Understanding the Nuances of Nail Techniques: Gel Overlay vs. Gel Sculpting
Attention Nail Technicians: Don't Fall into the Common Trap! Many struggle with distinguishing the intricacies of gel overlay versus gel sculpting, not to mention the crucial task of selecting the right products for each service. This widespread issue often stems from inadequate training provided by numerous brands.
Explore the nuances of builder gel viscosity (its thickness) versus hardness level in our latest Instagram post here.
Ideal Products for Short, Natural Nails
For short, naturally beautiful nails, flexible soak-off products are the ideal choice for an overlay. These are your typical BIAB products. Although many soak-off brush-on builders are packaged in bottles, there are also hard gel products available in similar packaging. It's crucial for brands to clearly guide you in product application and to make you aware of certain application restrictions.
It's important to remember that a brush-on builder cannot be both a hard builder gel, which is suitable for all nail lengths and shapes, and a soak-off product in terms of removal.
SATIN - £16.50
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Demands of Longer Nails
Having strong and long natural nails is quite unusual! As the free edge moves away from the nail matrix, and the stress zone shifts, the nail becomes more brittle due to its increasing distance from the nutritional layer. Artificial coatings are essential to protect natural nails and allow them to grow longer. But, and this is the tricky part long nails have different demands compared to short nails, such as:
- Ideal parallel lateral lines,
- Sufficient reinforcement at the stress points,
- Minimum weight (product bulk).
Many nail technicians find it challenging to recognise these crucial differences between simple overlaying and the more complex sculpting process that longer nails and certain shapes such as almond and strong square often require.
NATURAL NUDE 15g/30g - £30.05
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Prioritising Health and Safety
Repeated use of BIAB for infills when nails have grown to a length that requires stronger support, poses a risk of significant damage. This includes thinning of the nail plate and damage to the natural nail's stress points, leading to painful cracking and potentially resulting in lateral onycholysis.
Product Cost Implications
The limitation of soak-off products in terms of refinement is apparent – their rubbery nature cannot withstand substantial pressure. This leads to the increased use of product to rectify unevenness or patchiness after refining a BIAB enhancement.
Therefore, when dealing with natural nails that extend beyond 2-3mm at the free edge, the recommended choice is the dual sculpting technique. This approach not only preserves the integrity of the nail but is also cost-effective in the long run. You can find many helpful videos on this technique on our Instagram account.