Please, I need help with lifting

[andreapgn]

Please, I need help. I'm a new nail tech. I have done 4 full sets of acrylics and 1 full set gel.
This is practice, because I need to perfect my technique before I start charging full price to real customers. These sets were done on me, and some friends.

ALL my sets lift. Not all fingers, but let's say 5 fingers after a week. So that's 50% failure and I can´t spot what is it I'm doing wrong.

Some things I know I do right (or I think so):
* I have used different products -professional grade, but different quailities. No difference on the lifting, so it's not that.
* I am not touching skin or cuticle.
* I -think- I do good prep.

Yet, they lift. I've had problems with mix ratio consistency, but if I get too dry a pearl, I discard it.
I am being gentle with the actual nails. Maybe my prep is lacking? (I remove cuticle, scrape a bit around the cuticle and folds with an orange stick, and cut the excess. I then lightly file with a 180 grit to remove shine and buff with the white buffer. Am I being to gentle with this?)

I usually have to file a lot too, but this shouldn't influence the lifting, right?

Also, I use a fairly wet pearl on zone 3.

The lifting occurs around the cuticles and folds, I must be doing something wrong but I don't know what, and I'm a bit dissapointed. Well, a lot dissapointed. And I have a person coming for a new set tomorrow. She knows I'm new, I'm practising and whatnot. But why can't I make them stick? oi.

 

[pure]

Can I ask what brand you are using?

 

[andreapgn]

I'm using Pinnacle. I've also tried a local product called Ini, the results are the same though.

 

[sweetie_pie]

I personally think your not doing enough prep, an orange stick is useless at removing cuticle from the nail plate. Look at the finger nail fixer cuticle remover - the real cuticle on you tube and buy yourself a currette xx

 

[andreapgn]

I'm using a curette to push the cuticle and remove some, but as for scraping the nail, near the cuticle, I've been using the orange stick, yes.

I'll try scraping with the curette tomorrow. Frankly, I'm kind of dreading it. but how else am I going to learn. I did pass my license, but I find the real learning starts now, after getting it.

Thank you!

 

[sweetie_pie]

No I wouldn't use the orange stick hunni, does your currette have the flat side at the other end for using around the side walls, I mainly use this as find it easier to use and it gets in all the nooks and crannies. I also use to scoop end of my cuticle knife to scrape along the nail plate which helps X

 

[andreapgn]

Hi, it does have a flat side I use too.
I think in fear of damaging the nails I'm being the opposite and working too gently.

I'll scrape more tomorrow as advised here, and get rid of the orange stick.

At least the last girl who had lifting removed her nails at home in a fit of DIYiness and she just emailed me saying her nails were looking perfect after removing the acrylics.

I will master this. How many sets should I expect to do before actually learning (rethorical question!).

If I manage to understand how to upload photos I'll post for a critique. Thank you!