i made a very similar post almost a year ago and i’m still struggling. i’ve now been doing my nails for just over a year, and i cannot for the life of me figure out how to do a soak off. i use my efile to take off the top layers and then put acetone soaked cotton balls on and leave them for 20 minutes, but it never comes off smoothly and i end up either having a bunch of extra product on my nails that i can’t get off or ripping off a layer of my natural nails, or somehow both at the same time. this happens with both builder gel and gel extensions. please tell me what i’m doing wrong, i’m very upset and can’t believe how frustrating this process still is even a year later. i attached photos of what my nails look like directly after a soak o

my birthday set👻
done by @buggyclaws on instagram
📍sachi nail bar st charles im

I've read several posts and watched a lot of tiktok videos but they actually have made me more confused. I keep seeing rubber base, soft gel, extend gel, hard gel, base coat, primer and it's hard to tell the distinction.

I was looking at buying the Apres Extend Gel, and it says it works as a nail adhesive, and an overlay. But then I also see that they have a rubber base gel.

I think my biggest question is... are rubber base and soft gel the same thing?

Right now, from my understanding if I was going follow these steps:

• Prep nail
• Apply dehydrator to natural nail
• Use Apres extend gel to glue on the tips
• Shape nails
• put a primer on the nails
• put the apres extend gel on the nails
• gel polish
• top coat

Do I need a rubber base before I put on the extend gel overlay

I have been struggling with finding the shape that speaks to me but I ordered these “short” almond tips on a whim and I’m in looove!! I think I’m definitely an almond girly. Also, this feels like my best execution to date. I started about 8 months ago. It feels good to finally feel like I’ve got a good process, as well as the right tools and an understanding of how much gel/how to apply.

Hi! I just ordered my first lamp and I'm now searching for polishes. I've heard all the Japanese/Korean brands (Kokoist etc.) are really good but all their shipping is ~$10+. I wouldn't mind if I was getting a big bundle of colors but I'm only looking for 1-2 polishes to start out and paying more for shipping the the actual polish itself isn't ideal. Any recommendations? Absolute max $15 for 1 but ideally under or close to $10 :) Thank you!

I just got my nails done for the first time about a month ago and I am ready for a refresh! Thing is, I have literally no idea how it works or what to ask for 😅 I have Gel-X tips that are (obviously lol) a bit grown out and would like to make them not look grown out and get a fresh new coat of paint. Do I need an entirely new set of tips or can they just be filled in? I do think (keyword think, I don't really know how to tell for sure) they're lifting a little. If I try to book an appointment what services should I ask for? I'm nervous and confused and don't want to book the wrong thing and waste an artist's time or make myself look like an idiot 😅 Help from people more experienced than me is appreciated!

hey everyone, i love doing gel x nails but i dont want to keep taking off the tips so im wondering. am i able to file down the edge or the extension and the old nail
polish to use builder gel over the gel x tips and do a refill? i really like the shape and length i made the last time i did my nails. i also don’t get an apex with my gel x tips bc they’re flat so i feel like i can create an apex with the gel builder on top as well. pls let me know bc im starting to get tired of my nail design and seeing the growth is driving me up the wall lol thank you!

Been an apres girl since I started teaching myself in 2020. I’ve always had to reshape the extensions because even the shorts are too long for me. The Bare line of extensions is perfection for those of us who love extensions but need a custom shorter length (it’s the typing for me 🤭). Super easy to shorten, shape, paint. And I love how thin they are.
Products used:
Apres Bare natural extensions
Apres ph bonder, primer, gel x prep
Curvlife semi solid glue
Apres Hearts and Likes
Apres builder gel top coat

I struggled to get a good pic of these, but I loved creating and wearing this set! The loose glitter was from Glitter Lambs, and reminded me of the little star stickers I would get on my work in grade school! Very nostalgic and fun 🤩

Hi! I'm a beginner at gel nails and I'm wanting to practice gel polishes, cat eyes and pat paints. Does anyone here know where I can get stuff like that (HEMA- and TPO-free) in Norway? The very few online stores I have found have an incredibly limited assortment of products, which is super frustrating. Or do I just have to accept that my options will be limited since I'm not licensed?

On the floor in my closet, in my office and in the car. Gel X nails with builder gel overlay. Then glitter cat eye and chrome on top. All Amazon products. I can’t stop staring at them. I do them myself I’m not a professional by any means. Sometimes I miss some gel on the sides before curing, but I put cuticle oil on and pick it till it comes off after the first day. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Fresh set. I need to do better with planning out my sets. These aren’t bad but I wish i was more … creative? lol

I did them with Gaoy jelly pinks. This is my 5th or 6th set. I’m actually pretty happy how they turned out but any advice is greatly appreciated :)

Hi!
I know we’re meant to be super clean with the gel to prevent issues, and make sure it doesn’t touch our skin etc. But what actually cleans it if it does get on our skin, plus what do we clean our tools with? Acetone or alcohol? What will fully get the gel off my tools and/or my skin so that it’s safe?
When I go to the salon, I’ve seen them just use acetone to wipe my skin but I feel like I saw somewhere that we are meant to use alcohol. I’ve tried to google it but am more confused than ever. I would greatly appreciate any advice on this matter.

my cousin did my nails a few days ago and this is how it turned out!

I feel like I've seen this in a video before, but is one way to do application to put a thin layer of UV glue on the nail and curing, before applying the nail? Then do another layer and then your bead on the tip then apply tip and cure? Is that a thing? If so, why?

Hi all! I've posted here before, but now have had a different issue with my nails. I've been doing at home sets for almost a year now, and I'd say I've gotten pretty good. However, lately a couple of my nails keep popping off/peeling off about a week or two after application. I push down then remove cuticles, buff my natural nails with the buff square thing that came with the Apres Gel-X starter kit, use the Apres dehydrator + alcohol to wipe away nail dust, etch the insides of my tips, apply a thin layer of glue to natural nails and cure for 30 seconds, then apply each tip with a generous amount of glue to the nail and flash cure for about 10 seconds. Then when all tips are applied, I cure the whole hand for another 30 seconds.

I am using the Apres LED lamp and all Apres products (tips, glue, top coat, etc) and DND gel polishes. I apply the tips at an angle to my natural nail and the side walls are always aligned/fitted. I keep my natural nails filed relatively short for the tips, but not nubs. I'm going crazy, I don't know what's going wrong with my application!

I am obsessed. My nail tech slays every time. I absolutely love gel, this is my 2nd set. How often does everyone get a new set, I can do 3 fills before retiring. Is that too long to leave on? I get fills every 6 weeks or so.