UV Gel Nail Tip and Overlay

So, we're going to do a gel design on this nail. There is a tip on this nail but there's no acrylic ... [Read more]

So, we're going to do a gel design on this nail. There is a tip on this nail but there's no acrylic or gel already on there so we need to put a base layer of gel on first. Don't forget when you're doing gel nails to file the tip so it loses it shine or it won't stick. So a nice thin layer of gel, and when you're painting it on it's almost as if you're pressing it into the natural nail. So, it's quite a firm brushing movement so that gel does go into the actual natural nail grooves. Once you've done that, then we can put the builder layer on. Get your client to turn the hand upside-down so that gel will self-level. Check your level on your gel. Thats fine. We're going to pop it under the lamp for thirty seconds then pinch. The pinching process on gel takes a few times, so you're going to pinch, hold it there for about ten seconds, then pop it back under the lamp and we're going to do this about three times. Back in, pinch again, back in - you won't get as much of a pinch with gel as you will with acrylic but it will pinch it slightly so it doesn't look too wide- and back out. Back in. So you need to set that gel now for two minutes.

So we're going to do a bit of a French design but not with a perfect smile line. You paint your white onto the tip of the nail, wipe your brush, and with the tip of your brush blend it down slightly. Your brush will still be sticky so you can pick up your pieces of glitter and then you can pop that into the lamp for two minutes.

So, we need to cap this whole nail now. I'm going to use clear on the free edge and pink on the nail bed area. So, a thin layer of clear on that zone one, and a thin layer of pink on the zone three. Then you build the layers, clear first, then pink and the get that client to turn that nail upside down. Make sure that the client keeps it nice and straight, so keep hold of it, don't let go, and gravity will pull the gel to the centre of the nail. "Turn that back over". And use the tip of your brush to make sure that that stress point is the strongest part. And that can go back in for three minutes.

Wipe your residue off, one side then the other, and this nail is ready for filing. So I'm going to do a quick little bit of hand-painting on this. Smooth your surface down with your white block. Get rid of your dust. We're going to do a white flower with our detailer brush. We can draw in the shape of those petals, little flicks coming off. Wait for that paint to dry and then it's ready for a gel top coat. That goes into the lamp for two minutes.

To finish this nail off, just a little bit of cuticle oil and massage it in. That's that nail done. [Read less]