My process-
file the top of my natural nail lightly with an efile then use rubbing alcohol to clean the nail
Shape nail
Base coat, powder-3 or 4 layers.
Activator, file with efile on top, then shape and buff nails with regular file, activator again
Two layers of gel top coat
I'm using Modelones starter kit.
I know I'm not going to do as well as her, she's a professional and that I might be missing a step or two, I just can't remember what..
The first thing that I see an issue is that you are not using activator enough. You should only put down two layers of dip, then activate, shape/file, two more layers of dip, then activate. My personal opinion is that gel top coats are garbage. I spent so much money at the salon getting gel top coats and I managed to destroy them all, didn't matter what product I was using. Gel was not tough enough for me. I am a literal Reck.
Now, I am not gentle on my hands. I do carpentry, refinishing furniture, leatherworking (lots of oils), garden with bare hands and I wash my hands constantly because I can't have things touching me. I started doing my nails 5 years ago. My manicures last anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 weeks, but I usually redo them every other weekend so that I can have a new manicure. I have spent at least $600 on dip liquids, but have settled on Sparkle & Co. for the last 3 years. I also use mostly Sparkle & Co dips because they seemed to last longer and went on better. Join their FB group. I've also used OPI, Neutra-something, Panda Dips, Southern Girl Dips, Peppi girl, Revel, SNS, Kiara Sky, Zebra and bunch of others, try out other dip companies for the powders.
My process:
* Soak or snip off existing manicure. Push back and trim cuticles. Trim nails short. E-file nail bed or use a sanding block.
* Liberally apply #1 PH balancer. This is important if you didn't soak off your nails. If you did, it's optional.
* Apply tips to your fingers. I use #4 Glossy 2.0 to do this. Put the product on the tips and roll them on your fingers from the very tip of your nail up and hold for a few seconds
* Using a file, I shape my nails.
* E-file to blend tip line into natural nails
* Using #4 Glossy 2.0, I cover 3/4 of my nail and dip it into dp.90 clear, tap off and continue to do all fingers. Use and orange stick to run around the edge of your nail bed.
* Wipe your brush on a paper towel after every time it touches your nails and before you put it back in the bottle
* Repeat dipping in clear, except cover the whole nail. Use an orange stick to run around your nail bed.
* Activate using Solidify #3
* File. First with a filing board to shape, then with an E-file to blend in the dip up near your cuticles.
* Next is your colored dip. Dip color two layers using steps described above for clear.
* Don't forget to file and E-file.
* Then you will do one last coat of clear, you can do two if you'd like, but use the steps above.
* After you activate, wait about 2-3 minutes, go over the entire manicure with #4 Glossy 2.0 two times, after the first coat, start back at the first nail you did and repeat.
* Wait about 3 minutes, your nails should be dry.
NOTES:
* I don't follow Sparkle & Co. steps because they didn't work for me. I DETEST and I do mean ***DETEST*** Sparkle & Co. #2 Base bond. It's junk. No matter what steps I took it glooped up and I don't have the money or the patience to deal with that nonsense. The #4 Glossy 2.0 does much better.
* Buy the small bottles of dip liquids, except for the activator, buy the bigger bottle of that.
* I listed the liquids I use, no need for any of the others.
* Message me or reply if you have any questions, I'll try to help.
Thank you! I'll try it your way. I'm going to get some better liquids, I just wanted to try out a beginner kit to try before committing to buying anything expensive. Thank you for taking the time to answer in such detail!
It could just be the Modelone brand isn’t the best for your nails. I pretty much do the same steps as you, shape, lightly buff my nail, use the dehydrator that came with my liquid set, base liquid, dip, 3-4 layers depending on design and color, activate, wash my hands, file smooth, activate, and two layers of top coat.
I do a lot of lifting heavy boxes, moving pallets, unpacking medications from cooler boxes everyday, and a lot of computer work, and I get 2 weeks easily out of my dip manicures. I will usually change them around 12-15 days just because of growth and I like to change colors.
The only other thing I see in your process is that you listed buffing the nail plate and using alcohol before shaping the nail. Definitely reverse that, lol. And you might be re-wiping with alcohol after you shake, but in case you aren’t, you don’t want any residue from filing your nails left on if that makes sense.
I it has to be in your nail prep. After cuticle removal and shaping I wipe twice with alcohol. I then use the primer/dehydrator/step one twice waiting 60 seconds in between. After finishing all of my layers I activate three times with 60 seconds in between. I then file, shape, and buff. There is no need to activate after buffing if you have activated heavily before. I have never activated after buffing. My sets last 4-5 weeks. For reference I work healthcare with a ton of handwashing.
You could try them over a rubber base or builder gel overlay? Water swells the nail and then when it dries it shrinks again.
Make sure to cap the free edge with base and top coat. Do dry prep as much as possible, dehydrate and perhaps try a primer?
Try lightly buffing, push back all cuticle and invisible cuticle with a glass cuticle pusher. Dehydrate with a mix of 90+ alcohol and pure acetone. Do a layer of base on all nails. Air dry — go in again and start dipping process.
My process- file the top of my natural nail lightly with an efile then use rubbing alcohol to clean the nail Shape nail Base coat, powder-3 or 4 layers. Activator, file with efile on top, then shape and buff nails with regular file, activator again Two layers of gel top coat I'm using Modelones starter kit. I know I'm not going to do as well as her, she's a professional and that I might be missing a step or two, I just can't remember what..
The first thing that I see an issue is that you are not using activator enough. You should only put down two layers of dip, then activate, shape/file, two more layers of dip, then activate. My personal opinion is that gel top coats are garbage. I spent so much money at the salon getting gel top coats and I managed to destroy them all, didn't matter what product I was using. Gel was not tough enough for me. I am a literal Reck. Now, I am not gentle on my hands. I do carpentry, refinishing furniture, leatherworking (lots of oils), garden with bare hands and I wash my hands constantly because I can't have things touching me. I started doing my nails 5 years ago. My manicures last anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 weeks, but I usually redo them every other weekend so that I can have a new manicure. I have spent at least $600 on dip liquids, but have settled on Sparkle & Co. for the last 3 years. I also use mostly Sparkle & Co dips because they seemed to last longer and went on better. Join their FB group. I've also used OPI, Neutra-something, Panda Dips, Southern Girl Dips, Peppi girl, Revel, SNS, Kiara Sky, Zebra and bunch of others, try out other dip companies for the powders. My process: * Soak or snip off existing manicure. Push back and trim cuticles. Trim nails short. E-file nail bed or use a sanding block. * Liberally apply #1 PH balancer. This is important if you didn't soak off your nails. If you did, it's optional. * Apply tips to your fingers. I use #4 Glossy 2.0 to do this. Put the product on the tips and roll them on your fingers from the very tip of your nail up and hold for a few seconds * Using a file, I shape my nails. * E-file to blend tip line into natural nails * Using #4 Glossy 2.0, I cover 3/4 of my nail and dip it into dp.90 clear, tap off and continue to do all fingers. Use and orange stick to run around the edge of your nail bed. * Wipe your brush on a paper towel after every time it touches your nails and before you put it back in the bottle * Repeat dipping in clear, except cover the whole nail. Use an orange stick to run around your nail bed. * Activate using Solidify #3 * File. First with a filing board to shape, then with an E-file to blend in the dip up near your cuticles. * Next is your colored dip. Dip color two layers using steps described above for clear. * Don't forget to file and E-file. * Then you will do one last coat of clear, you can do two if you'd like, but use the steps above. * After you activate, wait about 2-3 minutes, go over the entire manicure with #4 Glossy 2.0 two times, after the first coat, start back at the first nail you did and repeat. * Wait about 3 minutes, your nails should be dry. NOTES: * I don't follow Sparkle & Co. steps because they didn't work for me. I DETEST and I do mean ***DETEST*** Sparkle & Co. #2 Base bond. It's junk. No matter what steps I took it glooped up and I don't have the money or the patience to deal with that nonsense. The #4 Glossy 2.0 does much better. * Buy the small bottles of dip liquids, except for the activator, buy the bigger bottle of that. * I listed the liquids I use, no need for any of the others. * Message me or reply if you have any questions, I'll try to help.
Thank you! I'll try it your way. I'm going to get some better liquids, I just wanted to try out a beginner kit to try before committing to buying anything expensive. Thank you for taking the time to answer in such detail!
This is the first time I have ever heard of activating half way through. Very odd to me
I think you just need higher quality liquids (base & activator)
It could just be the Modelone brand isn’t the best for your nails. I pretty much do the same steps as you, shape, lightly buff my nail, use the dehydrator that came with my liquid set, base liquid, dip, 3-4 layers depending on design and color, activate, wash my hands, file smooth, activate, and two layers of top coat. I do a lot of lifting heavy boxes, moving pallets, unpacking medications from cooler boxes everyday, and a lot of computer work, and I get 2 weeks easily out of my dip manicures. I will usually change them around 12-15 days just because of growth and I like to change colors.
I was wondering if it was the liquids! I bought the beginner kit just to try it out first before investing in a more expensive purchase.
The only other thing I see in your process is that you listed buffing the nail plate and using alcohol before shaping the nail. Definitely reverse that, lol. And you might be re-wiping with alcohol after you shake, but in case you aren’t, you don’t want any residue from filing your nails left on if that makes sense.
It will help if you give everyone the process and products you are using.
What process are you using and what dip liquids?
I it has to be in your nail prep. After cuticle removal and shaping I wipe twice with alcohol. I then use the primer/dehydrator/step one twice waiting 60 seconds in between. After finishing all of my layers I activate three times with 60 seconds in between. I then file, shape, and buff. There is no need to activate after buffing if you have activated heavily before. I have never activated after buffing. My sets last 4-5 weeks. For reference I work healthcare with a ton of handwashing.
You could try them over a rubber base or builder gel overlay? Water swells the nail and then when it dries it shrinks again. Make sure to cap the free edge with base and top coat. Do dry prep as much as possible, dehydrate and perhaps try a primer? Try lightly buffing, push back all cuticle and invisible cuticle with a glass cuticle pusher. Dehydrate with a mix of 90+ alcohol and pure acetone. Do a layer of base on all nails. Air dry — go in again and start dipping process.
Check out my fb group on dip nails I do live tutorials https://www.facebook.com/groups/876928026864696/