Quantcast

People who do their own acrylics

Chenr41

MVP
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
558
Reaction score
Reactions
3,500 365 264
3,347
Alleybux
0
...... how long did it take you guys to master it?

I’m just asking because I’ve been trying to do my nails on and off for a couple months and I’m just failing miserably...

I’ll see if I can insert a picture of the last time I did my nails which was last week Monday. Two nails broken off nail gel polish chipped. It took me four hours to do! I sick of being embarrassed about my nails looking like a 4 year old did them in the dark!!
 

Chenr41

MVP
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
558
Reaction score
Reactions
3,500 365 264
3,347
Alleybux
0
Nails below. This was the right hand ... imagine the left looking worst. Also this was before I painted it. Now 3 nails out of 5 is broken and nail polish chipped off ... Smdh
 

Attachments

  • 8B0317E1-926B-4459-BBCB-3B370FD1933A.jpeg
    8B0317E1-926B-4459-BBCB-3B370FD1933A.jpeg
    68.3 KB · Views: 253

Jax

General Manager
Joined
Jul 20, 2015
Messages
1,963
Reaction score
Reactions
27,898 921 227
30,684
Alleybux
59,660
Nails below. This was the right hand ... imagine the left looking worst. Also this was before I painted it. Now 3 nails out of 5 is broken and nail polish chipped off ... Smdh

They look good! Maybe your acrylic layer is too thin??

I use clear dip powder, 3 layers then I paint with regular nail polish and do a gel top coat. The first time, I did only 1 layer and my nails cracked in a few days.

Keep at it, make sure you're prepping the nail & cuticle area well and keep practicing. Good luck!
 

Alexan12

General Manager
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Messages
3,895
Reaction score
Reactions
20,815 58 27
29,100
Alleybux
0
Nails below. This was the right hand ... imagine the left looking worst. Also this was before I painted it. Now 3 nails out of 5 is broken and nail polish chipped off ... Smdh


Opt for poly gel or apres gel x system. Way easier.
 

thehoneydip

Team Owner
Joined
May 11, 2020
Messages
7,513
Reaction score
Reactions
126,576 181 46
199,425
Alleybux
245
Opt for poly gel or apres gel x system. Way easier.
Yes op I co-sign this
I always tried to learn acrylic it was way too hard expensive and time consuming

now I just do a bootleg version of apres gel x using clear polygel and clear plastic full cover tips. If you want to spend some extra cash do apres, if you don’t do polygel. The only thing is polygel is too soft and doesn’t maintain its shape which is why I only use it as a “glue” to apply full cover nails. This method lasts weeks and is easy.

If you want to keep trying acrylic practice makes perfect! Yours look thin though maybe you need to build the apex more and also use a primer and dehydrator if you aren’t. Watch long hair pretty nails and some other nail ladies on YouTube.
 

Chenr41

MVP
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
558
Reaction score
Reactions
3,500 365 264
3,347
Alleybux
0
Thank you for the advice ! I’ve tried poly gel and it’s too hard to remove. Apres is good . I wanted to master acrylic but I think I’ll cheat me way out lol
 
Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Messages
902
Reaction score
Reactions
3,591 14 18
3,047
Alleybux
0
Your nails actually look good, especially for a beginner. Just keep practicing. Maybe buy a practice hand. Find a podcast or YT channel or show you like and play that in the background while you practice. It could become a hobby that you really enjoy and relieves your stress.

Also watch YT nail techs. They give soooo many good tips!
 

Alexan12

General Manager
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Messages
3,895
Reaction score
Reactions
20,815 58 27
29,100
Alleybux
0
Yes op I co-sign this
I always tried to learn acrylic it was way too hard expensive and time consuming

now I just do a bootleg version of apres gel x using clear polygel and clear plastic full cover tips. If you want to spend some extra cash do apres, if you don’t do polygel. The only thing is polygel is too soft and doesn’t maintain its shape which is why I only use it as a “glue” to apply full cover nails. This method lasts weeks and is easy.

If you want to keep trying acrylic practice makes perfect! Yours look thin though maybe you need to build the apex more and also use a primer and dehydrator if you aren’t. Watch long hair pretty nails and some other nail ladies on YouTube.


It depends on the polygel you use. I use the Madam Glam one and it holds shape very well and it very stable. I tried the one from Modeles everyone uses and it was a hot mess. So try Madam Glam
 

Alexan12

General Manager
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Messages
3,895
Reaction score
Reactions
20,815 58 27
29,100
Alleybux
0
Thank you for the advice ! I’ve tried poly gel and it’s too hard to remove. Apres is good . I wanted to master acrylic but I think I’ll cheat me way out lol

I feel like acrylic is bare to master especially if you’re not practicing on people regularly like most nail techs. Hell even some established nail techs still struggle with it
 

Chaosbutterfly

Misappropriated Chanel
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
3,555
Reaction score
Reactions
42,244 867 306
50,155
Alleybux
212,800
I'm not a master of acrylic lmao but would say to just watch more YouTube videos and practice.

It sounds like your nails don't have the right structure. You want them to be flush to the cuticle, come up smoothly into an apex, and then taper down to a tip. You also need them to have a nice c-curve under.
All of these elements are where strength comes into the nail, thickness is kind of secondary. And especially at shorter lengths, you don't want or even need a beefy nail lmao.

In my book, this is the best video on Youtube about nail structure:


And then practice.
I feel like 95% of doing acrylic well is liquid to powder ratio and bead control. Those things mostly come with practice.
You can put on some music or a podcast or audiobook and relax.
With acrylic, you can practice pulling beads using a paper towel, and that will help with liquid to powder, as well as bead control.
You can also stick plastic full-cover nails to a practice finger or a nail stand and practice laying acrylic on that.
Or even stick the plastic full cover nail on your own hand. Just use the glue tabs for press ons, and then you can remove the nail with a little oil after you're done.

Final thought, hybrid sets are always an option. I've been doing apres sets and then applying acrylic on top of them, and that has been working out great. Best of both worlds lol. At some point, I'd like to transition to full acrylic for the sake of learning, but I don't have to do that until I feel confident enough. So yeah, just find what will work for you lol.
You can even apply the apres nail with acrylic and then put more acrylic on top, if you wanted.
 

Chenr41

MVP
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
558
Reaction score
Reactions
3,500 365 264
3,347
Alleybux
0
I'm not a master of acrylic lmao but would say to just watch more YouTube videos and practice.

It sounds like your nails don't have the right structure. You want them to be flush to the cuticle, come up smoothly into an apex, and then taper down to a tip. You also need them to have a nice c-curve under.
All of these elements are where strength comes into the nail, thickness is kind of secondary. And especially at shorter lengths, you don't want or even need a beefy nail lmao.

In my book, this is the best video on Youtube about nail structure:


And then practice.
I feel like 95% of doing acrylic well is liquid to powder ratio and bead control. Those things mostly come with practice.
You can put on some music or a podcast or audiobook and relax.
With acrylic, you can practice pulling beads using a paper towel, and that will help with liquid to powder, as well as bead control.
You can also stick plastic full-cover nails to a practice finger or a nail stand and practice laying acrylic on that.
Or even stick the plastic full cover nail on your own hand. Just use the glue tabs for press ons, and then you can remove the nail with a little oil after you're done.

Final thought, hybrid sets are always an option. I've been doing apres sets and then applying acrylic on top of them, and that has been working out great. Best of both worlds lol. At some point, I'd like to transition to full acrylic for the sake of learning, but I don't have to do that until I feel confident enough. So yeah, just find what will work for you lol.
You can even apply the apres nail with acrylic and then put more acrylic on top, if you wanted.

Thank you !!
 

Arrcadiaa

HYPNOTIZED WITH HATRED
Joined
Sep 27, 2017
Messages
9,859
Reaction score
Reactions
85,300 2,211 1,076
112,605
Alleybux
57,845
If you want the acrylic look, get the dip powder system and use it on your acrylic powder. Dip powder is just dipping your hand in acrylic.

I would buy some tips, get a clear acrylic to structure the nail first then put any color on top of the clear.

OR

Try the Apres Gel X system.

But I see you have probably bought everything in acrylic so just do dip powder :)

Hope this helps!
 

Similar Threads

Trending Threads

News Alley

Ask LSA

General Alley

Top Bottom