Question for the nail experts

After two different sets of nails by two techs since December, I soaked them off and am living with the hell of growing mine out. They are getting better and don't hurt anymore :(

I know that once I get the healthy nail grown out a bit more, and definitely for my August cruise, I'll manage to forget all this and I'll want a new set.

What I'm wondering is, honestly and realistically, what will happen if I refuse to let the tech grind my nails down first? Will the nails really fail to adhere and just fall off? As hard as it was to get them off, that's difficult to imagine.

It was just about a year ago that I removed all of my acrylics. Some were difficult but most I was able to remove with the help of a metal nail file.

Anyway, my nails are finally back to normal. They are thinner than I remember; I had acrylics for about 3 years.

I don't know if they will attach acrylics without sanding the nail down. But, I remember someone on here saying you shouldn't let them do it.

I have decided that for my next cruise I will just get a regular manicure. It's cheaper and my nails will be better for it..

If you are talking a gel polish like CND Shellac the tech should not use any electric filing. A good, educated tech follows CND education about application. The problem is with all the storefront and mall nail salons who are using knock-off products like Gelish and calling them Shellac and are so accustomed to electric filing for acrylics and do not do hand filing.

A product like Nailtiques formula 2 can help get back to your natural nails. Moisturize with cuticle or coconut oil 2X day

and before I forget, I have had good luck with my regular manicures lasting by using Gelous Advanced Nail Coat (green cap at Sallys Beauty Supply) on top of my color and then using a quick dry top coat. I do it myself, the Gelous is like a super strong top coat and manicures can last 10 days with no chips and removes normally.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I'm talking about acrylics. My own nails never grow enough to make a manicure worthwhile. I look like a little kid playing with mommy's polish.

Even if you have had problems in the past, if you use a good quality gel colour like OPI or Shellac, the gel protects the nail so well you will be able to grow out your nails in 4 - 6 weeks. OPI and Shellac both need to be soaked off. Do not let the tech grind the polish off.

I have been using these gel colours for over 4 years and still have very healthy nails.

Good luck.

Rockfan2

I'm a nail tech. Don't go to a discount, strip mall, nails only salon run by someone who you can't understand and can't understand you! Call up some reputable full service salon and pay a few bucks more (maybe) and get someone who knows how to use their tools and uses good name brand product. Ask questions. Tell them what you want. Make sure they have experience and have been doing nails for at least two years.

Doing nails properly is an art. Not everyone can do them and do a good job. Take time to find the right person and build a relationship with them just like you would your hair dresser. Don't just pop into a walk in salon in the nearest strip mall. Make an appointment and get them done right. Your nail beds will thank you.

As far as nails adhering, yes they will adhere without grinding. I use the e-file on the acrylic then I take my hand file to buff the shine off the natural nail at the cuticle. I the apply the bonder, then acrylic. If I'm doing a new set I only buff the shine off the natural nail with a low grit hand file.

I'm pretty passionate about this because I've seen too many jacked up nails. Good luck in your search. If I can help with any specifics let me know. I'm happy to help.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I'm talking about acrylics. My own nails never grow enough to make a manicure worthwhile. I look like a little kid playing with mommy's polish.

I used to think I had to have acrylics too.:) my nails were paper thin when I

had them removed about 6 months ago and stopped going to "The Chop shops".:p

I found an awesome nail tech who uses shellac on my nails. For the first time in my 45 years:eek: I have lovely natural nails;) They're not very long but they're pretty.

Give your nails a chance before you try acrylics again.

They look something like this😀

http://www.salonweb.com/images/nail-growth-tips.jpg

I'm a nail tech. Don't go to a discount, strip mall, nails only salon run by someone who you can't understand and can't understand you! Call up some reputable full service salon and pay a few bucks more (maybe) and get someone who knows how to use their tools and uses good name brand product. Ask questions. Tell them what you want. Make sure they have experience and have been doing nails for at least two years.

 

Doing nails properly is an art. Not everyone can do them and do a good job. Take time to find the right person and build a relationship with them just like you would your hair dresser. Don't just pop into a walk in salon in the nearest strip mall. Make an appointment and get them done right. Your nail beds will thank you.

As far as nails adhering, yes they will adhere without grinding. I use the e-file on the acrylic then I take my hand file to buff the shine off the natural nail at the cuticle. I the apply the bonder, then acrylic. If I'm doing a new set I only buff the shine off the natural nail with a low grit hand file.

 

I'm pretty passionate about this because I've seen too many jacked up nails. Good luck in your search. If I can help with any specifics let me know. I'm happy to help.

I absolutely agree with you. I found an awesome nail tech at my hair salon... Go figure😊

She has not only helped me heal my nails, but my feet too. I think you know what I mean😉

I'm a nail tech. Don't go to a discount, strip mall, nails only salon run by someone who you can't understand and can't understand you! Call up some reputable full service salon and pay a few bucks more (maybe) and get someone who knows how to use their tools and uses good name brand product. Ask questions. Tell them what you want. Make sure they have experience and have been doing nails for at least two years.

 

Doing nails properly is an art. Not everyone can do them and do a good job. Take time to find the right person and build a relationship with them just like you would your hair dresser. Don't just pop into a walk in salon in the nearest strip mall. Make an appointment and get them done right. Your nail beds will thank you.

 

As far as nails adhering, yes they will adhere without grinding. I use the e-file on the acrylic then I take my hand file to buff the shine off the natural nail at the cuticle. I the apply the bonder, then acrylic. If I'm doing a new set I only buff the shine off the natural nail with a low grit hand file.

 

I'm pretty passionate about this because I've seen too many jacked up nails. Good luck in your search. If I can help with any specifics let me know. I'm happy to help.

I'm guessing by your screen name that you are in Sacramento? Need to find someone close. Sigh

Just to clarify Shellac isn't generally classed as a gel polish. Most regulars know my Love affair with CND Shellac so will keep it shortish.

Gelish also isn't a knock off product it is a professional brand in it's own right, it's a gel polish brand whereas Shellac is a hybrid. For me as a pro it is all about correct application with the correct components of the system and removal as the gel polishes take longer to get off as opposed to Shellac which I can wrap off in about 6 minutes. (No drilling/buffing or soaking in a bowl of acetone).

I can't reiterate enough that it's all about correct application and correct removal by someone trained in the product.

I agree with the girl who said about finding a decent spa or salon and further to that where the techs are educated past nail school.

With regards to the drills, we do CND Brisa Gel nail enhancements mainly against acrylics but we do have a drill but it should never ever be used on the natural nail, it is used to "smooth" down the acrylic/artificial nail. You should never ever feel burning from these things. Once the shine has been gently buffed off your natural nail, a nail primer is also used to help the acrylic stay on.

Day Spa Owner and CND certified nail pro;)

I wound up with acrylic nails ("pink & white") after making the stupidest decision ever. A coworker & friend told me to go to the nail school. She swore they did a FANTASTIC job. Long story short, it was an unmitigated disaster. After spending 3 hours at the nail school on Saturday, on Sunday I had to go to a salon recommended by a neighbour to have the mess fixed up, and now I have these "Pink & Whites" which look fine, but I liked my gel nails.

As I have whined to CelticGirlCruiser before, there's practically no one in Atlanta who is a certified CND tech. I've been to two different salons who are on CNDs website and both buffed hard (to the point of burning) and filed down my nails before putting on the first coat of gel. I finally bought myself a lamp and the whole kit to do my own nails, but that took 90 minutes and the acetone I used to wrap my nails wound up taking the finish off of our kitchen table. An absolute mess.

So nail experts, what should I do now with these Pink & Whites? Should I let them grow out and tell the nail salon not to fill them anymore? I don't want to peel them off ... did that in 1985 and still remember what that felt like.

If you want to go back to Gel polish go have a nail professional soak them off with pure acetone. Don't go to a discount shop! They will yank them off! Hopefully your nails aren't too damaged from the nail school. If they are, you will have to go through the grow out process. Get a good protein treatment such as Nailtek if you do have damage.

Ouch Janine.

Be firm wherever you go to have them taken off when the time comes, don't let them pick them off or the worse ever removal where they slip another new nail enhancement tip under and rip about 10 layers of your nail off as it takes the enhancement off.

It bugs the heck out of me that those other salons are on the CND website and are still making a hash of it.

I can't remember if I told you about the newish certification for the CND locator where everyone was taken off and only certified CND techs are on there now. A salon or spa can't certify without CND techs on staff and if they leave the salon comes off (if the tech informs CND). Before any pro could log on, tick a few boxes and make a declaration they were doing it properly with the correct products/CND lamp but there were no checks and good people like yourself were turning up and getting a less than stellar treatment.

When my nails are not so good and polish/lacquer free, I use OPI nail envy or CND toughen up to try to strengthen them but I find the Shellac protects them quite well most of the time.

I wish you were nearer me Janine as I would love you to have them done properly.

Thank you so much for the mention of the certification for the techs on the CND website. I was very happy to discover quite a few in my area are now Certified Master Shellac. Now I can ask for a specific person when booking an appointment.

Do you follow Holly Schippers page on facebook? I am inspired by some of her designs and videos and now hopefully, I can hook up with a great tech (and not have to bring polish and remover and all my tools on my 12-day cruise to do my own manicure at the halfway point)

Sacnaillady, I hope you are in the Sacramento area. I need a good (New) nail tech! If you are please email me at leslibeach at gmail dot com. Thanks!

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I used to think I had to have acrylics too.:) my nails were paper thin when I

had them removed about 6 months ago and stopped going to "The Chop shops".:p

 

I found an awesome nail tech who uses shellac on my nails. For the first time in my 45 years:eek: I have lovely natural nails;) They're not very long but they're pretty.

Give your nails a chance before you try acrylics again.

 

They look something like this😀

http://www.salonweb.com/images/nail-growth-tips.jpg

I'd be thrilled to have pretty nails like that!

Eek! Reading through all this, I've done EVERYTHING wrong! The first tech I went to, highly recommended, in a hair salon, ground my nails an put on the acrylics. I told her I wanted them rounded so she made them square and barely filed the corners a bit. By that time I was already late getting back to work. So, I got a good file and rounded them myself.

Got back from my cruise and decided to let them grow out. I trimmed them shorter filed them down in back, and covered it all with a gorgeous OPI polish. They were about halfway grown out when we booked another cruise (we hadn't planned to) and I figured I might as well keep acrylics on through the summer since I couldn't see growing them out, just to get a new set.

So, on another high recommendation, I went to a nail shop (read everything recommended against up above) and showed the tech my nails and said I wanted a new set but that rounded shape. He took the old one off with a new nail form (owwwww!), ground them (again!) put on the new ones, and filed them into points.

They started to lift along the sides within a week so I got some acetone and soaked them off leaving me with tissue paper thin, way short barely nails. They are growing out but look horrible! They finally don't hurt but I look like I've chewed them to nubs.

So, that's my sad story. Can someone post the link to the site where I can search for a CDN tech in my area?

Sacnaillady, I hope you are in the Sacramento area. I need a good (New) nail tech! If you are please email me at leslibeach at gmail dot com. Thanks!

 

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I sent you an email with my info. I'm in Folsom to be exact. So if that works for you give me a call.

Thank you so much for the mention of the certification for the techs on the CND website. I was very happy to discover quite a few in my area are now Certified Master Shellac. Now I can ask for a specific person when booking an appointment.

 

Do you follow Holly Schippers page on facebook? I am inspired by some of her designs and videos and now hopefully, I can hook up with a great tech (and not have to bring polish and remover and all my tools on my 12-day cruise to do my own manicure at the halfway point)

I am fortunate enough to know Holly and she is such an ambassador.

Amy, just go to CND dot com and there will be a salon locator at the top, type in your zip or city and you will be given a list of anyone CND certified, which means they have physically taken CND nail training.

Amy, just go to CND dot com and there will be a salon locator at the top, type in your zip or city and you will be given a list of anyone CND certified, which means they have physically taken CND nail training.

Two Masters at one day spa/salon just a few miles from me!

Two Masters at one day spa/salon just a few miles from me!

Great, at least that is a starting point and hopefully a nice set of nails to follow.:D When you go tell them of your horror stories and that you have been led to them by a fellow pro who wanted you to get a correct and really great treatment!!

TBH you will find the majority of CND techs in a spa or salon setting rather than the chop shop environment as a general rule, there will be exceptions of course.

I wound up with acrylic nails ("pink & white") after making the stupidest decision ever. A coworker & friend told me to go to the nail school. She swore they did a FANTASTIC job. Long story short, it was an unmitigated disaster. After spending 3 hours at the nail school on Saturday, on Sunday I had to go to a salon recommended by a neighbour to have the mess fixed up, and now I have these "Pink & Whites" which look fine, but I liked my gel nails.

 

As I have whined to CelticGirlCruiser before, there's practically no one in Atlanta who is a certified CND tech. I've been to two different salons who are on CNDs website and both buffed hard (to the point of burning) and filed down my nails before putting on the first coat of gel. I finally bought myself a lamp and the whole kit to do my own nails, but that took 90 minutes and the acetone I used to wrap my nails wound up taking the finish off of our kitchen table. An absolute mess.

 

So nail experts, what should I do now with these Pink & Whites? Should I let them grow out and tell the nail salon not to fill them anymore? I don't want to peel them off ... did that in 1985 and still remember what that felt like.

Hi, I live in Suwanee :)

After trying many different salons for Gelish type nails, I am VERY happy with Nail Gallery in Suwanee. I have been going there for over a year now. All the techs speak perfect English and are "up" on the latest trends like ombre nails.

http://nailgallery.us/

I love the look and feel of gel polish, but don't like the UV lights or the soaking-off part whenever I want a change of color.

Yesterday I was feeling blue, so decided to poke my head in to the nail shop next to the grocery store. I suspect they don't have tons of certifications, but they do have licenses from the state. They also don't speak much English.

I did get what was a new product for me. It is called (by them) SNS nails. It involved putting some sort of liquid on my nail then dipping the nail into a very fine powder that was colored with my choice of color. Then another layer of the liquid was applied, followed by more color. Minimal filing with the electric drill was involved. I like the look, and the fact that they dry almost instantly without UV lights. They feel like acrylic, and I imagine the colored powder was some sort of acrylic powder.

I'll see what happens when I need a "fill" on this particular product. It was not clear whether they will need to be removed completely, or if I can just get the outgrowth filled in.