Magazine for the professional nail industry.
Issue link: http://nailsmag.epubxp.com/i/809430
122 | NAILS MAGAZINE | MAY 2017 Some services require the surface of the nails to be gently buffed in order to remove surface shine. Having the cuticle wholly removed makes this step faster and easier. According to industry chemist Doug Schoon, the direction of filing on the natural nail does not disrupt the nail plate. Having just learned this myself, it is a huge help in improving speed for prep work. This means you can quickly and gently buff the nails to remove the shine with the file going back and forth in the direction that is most comfortable for you to move. Unless your product manufacturer calls for the nail to be "etched," removing the shine should be a very brief part of the service. Make sure you are pulling back the lateral folds to remove shine from the entire surface so that you do not have to come back and catch it later or spend time on repairs due to remaining shine. -POLISH Whether applying polish or gel-polish to the natural nail, most of the rules for improving salon speed regarding will be the same. The base coat should be applied as neatly and carefully as you would apply a red polish. Where the base coat goes the color flows, so if you are fast and sloppy with your base coat, you will be spending time cleaning up the color where it has flooded the lateral folds or the proximal nail fold. Cleanup wastes more time than a precise application of base coat, so don't be afraid to put a little more time into a thin even application so that your color will seem to magically flow on neatly. Apply very thin layers of color. Thick layers take longer to dry in the case of polish and may wrinkle or undercure in the instance of gel-polish. Two thin layers of color should give you beautiful, even color coverage every time. If not, ensure that your color is mixed well by either shaking or rolling, depending on the manufacturer's suggestion for that product. Taking the time to add a third layer of color is going to be more of a time drain than if you had just ensured it was mixed properly. Another tip to save time in application is to seal the edge before you polish the nail plate surface. This helps in a couple ways. If your routine is to polish the nail, seal the edge, then pull back over the nail to remove excess, then you are duplicating effort and that takes time. If you seal the edge first, followed by polishing the surface, there is no additional time taken to remove excess from the edge. This also ensures you do not create the bulge or lump at the extension edge that causes chipping or extra dry time. When it comes to top coat application, the timesaver is to have left a tiny margin of at least 1/16-inch around the color so that you are able to seal it with the top coat. The margin makes it easier to apply the top coat just past the edge of the color without getting it on the skin and requiring cleanup. Beginning with prep — whether for natural nails or enhancements — you can maintain a solid pace by keeping the client in your chair and using tools properly to get the job done. For those using a cuticle removal product that requires deactivation by water, keeping a spray bottle filled with plain water or slightly soapy water at the table will enable you to quickly wash the nails without oversaturating them, as well as keep the client in the chair. If you are asking clients to use a sink, teaching them how to effectively wash their nails to remove cuticle product could be a big help in the time factor. Also, a small clock with a second hand near the sink could be a visual aid for your client to wash for 60 seconds so that they don't get lost in thought or conversation and stand at the sink longer than necessary. Another time-saver: Make sure the tools you use for cuticle work are good quality and that you know how to use them. All nails have cuticle over the surface. The first time a client sits in your chair the cuticle needs to be removed from the extension edge to the proximal nail fold. You should see a thin layer of tissue lift away from the nail plate. The purpose of the pusher is to lift and separate the cuticle from the nail so that you have a clean surface to work on. If you don't ever feel the pusher slightly catch on that tissue or see any tissue come up, it may be time to evaluate if your pusher is effective. Some inexpensive pushers are very dull and do not help lift the cuticle. Another way to improve speed in this area is to use a professional removal product. If the product does the work for you by breaking the bond between the tissue and the nail plate, your tool is allowed to be more effective and efficient. It is important you use your pusher at the angle the manufacturer suggests. If you also use a curette, it is critical that the more open side of the scoop face is as flat to the nail as possible. The curette is only an amazing power tool if used properly. You should see the cuticle coming up from the sidewalls and corners of the nail while moving the curette in small circles, which should give you a clean working surface and prevent lifting. Once you have removed the cuticle from the entire nail plate on the first visit, the only tool needed on return visits would be the curette, as there will only be cuticle in the regrowth area. Cuticle work done properly may add a little time to the first visit, yet it will save you time in the long run because the nail plate will be clean and free of waxy tissue that causes little bumps in polish or gel-polish or lifting in enhancements. If the curette is not flat to the nail, it is not lifting the cuticle tissue and removing it from the nail. A crisp, thin application of gel-polish ensures that it will perform to manufacturer specifications, saving time by eliminating the need for repairs.