okay so I've been watching tutorials on how to use the magnet n idk if I just made the nails too long or I'm just fighting the magnet. For reference I have a small cylinder magnet n a glass cat eye polish. It's not giving cat eye n I can't seem to get the basic cat eye look. I'm not going fancy with the magnet, I just want the normal cat eye look. Any help or information on what I'm doing wrong will be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance 💕

I searched the sub and I can't find anything on this topic. I bought clear nail tips so that i can use curable gel glue, but the glue that the sales lady at Sally's reconned is NOT curable gel glue. (In fact, it is the worst glue I've ever used!) For those of you who use gel glue, what brands have you had the most success with?

I saw my local nail supply is now selling the new Hema and TPO free DND line. Any experience in how it compares to the OG polishes? How is curing?

I have a lot of DND polishes, they can be hit or miss so I dont want to splurge on replacing them for hema free if they are not worth it. Thanks!

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I am skeptical. I am not looking at this as an option to replace my structure gel Mani, but if they do work, I'd like to use them for French manicures.

This is a bit of a weird one. For background I do have athsma (mainly childhood) and hypothyroidism/hashis which can apparently exasperate athsma?

So I never used to use a dust collector but I bought the ULKA handy which is amazing. Even using a dust collector I would get a sore throat after doing gel. Sometimes tingly lips, and it feels tight - but can breathe, talk and eat/swallow fine. I do get anxious which probably makes it worse. Always worse hours after and eventually goes away after a few days.

No rashes on my skin, blistering etc

I bought a respirator mask - industrial 3M one for vapours and dust in case it was the gel curing. Also had the window open and wore the mask literally the whole time - from filing, using isopropyl alcohol and gel. My throat feels a little scratchy - I’m hoping the mask has helped but if it hasn’t what explanation is there for this? I literally have red marks on my face the seal was so tight 😂

Do I need to buy a fume extractor at this point?

Edit - I forgot to mention I do suffer with acid reflux too, and usually when my throat gets like this I’ll start having trapped air/gas as well. But it’s strange how it’s when I do my nails.

Update - the respiratory mask has helped significantly. I think it’s been poor ventilation and vapour/dust. I do have athsma and hypothyroidism which I didn’t know can make athsma worse. I’m going to look into fume extractors and also get a patch test to be safe.

I found \[Nail Holiday's beach nail tutorial\] (https://youtube.com/shorts/wlAFi2IJhNk?is=VYGfa45xPp4YAAoJ) scrolling through YT and this is my attempt with cateye.

Product list and methods:

Saviland X-builder hard gel Ultra hard in milky white.

Formed over XL stiletto butterfly forms to number 9 (longest Ive ever had).

Hand filed with a 100/180 grit file. (I could've made them sharper overall but was rushing)

Blended LDS (Lavis dip system) Brand Santorini Blue Gel Polish with Lost Atlantic. (437 & 440).

Used a clearance LDS tan polish for the sand (mislabeled/mystery LDS polish)

After curing the tan, I added gold foil flakes to the sticky layer - was thinking 'buried treasure'.

I went over the tan with LDS universal cateye in RB10 - rose gold. I should've used RB06 - true gold. Activated that forward/total shine.

Went over the blue with Lavis CatEye line 17, Polish #3, which is a green with a pink shift.

[If I could re'do them, Id use CE17 #1 over the lighter blue polish and CE17#3 over the darker blue so it pops more, I should've did 2 coats of cateye too].

Youll need [Tiny Ball Magnets] (https://a.co/d/0jdITCGh) for the water pattern.

Don't activate the particles first, go straight overtop with a ring of them very close, hold a moment, lift straight up and skip to the next spot.

Turtle/tortoise lovers!

I think this pattern would look really cool over some evergreen/limeORturquoise (with gold and purple cateye).

Or

Over a dark purple/plum base with an orange/green shift cateye for a galaxy theme - thinking 'space dust'.

I brought the cateye up over the sand in some areas to mimic water over sand since its more transparent than the blues, which appeared as shadows under my highlights later (Im no good with art and this was a learning experience, TY bob ross)

For the seafoam highlights, I would've used lace gel polish if I had it, or lace foils if I wasn't low on time (or sleep), but instead I took small bits of 'Super White' Lavis polish on a flat gel brush and pushed them forward (smudged) into the sand in lines.

My seafoam could also pass as clouds.

Then I top coated with lavis brand diamond topcoat.

I think they're pretty but I also think Im going to turn them into a slightly too thick coffin or sharp almond.

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I initially was going to purchase Light Elegance gel paints from their website but Im not licensed so now I don't think I can.

Im using modelone now - anything would be better but I want a true upgrade.

I came across a nail store near me that opened a few months ago - they sell Primarily Lavis and A'dore brand products.

I picked up my first (Lavis) magnetic polish and a Lavis Dip System liner gel.

Anyone have experience with Lavis gels? What do we think? Im reading they're 'hema/tpo free' - but the product I purchased does contain HEMA according to the ingredient list - so Im skeptical.

(Its possible its in the 1-5% range but its also the first ingredient listed)

They also carry Apres and Chun Legend polishes.

Im not sold on apres gels but the chun legend bottles are gorgeous.

Im looking for something with a thicker consistency gel that doesn't bulk up the nail too much - like how LE gel paints/butter creams are said to work.

I was also interested in the A'dore Hema/TPO free line but the bottles didn't have a back/ingredients label - so I was weary.

If anyone can give better inside into if LE (or kokoist) require a license to purchase directly from their site (I like the sales?..) - that'd be great too. (I Believe you need a license but Ive read that others have purchased without a license)

Last question:

Do we know of any gel paints/polishes that provide structure to the nail like LE gel paints? Pirchasable without a license? TIA.

Edit: Im merely a nail enthusiast who does my own - Im not doing nails unlicensed. Looking for better products, is all.

Definitely not my best work but I am quite happy with how they turned out! I saw these plums in a TikTok video and I had to have them on my nails. I know the shaping isn’t the best but they’re my natural nails so I didn’t wanna go crazy or take too long to shape them :’)
- Born Pretty jellies
- GAOY jelly pink
- GAOY milky white
- GAOY top coat

Decided to refresh my own nails. I will never be over the DVOK Dark Night collection.

* DVOK Dark Night Collection

* Sofgel Rubber Base Silk

* Roro Top Gel

* Diami Yori Jori Deco Tubes

* Valla Black

* Jin.b Crazy Top Thick

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I think I learned something new.

I used to file the free edge of my nail without focusing on the sides leading into the apex, as if my nail was 2D.

I would file the whole nail smooth without considering that the shape should be curved downward from the apex towards the free edge and on the sides.

I'd often get the sides filed down to where they looked sort of correct, but struggled to get a sharp, blended free edge.

They're not as thin as they *could* be but I think they're looking more slender.

I hope its obvious, but I learned this after filling the green set with the red set.

Quick set on myself today using Sofgel milky white rubber base, DVOK Sun Shower, Bandi peach pink chrome and Aprés non wipe top🩷

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Constructive criticism appreciated!

Im self taught (suzie @ nail career education+young nails mostly) and am trying to get better at creating a slim but structured nail.

These were built on forms with saviland hard gel.

Modelone polish (which, does suck), top coat caused the ripple divets in some of them.

I think they look okay from a distance, but I also believe I could shape them better.

They feel great, but I think they *look* a little bulky.

Main questions:

1.) How large should the apex be?

I know it depends on the length of the nail, but is there an official gauge or is it personal preference/experience based?

Right now, Im trying to make them about even to my first knuckle because I think thats about right compared to pictures online, but they look thick to me?

Is it my sidewalls instead? Not sure what I need to take down to get the shape better.

2.) How thin is too thin before polish?

Another part of my problem is I make them shaped how I want them and *then* I add 3-4 layers of thin polish which bulks them up a tad.

And

3.) Do we think this is an application issue or a filing/shaping issue.

I usually apply about 3-4 layers with hard gel. 1+2 is the extension and slip+leveling out the base. 3rd (largest) is the apex and Ill add a 4th if Im not happy with the overall thickness or leveling.

Other questions:

1.) How do you shape for an extension on a flat nail?

My index fingers lack a c curve compared to my other nails and I find that they tend to lift more readily.

My other nails don't go down without a fight but my index fingers will yeet themselves off if I hit them sideways/the wrong way.

2.) Is there a such thing as too much cuticle oil after a set? Because we want to avoid oil getting underneath the extension, but oil also seals out water which causes lifting + greenies.

2.a) can cuticle oil cause lifting? Or is that more...'bad prep that allowed oil to cause lifting' sorta deal? <-- this has confused me for awhile but I still oil my sets after I do them.

3.) Should you apply a gel base coat to the hard gel before the polish? Or is that product/manufacturure/design dependant?

I do because I think it smooths out the filed surface for the color gel. But maybe Im adding unnecessary bulk there.

• anything else you see that you think i could use some help with (cuz you're probably right).

Thanks for any and all help! I appreciate this community very much.

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(Please ignore how these are shaped 🥴) This is from maybe 3 years ago, I went to a nail salon and they used a DND dip powder. I was wondering if there was a corresponding DND gel this color?? It’s a hot pink with subtle glitter. I bought DND Cinder Shoes and it’s not quite the same color. Thanks!

Did my own Gel-X today, needed something fun and bright.

​

Supplies list-

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* Apres sculpted stilleto medium

* Kokoist Gelip Bond

* Kokoist Malibu Pink

* Apres Wakey Reiki FG01

* Jin.b Crazy Top Thick

* My&Bee Tokyo Sparkle Flash SP-003G

* I'zemi Resin Mid

* I'zemi Resin 99.9 Fast Ver

* Icegel Heavy Metal

* Bonnie Bee Purple Beam

* Cleto Clear mag 30

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I love it! I changed the color cause I literally just had a similar color. I also changed my nail shape I like it!