First, get your hands on every single video and training manual you can, from every company you can. What this will do for you is give you a preview of many different styles and techniques for you to experiment w/ and come up w/ your own style. Because I have yet to find one single manufacturer that gives perfect instructions.
Unfortunately a lot of them don't even know how to use their own products! Actually, with some companies, if you follow their instructions you will
A) waste a lot of product
B) waste a lot of time and
C) have nails that don't hold up well or even look good and
D) YOU'LL BE DOING IT WRONG!.
So it takes time and patience and experimentation. Keep rewatching the tapes to keep refining and changing your technique as you gain experience.
Many companies make tapes such as : LCN, IBD, Star, etc, look in Nails and Nail Pro Magz for others (also, once a year they even publish a list of all the videos on nails available by category, if I come across it in my magazine library I'll add the info here)
As far as a gel for a 1st time user of gels to use,.... I would start w/ the LCN since they are probably the closest to you (This was originally a personal email to a nail tech in Europe).....(Germany, Wilde Cosmetics) so probably the least expensive, or NOW YOU CAN ALSO GO WITH THE LE STARTER KIT with light and gels. And no matter where you live, they (LCN and LE) make the best light on the market right now anyway, so you might as well start w/ their starter kit which includes the light and samples of each of their gels, and their video. At shows it's usually on deal.
I personally am not particularly fond of their gels, but many techs are. So it's a good starting point, and at least you'll have a really good lamp!!! (eventually you'll want 2, one for each hand as you build speed). And YOU may personally like their gel best after you sample some others.
Preparation of the nail plate is the 1st impt step, and a good cure is essential...I could go on and on, but 1st you need to play w/ them awhile.
Last tip, go get gels put on yourself somewhere and everywhere (you'll find some good and a lot of bad, but you'll learn from both experiences).
Good luck, hope I've helped and not confused you! Return to menu
