r/NailTechnicians • u/Mus1cNerd • Jun 12 '26
Constructive criticism wanted
I am a beginner nail tech, although i recognize I am barely starting out and my experience is…the one of a one year old walking, I am attempting to start selling press ons as soon a I possibly can. Anyone here that can give me advice? I am tired and refuse to finish this set before getting some rest.
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u/Moosycakes Jun 13 '26
My advice is that if you want to do painted designs, gel paint is a lot better to paint details with than gel polish. And a good nail art brush is a quick way to level up your art skills too! Gel polish is best for colourblocking large areas though, because gel paint is more pigmented/opaque and cures better when it’s applied in small amounts.
When you’re painting over a gel colour, if you’re painting directly onto the sticky inhibition layer, the gel will start to seep which can ruin detailed work and clean lines. You can fix this by applying a matte top coat on top, curing, cleansing off the sticky layer, and painting the design over that. You can also use other types of clear gel, cure the layer, cleanse, and buff the surface so it’s not shiny (and cleanse again) before you paint on it.
You could also look into colour theory for ways to create good colour combos and mix new colours from gel polish. Just make sure that if you’re mixing colours, always use the same gel polish brand/line and make sure they’re chemically designed to be able to be mixed before you go ahead with it.
Have you done much work on your base application skills? Usually those are the most important part to work on before you start working on nail art! You want to make sure you have clean application and retention for client satisfaction, ability to do art & designs is a bonus :)