There have been a lot of reports stating that U.V. lamps (for gel nails) can cause skin cancer so there are been several clients asking me about this.
Let me just first say that we come from a society that takes an alarmist point-of-view and I think it's pretty irritating how the media can create a public hysteria. I really don't think U.V.lamps are harmful but with all of the different cancers popping up these days, it's understandable how consumers would be concerned. Here is was the Skin Cancer Foundation has to say about it.
"Research has shown that ultraviolet (UV) radiation-emitting devices are carcinogenic to humans. Although studies have shown that the skin cancer risk associated with UVR-emitting nail lamps for gel manicures is very low, it is not insignificant. The risk, according to anecdotal research, is greatest for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the second most common skin cancer. An estimated 700,000 cases of SCC are diagnosed each year in the US, resulting in approximately 2,500 deaths. SCC is mainly caused by chronic UV exposure and is very common on the hands and around the fingernails."
Call me crazy, but I really don't think that getting Shellac ( or the U.V. gel of your choice)once every 2-3 weeks is considered "chronic use" DO YOU? I would keep a bottle of 15 S.P.F lotion at your station just in case your client is ultra-concerned.
I've been hearing a lot of good things about Organic Nails lately but I'm having a hard time learning anything because it's all in Spanish! LOL! Anyone know how I can get my hands on some English tutorials? The products look awesome and I'm thinking about trying them out.
I have been sick for almost two weeks now but now I'm feeling better so let's talk Top Coat for regular nail polish.
Now as you know there are a ton of varieties of top coat out there but we almost always lean towards a top coat that is going to be a quick drier because that is going to get your clients out the door faster because we all know that clients what their service to go as quickly as possible. Well, unless they have a big messy house full of screaming kids to go to.
I have tried several brands but the one that I prefer is Lumos High Speed Top Coat by Famous Names and it is fabulous. Whenever I use it, the polish is dry in about 3-4 minutes unless you put on a heavy coat. What I also like about this top coat is that it helps with chipping and it's nice and shiny!
This polish is available through their website so check it out!www.famousnames.com
Something else to keep in mind is matte polish. Matte top coats are starting to rise in popularity and all of the big names in the nail industry are coming out with their own versions. You can create a ton of cool looks so buy a bottle and play!
The lifting issue has been really bothering me so I've been doing a lot of research and I have come up with some ways to combat this monkey on my back.
1.Proper nail prep.(Of course!) This entails roughing up the nail properly,pushing back the cuticle, making sure the pterygium and other nail debris is off of the nail plate and removing all the dust from filing as well.
2.Using a good product line. Primers,dehydrators,monomers and polymers should really come from the same line because these products were designed to work with each other for the maximum results. I have done the research and over and over again I am seeing two product lines: CND Retention and EZ Flow. I've tried Retention myself and I think it's great.
3.Proper application around the cuticle. That means using a small amount of product around the cuticle and making sure that none of the product actually dries on the cuticle.
4. Applying a cuticle oil every day. One of my favorites is CND Solar oil.You can see it pictured to the left.
5. No picking at the acrylic at the cuticle or exposing the hands to water excessively. If you're client has their hand in water a lot suggest wearing gloves to protect the acrylic.
6.Some times it doesn't really matter what you do and what the client does because their nail plates are naturally oily and just won't respond well to enhancements.
I know how frustrating it can be to put all that hard work into a set of nails only to see it become marred from an ugly lifting area but don't give up! With diligence and practice we shall prevail!! If you have any tips or insight, please feel free to comment.
One of the hardest things for me is doing a backfill without making the previous line of acrylic show. I found a video that has helped me so much and I hope it helps you too!
http://youtu.be/m1ub4SeL5D4
I am in LOVE with the Young Nails tutorials! I stumbled across them while cruising their site and found tons of videos about acrylics,gels,nail art etc.....
They deal exclusively in sculptured nails,but it's worth a look.
http://www.youngnails.com/videotutorials.aspx
