Regular polish over Gel & Sandwiching

#661
PewPew - Aw, thank you! And I'll have to check out Vinylux.

Kailuagal - Thank you! The picture is of the first mani that wrinkled. I ran a toothpick dipped in gold polish over the wrinkles to "hide them in plain sight." :smile:

I did a major swatch test over the last couple of days to test the variables in the manicure to see what went wrong. The original mani was 2 coats Essie protein base, 2 coats Gelous base, dried a few hours, added TruGel top coat, cured 2 min under 36 watt UV, removed sticky layer, no issues. Added 1 layer of polish and wrinkles.

I varied everything from doubling the cure time to changing the combination of items used to letting some swatches dry for 1.5 days before I added the TruGel top coat. Somehow it appears my Gelous base has a reaction to the TruGel top coat. Even after drying for 1.5 days the presence of Gelous base anywhere in the manicure made the TruGel TC wrinkle, but only if a new layer of polish was added on top. I even tried putting a layer of Seche Vite top coat on top of the Gelous to see if maybe having the 2 products touch is what did it, but it still wrinkled when polish was added on top after curing. I had no issues adding polish on top of TruGel top coat over 2 coats Essie base by itself, or polish by itself, or Seche Vite over polish, just over anything that had Gelous. Which is too bad because that is my favorite ridge filler (and I just removed acrylics a couple of weeks ago, so I need a ridge filler for now). I'm posting this here in case anyone has similar issues in the future.

Question on sticky layers : how sticky do your sticky layers get? In mine I can see my fingerprint in the sticky layer, but it gets wiped away when I cleanse it, and then everything is smooth. Still, is that normal or is that too sticky?
 
#663
I did my 1st Gelly Sandwich yesterday! It's only Day 2, for so far no chipping or dents or wrinkling, so I am thrilled. :woohoo:

With over 400+ regular np in my collection, I was desperate to somehow make a gelly sandwich work. I'm hoping to get at least 10 days of wear out of this mani. *knock on wood* I love OPI Gelcolors, but the prices are just a bit much for me to buy every polish I LUV in that formulation. :nogood:

Below, are the steps I used for the gelly sandwich. I changed/added some of the video's steps. My "changes/additions" are in BLUE.

***************************************

This is the video that I used as a basis for the gel sandwich mani:
http://www.makeupalley.com/links/out.asp?link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfVNSEZ0SPI
(she uses Gelish base and top coat, but I used OPI base and topcoat for first part, and Gelish base & topcoat for second part (after regular polish application).


1. Clean and prep nails
2. OPI Gel base coat + cure (I cure for 45 seconds just to make sure it's done) I used OPI basecoat because it seems easier to remove.
3. I also used ONE coat of OPI GELCOLOR Bubble Bath (for added strength) + cure 45 sec
4. OPI Gel top coat + cure (didn’t use GELISH, as it is too hard to take off! You do not need to file off OPI topcoat)
5. CLEANED sticky layer off
6. Next, I applied reg np CND STICKEY
7. Apply 2 coats of REG NP color. I used OPI Eurso Euro reg np for this gelly sandw mani.
8. Let dry 20 min between coats!
9. Let dry 2+ hours after 2nd color coat (or overnight) until polish is hard/will not dent.
10. Before applying GEL polish, CLEAN nails with soap and water (alcohol made reg np w/o topcoat, very dull!)
11. Apply GELISH base coat + cure 45 sec
12. Did NOT wipe nail residue off with cleanser
13. Apply GEL top coat + cure 45 sec
14. Clean off nails w/cleanser

My gelly sandwich mani came out just as GORGEOUS as my OPI Gelcolor manis do! *at least so far! * I hope this mani lasts!! I will update!

I also want to just say how very thankful I am for the nail board here! I have learned SO much about gel polish "how to"s and I just LUV doing my nails now (whereas I really hated it with just reg np because it just was not worth the effort for only 1-3 days of wear max. I had all of my collection just sitting in boxes and felt horrible over the waste of money. But now, I am excited about my collection again! So...............THANKS!!!
 
#664
diram said:
I did my 1st Gelly Sandwich yesterday! It's only Day 2, for so far no chipping or dents or wrinkling, so I am thrilled. :woohoo:

With over 400+ regular np in my collection, I was desperate to somehow make a gelly sandwich work. I'm hoping to get at least 10 days of wear out of this mani. *knock on wood* I love OPI Gelcolors, but the prices are just a bit much for me to buy every polish I LUV in that formulation. :nogood:

Below, are the steps I used for the gelly sandwich. I changed/added some of the video's steps. My "changes/additions" are in BLUE.

***************************************

This is the video that I used as a basis for the gel sandwich mani:
http://www.makeupalley.com/links/out.asp?link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfVNSEZ0SPI
(she uses Gelish base and top coat, but I used OPI base and topcoat for first part, and Gelish base & topcoat for second part (after regular polish application).


1. Clean and prep nails
2. OPI Gel base coat + cure (I cure for 45 seconds just to make sure it's done) I used OPI basecoat because it seems easier to remove.
3. I also used ONE coat of OPI GELCOLOR Bubble Bath (for added strength) + cure 45 sec
4. OPI Gel top coat + cure (didn’t use GELISH, as it is too hard to take off! You do not need to file off OPI topcoat)
5. CLEANED sticky layer off
6. Next, I applied reg np CND STICKEY
7. Apply 2 coats of REG NP color. I used OPI Eurso Euro reg np for this gelly sandw mani.
8. Let dry 20 min between coats!
9. Let dry 2+ hours after 2nd color coat (or overnight) until polish is hard/will not dent.
10. Before applying GEL polish, CLEAN nails with soap and water (alcohol made reg np w/o topcoat, very dull!)
11. Apply GELISH base coat + cure 45 sec
12. Did NOT wipe nail residue off with cleanser
13. Apply GEL top coat + cure 45 sec
14. Clean off nails w/cleanser

My gelly sandwich mani came out just as GORGEOUS as my OPI Gelcolor manis do! *at least so far! * I hope this mani lasts!! I will update!

I also want to just say how very thankful I am for the nail board here! I have learned SO much about gel polish "how to"s and I just LUV doing my nails now (whereas I really hated it with just reg np because it just was not worth the effort for only 1-3 days of wear max. I had all of my collection just sitting in boxes and felt horrible over the waste of money. But now, I am excited about my collection again! So...............THANKS!!!
Click to expand...
Yay for you! I was so happy the first time I tried it too. I've had great success with sandwiching in the past. I have a ton of RNP as well. I had to take a break from sog's but I'm ready to do it again. I miss the hardiness of the polish. However, now that I've been using RNP I absolutely LOVE doing my nails more frequently. It's so relaxing taking me time. I'm so torn...my sog's are lonely! Lol
 
#665
Oh gosh, well lucky you for liking to do reg nail polish! :smile: The one-2 day max wear time before chipping just got to be too much for me. I rarely got to day 3.

Funny, when I was younger, I felt as though I was pampering myself when doing my nails with reg polish.
Now? ...with everything going on, it just became such a chore. I am starting to feel the same way about blow drying my hair, and applying makeup. I can't sit there and spend the HOURS I used to when I was in my late teens - early 30's. I keep watching these young girls doing makeup tutorial vids with all of the 10000 steps (contouring, highlighting, primer, base, eye liner, shadow, lip liner...etc. etc OMG. LOL) and I just cringe at the thought. I remember doing all of that when I was in my 20's, but you couldn't pay me enough to sit still and do all those steps now. NO way! lol I
As I age, I'm beginning to want instant gratification. LOL :smile:)

Gel polish does take me a long time (with all the prep steps), but the payoff of having the mani last and last and last and .... it is just SO worth the effort for me.

I just purchased quite a few of the new OPI Nordic collex in reg np (to test colors before I purchased them in Gelcolors). Hopefully, with the Gelly sandwich technique, I won't need to buy the Gelcolors! :smile:

I have been taking a 1 week "break" in between gel manis, though!
I noticed that I was getting a lot of side splits again (had not had this happen for years, before using gel np). I go for about a day with just my nail strengthening cream + LOTS of apps of Solar Oil. Then, after a day or so, I just coat my nails with Nail Tek II. If I go longer than a 7 day break, I'll use reg np for about a day or so, until it chips. Then, I go back to a gel mani. So far, so good! My nails are feeling much stronger after a gel removal. :smile:
 
#667
diram said:
Oh gosh, well lucky you for liking to do reg nail polish! :smile: The one-2 day max wear time before chipping just got to be too much for me. I rarely got to day 3.

Funny, when I was younger, I felt as though I was pampering myself when doing my nails with reg polish.
Now? ...with everything going on, it just became such a chore. I am starting to feel the same way about blow drying my hair, and applying makeup. I can't sit there and spend the HOURS I used to when I was in my late teens - early 30's. I keep watching these young girls doing makeup tutorial vids with all of the 10000 steps (contouring, highlighting, primer, base, eye liner, shadow, lip liner...etc. etc OMG. LOL) and I just cringe at the thought. I remember doing all of that when I was in my 20's, but you couldn't pay me enough to sit still and do all those steps now. NO way! lol I
As I age, I'm beginning to want instant gratification. LOL :smile:)

Gel polish does take me a long time (with all the prep steps), but the payoff of having the mani last and last and last and .... it is just SO worth the effort for me.

I just purchased quite a few of the new OPI Nordic collex in reg np (to test colors before I purchased them in Gelcolors). Hopefully, with the Gelly sandwich technique, I won't need to buy the Gelcolors! :smile:

I have been taking a 1 week "break" in between gel manis, though!
I noticed that I was getting a lot of side splits again (had not had this happen for years, before using gel np). I go for about a day with just my nail strengthening cream + LOTS of apps of Solar Oil. Then, after a day or so, I just coat my nails with Nail Tek II. If I go longer than a 7 day break, I'll use reg np for about a day or so, until it chips. Then, I go back to a gel mani. So far, so good! My nails are feeling much stronger after a gel removal. :smile:
Click to expand...
Yes when i do sandwich with regular polish im lucky if i get in a total of 3 days. For some reason my nails were always chipping more with sandwiching.
 
#670
I've been doing clear gels to protect my nails and help the regular polish last longer. However I do not enjoy the soak offs and want to avoid them (would prefer to just do fills). I prefer to use acetone removers because they're more effective, especially on glitter, but it damages the gel and causes it to start to lift.

I recently tried switching to hard gel but I keep having problems with lifting at the tips. I don't think it's my application since I don't have the problem with SOGs lifting... I've tried every trick I can find but nothing is helping. I almost wonder if the hard gels are too hard and I need some flexibility like the SOGs have and am thinking of switching back.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent the hard gel from lifting?
OR how can I protect the SOG so it's not damaged when I change my RNP over it? (Acetone removers are necessary when I use as much glitter as like to).
 
#671
ChevyCamaroLvr said:
I've been doing clear gels to protect my nails and help the regular polish last longer. However I do not enjoy the soak offs and want to avoid them (would prefer to just do fills). I prefer to use acetone removers because they're more effective, especially on glitter, but it damages the gel and causes it to start to lift.

I recently tried switching to hard gel but I keep having problems with lifting at the tips. I don't think it's my application since I don't have the problem with SOGs lifting... I've tried every trick I can find but nothing is helping. I almost wonder if the hard gels are too hard and I need some flexibility like the SOGs have and am thinking of switching back.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent the hard gel from lifting?
OR how can I protect the SOG so it's not damaged when I change my RNP over it? (Acetone removers are necessary when I use as much glitter as like to).
Click to expand...

You might try a few things - 1. Using an acetone resistant gel top coat like Gelish 2. using a peelable base coat over the clear gel 3. using a pocket remover like Orly with a non-acetone remover
 
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