Nail Prepping 101 - How I make my press-ons last 4-6 weeks

Edit: So it seems like the video works now (I hope), so posted now.

 Heyaa!

So lately no Tutorial.

I figured since I already have the box on my layout with nail tutorials, I should have like...maybe some tutorials there?

So here is everything I know about prepping and how I do it.

Honestly prepping takes me way longer than the usual designs and it's important to make nails last and look clean.

1. Tools

So basically I don't use much.

I have a 80 grid file to shape my nails the fastest, a nail clipper, a cuticle cleaner/pusher and two bits.

I don't believe in having too many bits tbh, especially for the cuticle area.

I have some just in case but these are sufficient.

When using bits, the angle how you use them matter a lot and especially if you do your own, sometimes you just can't get the angle right and the risk of having a fire ring is high.

Also these are way better because you can just get rid of them after use and put a new one on top and they stay sharp.

Tip: Stay away from cheap drill machines. I used to have one as a portable for doing my mums nails. I cannot explain why but they work so much worse. I hated working with them. Just get a proper machine from a nail shop somewhere. It also doesn't have to be the most expensive.

I actually have two grids.

So basically the grid number tells you how harsh something is. 

The higher the number, the more gentle. The lower the number, the more coarse it is.

I usually use the 180 for all kinds of shaping, getting rid of product etc.

The 80 are only when I have chunks of product I need to get rid of.

I don't use these on my natural nails, or close to them!

I have a smaller bit for that with a higher grid number (I believe it was 240).

These are the products from left to right:

rubber base transparent, nail oil, dehydrator, bond (primer), top coat, cuticle remover.

In the back are micellar wipes and in the front my gel.

Instead of wipes you can use a cleaner with dry wipes, usually for nails (don't use cotton, as it will stick to the nails).

This is what I use to put on my nails.

It's basically solid gel. I used to use the ones from born pretty but they are so damn small and over time they don't work as good anymore and from lynis the bottle is just so big.

Why use press-ons? They save you so much time. Especially when you plan on doing heavy designs. They are also more flexible. If you tend to bump in things or if nothing ever sticks on your nails, this might be a good thing to try. The con is that something like "fill ins" don't really exist. The nails are already shaped, when they grow out, the balance changes and also it doesn't look right and well, if you try shaping it, you just file a hole in the tip. So everytime, you need to take off the nail and apply new ones for each set.

Why solid? Because it is so much easier to apply. Also I use the same product for applying my big gems. The stuff just sticks and goes nowhere.

At this point a little reminder of a nail set from last year:

Do you see the CHUNKS of gems on them?

They last, and I mean oh boy do they last.

The possibility of losing my finger before losing the gems is higher.

I actually had to get a specific clipper, just to be able to CUT them off my nails when taking off.

I also still have another bottle of builder base gel from born pretty.

I like using this because of its thick textures, it doesn't run quickly in the cuticle area and gives me time to use it.

a super thin brush for applying

And the starting point!

When I tell you, I hate hate hate having short nails and the past weeks I would constantly rip and pull on areas and even tore of just the layer of gel I had.

I usually never had mattes, so I wanted to try but matte short nails in a nude color is like, so ugly ngl.

Never doing that again.

Also I just started again with the habit of using nail oil.

Trust me, it is so damn important to use your oil, even if it's just for the night. 
It made a big difference but for now everything looks dry and damaged.

2. Getting rid of product

So I use the 180 grid to file off the product as thin as possible and then use my gel remover.

I accidentally didn't take a picture of it but you will find loads of them on AliEx.
They all basically work the same.

I prefer using a gel remover over acetone, because it doesn't dry out my skin, it works faster and I have free hands. I cut removing time at least to half with it.

If I filed off enough product before using the remover, after applying there will be bubbles and you can simply scratch it off. If the layer was still thick, like i.e. on the thumb it's always too thick, you have to apply it another round after scratching. 

You can use this remover tool you see in the back or a cuticle pusher but make sure you are not too rough on your natural nails.

If there is a little bit product left, I leave it for the next grid round to take it off.

3. Make surface rough and clean cuticles

I use my cuticle remover (the bottle you can see in step 1) to soften the cuticle area.

Then I cut off my nails to make application cleaner and have the design last longer until it grows out, while the cuticle remover soaks in.

I use the tool to gently scratch off skin from the nail and then use the pusher side to gently push it back.

I then use the small bit, which also makes me easier to work around the nail close to the skin, and roughen up the whole surface. And here is the key-word: rough it up.

Most use a buffer but the buffer just polishes the surface and we need a texture on the surface where product can grip. So yes, to some degree you have to destroy the surface.

Either you have healthy nails, or you have false nails that stay on...

You don't need to file so much away, only your flesh stays on but you get the point.

That's also why my small bits are the lowest grid possible.
It gets the work done, without filing the natural nail too thin.
The possibility of damage is a lot lower, but the angle matters as well.
It needs practice.

Also filing the cutted edge.

I use my micellar wipe to make everything clean.

That way I can see better where to cut with my cuticle cutter and it also keeps the hands moisturized.
When the skin is dry, it looks like you have to cut off a lot of skin around the cuticle area and on the sidewalls but that's a doublesided sword. The more you cut off, the more you damage it.
Some of the dry skin you see on the sidewalls is actually damaged nails that I try to fix for weeks right now. It has gotten better but it needs to completely heal I guess. So currently I try to find the middle between cutting off dead skin that bothers me but also leaving room for it to actually grow out.

Now look, the micellar wipes contain oils and usually you should have the nail surface free from all products but so far I didn't have any problem adding this product to the routine.
It actually makes it so much easier to clean up.

If however you notice that retention goes down, stick to the regular cleaner.

4. Thin layer of gel (rubber gel)

So after that I use my dehydrator to make the area on the nail clean.

Afterwards I use a bond. I used to use a primer but sometimes felt like they are too harsh on my nails and the bond sticks just as good.

I use the rubber base from lynis, because the brush makes it like so damn easy to apply on top.

Why doing a base coat? For better retention. Product sticks to product and a thin layer sticks better to your nails than a chunk of product. So having a thin layer on top of your natural nails before using any big product will make retention go up.

It's the best of both worlds you could say.

5. Applying full cover tips

For this design I chose a medium length to get used to nails again, it has been a couple months.

I pick up the product right out of the can with the nail.

So how much do you need to get out? it depends on the size of your nail bed.

Experience will make you figure that one out.

When choosing a size, make sure sidewall to sidewall fit and DON'T PUSH DOWN WHILE MATCHING, it should already fit when it's loose, when it doubt take the bigger size.

You need some space between your nail and the tip for the product to be.

If you push down when looking for the size, there is no room for the product, so in the end it will be too small.

And this is how I apply.

I leave the cuticle area open to later blend it better.

Also some of my cuticles are straight, other are more round and I am more flexible applying the tips that way.

I also have a quick video on how I apply.

So basically you start from the edge and then slowly press down forwards to avoid bubble and let the product spread evenly. I then check if it's straight and correct the position a little.

Do you need to file the surface of the nail tip before you apply a gel coat etc.? Yes and no, personally I do not have a problem applying product on top of the cover tips. If however it happens for you, that the layer strips off, you might want to add it to the routine.

6.Shaping and preparing cuticle area

So lately I am in love with oval nails.

Squares aren't really my thing but stilettos are like, damn.

So this is actually a great inbetween for me.

And no, I don't want almond.

After shaping I clean up the edges with my buffer and use the 180 grid again to carefully get rid of the edges around the cuticle area.

So I cleaned up and then for some reason used my dehydrator again (which I usually don't do but felt like I had to?) and the tips gave this discoloraion then, lmao.

So yea, never doing that again...it's fine though.

7. Layer of Rubber gel and finish!

I am using the thin brush to fill in the gap nail by nail, to avoid it running in the cuticle.

I am using the rubber gel and then put my nails in the lamp for like 10 seconds or so before moving on to the next nail.

After that I apply a thin coat of rubber gel on the whole nail to make the surface even.

Edit: I also use top coat to seal the solid gel from the bottom. The solid has a sticky surface and all kinds of dirt can stick to it, so wherever you use solid, wether it is to apply a tip or put a gem on, make sure it sealed with top coat.

And that's basically it!

Now you can start with the design.

Why not do the design and then apply on? So here it is a little tricky. Depending on your nail shape and the shape of the fake nail, sometimes it won't fit 100% and doing it like that gives you more room to match and fit it the way it has to, also considering length and size. The pinkies for example were way too long for my taste, so before shaping I even made them shorter. Also for the gel to really stick on your nail, the UV/LED has to be able to get through to the product. If a design is blocking the light to get through, it won't last and come off within a week or so.

Also you can develop an allergy that way.

Honestly I did a pretty basic designs this time and almost a bunch of products are empty, including some of the gems I like.

So yea, I have to go shopping again.

xoxo rinmero