SOG Removal.........
- Thread starter Regee
- Start date
My nails are just getting dry
I use Josie Maran's Argan Oil from Sephora when my nails are very dry. It's heavier than Solar Oil, but absorbs very easily. Otherwise I always keep pure jojoba oil for my skin and cuticles. It's not really an oil; it's a liquid wax. Best of all, it is the closest thing around to human sebum so it soaks in and protects -- pure ceramide.
Did it make the polish lift up ? I did feel like i had to scrub my nails and wash real well and very lightly buff the shine my nails before application bc my nails were really shiny and smooth after my removal. The glycerin draws moisture to the skin and nails so i can see how it can cause problems.
I just started using it, hopefully i dont have problems with it.
Which remover do you use?
Ive used the gelish remover but i hate the smell
Your nails look great!!! Out of interest, what lamp do you use (led or uv)?
I ended up damaging one of my nails (index on right hand) as I got impatient with this one nail during soak off. Apart from that it was a surprisingly successful soak off especially considering I had two full sog manicures on my nails.
Note to self: Don't do your nails when you're shattered!!!
I have regular polish on today as I was too tired to do sog last night, it's chipped already tho on my thumb....
I use a UV lamp. I was using the sensationail led lamp for a while but noticed i had too much color wipe off after cleansing the top coat so i am using a UV lamp. Its a cheapie 36w uv lamp. I know what alot of people will say about not using a cheap lamp but my hubby bought it from me off ebay a couple months ago because i complained about the sensationail one. It seems to work pretty well for now. My sog definately feels harder and more cured in this uv lamp than the sensationail and i get no color wiping off during cleanse. My wear is usually two weeks and it could be longer but i always usually soak off after ten days out of boredom with the same mani unless i love it too much. Ive only had the lifting of the nails since i started experimenting with the vitagel.
I DO want to save up for a nice led lamp though; the gelish 18G is definately on my wish list. i just am having a hard time justifying that much on a lamp right now with three babies and im only working part time. Also since i dont have daughters or any sisters who can also use it for their nails and i dont do any of my friends nails either, i dont think my husband would be too happy if i got it and he usually supports my habit of sogs (i already mentioned it to him he just kinda laughed like "yea $300 for a lamp"). But i can see myself doing my friends nails if i did have the 18G led because i would have that peace of mind that i am using a quality product.
I damaged my nails from peeling off a mani while i was away from home and that did serious damaged. My nails already are looking much better but still have some healing to do. The vitagel is really helping me.
I sometimes want to do rnp mani when i am too tired or lazy for sog, but like you get chipping then i have to redo them. So i prefer taking my time for sog because it is worth it knowing you dont have to redo them until you are ready in a couple weeks.
Thanks for that. Like you I used to have the Sensationail lamp but mine wasn't curing properly so I took it back. I've actually been considering buying just the lamp (I don't need the kit again) so that I have a portable lamp which can be taken on holiday or used for quick repairs. The jury is still out on that one but I may purchase it next month.
I currently have the CND lamp and it's great! I have also noticed a 'harder' cure when using this lamp. The downside for me has been that soak offs have been more difficult (not hugely so - but more difficult and taking alot longer) than they did before when I was using the LED lamp. I feel like it has something to do with how the UV light cures the basecoat as it seems to adhere to my nail alot more - especially down the centre of my pointer finger, index and thumb (basically all the larger nails). Again, like you I have trouble justifying buying a lamp for £300 but I think I will probably take the plunge. I am most likely going to get the OPI lamp but I will save that purchase until much later in the year - perhaps as a Christmas present to myself (I could do that by saving £35 per month from now until the end of the year)!
My plan for this chipped mani is to repaint the two nails that have chipped (2 nails have chipped polish and two small chips on my nails in the space of less than 24hrs!) and then experiment with my Cheeky XL plates as my XL stamper just arrived off the slow boat today! I will then remove it on Thursday and do a soak off mani.
I hope my damaged nail repairs as well as yours has. I brought some Orly Bonder which I currently have on under this rnp mani but I intend to also use it under my sog manis in future down the centre of each nail in an attempt to solve the issues with the sog basecoat adhering to my nail so strongly. I will also go and investigate the Vitagel and see if that is worth adding to my nail case...! I am such a product junkie!!!
For my mom and I we had the peeling nails. Actual layers of nail peeling away and taking the SOG with it. We went back to just using acetone. If it ain't broke, don't fix it I guess. I'd had no trouble before and should've just left well enough alone. Lol
Thanks for that. Like you I used to have the Sensationail lamp but mine wasn't curing properly so I took it back. I've actually been considering buying just the lamp (I don't need the kit again) so that I have a portable lamp which can be taken on holiday or used for quick repairs. The jury is still out on that one but I may purchase it next month.
I currently have the CND lamp and it's great! I have also noticed a 'harder' cure when using this lamp. The downside for me has been that soak offs have been more difficult (not hugely so - but more difficult and taking alot longer) than they did before when I was using the LED lamp. I feel like it has something to do with how the UV light cures the basecoat as it seems to adhere to my nail alot more - especially down the centre of my pointer finger, index and thumb (basically all the larger nails). Again, like you I have trouble justifying buying a lamp for £300 but I think I will probably take the plunge. I am most likely going to get the OPI lamp but I will save that purchase until much later in the year - perhaps as a Christmas present to myself (I could do that by saving £35 per month from now until the end of the year)!
My plan for this chipped mani is to repaint the two nails that have chipped (2 nails have chipped polish and two small chips on my nails in the space of less than 24hrs!) and then experiment with my Cheeky XL plates as my XL stamper just arrived off the slow boat today! I will then remove it on Thursday and do a soak off mani.
I hope my damaged nail repairs as well as yours has. I brought some Orly Bonder which I currently have on under this rnp mani but I intend to also use it under my sog manis in future down the centre of each nail in an attempt to solve the issues with the sog basecoat adhering to my nail so strongly. I will also go and investigate the Vitagel and see if that is worth adding to my nail case...! I am such a product junkie!!!
I still use the sensationail lamp mainly for my swatches though just because it does cure so much faster.
I did notice my basecoat also seem to adhere much better. Maybe the soak off takes a little longer because the CND lamp actually cures the base coat and other layers all the way through.
I also think that i will eventually buy a better lamp but i just want to save enough for the led lamp because im also looking for a shorter curing time. I use mainly just the gelish system. If i use different brands its only for the color coats and i stick to led curable.
I have only been using vitagel for about two weeks. I definitely notice a difference in my nails. And i do think that my removal was super easy because of the vitagel. With regular foundation base coat my polish kinda flaked off and sometimes i would have to rewrap a couple nails. with the vitagel as my base coat the polish literally came right off my nail. it lifted like a sheet no residue left over or anything. I was really patient and made sure to give myself at least 15 minutes with soak off. but the polish lifted in about 10-12 minutes. The accent nail i had glitter on took the 15 minutes then lifted off.
Just so you know, some people do have wear issues with the vitagel though. I think the vitagel doesnt adhere to the nail the same way that the foundation base coat does. My first mani with the vitagel was only 4 or 5 days. One nail lifted but i did a complete soak off although the other nails were perfect. My last mani (i did two coats vitagel this time) i soaked off after a week . My nails look perfect but had major growth which bothered me because i had a darker color on. I just did my nails yesterday with the two coats vitagel as a base. I did make sure to prep the nails thoroughly and used ph bond, plus a tiny but of primer on the nail tips and capped the free edge with it. I really want this mani to last but im still playing around with the vitagel to make it work because i loved the easy removal i had with the vitagel. Theres more info from other ladies on the gelish soak off gel thread. You might want to get more info to see if it would be worth a try for you
I did try using the orly bonder under my foundation before but that didnt work out for me. I know some ladies like to use CND stickey under their sog base coat for easier removal as well.
Lol i agree. I had been using 100% acetone for years now with rnp and with my sogs now. I wouldnt say i had trouble with it just wanted to see if this would help with the dryness i would have after my removal. Like i said before, i just started using this glycerin and acetone mix. My nails dont ever peel so that is something i will be looking out for. if i notice any peeling i will most definitely switch to just acetone.
Hello, I only use three brands of SOG atm, Gelish, Orly GelFx and Impressionails. In my opinion, Orly Gel Fx out of the three is the easiest to remove. however for all three, you still need to buff the shine off and free edge prior to applying the remover wraps. I think the tip is to have the remover soaked pads in total contact with your SOG....So for me, I think those al foil wraps are useless and I think the Graham HandsDown ones with a sticky tape to secure the wrap would be much better
I brought vitagel recovery today so I will see if it helps repair the damage I caused during my last soak off. My friend bought vitagel strength so I will try hers as well after using this recovery for a few weeks.
Thanks for the tip!!
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Today I did a very successful soak off of a four week old sog mani (3 coats of IBD So In Love using OPI base and top coats). As this mani had been on so long and lasted so well I was expecting a difficult removal.
I used CND Shellac Nourishing remover, soaked with foil and cotton balls for 10 minutes and it worked exceptionally well! The gel just curled up in the foils and came right off - I soaked some nails for another 5 mins to get all traces of base coat off the nails.
I found it slightly more drying than OPI's Expert Touch but cheaper and far more effective. I prefer the scent of Expert Touch though.
I'm very impressed and I'm very intrigued to see how well it works on my current mani.
I used CND Shellac Nourishing remover, soaked with foil and cotton balls for 10 minutes and it worked exceptionally well! The gel just curled up in the foils and came right off - I soaked some nails for another 5 mins to get all traces of base coat off the nails.
I found it slightly more drying than OPI's Expert Touch but cheaper and far more effective. I prefer the scent of Expert Touch though.
I'm very impressed and I'm very intrigued to see how well it works on my current mani.
Wow 4 weeks!!! im so impressed!! i can barely get 2 weeks out of mine its usually only 7 or so days