Can you turn out a professional polish job?

[sian1979]

OK here is my verdict (from judge gigi) lol

I think you could go a little closer to the sidewalls in zone 3 so that the nails do not look narrow in that area making them look slightly flared OR you could accomplish the same effect by leaving more of a free margin down the sides. See what I mean?
Polish is used to create an illusion so create it.
The top coat does not look as shiny as I think it should either in the photo.

But the colour looks to be applied evenly and smoothly and not too thickly and the finished result is clean and professional looking.

i totally see what you mean....and when i looked at them i did think they looked a bit flared and thought that was down to the enhancements ....but i thought they were ok at the time...there is an un polished photo of them in my profile album....but can now see that it is the polish that is making them look like that. with regard to the top coat i used the speedy top coat....i usually use super shiney ...but i think that it had been dulled as she has been dressed up for red nose day and is covered in green body paint, lol!!!
Thank you for the feedback.......it was alot better than what i was expecting!!!

 

[RedAdmiral]

Ok I'm very late to this thread but I just wanna say breathe, steady hand and the right amount of polish on the brush is crucial! I do a Fantastic Polish and am so happy to say that. Polish is king in my salon I have a big distributor sized rack, I dont do file & polish, I do feel good treatments. My clients are so happy. I dont care if theyre rushing they must do 2 coats, one coat super shiny then one coat out the door. I put them under a dryer that is timed for 10 mins when I do the top coats and the nails are always fantastic.
I do funky french's, display the seasons colours, have my look book on the desk, wear polish every so often myself and am always rec colours to my clients.

My polishing skills has led me to work for Chanel and Leighton Denny and its not just that its the affordable luxury I have given that gives me a buzz!

 

[dee]

Thank you, I am relieved to hear this. I must admit to getting extremely annoyed at being pushed to push out 30 minute standard Manicures in 30 minutes which the clients were paying for using gloopy, tacky rubbish polish!

hey hun you know the answer to that !lol cheat and take your creative ones :lol:
i point blank refused to use the rubbish at college , coz on our finals polishing counted for such a huge % of our marks , so i wanted to make sure i had my proper polishes , lol xx

 

[pure]

hey hun you know the answer to that !lol cheat and take your creative ones :lol:
i point blank refused to use the rubbish at college , coz on our finals polishing counted for such a huge % of our marks , so i wanted to make sure i had my proper polishes , lol xx

lol when i was at college our tutors actually advised us not to use our kit polishes if we wanted to get a good result and pass!!

 

[1999judy]

I was taught by a very good tutor on this at college and we could use ANY brand we wanted.
OBVIOUSLY I have learnt a hell of a lot from Antony along the way too. If you know me it goes without saying...if you don't then I guess you'll need my life story Antony Buckley. Say no more.
Practice does make perfect.....but good tutoring and products also goes a long way too x

 

[Eni]

Same here except I'm collaring my 15YO son (LOL). So I'll try to post something Sunday night or Monday AM *your* time.

N.

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

hey hun you know the answer to that !lol cheat and take your creative ones :lol:
i point blank refused to use the rubbish at college , coz on our finals polishing counted for such a huge % of our marks , so i wanted to make sure i had my proper polishes , lol xx

LOL dee, I did. Ended up taking my own private stash to college with me. Did this for exams too, although we had to use the college recommended colour and brand for the mocks and final exams, which was Attitude in Ecstatic Red and Salon Systems base and top coat. Had my own supply at the ready!

 

[An*Gel]

I'm really surprised at the amount of geeks here that are not happy with their polishing.

I LOVE polishing nails, but don't usually do it on enhancements.
I always buff the nail to a shine and then apply and my clients usually get a week to two weeks out of them and I think it's the buffing that makes the difference.

I was never shown how to polish in college, so I used to paint my poor hubbys nails (they're very short) with a french polish to practice and if you can make a man's short nails look nice, anything else is a doddle

 

[alan27]

my kit only had an attitude exctatic red, a pink one and a blue one which made you look like you had heart problems!!! and then the salon systems french kit...

we were allowed to use any brnd we wanted, so i went an bought an opi polish box and half filled it with nice polishes in a variety of colours, i honestly think i wouldnt have passed with the kit ones..

my tutor said i was "fab at polishing" but i think its so much harder with the attitude.......not too mention getting the lids off!

 

[Nail Perfection]

When you do a polish on a natural nail, do you always buff the nail to a high shine first? I do buff but not always to a high shine as I feel that the polish will get a better grip on a "not so shiney" surface, especially with french. Not sure how everyone else does it?

 

[geeg]

When you do a polish on a natural nail, do you always buff the nail to a high shine first? I do buff but not always to a high shine as I feel that the polish will get a better grip on a "not so shiney" surface, especially with french. Not sure how everyone else does it?

The better the surface of the nail (enhancement or natural) the better the final result an finish of the polish will be.

Check out the latest cover of Scratch magazine, which are natural nails polished in 2 colours. These nails could have looked so much better had the natural nails had a wee buff first to remove all the small ridges on the nail surface or at least the use of a ridge filler such as CND ridge Out to disguise them; the ridges are particularly even more apparent when using metallic colours!

It is the base coat that helps the polish adhere to the surface of the nail plate not whether the surface is shiny or matte.

 

[Nail Perfection]

Thanks geeg, I know what you mean with certain polishes being less forgiving than others in terms of finish.

My reason for asking was that my neice buffs her nails really smooth and when she does her own polish she says it peels off. I suggested she deydrates the nails prior to remove oils and use a good base coat. I also wondered if the peeling could have been caused by the nails being too "smooth". I guess it could also be applying the polish too thick. When I do a french polish on her it lasts around 5 days, which I am pleased about! I don't however buff to a high shine. I will try doing this next time to see the difference.

Thanks, am enjoying this thread!

 

[geeg]

Thanks geeg, I know what you mean with certain polishes being less forgiving than others in terms of finish.

My reason for asking was that my neice buffs her nails really smooth and when she does her own polish she says it peels off. I suggested she deydrates the nails prior to remove oils and use a good base coat. I also wondered if the peeling could have been caused by the nails being too "smooth". I guess it could also be applying the polish too thick. When I do a french polish on her it lasts around 5 days, which I am pleased about! I don't however buff to a high shine. I will try doing this next time to see the difference.

Thanks, am enjoying this thread!

I think using an effective base coat is also the key along with preparation. An effective base coat will anchor itself to the nail plate and the polish to it (like double sided sticky tape).

I do not think the smooth surface shortens the life of the polish. As long as the nail surface is, as you say, clean of all oils and dry as a bone, then with the use of a really effective base coat like CND Stickey (and I do not think there is a better on on the market) or CND Ridge Out, the polish should last for more than an acceptable time period.

 

[Urban Geek]

I love polishing nails. I think that is because I know I do an above average job and use the best products on the market. I take pride in doing my best to finish a manicure or pedicure with the best polish application the client has ever had.

In my opinion, the polish is the finishing touch to a good manicure or pedicure and it the part of those services which cannot be compromised. It helps me get faithful, regular clients.

 

[mcgrathbears]

Hello, GiGi,

Where and When will you be in the States?

I love this thread. A great polish job is the last thing a client will remember and show off to everyone! It is our " business card" to potential new clients.

Any chance of making that Monday polish course an online webinar for those of us on this side of the Atlantic? I would love to see this in real time.

Christine

 

[xAnnaBannAx]

I find the french manicure pinks and pearly type colours really difficult to do as they just seem to be so streaky....any top tips for this kind of polish? x

 

[~Emmsybabes~]

I got my enamels out yesterday and had a few go's,
I find the main problem I have is...
I either load to little and run out as I get to the free edge Or I load to much and the first layer is too thick,
But I read some tips from Roxanne in one of my look books last night,
I am thinking my brush angle is all wrong..
I hold at about a 45% angle.... I read about holding it flat to the nail plate,
How do you all hold the brush ?

 

[1999judy]

I find that many techs rush and want to do enhancements straight away..they miss the realy important simple parts by doing this...but like they say...you can't put an old head on young shoulders.

 

[RedAdmiral]

Emma I'd say 30' is more like it. I take the brush out of the bottle, wipe only one side, flip it over so the loaded side is facing down and apply to about 1/4 of the way down. I polish as is taught by pushing up and following the shape of the nail by turning it slowly and foloowing the side walls. I always tell students that the first application is for shape dont worry about bald spots just make sure you have the perfect shape and straight side walls and perfect cuticle. The second app is for coverage and you dont push up just meet the cuticle and glide polish down. If you think about a spillage and you get a piece of kitchen roll and wipe, most of the time there is liquid infront of the towel and you are pushing it - well do this with the polish always have a little infornt of the brush.

 

[beautyseeker]

Up till now all my clients have had polish, and if I do say so myself, I am pretty good at it.

You are right though, I think it is a dying art. I especially love it when a client asks for a dark colour, so much more challenginig to get just right.

Trish xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx