Im one of the weirdos who started watching nail videos for the Bob Ross aspect. I'm not even a nail person. I love it when people REALLY geek out and share what they know and do so well. Your no-nonsense approach the industry, products, and techniques makes you a perfect teacher. 😊
Thank you for saying this about going back to natural nails. I thought I was doing something incorrectly to my natural nails since they were so soft and bendable after removing the gel. I guess I had just gotten used to the strength of the gel.
I just looooove the way you explain,and how clear and detailed you are. It makes everything so much easier. Thank you very much for these videos they are really helpful ... every single one of them. I was wondering if you could do a video with tips and tricks on how to do your nails with the non-dominant hand, that would be great. Continue the great work, you are amazing. 😊
Thank you. I will be removing all of my hard gel and going natural. I have been wearing product on my nails since 2016, and feel it's time to let it go. I'm concerned my body is absorbing chemicals, not just from gel nails but my makeup as well. I'm going completely natural with it too. 😌 Great video.
I just removed my hard gel this morning. I did it just like you did. I thought it felt to be the right thing to do and thank goodness I did a great job removing the gel. I to have a bit of gel on my nail but I was afraid to push myself and end up hurting myself. I guess I'm learning more than I thought. I totally up stand that my natural nail is super soft but I know there's nothing wrong. Thank you for this fandom as tic video.
Wow! I'm so glad I watched this because I was really scared to use Akzentz Pro-Formance Hard Gel - Ultra Gloss STAIN-PROOF Top Coat on my Natural Nail! Thank you!!!
This really helped me. I thought i had to remove absolutely every single last bit of gel if im doing a new set.I have been causing damage to myself i feel because of this.Totally a gamechanger now
same!!!!!! and i have long nails. my poor babies been taking a beating trying to file off everything. especially the dark road i went down with polygel and had to remove that. ughh
I would absolutely love if you could do more videos on how to put LE products over a soak off gel base. Your videos are very informative and the tips and tricks are very helpful!
You mentioned that clients like to remove everything and keep their natural nail once it grows but they don't do the maintenance required to allow for that. Do you have a video that shows how to help someone transition from gels to natural and allow them to keep the length and have strength?
i dont have a nail tech i am seeing at the moment but i love watching your videos there is so much in the nail world my mind wants to know more. and btw watching your videos are the perfect time for me to sit and care for my hands and cuticles! xo
Thank you so much for that video. I m just starting out and have only practiced on my own nails but this morning I couldn't get the gel off with soak off and didn't have any acetone to remove it and I did exactly what you just did and filed it off to the base coat layer. I worried that I had done the wrong thing as my nails are really long but thank you for your vids they are much appreciated.xx
I tested out a hybrid gel nail on my thumb for a day, and decided to file it off (slowly and safely) the next day. And oh boy! I already saw and felt how different it was to just have my natural nail. It bends easily and was so flexible, that I did an overlay the next day. Thank you for explaining that and puts me at ease that my nails are perfectly fine and healthy, just that I got used to the feeling of having harder nails.
This was top notch info! i wish i had watched this before going down the dark road of polygel. the removal was hell and scarred me for life!!!! im going to give my nails a break with tips and builder gel to cover them and give them a small break. then back to builder gel and gel polish mani when my nails are restored.
Wow yessss vary helpful thank you !! I’m a beginner on gel nails and there question that I’m not so sure I have the answer to thank you tho for sharing ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hi Liz, First thank-you for your wonderful video and clearly instructions. I need your opinion . I am a new nail technician, I have a client and she bakes a lot at home.Her soft gel nails can’t keep too long only around 5 -7 days then some of her nails started chipping and peeling (especially on her thumb and index finger). My Idea is can I just put: soak off base coat + soak off colours gel x 2 and hard gel top coat to finish ? If I put the hard gel on top coat only would it make her gel nails last longer? Because this client likes to soak off her nail products by herself. Many thanks!
Hi there. Hard gel top coat will help prevent staining and penetration on the surface of the nail but it won't necessarily help with everything underneath. Please watch this video: th-cam.com/video/7ylte780rK4/w-d-xo.html
This was a great video... loved the green and gold... thank you for sharing 🥰 You had mentioned that a client may want to transition from gel nail to natural nail. What do you suggest instead of removing all the gel and having a weak natural nail ?
Recommendation for removal using a soak off gel base coat underneath a non soak off builder gel like ibd???... Would it be the same exact process?? File it down then do the soak off?
Yes exact same process. You can use this process with pretty much any soak off base with hard gel over the top. Please refer to Part 1 of this tutorial to see how we built up the base enough to allow for soaking off. :)
Wondering does it matter if you put shiny or dull side of foil onto the cottonball nail? Cooking bakes potatoes you put dull side down because it gets hotter (or it may be vice versa
Yes you are very talent and sweet I love your video you no so much about nails and it so for to share the information with us thank so much sweetheart 💅💣💯🤩
We recommend our coarse Diamond Sanding Band www.thenailhub.com/products/ericas-ata-diamond-sanding-band or this eliminator bit www.thenailhub.com/products/the-nail-hub-tungsten-carbide-straight-edge-eliminator
Mom the. Nails won't come off when I get it done right now she does it right no w get done mom. I will. Tuch. It see. If don't come off. Yes. You do it for me please tell me okay yes. The glue on top mom was writing it right now yes. So you don't move getting worry kim I. Will touching it after we get done so you be happy.
When doing an infil on a nail with a soakable base and hard gel on top , would you put a soakable base on the infill area and also over the top of the hard gel that’s already there then reapply hard gel ?
Ashley Hunt no but I like to check to make sure the nail isn't pinching and it actually is a little faster if you remove more product as its soaking. You could do it either way though. Sometimes 15 minutes is too much so I like to check...
Im in love with your e file do you sell that same one you use ?? what kind is it ? where can I buy one? Thanks for any info your amazing liz love watching your amazing videos You are awesome at teaching I have learned so much from you and I ve only been watching just for fun bcuz I love nails but I want to start doing my own nails can you please help with any advice for a beginner with no nail experience appreciate any help
I used hard gel on my natural nails for the first time..now my question is, when I'm ready to use an enhancement such as tips, how much of the hardgel do I have to remove before i use tips? Just file down my hard gel to a thin layer? Or must i remove all traces of hard gel before adding tips?
Hi Liz, I just learned that if you use a real warm bowl of water with your hand in a bag of acetone, dip powder will remove in 5 mins. Do you think this method would work on hard gel? Have you happen to try it?
Is a hard gel overlay safe for the natural nail? Does it really protect / help them grow? Do u reccomended a hard gel overlay with people with natural nails?
Is this a one time thing? Or could you fill the nails a couple of times (reapplying the soak off base coat) and soak them off after a couple of fills when the client wants them off?
I am just currently learning about gels. This was sooo helpful. I am wondering if there is any way to add some color to the base so that in reaching that layer when filing, it would stand out more. All the ones I have seen are clear. But I feel adding anything might ruin the base integrity. I thought of just putting a thin layer of another color between the base and my desired top layer, but I wasn't sure if this would be as effective when filling around the cuticle area where you want the coats to be very thin.
Just found you the other day and I am also a gel nail tech in Arizona. Love your videos and looking to make purchases into akzents and light elegance. Currently I use Brisa which I seem to not have so many reactions to. Do you know if Akzents and Light Elegance are more reactive to those with sensitivity?
Hi Rhonda, Light Elegance is a hypo-allergenic brand and I have never had any issues with Akzentz either even after 5 consistent years of use. They are both great.
Could you also dip your wrapped nails into warm water(just enough to not hit the end of the wrap and not let water in) or dip the acetone in warn water before applying? :) -to activate the acetone more!
This video is super helpful. Thanks much for creating such informative videos. Any advice on how to prevent shrinking? I use LUXIO, and love it. But iv'e been dealing with shrinkage lately and it's driving me nuts. Thank you in advance!
Hi Nichole, shrinking can happen in two ways. 1. During curing. 2. During application (aka pooling or pulling). The first happens usually when the gel is painted on too thinly. All gel shrinks slightly when cured because the molecules that were once floating around come together to form tighter bonds when exposed to UV light. This coming together means the product becomes slightly smaller (similar to brownies baking and pulling away from the sides of the pan). This can be fixed by using a slip layer technique where you paint a nice thin coat of wet gel (works with color and clear gel) and then go back while it's still wet and paint a bit more to get a nice even coating. Situation 2 of the pooling or pulling while trying to apply the color happens for several reasons. Could be that the cleanser you used to clean the fingers has left a sort of residue and is not compatible with the gel you are using. This happens for example when techs use scrubfresh before Luxio because the cleanser has chemicals and oils that are not compatible with the Luxio formula. We recommend either using the brand of cleanser that goes with your gel or use just plain 90%+ rubbing alcohol to cleanse the nails. This can also happen if your base coat is under cured. Many techs are not aware that not all nail lamps emit the same amount of UV light. All lamps (both "UV" and "LED") emit UV light but certain gels require certain amounts of UV to properly cure. Without expensive equipment like an optical spectrum analyzer (that's quite expensive) it is impossible for a nail tech to be sure that the lamp they are using will cure their gel. That is why it's best to go with a very good lamp instead of getting cheap low power ones from ebay or other places. Lamps that tend to cure almost anything include the new hybrid styles like the Akzentz Hybrid Pro as it emits the full range of UV light and also emits a lot of UV light. Using another lamp could mean your base is not fully cured and there is excess inhibition layer on the nail as you are trying to paint the color layer. This leads to the color "swimming on the surface" and the color will pool or pull away from the edges. The last possibility is that the base coat you are using is not compatible with your color. You can fix this in one of two ways: 1. use the base that goes with your color or 2. make sure you create more of a finished overlay where the base coat and any overlay or builder gel has been fully cured, cleansed, and buffed and then you can apply whatever brand of color you want. Let us know if that works out for you. These are the most common issues experienced by nail techs when they mix and match products and brands without realizing the consequences. It is possible to mix and match products successfully but you have to take into account all variables this creates and be prepared to troubleshoot and understand when each step is doing. Hope this helps!
Thank you for your quick and detailed response. I do use SCRUBFRESH as my nail prep before applying any gel. I tried to look on your website for a nail prep and soak off solution but was unsuccessful. Do you not sell those products? And if not where might you suggest be the best place I purchase them? I can do my own research not a problem. BUT if you have the answers on hand i'll take them! #appreciateyou
We personally recommend using 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol as it is universal for all gels. You can also mix 1 part acetone to 2 parts alcohol to add a dehydrating factor to it as well as killing bacteria. We also sell Akzentz Prep&Wipe or Light Elegance cleanser but these are unique to each line of products
Hola! I absolutely love your videos. Quick question, how would you do it without soaking please? :) if you have a video I'll find it but just in case you don't hehe. Thank you!
Would u recommend a soak off product, compared to a high strength nail polish remover with 97 acetone percentage??? As I used a cutex high strength nail polish remover, that said it works on gel and acrylic removal services, however, my gel polish was more of of powder texter to a gel after -5-8 mins , ? I used a cuticle tool , and when I lightly pushed it, the removal was like powder and not gel texture like I get when I use a gelux soak off for my gel polishes with a foundation base and 3. Layers of polish and gel top coat?? Do u think it's better to use a soak off ??
Nail polish remover will not work. You need to use pure acetone. You would need pure acetone or a professional soak off solution. Most removers from drug stores are heavily watered down. Even the "artificial nail remover" jars with the scraper things don't work...You can get regular acetone at Sally's or a similar beauty supply store.
Instead of wrapping your hand in a bag, you can buy a box of oversize surgical gloves and wear after you're done the nail wraps to prevent the acetone evaporation and retain your hand's natural heat.
Hey Liz! I don’t have an e file but I would really like to do poly gel at home. But it is hard to find good e file without getting into the hundreds of dollars
I just applied hard gel (with no soak off gel underneath) and I realized I may have made a big mistake. Im so used to wrapping the tips of my nails that I got hard gel underneath and now I'm realizing I have no idea if I'm going to be able to get it off 😭
Dont worry just leave it on and backfill. You can even start backfilling with soak off base under and eventually you'll have the same thing. Its actually better for your nails if you dont remove and re apply all the time
Hi Liz, I have a question. I have noticed that leaving just a thin base layer during refill/correction of hard gel , actually causes next set to lift sooner then it should. Basically it looks like that base layer becomes too old and it all lifts. So I have a situation where first set would wear perfectly with no lifting and the second set would just pop off after couple weeks. How could this be resolved? Should I take off 100% of previous hard gel during refill? Or is it the product im using? Thanks!
What are you using? That definitely should not happen. You should be able to go weeks and even months just backfilling without the original layers "popping off".
The Nail Hub thank you so much for replying ❤️ im using mistero milano hard gel and their base along with proper nail preparation. Also, the problem does not occur on my own nails but I’ve noticed this on a lot of my clients. So I’m not sure what exactly could be the problem 🤔
So... you say you need to take baby steps if you want to go from hard gel to natural nails again. So then what would be the next step? Like what product would you use next in the journey to go back to just using your natural nails?
Backfill with a soak off product and slowly graduate to less and less thickness. The challenge is if you go from wearing a lot of product to nothing you’ll feel like your nails are super naked and you’ll end up breaking them because we forget how delicate even the healthiest natural nails are. In summary don’t go cold turkey
I love Akzentz Luxio Base. It is very long lasting but also soaks off easily. Probably my favorite for bottled soak off base coat that can be used like I do in this video.
Hi my niece is wonting her nails don for Xmas but they can only be on for 2 weeks as her high school won't allow them on. Would this be best method to use to get them off after 2 weeks. As most of my clients I tend to just infill and very rarely remove altogether. X
For someone who really only wants temporary nails and isn't going to keep them up I suggest using all soak off products so they can be fully and easily removed.
So basically it ends up being the same as doing a hard gel mani, when it comes to timing ? Unless you know for sure they going to want it completely off , but then again if they do and you do the hard gel base coat can you just file it off? Or is there something I’m mis understanding on why chose one over the other ? Because it seems like the same process and time !
Yes you could do hard gel base, but a lot of nail techs and clients get really weirded out by the permanency of a full hard gel service. Therefore by putting a soak off layer at the very bottom you at least have the option and the "peace of mind" that you can always soak it off. There's a lot of techs who never touch hard gel because they get freaked out by it. With a soak off base you can use whatever gel you want without worrying.
File the gel as thin as possible but leave it on and let it grow out. This will help transition from super hard nails to flexible natural ones without it being a cold turkey transition.
Yesenia Garcia soak off solution usually just has some oil and smell. Putting cuticle oil on first and then using regular acetone us just as effective and usually cheaper
OK... Uh. Why don't you use a carbide bit at a lower RPM and feather for quick removal of the product, and then a coarse bit with an arbor band to take it down more...?
sushles carbides actually work better at higher speed because of the flutes (aka teeth). Arbor bands create more heat because they are made from fabric so we prefer using metal bits.
Thanx for your video dol❤ I recently went over to a hard gel so this will help a lot. Quick question... My nails and one of my clients nails free edge curl in on the sidewalls when I soak our nails in acetone. It hurts so much as it curls in, why is this?❣
Seann Wakefield sounds like you are removing enough of the gel on the nail prior to applying the acetone. What happens when theres too much product is it starts to warp the gel instead of lifting it off. Acetone is also very drying and will strip the moisture from the nail causing it to curl. This curling effect tends to get worse the more frequently you soak off nails. One way to help with this is to apply cuticle oil to the skin and under the nail prior to applying the wraps. This helps keep the acetone on the gel and off the natural nail.
The Nail Hub thank you so much for your reply, I will definitely be applying your method next time I do a soak on my or my clients nails❤❤❤ much appreciated😉
Hi Christina, I specialize in gel products so polygel isn't really up my alley as it is more similar to acrylic than it is to gel. Polygel from the few times I've tested it seems to be pretty brittle and isn't very good for creating full on enhancements. It was made to address the challenges of both acrylic and gel, but in a way it has become a little more gimicky than I think users had hoped. Doesn't mean it's not a great product for some techs out there, but we don't recommend it here at The Nail Hub.
Mom. Right. When we. Go. I want. Hard. Nails so. They won't come off so I will like it all day night yes kim right now yes kim don't worry about it when we go don't worry get mad okay kim. Are you watching it now yes kim when go kim want you to like it. Kim just watch it with you
Just under but you could sandwich it I guess if you want to. Soak of gel is more porous so it's more likely to stain, get worn down a bit over time, and can be more flexible depending on the brand/formula. You can see how I put the gel on prior to removal in Part 1 of this lesson on our channel. :)
This is a video I've been wanting for a while!! Your the best Liz!! I really hope I can take a class from you someday your amazing 💜
Im one of the weirdos who started watching nail videos for the Bob Ross aspect. I'm not even a nail person. I love it when people REALLY geek out and share what they know and do so well. Your no-nonsense approach the industry, products, and techniques makes you a perfect teacher. 😊
Tracy U that is such an awesome compliment! Thank u!
Thank you for saying this about going back to natural nails. I thought I was doing something incorrectly to my natural nails since they were so soft and bendable after removing the gel. I guess I had just gotten used to the strength of the gel.
I just looooove the way you explain,and how clear and detailed you are. It makes everything so much easier. Thank you very much for these videos they are really helpful ... every single one of them. I was wondering if you could do a video with tips and tricks on how to do your nails with the non-dominant hand, that would be great. Continue the great work, you are amazing. 😊
Thank you. I will be removing all of my hard gel and going natural. I have been wearing product on my nails since 2016, and feel it's time to let it go. I'm concerned my body is absorbing chemicals, not just from gel nails but my makeup as well. I'm going completely natural with it too. 😌 Great video.
I just removed my hard gel this morning. I did it just like you did. I thought it felt to be the right thing to do and thank goodness I did a great job removing the gel. I to have a bit of gel on my nail but I was afraid to push myself and end up hurting myself. I guess I'm learning more than I thought. I totally up stand that my natural nail is super soft but I know there's nothing wrong. Thank you for this fandom as tic video.
This is what i've been searching for I find it so hard removing hard gel, thank you Liz for sharing your video's
Wow! I'm so glad I watched this because I was really scared to use Akzentz Pro-Formance Hard Gel - Ultra Gloss STAIN-PROOF Top Coat on my Natural Nail! Thank you!!!
You're my favorite nail tech. I send all my friends your link.
This really helped me. I thought i had to remove absolutely every single last bit of gel if im doing a new set.I have been causing damage to myself i feel because of this.Totally a gamechanger now
same!!!!!! and i have long nails. my poor babies been taking a beating trying to file off everything. especially the dark road i went down with polygel and had to remove that. ughh
@@BimmerBabe 😉
I would absolutely love if you could do more videos on how to put LE products over a soak off gel base. Your videos are very informative and the tips and tricks are very helpful!
Beautiful hairstyle 🤩 You are beautiful and super talented public speaker
You mentioned that clients like to remove everything and keep their natural nail once it grows but they don't do the maintenance required to allow for that. Do you have a video that shows how to help someone transition from gels to natural and allow them to keep the length and have strength?
i dont have a nail tech i am seeing at the moment but i love watching your videos there is so much in the nail world my mind wants to know more. and btw watching your videos are the perfect time for me to sit and care for my hands and cuticles! xo
Thank you so much for that video. I m just starting out and have only practiced on my own nails but this morning I couldn't get the gel off with soak off and didn't have any acetone to remove it and I did exactly what you just did and filed it off to the base coat layer. I worried that I had done the wrong thing as my nails are really long but thank you for your vids they are much appreciated.xx
I tested out a hybrid gel nail on my thumb for a day, and decided to file it off (slowly and safely) the next day. And oh boy! I already saw and felt how different it was to just have my natural nail. It bends easily and was so flexible, that I did an overlay the next day. Thank you for explaining that and puts me at ease that my nails are perfectly fine and healthy, just that I got used to the feeling of having harder nails.
I LOVE AND HIGHLY APPRECIATE YOUR HONESTY !!!!!!!!!!!!! YOUR THE BEST !!!!!!!!!!!!
This was top notch info! i wish i had watched this before going down the dark road of polygel. the removal was hell and scarred me for life!!!! im going to give my nails a break with tips and builder gel to cover them and give them a small break. then back to builder gel and gel polish mani when my nails are restored.
REmoval was hell?? Geez, sorry bout that. You should try Coscelia. Rosalind, Saviland or Venalisa. They all soak/flake off.
@@FurianPA what about makkart
I love how informative are your videos! Thank you for sharing your knowledge! ❤️
I love this. Never thought to use a soak off base.
Wow yessss vary helpful thank you !! I’m a beginner on gel nails and there question that I’m not so sure I have the answer to thank you tho for sharing ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hi Liz, First thank-you for your wonderful video and clearly instructions. I need your opinion . I am a new nail technician, I have a client and she bakes a lot at home.Her soft gel nails can’t keep too long only around 5 -7 days then some of her nails started chipping and peeling (especially on her thumb and index finger).
My Idea is can I just put:
soak off base coat +
soak off colours gel x 2
and hard gel top coat to finish ?
If I put the hard gel on top coat only would it make her gel nails last longer?
Because this client likes to soak off her nail products by herself.
Many thanks!
Hi there. Hard gel top coat will help prevent staining and penetration on the surface of the nail but it won't necessarily help with everything underneath. Please watch this video: th-cam.com/video/7ylte780rK4/w-d-xo.html
Your amazing - keep it up! 💃🏽 Thanks for this video xx
Thank you! I love the way you explain everything, I appreciate your videos!
Such a great video .
This was a great video... loved the green and gold... thank you for sharing 🥰
You had mentioned that a client may want to transition from gel nail to natural nail. What do you suggest instead of removing all the gel and having a weak natural nail ?
YOUR AMAZING HUN !!!!!!!!!!!! WONDERFUL TEACHER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So I've tryed using the foil method and won't work? I've soaked my cottonball and left foil on for so long even???
what brand is that stand holding your phone ?
Excellent tutorial
Recommendation for removal using a soak off gel base coat underneath a non soak off builder gel like ibd???... Would it be the same exact process?? File it down then do the soak off?
Yes exact same process. You can use this process with pretty much any soak off base with hard gel over the top. Please refer to Part 1 of this tutorial to see how we built up the base enough to allow for soaking off. :)
Thank you so much
I truly enjoy your Tutorials b/c you provide excellent advice & you respond to our questions! Gracias 💅
I agree!
Wondering does it matter if you put shiny or dull side of foil onto the cottonball nail? Cooking bakes potatoes you put dull side down because it gets hotter (or it may be vice versa
Yes you are very talent and sweet I love your video you no so much about nails and it so for to share the information with us thank so much sweetheart 💅💣💯🤩
I use my husband's kevlar firefighter gloves which are really warm!!..lol
what if you're removing it to an extended set or acrylic, can you still leave the little bit of gel on the nails
Is there another type of drill bit that a left handed person can use to remove hard gel?
We recommend our coarse Diamond Sanding Band www.thenailhub.com/products/ericas-ata-diamond-sanding-band or this eliminator bit www.thenailhub.com/products/the-nail-hub-tungsten-carbide-straight-edge-eliminator
@@TheNailHub mom is this one hard yes kim
Mom the. Nails won't come off when I get it done right now she does it right no w get done mom. I will. Tuch. It see. If don't come off. Yes. You do it for me please tell me okay yes. The glue on top mom was writing it right now yes. So you don't move getting worry kim I. Will touching it after we get done so you be happy.
When doing an infil on a nail with a soakable base and hard gel on top , would you put a soakable base on the infill area and also over the top of the hard gel that’s already there then reapply hard gel ?
Very helpful, thank you!
Your E file is so good
Would it damage the natural nail to leave the wrap or acetone on the nail for the whole 15 mins with out stopping to check it at 5 to 7 mins
Ashley Hunt no but I like to check to make sure the nail isn't pinching and it actually is a little faster if you remove more product as its soaking. You could do it either way though. Sometimes 15 minutes is too much so I like to check...
The Nail Hub thank u so much. I love watching ur videos I get a lot of good tips and advice from u. Thank u for being open to sharing what u know.
Im in love with your e file do you sell that same one you use ?? what kind is it ? where can I buy one? Thanks for any info your amazing liz love watching your amazing videos You are awesome at teaching I have learned so much from you and I ve only been watching just for fun bcuz I love nails but I want to start doing my own nails can you please help with any advice for a beginner with no nail experience appreciate any help
I used hard gel on my natural nails for the first time..now my question is, when I'm ready to use an enhancement such as tips, how much of the hardgel do I have to remove before i use tips? Just file down my hard gel to a thin layer? Or must i remove all traces of hard gel before adding tips?
Hi Liz,
I just learned that if you use a real warm bowl of water with your hand in a bag of acetone, dip powder will remove in 5 mins. Do you think this method would work on hard gel? Have you happen to try it?
Is a hard gel overlay safe for the natural nail? Does it really protect / help them grow? Do u reccomended a hard gel overlay with people with natural nails?
wow i didnt know there were right and left hand drill bits. im a lefty but cant seem to drill well with my right
DEAR LIZ CAN YOU PLEASE SHOW US THE FULL " ERICA'S MT20 E-FILE MACHINE " ?? AND WHERE CAN I BUY ONE AT ?? THANKS HUN !!!!!
OMG! Im in Arizona too! I know you probably are way to busy... But I would love to work with you! I'd die to train with you!
If I have 150 grit sanding bands, will that be coarse enough to remove product?
Is this a one time thing? Or could you fill the nails a couple of times (reapplying the soak off base coat) and soak them off after a couple of fills when the client wants them off?
Shauny @The Nail Hub
I was wondering the same.
I am just currently learning about gels. This was sooo helpful. I am wondering if there is any way to add some color to the base so that in reaching that layer when filing, it would stand out more. All the ones I have seen are clear. But I feel adding anything might ruin the base integrity.
I thought of just putting a thin layer of another color between the base and my desired top layer, but I wasn't sure if this would be as effective when filling around the cuticle area where you want the coats to be very thin.
‘Heat’ what!? That’s so cool. I did not know that. That explains a lot.
Can you backfill P+? And would you switch and use JimmyGel instead of p+ now?
Just found you the other day and I am also a gel nail tech in Arizona. Love your videos and looking to make purchases into akzents and light elegance. Currently I use Brisa which I seem to not have so many reactions to. Do you know if Akzents and Light Elegance are more reactive to those with sensitivity?
Hi Rhonda, Light Elegance is a hypo-allergenic brand and I have never had any issues with Akzentz either even after 5 consistent years of use. They are both great.
Thank you.
Could you please let us know what desk lamp you use and where to buy it?
This is a great video!
Will this method work if I use tips?
Could you also dip your wrapped nails into warm water(just enough to not hit the end of the wrap and not let water in) or dip the acetone in warn water before applying? :) -to activate the acetone more!
Sorry I just saw this. Yes you could do this if your put your hands in bags first.
This video is super helpful. Thanks much for creating such informative videos. Any advice on how to prevent shrinking? I use LUXIO, and love it. But iv'e been dealing with shrinkage lately and it's driving me nuts. Thank you in advance!
Hi Nichole, shrinking can happen in two ways. 1. During curing. 2. During application (aka pooling or pulling). The first happens usually when the gel is painted on too thinly. All gel shrinks slightly when cured because the molecules that were once floating around come together to form tighter bonds when exposed to UV light. This coming together means the product becomes slightly smaller (similar to brownies baking and pulling away from the sides of the pan). This can be fixed by using a slip layer technique where you paint a nice thin coat of wet gel (works with color and clear gel) and then go back while it's still wet and paint a bit more to get a nice even coating.
Situation 2 of the pooling or pulling while trying to apply the color happens for several reasons. Could be that the cleanser you used to clean the fingers has left a sort of residue and is not compatible with the gel you are using. This happens for example when techs use scrubfresh before Luxio because the cleanser has chemicals and oils that are not compatible with the Luxio formula. We recommend either using the brand of cleanser that goes with your gel or use just plain 90%+ rubbing alcohol to cleanse the nails.
This can also happen if your base coat is under cured. Many techs are not aware that not all nail lamps emit the same amount of UV light. All lamps (both "UV" and "LED") emit UV light but certain gels require certain amounts of UV to properly cure. Without expensive equipment like an optical spectrum analyzer (that's quite expensive) it is impossible for a nail tech to be sure that the lamp they are using will cure their gel. That is why it's best to go with a very good lamp instead of getting cheap low power ones from ebay or other places. Lamps that tend to cure almost anything include the new hybrid styles like the Akzentz Hybrid Pro as it emits the full range of UV light and also emits a lot of UV light. Using another lamp could mean your base is not fully cured and there is excess inhibition layer on the nail as you are trying to paint the color layer. This leads to the color "swimming on the surface" and the color will pool or pull away from the edges.
The last possibility is that the base coat you are using is not compatible with your color. You can fix this in one of two ways: 1. use the base that goes with your color or 2. make sure you create more of a finished overlay where the base coat and any overlay or builder gel has been fully cured, cleansed, and buffed and then you can apply whatever brand of color you want.
Let us know if that works out for you. These are the most common issues experienced by nail techs when they mix and match products and brands without realizing the consequences. It is possible to mix and match products successfully but you have to take into account all variables this creates and be prepared to troubleshoot and understand when each step is doing. Hope this helps!
Thank you for your quick and detailed response. I do use SCRUBFRESH as my nail prep before applying any gel. I tried to look on your website for a nail prep and soak off solution but was unsuccessful. Do you not sell those products? And if not where might you suggest be the best place I purchase them? I can do my own research not a problem. BUT if you have the answers on hand i'll take them! #appreciateyou
We personally recommend using 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol as it is universal for all gels. You can also mix 1 part acetone to 2 parts alcohol to add a dehydrating factor to it as well as killing bacteria. We also sell Akzentz Prep&Wipe or Light Elegance cleanser but these are unique to each line of products
Hola! I absolutely love your videos. Quick question, how would you do it without soaking please? :) if you have a video I'll find it but just in case you don't hehe. Thank you!
Hi I have several fill videos on my channel and there will be more soon.
Would u recommend a soak off product, compared to a high strength nail polish remover with 97 acetone percentage??? As I used a cutex high strength nail polish remover, that said it works on gel and acrylic removal services, however, my gel polish was more of of powder texter to a gel after -5-8 mins , ? I used a cuticle tool , and when I lightly pushed it, the removal was like powder and not gel texture like I get when I use a gelux soak off for my gel polishes with a foundation base and 3. Layers of polish and gel top coat?? Do u think it's better to use a soak off ??
Nail polish remover will not work. You need to use pure acetone. You would need pure acetone or a professional soak off solution. Most removers from drug stores are heavily watered down. Even the "artificial nail remover" jars with the scraper things don't work...You can get regular acetone at Sally's or a similar beauty supply store.
Very informative. I enjoy your videos.
Instead of wrapping your hand in a bag, you can buy a box of oversize surgical gloves and wear after you're done the nail wraps to prevent the acetone evaporation and retain your hand's natural heat.
Hey Liz! I don’t have an e file but I would really like to do poly gel at home. But it is hard to find good e file without getting into the hundreds of dollars
I just applied hard gel (with no soak off gel underneath) and I realized I may have made a big mistake. Im so used to wrapping the tips of my nails that I got hard gel underneath and now I'm realizing I have no idea if I'm going to be able to get it off 😭
Dont worry just leave it on and backfill. You can even start backfilling with soak off base under and eventually you'll have the same thing. Its actually better for your nails if you dont remove and re apply all the time
I literally just did the same thing
You are awesome 👏🏻
I wanna start doing hard gel on clients, but how much would I charge? I charge $30 for shellac
Hi Liz, I have a question. I have noticed that leaving just a thin base layer during refill/correction of hard gel , actually causes next set to lift sooner then it should. Basically it looks like that base layer becomes too old and it all lifts. So I have a situation where first set would wear perfectly with no lifting and the second set would just pop off after couple weeks. How could this be resolved? Should I take off 100% of previous hard gel during refill? Or is it the product im using? Thanks!
What are you using? That definitely should not happen. You should be able to go weeks and even months just backfilling without the original layers "popping off".
The Nail Hub thank you so much for replying ❤️ im using mistero milano hard gel and their base along with proper nail preparation. Also, the problem does not occur on my own nails but I’ve noticed this on a lot of my clients. So I’m not sure what exactly could be the problem 🤔
So... you say you need to take baby steps if you want to go from hard gel to natural nails again. So then what would be the next step? Like what product would you use next in the journey to go back to just using your natural nails?
Backfill with a soak off product and slowly graduate to less and less thickness. The challenge is if you go from wearing a lot of product to nothing you’ll feel like your nails are super naked and you’ll end up breaking them because we forget how delicate even the healthiest natural nails are. In summary don’t go cold turkey
What happens when u bite them off cuz I did that
can't wait :)
Nice
Hi, love your videos. What soak off base do you find removes the easiest/fastest? P+ or akzentz options or CND or something else?
I love Akzentz Luxio Base. It is very long lasting but also soaks off easily. Probably my favorite for bottled soak off base coat that can be used like I do in this video.
Thanks so much. That is what I will get.
Hi my niece is wonting her nails don for Xmas but they can only be on for 2 weeks as her high school won't allow them on. Would this be best method to use to get them off after 2 weeks. As most of my clients I tend to just infill and very rarely remove altogether. X
For someone who really only wants temporary nails and isn't going to keep them up I suggest using all soak off products so they can be fully and easily removed.
So basically it ends up being the same as doing a hard gel mani, when it comes to timing ? Unless you know for sure they going to want it completely off , but then again if they do and you do the hard gel base coat can you just file it off? Or is there something I’m mis understanding on why chose one over the other ? Because it seems like the same process and time !
Yes you could do hard gel base, but a lot of nail techs and clients get really weirded out by the permanency of a full hard gel service. Therefore by putting a soak off layer at the very bottom you at least have the option and the "peace of mind" that you can always soak it off. There's a lot of techs who never touch hard gel because they get freaked out by it. With a soak off base you can use whatever gel you want without worrying.
Hi Liz ! Is it working on all hard gel nail ?
I can't speak for all hard gels, but it works for many that I have tried.
What would be the baby steps to go from gel nails to naturan nails that you mentioned?
File the gel as thin as possible but leave it on and let it grow out. This will help transition from super hard nails to flexible natural ones without it being a cold turkey transition.
The Nail Hub thanks. I’ll try. But what if in the meantime the gel lifts?
Hey Liz what stand are you using for your phone or is there a video I can watch that has this info on it.
-@TheCoffinJunkie
Pretty Dreadful Designs it's called neewer smartphone stand. Here's the link: bit.ly/tnhstand
The Nail Hub thank you. You're awesome.
Do you have to use an efile to remove the hard gel or can you use a regular file as well
Ashley Hill you can use a regular file as well. Just takes longer and can cause more wear and tear on your body if you work full time as a manicurist
I had a nail place pull off the hard gel in one piece. It really hurt.
😱😱😨 never!
What's better to use: a soak off formula or just plain acetone? Also, should you use 100% acetone, regular, a certain type, etc..? :)
Yesenia Garcia soak off solution usually just has some oil and smell. Putting cuticle oil on first and then using regular acetone us just as effective and usually cheaper
OK... Uh. Why don't you use a carbide bit at a lower RPM and feather for quick removal of the product, and then a coarse bit with an arbor band to take it down more...?
sushles carbides actually work better at higher speed because of the flutes (aka teeth). Arbor bands create more heat because they are made from fabric so we prefer using metal bits.
Thanx for your video dol❤ I recently went over to a hard gel so this will help a lot. Quick question... My nails and one of my clients nails free edge curl in on the sidewalls when I soak our nails in acetone. It hurts so much as it curls in, why is this?❣
Seann Wakefield sounds like you are removing enough of the gel on the nail prior to applying the acetone. What happens when theres too much product is it starts to warp the gel instead of lifting it off. Acetone is also very drying and will strip the moisture from the nail causing it to curl. This curling effect tends to get worse the more frequently you soak off nails. One way to help with this is to apply cuticle oil to the skin and under the nail prior to applying the wraps. This helps keep the acetone on the gel and off the natural nail.
The Nail Hub thank you so much for your reply, I will definitely be applying your method next time I do a soak on my or my clients nails❤❤❤ much appreciated😉
What's the link to your nail drill?? Efill
www.thenailhub.com/collections/ericas-ata-e-files-equipment/products/ericas-ata-mt20-e-file?variant=32603835084
How do you know how many rpms you are at?
Evee Owens my machine goes up to 25,000 so if I go 4/5 the way up on the dial it's at about 20K
Can you do a video on PolyGel please?
Hi Christina, I specialize in gel products so polygel isn't really up my alley as it is more similar to acrylic than it is to gel. Polygel from the few times I've tested it seems to be pretty brittle and isn't very good for creating full on enhancements. It was made to address the challenges of both acrylic and gel, but in a way it has become a little more gimicky than I think users had hoped. Doesn't mean it's not a great product for some techs out there, but we don't recommend it here at The Nail Hub.
The Nail Hub that makes sense, thank you for the information.
@@TheNailHub do you have a video on that?
Mom. Right. When we. Go. I want. Hard. Nails so. They won't come off so I will like it all day night yes kim right now yes kim don't worry about it when we go don't worry get mad okay kim. Are you watching it now yes kim when go kim want you to like it. Kim just watch it with you
What brand is the phone mount light you are using?
Lynzee Bynum its called Neewer.
Did you put Soak up gel on top of hard gel? Or only under the hard gel?
Just under but you could sandwich it I guess if you want to. Soak of gel is more porous so it's more likely to stain, get worn down a bit over time, and can be more flexible depending on the brand/formula. You can see how I put the gel on prior to removal in Part 1 of this lesson on our channel. :)