QuestionI have gone to different places and asked for pink and white. It costs about $20-30. First problem is the pink part is sometimes pinker and you can see the difference in color from new to what is already there(this has happened at the same salon, same nail tech). Next, within 2 days after having nails done, they start to lift around the bottom and sides. I have asked nail tech why and have never been given good answer. Do I need to get another type of nail? Do I just not have the right nails for fake nails? I like the look of clear with white tips. Thank you for any help you can give.
AnswerWell, according to Nails Magazine's newest data a full set of pink and white acrylics in the U.S. is currently averaging around $46 with a standard fill going in the $28 range. That's good information to have when shopping for services because it lets you decide if the salon you're going to is considerably cheaper or more expensive than "average." And, just like cars and clothes, when it comes to salon services, you typically get what you pay for.
Many upscale nail technicians would insist on having you soak off your old product and start with a new set when you become their client. This is the ONLY way we can trouble shoot any problems you have down the line.
If you salon-hop-- don't go to the same nail tech every time-- there's NO WAY you can be sure that the colors of the products on your nails will match every time. Even if the techs use the exact same brand of product, most products are available in different colors. Also, even if you went to two different techs who used the same product, that colors can be affected by the way a tech works. For example, if the nail tech has her liquid in a clear glass that is exposed to light on her desk, it can affect the color of the product. Also, if the tech's implements are contaminated or if her product is old, it can affect the color.
Many lower-end products don't have the quality control at the factory that higher quality products go through. So sometimes the colors are different from batch to batch, and sometimes the acrylic starts out as one color but changes color as it ages, especially when exposed to light. Pinks fade, and cheap acrylic yellows. Another factor is that salons that work at discount prices have to find other ways to make sure they make enough profit from their services to make a living, so a lot of times they just buy whatever product is cheapest at the supply house-- that means it might not be the same product every time you go in to get your nails done.
Lifting can be caused by so many factors, it's very difficult to trouble-shoot without asking a gazillion questions! Especially if you haven't been seeing the same nail tech every time you get your nails done. Most lifting around the cuticle edge of the product is caused because the skin around the nail, and also the natural nail itself, starts to dry out. Dry skin shrinks and pulls away from the product on the nail. The product isn't flexible enough to bend with the nail as it shrinks, so you get lifting. The very best thing to do to prevent this is to use cuticle OIL. Any botanical oil will work-- even olive oil! The general rule of thumb to go by is; if you can eat it, you can use it as cuticle oil. Just stay away from cuticle oils that contain mineral oil-- that means NO baby oil! Mineral oil is too thick to penetrate the skin, so it stays on top and makes you feel greasy. That doesn't hydrate the skin so it doesn't solve the problem.
Try rubbing a little bit of oil into your cuticles every day and see what a difference it makes!
Other issues that could cause the lifting are wearing your nails too long. I know long is in! But balance is a big factor in nails and if the tips are too long, they can pull down and lift at the other end-- like a teeter-totter.
My suspicion is that it's something that's caused in the application process-- like poor prep when they do your nails. Are you being asked to wash your hands before they start working on you? Are they using all NEW files, sand-paper bands on the drill, buffers? Are the brushes clean? All these things make a difference, both in how the product will ultimately wear on your nails as well as reducing your risk of getting any sort of cooties from the service!
Another thing I see some salons do is that they drill or file very heavily into the natural nail and then rely completely on acid primers as their bonding agents. No one should be drilling/filing deeply into your nails. It's not necessary to make the product stick! In fact, what happens is that the more of your natural nail that gets filed away, the thinner your nails end up, and that leaves less nail for the product to stick to.
Acid primers (the ones that smell like gym socks and burn if you have a cut) are awesome products, but they can't work if they aren't applied to a clean surface first. So if the nail isn't properly cleaned and prepared BEFORE they put the primer on, then the primer doesn't do any good.
Find a good nail tech that you like, trust, and can talk to and keep going to the same person for a new set and several fills and see if that solves your problems.
