Different materials are used for nail lengthening, correction and repair. Professionals distinguish them by purpose, quality and ability to polymerize. All such materials are called composite. This is a large group, consisting not only of nail extension products, but also of dental products.
During their short existence, these materials have undergone significant modifications. Initially, the nails were lengthened with medical powder, which is used to make fillings. Then, with the development of the nail industry, it was replaced by a new material called acrylic. It was almost the same powder, but adapted to be applied to the nails. With the discovery of gel technology, light-curing fillings and gel nails appeared.
What is the name of the nail extension tool
All modeling materials for nails can be divided into two large groups: gel and acrylic. They have different technologies, but both are acrylates. Modern techniques for applying them to natural nails allowmix gel and acrylic. There is no single tool for lengthening nails. And those that are used now always work in tandem and under conditions that trigger polymerization.
For the acrylic system, it is a powder called "acrylic powder" and a monomer is a chemical liquid to mix with it. When powder is combined with a monomer, the resulting composition polymerizes very quickly, so a gel was invented for ease of use. This is an acrylic composition that is not capable of polymerization without additional lighting. In its presence, under the influence of photoinitiators, the polymerization process starts and takes place in two minutes in an ultraviolet lamp or in thirty seconds in an LED manicure lamp.
Auxiliaries
Manicurists have long figured out what tools are needed for nail extensions. The fact is that sterility is necessary for high-quality work. If there is fat on the nails, there will be no adhesion. Therefore, to prepare the nails, they are degreased. The tool that is used in this case is called "clinser". This is an alcohol-containing liquid that may have some other inclusions (for example, thymol is an antifungal drug). In Russian, this name has not taken root, often the word “degreaser” is used instead. It can be replaced with pure alcohol.
The acidity of alcohol is 6 units, and the nails and skin have a natural acidity of 5.5 units. To equalize acidity and increase adhesion (adhesion of material to keratinnail) use a weak acid solution. It's called "primer". For acrylic technology, the primer contains a higher concentration than for gel. Therefore, a distinction is made between acidic and non-acidic primers. The name is conditional, since both contain acid, but in different proportions.
Acrylic technology
There are two types of acrylic nail extensions: powder and monomer. They work in pairs. A brush is used to apply the composition to the nails. It is moistened in a glass with monomer and lowered into a box of powder. So they collect a ball of material, which immediately begins to solidify. For beginners, a frozen acrylic ball can ruin more than one brush.
Building acrylic nails requires precise movements of the master. If the brush is not wet enough, the ball turns out to be too dry, the material, polymerizing on the nail, becomes like snow. If, on the contrary, the brush has not been squeezed well, the ball may completely slip off the brush.
Acrylic nails are polished and varnished. It wears well on hard nails, but is afraid of solvents. You can apply an after-nail product on them - a top coat from a gel system that is not afraid of nail polish remover. But then you need a nail lamp to dry it.
Gel modeling
In gel technology, there are materials for modeling and decorative coatings. Three-phase systems of both modeling gels and gel polishes are considered professional.
Means for gel nail extensionsphases:
- Basic gel.
- Sculpting gel.
- Top.
The second phase is represented by a wide variety of colors and consistency. Transparent gels, camouflage and white are popular. There are also colored gels that are applied in a thin layer on the formed nail for design.
There are single-phase gels that are usually used to strengthen nails for color coating. They are used for emergency lengthening of nails or for repair, in case of breakage of one or two natural nails. They hold well only on naturally strong nails. Weak nails give detachment.
Gel polishes
Recently, materials have appeared that allow you to build up nails, combining both technologies. Acrylic powder is added to the rubber base for gel polishes and applied to the nail like a gel. After polymerization in a lamp, the material becomes solid. So you can simulate nails for a short length. The advantages of such nail extensions are that the material is not removed by soaking and is worn as long as the mistress of the nails wishes.
If necessary, the material is cut down with a router and a correction or a new coating is made. Since the transparent base is applied in a sufficiently thick layer, there is no need to cut off the entire material during correction. This allows you to change the color coating every three weeks and have nails as long as you want. The rubber base adheres very well to the nail and does not give detachments during regrowth. So soon naturalnails covered with gel polish reach the desired size. This technology makes it possible to recommend the base mixed with powder as a home nail extension.
What you need to purchase for nail extensions
To model nails, you first need to decide on the technology that will be selected. This depends on the starter kit. If you choose an acrylic system, then the following materials can be listed to complete the jacket:
- Acrylic powder: transparent, camouflage, pink transparent and white.
- Monomer of the same brand as powder.
- Acid primer.
For the gel system, the list of nail extensions will be different:
- Gels: base, camouflage, clear, pink clear, white and top.
- Acid free primer.
- Means for the sticky layer (can be replaced with clinser).
Both methods require careful preparation of the nail with a clinser. Gel technology needs a UV lamp, gel polishes do not dry in it. Therefore, if the choice fell on the gel, it is better to purchase a combined UV / LED lamp. This is useful for applying gel polish. In addition, you will need brushes (they are different for gel and acrylic), files, buffs and polishers. And, of course, manicure tools. For filing nails, it is convenient to use a manicure device with a set of cutters. This greatly speeds up the process of building and correction.
What materials to avoid
In inexpensive cosmetics stores you can seenail extension products in ready-made kits with instructions for use. With a high degree of probability, these are low-quality materials that can quickly lead to allergies. Many masters have faced such a problem due to lack of information at the beginning of their careers.
In addition to low-quality gel, you can find obsolete products - gels of early generations. They do not adhere well to the nails, are afraid of water, exfoliate and spoil the nails. Cheap primers are mostly acidic. With them, a beginner can earn a chemical burn of the nail plate.
In our country there is a certification system, and a self-respecting manufacturer will offer a copy of the certificate. In order to guarantee not to buy dangerous drugs, it is better to purchase them in professional stores for beauty salons. They organize master classes, have consultant technologists who will advise on how to use the purchased materials.
Tips or shapes?
Tips are not considered acceptable material for modern nail extensions. This technology has been outdated for a long time and is now used for a single repair of a broken nail tip, when the finger pad does not allow you to substitute the template form, according to which the master applies the material. With the help of forms, beautiful nails are obtained, having an elegant elongated nail bed. The ridges on such nails become parallel, and the nails take on an arcuate shape after the simulated transverse arch is compressed. It is impossible to perform such nails on tips, they crack when pressed, the nail bed turns outshort or see through camouflage. You can, of course, increase the layer of material, but then the nails become rough and heavy.
Those beginners who have the desire to do their own nails at home can try this method. But, having mastered the setting of forms, they will quickly abandon tips. Some crafters continue to use them by sticking them on their nails and covering them with clear gel or acrylic. But inevitably, after three weeks of wearing, the natural edge of the nail bed begins to show. The view becomes sloppy.
Conclusion
Nail extensions are sold now in many stores. But do not forget that this process is to some extent a prosthetic nail. Therefore, the requirements for it should be with a great eye on sanitary rules. They are rigidly spelled out in the document for beauty salons. Therefore, even for home use, it is worth choosing professional materials.
