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    What went wrong? 😭

    2 questions!!!

    Question 1:

    I’ve recently started doing my nails and this is my third set so far, and I love love love nude colors but 2-3 days in, it already started to lift I think. Is it because I didn’t prep enough?

    I used nail thoughts’ honey tea base and I prepped by:

    1. cleaning the cuticles a bit (I don’t really trim off my cuticles but I push it down)

    2. buffing it (maybe not enough? Or I made it too smooth?!?)

    3. wiping the nail down with pure acetone

    4. Going down first with mega stick base kokoist and fully cure

    5. Fully cure 2 layers of the honey tea base

    6. Fully cure 1 layer of kokoist non wipe top coat (maybe it isn’t reaching the bottom so that part doesn’t have the top coat?!?)

    Maybe also I went too much into my cuticles???

    And question 2:

    I’ve heard that I don’t have to remove all of the gel before reapplying so that the nail retains the strength. Is that true? And also, if I do soak offs rather than using the nail file, is it still possible?

    Thanks so much everyone 🫶

    by SmArTwAtEr_bEaN

    View 7 Comments

    7 Comments

    1. crawfish44 on

      I’m not a tech or anything but I use only
      Kokoist products dont have lifting issues. I think there’s some prep issues mainly the cuticles area. I also see some flooding at the cuticle area too which causes lift as it grows. Perhaps maybe two think layers of the builder gel is too much – maybe not baking enough or too thick. I usually do one thin layer of the builder don’t bake yet then use a thick glob to shape. Then bake a full 60. But I’m not a tech or licensed in any way this is just a hobby for me and this is what i find works for me. 🤷‍♀️

    3. LacquerandBones on

      Cuticle is technically the thin film of leftover keratinized skin on the nail plate from where the eponychium has grown out with the proximal nail fold. You shouldn’t remove your eponychium (like in Russian manis), but you should make sure all the cuticle is removed from the nail plate.

      Based on where you’re lifting, it looks like a combo of these issues:
      – there’s too much cuticle residue still on the nail plate
      – the eponychium wasn’t pushed back and exfoliated enough
      – there wasn’t enough of a gap between the product and the eponychium, and some areas look flooded

      Basically these issues are preventing the product from achieving a good “seal” to the nail plate

    5. Barracuda_Cute on

      Poor cuticle work and application. This would happen with any colour or brand if used like this

    6. Seesthroughnonsense on

      I don’t have any information on application but I just wanted to say I love the color. It’s one of my favorites to get myself.

    7. dorothy_zbornakk on

      not removing the cuticle and buffing the nail plate (do you mean e-filing?) means the surface isn’t really prepared for any kind of gel product. cuticle causes lifting, as does a smooth nail plate. if you’re seeing lifting on every nail, this is a prep and/or application issue.

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