Work I've done recently & some advice needed...

Right now we've got rid of the soppy stuff... I've got some of the sets of nails I've done for friends, to show you, as well as sets I've done on myself...

My first set of Permanent White Tips on Myself

Della's Permanent White Tips with Nail Art on each Ring Finger

 

Wee Dani's Permanent White tips, short for work purposes

 

Laura's Permanent White Tips

 

I'm still getting used to doing nails... in fact, I've had a few hiccups that I'm hoping a few people might be able to help me with...

Firstly - I have had a few people contact me, as well as noticing myself, that nails have snapped off and I'm not getting the acrylic thick enough.
It might just be because I'm not used to the non-chinese-strength cement they used to use on my nail, and still thinking I can use my nails to open cans of coke etc...but I'm really worrying as I want to do nails full time, but even with me thickening up the layer of acrylic, it's still taking 2.5-3 hours for me to do a full set on someone else...having to put more acrylic on, will mean more filing and shaping and I could run into 4 hours.

I really want to cut my times down, which I expect will happen over time as I get more practice, but also be able to do better nails that break less. I've been looking at glitter acrylics and other types but I really want to get my head around the basics before I try branching out. I've managed to perfect the nail prep now, where before my nails were just peeling off as I'd not prepared the surface well enough.

If anyone could offer me some advice...it'd be much appreciated.

Oh and by the way... the step by step I do is:

1. Cuticle prep - using a cuticle file
2. Using a nail file to buff away the shine from the nail, and trim/shape the natural nail (if required)
3. Sanitise to get the "squeak"
4. Size up and glue the tip (using resin)
5. Cut the tips to size
6. Use primer on the natural nail bed 
7. Buff the shine from the tip
8. Acrylic
9. File & shape
10. White block
11. Cuticle oil
12. Get client to wash their hands
13. {Nail art if required}
14. Then two to three coats with top coat

The products I use are mainly Millennium, bar the acrylic liquid (which I find has improved the quality of the acrylic on the nail), the cuticle oil is Sally's own, and the top coat is also Sally's own (Top Gloss Top Coat or something like that).

Any ideas?

H x

Online Beneficiaries, New shoes and KONAD Kits..

So...after a hectic few days, I've been thoroughly spoiled by one of my online 'beneficiaries' and have been dying to talk about it.

Everyone likes free stuff, right? And being spoiled by a boyfriend is no different to being spoiled by a stranger? The only difference is that I'm being protected by a wonderful thing called an Amazon wishlist [it stops creepy stalker types..apparently].

So anyway here they are... The new shoes. OMGZZZ. They are by far the most sexy, beautiful and PINK shoes I've ever owned... I saw them by chance, and added them to my wishlist, thinking that they'd never be bought as they were £80+p&p but low and behold... a knock from the postman, and here they were..

"Iron Fist Sugar Hiccup in Hot Pink" .... WOW.

Now Instagram really doesn't give them justice...they're just phenomenal.

Now for the bad news....
I tried them on, they don't fit. I can't send them back, as they were a gift. So I'm going to have to eBay them. Such a travesty.

I forgot to mention in my "introducing" post, that I'm 6ft tall and size 9[wide] in shoes, so heels and I just don't go. But I wanted them SO much... I'm even debating keeping them as some sort of ornament for when I decorate my bedroom? I know, right?

So anyway.... back on track. Along with these shoes, from the same guy, I got a £150 amazon voucher which I used to purchase some more of my ever-increasing nail kit...

I NOW HAVE A KONAD STAMPING KIT. This is even more amazing than the shoes! It's something extra that I can offer my customers and I'm literally SO EXCITED I COULD WEE! I've been testing it on all my HongKong crappy nail tips that I got free with a really bad acrylic kit I bought on eBay, and it's just fab.

If anyone doesn't know about Konad but is interested in Nail Art, PLEASE look it up. I know some people will not like it as it's a 'lazy' way of doing nail art, but I find something rather intriguing about it all, and I'm definitely one for saving time [or taking short-cuts as others would call it]. There's absolutely NO way I could ever be good enough to create the intricate images you get on these nail plates so it's just perfect.

So this is a Konad Kit...

Basically the pink cylidrical object is your stamper, now you have a narrow end or a broad end to choose from, depending on the size of the chosen design. You'll pick the design from the silver plate [in the back of the picture] and paint your Konad nail varnish over the top of the design. To the left, although not very visible, is a scraper which you'll use to scrape off the excess varnish. You have to be quick, as it dries extremely quickly...but use the rubber end of the stamp and press it down on the design, and transfer it onto the nail. It really is THAT quick! Make sure you coat with some sort of top coat though as I have a feeling they could get chipped quite easily... but before you do that allow adequate time to dry. I managed to smudge ALL of mine, putting a clear top coat on. Devastated.

Speaking of nails...one of the things I bought with my £150 amazon voucher was this...

YAY!! BEAUTY TROLLEY! Finally my Mum can stop moaning at me for leaving my nail stuff everywhere...and I literally do leave it EVERYWHERE.

Everything is now SO ORGANISED! 

So things seem to be progressing a bit, I'd almost pass as a professional Nail Technician now ;) I'm just awaiting my Manicure/Pedicure course which has been delayed until August [I was off sick for that part of my course]. All systems go very soon, and I'm very excited!

I wasn't expecting this post to be as long as it was, I think I'll quite enjoy this blogging malarkey...and I have plenty more to tell you but I need to go and have a bath as it's Saturday night, and I intend on spending it with my absolutely amazing boyfriend...


Hanna x