Masterclass - Gel Varnish's

Carrying on from last weeks discussion on nail enhancements (Here if you missed it), we now look at the ever increasing range of gel varnish's that are now hitting the market. Gel varnishs are the next evolution on gel enhancements, the drying time is quicker and the wear time is longer. The ones I shall touch on here are going to be the ones that come in brush on varnish as I consider these more gel varnish's rather than gel enhancements (the ones that come in pots).

The main difference between the gel varnish vs. enhanements is that with the enhancements you get the added advantage of strength. The finish of varnish is like having them freshly polished but has the long wearing of having a gel enhancement. There is also no waiting time after they have been cured/dried under a UV or LED light, you can go into your handbag after treatment and not chip or smudge your nails. Prices to have this done is salon is £25-£30 for a finish that would last until you get bored (most brands have quoted between 2-3 weeks for hands, 2-4 for feet).

Removal still is best done in salon to prevent damange done to the nails, each system has their own way of removal and if not done properaly can cause some long term damage. The same does also apply to the application as well.

What I wanted to do this week is talk about the main 3 top names in these ranges as well as talk about the do-it-yourself system. First the salon only brands (click the headlines to go to their website):

CND Shellac

When I went to Professional Beauty to talk to these guys about using their system I couldn't get near them, the queue at one point was going back out of the front door. They say that Shellac stand out because of the science and working with professionals for over four years to get the perfect formula that is buitl up in layers, lasts for weeks and is easily removed in 10 minutes. Most professionals I've spoken to have finished their training in this range becuase of ease of use. One word of warning: Shellac is designed to work as a package that includes the equipment, check that everything used has the CND logo (including the lamp) or you will be dissapointed with your results. Currently has 35 colours in the range.

 Gelish by Harmony

Claims to last 3 weeks, has 102 different colours including two new Magneto - the new gel magnet design varnish. Removal time is qouted at 15 minutes. Colours I find are bang on trend and was dribblnig over the colours they have. One of the original companies to do gel since 2010.

Gelcolor by OPI

When OPI annouched that in February of this year they were launching their own gel varnish, the beauty trade went into buzzing mode. OPI are one of the biggest names in the nail industry, I myself have been raving about them since I qualified nearly 8 years ago. This 100% gel formulation is applied like a varnish with it's distinctive bottle and brush, it has also been clamined that is fours times faster than previous gel with a full set done in four minutes. Lab tests have claimed that it is 23% longer lasting with a wear time of 2 weeks (shorter if clients have thin and flexible). At the moment has 30 of their top selling colours from their perament range, with colours being added.

Red Carpet Manicure (DIY Set)

This kit has everything to do the gel manicure for yourself at home, for the price of two salon based treatments (£59.99 or £79.99 for the pro kit). Now I may be a manicurist but I still have problems with my left hand painting my right hand (the other way round always comes out perfect!), and this is my problem with this system. There is no easy clean up if you make a mistake and I worry that people who have had little experiance of painting they're nails would struggle with it. I also have question marks over the quality of the actually product. However, reviews have been glowing for it and they've been featured in a few glossys so it must be doing something right.

Any used any of above and want to add their feedback?







Masterclass - Nails

aka. The hard stuff

Our nails are located at the end of our toes and hands, and made of a protein called Keratin, which is also present in within hair. The shape of the nail depends of a few factors: The health of the surrounding tissue called the matrix (stop thinking about the film) and the shape of the finger bones.

The Matrix is the tissue that the nail bed rests on and contains all the nerves, blood vessel, and lymph. As new nail plate cells are produced, they are round and white so they push the older dead cells forward. This way compresses and flattens the cells to produce what we see. It is also the epidermis layer of the skin that we see underneath that produces the grooves on the nail plate. As we age these plates thin and the grooves become deeper.

Another part that is talked about is the cuticles: This is a small band of skin that acts like a water proof barrier between the nail and the matrix. This also stops any germs getting into this delicate area, this is why it better to keep the cuticle trim with either a designated remover or gentle massaging the cuticle down with a hoof/cuticle stick. If this area is cut it can be very painful and more prone to infection.

So why do have nails in the first place? Evolution says that this is from the era where we used to climb trees and needed something strong to grip onto things. To keep them long and strong, I don't recommend that you do this kind of activity or using them as any kind of tool (they not designed for opening drink cans or typing devices - guilty as charged!). Water also weakens the nails so keeping them moisturised is a good habit to take up, I have about 3 on the go so I can keep up (right next to my lip balms).

I used to be a nail chewer, and I mean a chewer right down to the cuticle. Yes, it did really hurt and I did use to make myself bleed (found out it was more stress/boredom related), it was a bad habit to have. It took over year after I decided to stop for them to grow to the end of my fingers. Once you've decided to give up, go and get a manicure to tidy up any rough edges and also discuss what would be best for you long term. This will also take the temptation away to chew. Then, treat yourself to the dream nail varnish, put it somewhere were you'll see it everyday. Think about it, have photos of it on your phone to look at when you feel like you want to chew. It may take a while to get there but this'll give you a strong start.

Next Thurs: Nail systems/enhancements (a good one for chewers to read as they can protect your nails while growing back).
Note: A nail broke in the writing of this entry. Where's the nail file?