Gelish, soak off gel polish

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#91
Can someone clarify the Gelish steps for me?

This is what I have read but I want to make sure I am going to be applying it properly when it arrives ;)

Every time I state cure below I mean put in UV light - -

Step 1: Push cuticle back

Step 2: lightly use a nail file and go over nail with it (just a few strokes)

Step 3: remove dust and wipe with Gelish Cleanser

Step 4: Apply Gelish foundation (thin layer) let cure 30 sec

Step 5: Take a lint free wipe & wipe sticky layer off (do I need to use a product on the wipe???)

Step 6: Apply structure if you chose to (let cure 30 sec)

Step 7: Apply color coat #1 (thin layer)

Step 8: Let cure 2 min

Step 9: Apply color coat 2 (do not wipe this layer)

Step 10: Let cure 2 min

Step 11: Apply Top it off

Step 12: Let cure 2 min

Step 13: Remove sticky layer

Please let me know if this is correct :smile: Thanks.
 
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#92
These are the instructions I use:

http://www.nailharmony.be/Templates/Customers/3200/Files/Gelish Brochure.pdf

I have never used structure so cannot comment. The brochure states to cure foundation for 1 min and that's what I always do. I dry brush the foundation with a nail brush (gel application type of brush). You don't want to remove the foundation, just take the shine off. It seems like a lot when you are reading it but it's really not. HTH
 
#93
Forgot to mention, very important to cap the free edge (as they mention) and get as close to the cuticle as possible without going over. Do any cleanup on skin/cuticle with an orangewood stick BEFORE curing. These steps prevent shrinkage and give a good even coverage that will truly last the full 2 weeks + if you want. Not everyone buffs the nail first. I did the first time (with a gentle buffing block only to take off shine) but did not the second time and it doesn't seem to make a difference. As long as the nail plate is very clean, no cuticle residue etc. as that will cause lifting.
 
#94
Thanks so much for all the info and help! I feel so lucky to have found this site. Everyone is so friendly and helpful :smile: Most sites jump down your throat and won't assist you if you are not a tech.

I placed my order for Gelish:

1 x BUY GELISH FOUNDATION AND GET GELISH TOP-IT-OFF FREE!
1 x Gelish Cleanser
1 x Taffeta
1 x Seafoam
1 x Moroccan Nights
1 x Good Gossip
1 x Silver Sand
1 x CND ScrubFresh
2 x Cuticle Wood Stick -hope these will work like the orange sticks you're supposed to use...

I am not missing any of the required things to be able to do my nails with Gelish am I?

I want more colors but this is all I could afford for now.
 
#95
No you are good to go assuming you have the UV light. Post back and take pics. It's fun to see what everyone is doing. I just did seafoam on my daughter with silver sand over the top. Maybe I'll try to get a pic and post it. We're leaving for vaca Saturday so I'll see if I can get her for a quick shot. She is a nail biter so I'm hoping this will keep her nails out of her mouth. So far, so good.
 
#96
Here is my daughter's mani. She loves the color/s. Hoping they will GROW now...

Aliseafoamgelish.jpg
 
#98
Thank you! She's 13 and she really wants to stop the biting. This has been on since Monday and she hasn't touched them. The gelish does feel thicker than polish so it feels very protective on the nails.
 
#99
Does the Gelish come off as easily as the Shellac? My nails are ruined - RUINED - by the OPI Axxium gels and are peeling like wet paper now. I want to put something on there to give them some reinforcement, but I don't want to have to scrape and peel and whatnot to get it off.
 
#100
I have not used shellac, just gelish. It came off very easily for me (at 10 days wear). I just soaked my nails in a bowl of pure acetone -- just enough to cover the nails. I did the rough file on the top to break the seal and they soaked right off in 6-7 minutes. You see it start to break up and then you just take an orangewood stick and push it off. I would say keep soaking until it just falls off, no forcing or hard pushing. I put cuticle oil on after and my nails looked great, no worse for wear at all. I feel like these extended polishes are meant to be worn for at least 10 days to 2 weeks + because then you aren't soaking in acetone so frequently which I hear can be bad for the nails over time and cause them to become brittle.
 
#101
Help! Is the base supposed to be very sticky after you cure it? mine was sticky to the touch like you could leave a finger print in it...does that mean it wasn't cured fully? When I wiped it with non-acetone polish remover, it seemed shiny and hard - not sure if using a brush or lint free wipe on it would do anything but mush it up...can anyone tell me what the base is like when you cure it and what the brush/wipe does for it? When I got shellac, the tech did nothing after the base coat, so I am not sure about this part.


Thanks!
 
#102
Yes. If you go above in this thread, I posted a link to the directions from Harmony. All the layers are sticky but you only wipe the top one off. The foundation is sticky. You dry brush the shine off of it but you don't want to wipe it! You then continue to apply color over it. The sticky is what keeps it bonded to the nail surface. You will have to start over. Please find the link and print it. It's very helpful.
 
#103
Thanks, Alismom, I read the directions, but just wasn't sure to what extent it should be sticky and whether my lamp was powerful enough to cure it - I am waiting for a 4 9-watt bulb lamp - my lamp now only has 1 9-watt bulb...I took off the base with acetone and will wait for my other lamp to be sure!
 
#104
It would probably work with one 9w but I agree to be safe better to wait. I have a tunnel PNI lamp that is 36W and have had no problems. It is kind of hard to get used to polishing because all the layers ARE sticky and if you touch them you do get a print or mark but it usually comes out when you put the next layer on unless it's a gauge. I just try not to touch them to anything. Once I did and you couldn't tell though.

I think the fact that when you wiped it, it became shiny and hard makes me think it was cured. Otherwise it would just wipe off completely.
 
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#105
I don't think it would cure on a 1 9 w lamp, unless you left it for a very long time.

Yes, the base is still sticky, all layers will be..and at the end you use the cleanse or alcohol to remove that base.

Shellac removes much easier than gelish, in my experience.
 
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