at clients houses? also I am used to soak off gels and trained using normal hand files not efiles. What puts me of a bit is I dont want to have to use an efile, is this something I would have to resort to if I do acrylics or are there techs who still use normal files for removels etc still yet have to do a removal lol. so not sure how long this would take.

Also how popular are acrylics compared to gels.??

 

[asteropi]

You can certainly use a hand file for acrylic, but it really depends on your application and that comes with practice. The smoother your application the less filing you will need, and the less filing means you can actually use a hand file.
Even if you never use an e-file, you can still work with your hand file, but since you've never worked with acrylics it would take ages at first to file a nice set.

As for popularity, acrylics are quicker to do, can actually be removed with acetone and are stronger than anything else while gels need to be buffed off and take a lot of curing time. So I'd guess you can say acrylics are more popular but it's really up to you to sell that.
Despite that, strangely enough, my clients ask for gel not acrylics. I guess we are overrun here by newbie techs (or non-educated techs) who prefer gel due to easier application, and thank god for that because my acrylics are also not top shape yet. I still need a lot of practice!

 

[soniamarie]

You can certainly use a hand file for acrylic, but it really depends on your application and that comes with practice. The smoother your application the less filing you will need, and the less filing means you can actually use a hand file.
Even if you never use an e-file, you can still work with your hand file, but since you've never worked with acrylics it would take ages at first to file a nice set.

As for popularity, acrylics are quicker to do, can actually be removed with acetone and are stronger than anything else while gels need to be buffed off and take a lot of curing time. So I'd guess you can say acrylics are more popular but it's really up to you to sell that.
Despite that, strangely enough, my clients ask for gel not acrylics. I guess we are overrun here by newbie techs (or non-educated techs) who prefer gel due to easier application, and thank god for that because my acrylics are also not top shape yet. I still need a lot of practice!

Thank you for replying, I had to remove a set of acrylics on a friend and it took me nearly 2 hours, she always had them done at one the cheap nail bars for years and was going to have me do some gels for her, it took so long removing them and her nails were like tissue paper I didnt want to do the gels also we didnt have time in the end. I recommended after care which she did follow but she never had her nails done again,that was a couple of years ago, I lost out but it put me off. I guess I always though acrylics damaged your nails but realise now that its not but more likely the filing, cheap products etc. Can I ask do you use efiles, also how do you remove yours.?? thanks

 

[Mommabear]

It probably took you 2 hours because of the products the cheap nail bar used. We refuse to soak off any nails when we are aware they come from a NSS salon, for the reason, it takes a good hour or so to get them off.
I have lots of clients come to me saying acrylic ruins your nails blah blah.....gel can potentially ruin your nails...gel polish can also potentially ruin your nails...aslong as you are confident enough with your prep, filing, application etc then on your behalf you shouldnt have a problem. Its the clients aftercare that is usually the culprit when ""acrylics ruin nails"". I always say to my clients aslong as you listen and take on board the advice i give you, you should be perfectly fine.....and they are

 

[soniamarie]

It probably took you 2 hours because of the products the cheap nail bar used. We refuse to soak off any nails when we are aware they come from a NSS salon, for the reason, it takes a good hour or so to get them off.
I have lots of clients come to me saying acrylic ruins your nails blah blah.....gel can potentially ruin your nails...gel polish can also potentially ruin your nails...aslong as you are confident enough with your prep, filing, application etc then on your behalf you shouldnt have a problem. Its the clients aftercare that is usually the culprit when ""acrylics ruin nails"". I always say to my clients aslong as you listen and take on board the advice i give you, you should be perfectly fine.....and they are

Hi Mommabear, at the time I did think it was most likely the products but I was just starting out, it did put me of for a while as I felt it was my fault we took so long. But I have carried on with my training in Gels but have been watching how acrylics are done and find it quiet interesting and the designs you can do would open up what I could offer. Its just the filing, I had mine done at a nail bar only once and never again and they damaged my nail with the efile, so just dont really want to use one.

 

[asteropi]

Thank you for replying, I had to remove a set of acrylics on a friend and it took me nearly 2 hours, she always had them done at one the cheap nail bars for years and was going to have me do some gels for her, it took so long removing them and her nails were like tissue paper I didnt want to do the gels also we didnt have time in the end. I recommended after care which she did follow but she never had her nails done again,that was a couple of years ago, I lost out but it put me off. I guess I always though acrylics damaged your nails but realise now that its not but more likely the filing, cheap products etc. Can I ask do you use efiles, also how do you remove yours.?? thanks

Yes I do use an e-file. I initially bought it for feet and I was scared to death the first time I used it on nails (hehehehehehe). I knew how of course but I was afraid of the pressure it would put to the nail. But I didn't feel a thing and I was amazed by the outcome! Gosh hear me I sound like such a noob! And yes I was my own guinea-pig...
Anyways, now I can't live without it. It saves me so much time! Especially when removing!

As to removals, I start with the e-file to take most of it off, then hand file as I get closer to the nail plate because I don't have a safety bit yet, then wrap with acetone-dipped (or nourishing remover from cnd) cotton and foil for 10- 30 mins. By the time I get to the last nail, I can start again at the first. Then I take off the foils and just scrap the thing off my nails. It's a process but it definitely doesn't take 2 hours.
Well not anymore it doesn't. The first time I did a full removal and re-set took me 2.5-3 hours. I hadn't used an efile and I've certainly improved with practice. It all comes down to that.

 

[pure]

Acrylics, or the professional term liquid and powder, doesn't damage nails any more than hard gel does. Poor application, maintenance or removal damages nails. People damage nails!

With practice, applying L&P can be done with precision reducing the need for excess filing. I have never used an efile yet can apply and finish a new set, or do a rebalance in 1hr 15 with minimal filin, and that includes Shellac on top. Granted it's taken a few years to get to those speeds lol but it completely do-able.

I offer both hard gel and L&P and it's good to be able to have the choice and skills to offer your clients the best option for them.

 

[soniamarie]

Acrylics, or the professional term liquid and powder, doesn't damage nails any more than hard gel does. Poor application, maintenance or removal damages nails. People damage nails!

With practice, applying L&P can be done with precision reducing the need for excess filing. I have never used an efile yet can apply and finish a new set, or do a rebalance in 1hr 15 with minimal filin, and that includes Shellac on top. Granted it's taken a few years to get to those speeds lol but it completely do-able.

I offer both hard gel and L&P and it's good to be able to have the choice and skills to offer your clients the best option for them.

Thanks for replying, its nice to hear that you dont use an efile, I was always taught not to use them, I know there are courses etc and many use them and trained but after my experience at a nail bar I would not like to go down that route. I will practice with the NSI kit I have for a good while then maybe post some pics on here to see what people think to them. The only other concern I have is the smell of the liquid, more so if you are mobile and in someones home, not sure if your mobile or not but have you any experience with that.x

 

[pure]

Thanks for replying, its nice to hear that you dont use an efile, I was always taught not to use them, I know there are courses etc and many use them and trained but after my experience at a nail bar I would not like to go down that route. I will practice with the NSI kit I have for a good while then maybe post some pics on here to see what people think to them. The only other concern I have is the smell of the liquid, more so if you are mobile and in someones home, not sure if your mobile or not but have you any experience with that.x

I'm not mobile, but as for the smell so long as you work in a well ventilated area and follow good practice when using monomer it shouldn't be a problem. However I would urge you not to practice with your kit until you have attended a training course. You won't know how to correctly or safely use the products and you certainly shouldn't practice on a real nail.

 

[blossom]

I'm same as pure, no efile. And not much filing as its possible to perfect the shape with your brush. I MUCH prefer it to gel

 

[soniamarie]

Thank you all, I would be training on my nail trainer not a real nail lol, would need lots of practice before that ever happens, I will look in to courses where I live, its nice to know not everyone uses efiles. I like gels but they can be a pain with dust etc floating around in the air or if anyone has pets, nothing worse than a pet hair floating around.

 

[Mommabear]

Hi Mommabear, at the time I did think it was most likely the products but I was just starting out, it did put me of for a while as I felt it was my fault we took so long. But I have carried on with my training in Gels but have been watching how acrylics are done and find it quiet interesting and the designs you can do would open up what I could offer. Its just the filing, I had mine done at a nail bar only once and never again and they damaged my nail with the efile, so just dont really want to use one.

Ouch!! Ive had that done myself before and it hurts :-(
Things like that can knock you totally, just remember, nobody is perfect, ive been doing acrylics 11years and im not perfect. There is allsorts you can do with them, i get excited everytime i find something new, there is just so much it can be quiet off putting.
Get back to basics and go from there.
Xx