Common Nail Tech Mistakes & How to Avoid Them!

Over filing & Etching - Over filing can damage the nails and weaken them overtime, before applying Gels & Builder gels it’s important to gently etch the nail plate. - This gives slight texture to the surface which helps the product adhere to the nail. Emphasis of the ‘slight texture’ because you don’t want to leave gouges on the nail, being too rough will damage the nail plate and may even mean you are unable to re-apply polish until it heals and regrows!

What to do:

Never use a course grit on the natural nail, a 240 grit file is ideal or 180 grit if you have a client prone to lifting. Anything lower is much too abrasive and you risk damaging the nail plate, anything higher and you’ll begin to smooth & shine the nail which isn’t a good base for Gel.

Layers that are too thick - We are shown to build thick layers but those layers can easily become too bulky and leave the nails looking and feeling clunky and not very neat! They can also be too thick for the UV/LED Lamp to penetrate leading to uncured nails which will cause lifting and over time can be an allergy risk.

What to do:

Build up with thinner layers, if you feel it is too bulky then before you cure use a striper brush to drag the product (particularly Builder Gel) down your client’s nail towards the free edge. This will disperse the product, help you remove excess and get your apex in the right area with the gel tapering off neatly around the edges of the nail.  - I’ll be posting more on this soon!

Cutting too much Cuticle! - Neat & tidy cuticles of course look lovely and finish a manicure however, cut, bleeding and damaged Cuticles are not a good look or healthy for your client!

What to do: Less is more if you’re unsure!

Only remove the white, dry areas of skin - These are dead areas that will have no sensation and are safe to nip. If the area is pink there is blood flow, it’s a nice and healthy area which you do not want to nip! If you have a client that is diabetic you will want to take extra care as cut areas can take longer to heal and be more prone to infection. If you are ever unsure or feel the cuticle area isn’t so obvious, gently push the cuticle back with a cuticle pusher and avoid nipping. Good skincare/ cuticle oil will make them look lovely again!

Using too many tools - There are so many tools on the market including a never ending amount of different drill bits for E-Files.

You’ll find your go-to tools that you personally prefer and that’s great but you do not need to use 6 or 7 tools per client.

What to do:

Find 2-3 max tools that work for you, that you find yourself reaching for every manicure you perform and stick to those. If they work and you get the results you want then you don’t need anything else! For example my go to manual prep tools are always a cuticle pusher/knife and cuticle nippers, my E-File go to are a barrel and a flame bit.

Leaving Oil & debris on the nail plate - For a good long-lasting manicure we want a clean, dry nail plate free from any build up, fluff, dust or excess oil.

What to do: Prepare your nails, once you are completely finished with prep, cuticle work, GENTLE! etching and shaping use a lint-free wipe soaked in acetone to wipe the nail, remembering the free edge. This will remove any access oil, debris and dehydrate the nail plate. Forgetting this step will cause lifting and a short lived manicure!

Sign up on the website for more nail tech tips! 💅🏻

Find me on Instagram: @thegelartacademy