Acrylic Application

Acrylic Application Instructions

Pour a small amount of monomer (Acrylic Liquid) into a Dappen Dish, use only what you need for the particular service you are performing. Totally immerse and ‘swish’ your Brush in the monomer to thoroughly wet the hairs and to remove any trapped air that may result in bubbles in the finished product. As you remove the Brush from the Dappen Dish, flatten hairs on both sides to shape the Brush for sculpting and to drain excess liquid from the Brush.
Dip the Brush into the monomer depending what size bead you want will depend on how many times you will wipe your brush on the side of the dappen dish. Brush once for a large bead, twice for a medium bead and three times for a small bead. This will give you different amounts of liquid in your brush.

Once you have enough liquid on your brush for the size of bead you want you then need to place your brush into your acrylic powder. Only use the tip of your brush to pick up your bead. Stroke the top of the powder three times, then count to 3, if the powder hasn’t completely dissolved into the bead then its too dry don’t use it. The bead should look like orange peel, wet but slightly textured. It should not look powderey (too dry) or shiney (too wet).

where going to divide the nail into 3 zones 1.Free edge, 2.Stress point, 3.Cuticle area. Each zone will be applied separately and and using different angles of the brush.

Section 1: using a medium to large bead dependant on how long the free edge is needed. Place a bead of acrylic on the free edge, upto the smile line and in the centre of the natural nail. Using a flat brush angle, press into the centre of the bead to flatten and separate the bead. then using the point of your brush still at a flat angle push the bead to the courners of your smile line. Then using your brush still at a flat angle pull the bead towards you to create the length. Now using the belly of your brush at a flat angle press the acrylic down to make it an even layer. Make sure that the level of product is evenly distributed. This section will be higher at the smile line (upper arch) and tapered to all edges. As you smooth with the brush from smile to extension edge, it is important to ‘follow-through’ with the stroke in a downward motion. Wipe your brush after each stage so you don’t have excess liquid in your brush. Use your point of the brush to clean up the smile line on the nail plate if needed.

Section 2: Pick up a medium size bead of clear and place on the nail surface just behind but still touching your previous section. Lifting your brush angle up slightly, press the bead to flatten, then press out to the sides of the nail, making sure you don’t touch the side walls skin.then using the belly of the brush pull the clear over section 1.

Section 3: Pick up a small to medium size pink bead depending on the length of the clients nail bed. apply to section 3 lifting the angle of tour brush up to about a 75degree angle. Press the bead out to each side and then pull over the zone 2, trying not to pull over zone 1. Be sure this section tapers thin near the cuticle line. Leave a tiny margin all around the cuticle and sidewall line free of product. This will allow the product to properly shrink when cured (polymerized) and create an air-tight seal to the nail plate.

Pinching: Once this area is complete leave the acrylic to start to set, after about 2 minutes this nail is ready to pinch, (time depends on room temperature) the acrylic needs to be soft enough to still move but not too soft that the pitching tool will leave dints in it. Place the pitching tool onthe sides of the nail being careful not to catch the clients skin. Leave on the nail for 3-5 minutes, while you do the next nail.

Finishing: Using a 180 grit file, shape the free edge and sidewalls to the desired shape. Using a 180 grit file, Smooth the surface of section 1, perfect the ‘C’ curve and sidewalls to a thin edge. Then filing section 2 keeping your eye on your stress point/apex arch this should always be the highest point of the nail. Then using a 180 grit nail file very gentely file around zone 3, this should be done slowly and carefully so not to cause damage to the cuticle or lunula soft nail plate. Using a White Sanding Block, blend cuticle area flush to the natural nail, but do not over-file the natural nail. With a White Sanding Block buff the overlay to remove scratches. Brush the nail with your manicure brush to remove the dust, then you have 2 choices, a. Apply a gel top coat, like a polish making sure you don’t touch natural nail or skin, set in a uv gel lamp for 3 minutes. B. Buff the nail to a high shine using a 2 or 3 way buffer. This is down grading your file grits to smooth out the scratchs in the acrylics. Then apply a polish top coat if the client wants it, this is not needed if the nails have been buffed enough. Apply a small amount of cuticle oil to the nails.