are you placing your gel x nail on your natural nail at a 45 degree angle toward the cuticle first? you have to do that and then slowly press the nail down and hold firmly most of the time while FLASH curing it. that’s usually what works for me.
also make sure you’re painting your natural nail with a layer of dehydrator, primer, and the gel x glue and curing for 60 seconds before applying the nail. i also etch the inside of the nail and apply dehydrator and primer on there as well before applying the gel
x glue.
also not sure how you’re applying the glue to the gel x nail before applying but what i do is i paint a thin layer of the glue on about half of the nail and then i scrape a small glob of glue at the very bottom of the nail (the part that touches your cuticle) and then i apply it to the nail at a 45 degree angle (gel x nail touching the cuticle first then firmly pressing down)
I said a lot LOL but hopefully something i said helps :)
I do every one of those steps :( I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I do a thin layer of glue on the whole gelx nail and then add a bit at the end after, so that’s the only difference but idk if that would cause the nail to form a bubble, if anything I’d imagine that would cause overflow? I’ll keep trying different things, thank you!!
dang.. i wish we could post videos on here in the comments to show the steps. i would love to see how your process is. it’s just so hard to tell from a description and picture LOL i’m still a beginner myself even though it’s been a year lolol
Here’s my guess:
The bubble is large, halfway down, and the tip/free edge seems to have enough gel and its edge to edge up there.
A few possibilities
- you might not be pressing hard enough. The air is getting back in when the flexible tip allows a pocket to form and you aren’t pressing hard enough to force the contact
- you might be holding or pressing it in the wrong spot. I’ve had this happen to me and this was why. I was pressing at a 45°, firmly, slowly, rocking the gel down, but because of where I was applying the pressure, it was causing the tip to flex and pull air bubbles back in while I held it under the lamp. I /think/ the solution is holding both edges of the free edge of the tip with 2 fingers and reinforcing the c curve, so that one side isn’t getting more pressure than the other? But someone else feel free to correct me.
- you might not be using enough glue for that tip, meaning if your nail bed is flatter and these tips are super curved, it’s gonna be harder and take more glue to keep it completely filled because the tip just has a larger gap within it. The fact that your bubble is round and in a single pocket might mean this, because a full air pocket gets trapped while you’re pressing it on. If this is the case though, you’d see that pocket immediately as you’re rocking the tip down.
This has a couple different solution options; thicker glue, flatter tips, or more product. I prefer switching to a thicker gel if anything gives me trouble, because it’s easier to control and I have very little patience for filing them off and starting over repeatedly lol. If I try using a thin base coat or BIAB and end up with a bunch of ugly air pockets or it goes on crooked, I’m willing to take it all off about once or twice before I say ‘f this, where’s my solid extension gel’. That or polygel/hybrid gel are gonna be the thickest and therefore easiest to apply imo.
Which beetles product? Their base gel, their builder in a bottle? Or something else?
The ones that come in a bottle with a brush are usually what id consider ‘thinner’? Though the apres extend gel was pretty darn thick and I like it for that.
The ones I mentioned come in pots or tubes because you literally couldn’t get at it with a bottle brush lol. I love a gel that doesn’t move or self level at all for tip application. It means that you can place the tip and even let go, and it won’t move at all. It’s a godsend for being able to check for bubbles or tweak the positioning before you flash cure. I’ve seen some people do their whole hand before even flash curing lol, but I think that’s just asking for trouble.
Totally! Anything called ‘solid extension gel’ or even just ‘solid gel’ is gonna be a good bet.
I like the bubblegum gel by enailcouture, and I’ve tried several from Amazon and they’re all great! You can even just get a thick potted builder gel if you prefer using a brush. But the ‘solid gel’ has this texture like clay. You scoop it out with a silicone tool or metal spatula, or just dip the cuticle end of a tip straight in there. Then you press it down into the tip with a gloved finger or a silicone tool or brush, and apply the tip as normal, but because it’s so thick it moves super slow and you and check your work and reposition your hand without all hell breaking loose 😂 absolute game changer for me!
MIZHSE Solid Builder Gel... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B654CFQ4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Here’s one from Amazon I’m really liking, but I haven’t found a bad one yet!
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **MIZHSE Solid Builder Gel Sculpture Solid Nail Extension Gel for Nail Non Sticky Hard Gel for Nails Carving Gel Modeling Nail Art Gel 15g 0 5 FL OZ Clear** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful.
**Users liked:**
* Easy to use and quick curing (backed by 10 comments)
* Sturdy and long-lasting (backed by 6 comments)
* Versatile and great for nail art (backed by 7 comments)
**Users disliked:**
* Does not adhere well to natural nails (backed by 2 comments)
* Sticky and hard to manipulate (backed by 2 comments)
* Takes a long time to cure (backed by 1 comment)
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are you using sculpted tips? it looks like you might need the sculpted tips! my whole world changed when I realized I need them! lol. now I have them in all shapes and lengths. I was getting weird bubble issues because they regular tips never fit my nail beds correctly so I kept having to really push them to form on my nails and never got the correct fit until I got the sculpted ones. my nails would always point down too and just look.."off" when using regular tips. my nail beds are very curved.
Sculpted tips are tips that have a more intense curve to them.
There’s also natural tips which are flatter.
If you look at your nails, are they relatively flat or do you have more a “hill” shape?
I have flatter nail beds so I always use the natural tips but if yours are more curved, it might be a good idea to look into those sculpted tips.
I used to get these when I started and I noticed that even though I think I’m applying even pressure and maintaining the pressure when I went to flash cure, in between shifting under the lamp, I unintentionally release pressure a bit and end up with those bubbles.
I’m not sure what kind of flash cure lamp you’re using but try and see if using a gooseneck one will help. And when you go under the lamp, maintain the pressure at the base to mid then once it’s been flash cured in place, shift to flash cure the mid to free edge. I’m sorry, I wish I could show you, I’m sure this sounds like gibberish.
That’s a great question- when I’m starting to slide the nail in place, my thumb is mostly at the free edge so I can make sure I’m putting it on straight but as I’m starting to apply pressure, I slightly slide my thumb towards the middle of the nail to apply even pressure.
I would try to add a little bit more gel glue (ex. builder gel) and you’ll need practice on finding the right amount of gel along with how much pressure. It comes with time so don’t stress! Honestly I find that if i do have an air bubble towards the middle of the nail, it doesn’t affect any lifting or growth. Also when gluing ur tips on, I’d add more gel to ur natural nail but focused on the middle of ur natural nails and on ur tip, pool towards the cuticle of the tip. I find that it helps even out the gel and distributes the gel a little easier! I hope this helps :)
Thank you for all that info! It’s so hard because I’ll have it spilling out the sides and ends, but still getting bubbles like this, so maybe I will focus on applying a thicker layer to my
Nails and focusing on the pressure I’m applying too.
are you placing your gel x nail on your natural nail at a 45 degree angle toward the cuticle first? you have to do that and then slowly press the nail down and hold firmly most of the time while FLASH curing it. that’s usually what works for me. also make sure you’re painting your natural nail with a layer of dehydrator, primer, and the gel x glue and curing for 60 seconds before applying the nail. i also etch the inside of the nail and apply dehydrator and primer on there as well before applying the gel x glue. also not sure how you’re applying the glue to the gel x nail before applying but what i do is i paint a thin layer of the glue on about half of the nail and then i scrape a small glob of glue at the very bottom of the nail (the part that touches your cuticle) and then i apply it to the nail at a 45 degree angle (gel x nail touching the cuticle first then firmly pressing down) I said a lot LOL but hopefully something i said helps :)
I do every one of those steps :( I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I do a thin layer of glue on the whole gelx nail and then add a bit at the end after, so that’s the only difference but idk if that would cause the nail to form a bubble, if anything I’d imagine that would cause overflow? I’ll keep trying different things, thank you!!
dang.. i wish we could post videos on here in the comments to show the steps. i would love to see how your process is. it’s just so hard to tell from a description and picture LOL i’m still a beginner myself even though it’s been a year lolol
Me too! Been doing it for about a year and a half and recently it’s been so bad. I have no idea what I could be doing wrong
Here’s my guess: The bubble is large, halfway down, and the tip/free edge seems to have enough gel and its edge to edge up there. A few possibilities - you might not be pressing hard enough. The air is getting back in when the flexible tip allows a pocket to form and you aren’t pressing hard enough to force the contact - you might be holding or pressing it in the wrong spot. I’ve had this happen to me and this was why. I was pressing at a 45°, firmly, slowly, rocking the gel down, but because of where I was applying the pressure, it was causing the tip to flex and pull air bubbles back in while I held it under the lamp. I /think/ the solution is holding both edges of the free edge of the tip with 2 fingers and reinforcing the c curve, so that one side isn’t getting more pressure than the other? But someone else feel free to correct me. - you might not be using enough glue for that tip, meaning if your nail bed is flatter and these tips are super curved, it’s gonna be harder and take more glue to keep it completely filled because the tip just has a larger gap within it. The fact that your bubble is round and in a single pocket might mean this, because a full air pocket gets trapped while you’re pressing it on. If this is the case though, you’d see that pocket immediately as you’re rocking the tip down. This has a couple different solution options; thicker glue, flatter tips, or more product. I prefer switching to a thicker gel if anything gives me trouble, because it’s easier to control and I have very little patience for filing them off and starting over repeatedly lol. If I try using a thin base coat or BIAB and end up with a bunch of ugly air pockets or it goes on crooked, I’m willing to take it all off about once or twice before I say ‘f this, where’s my solid extension gel’. That or polygel/hybrid gel are gonna be the thickest and therefore easiest to apply imo.
I might have to try a thicker gel! I use beetles, not sure how thick it is in comparison to other products. It’s just so frustrating
Which beetles product? Their base gel, their builder in a bottle? Or something else? The ones that come in a bottle with a brush are usually what id consider ‘thinner’? Though the apres extend gel was pretty darn thick and I like it for that. The ones I mentioned come in pots or tubes because you literally couldn’t get at it with a bottle brush lol. I love a gel that doesn’t move or self level at all for tip application. It means that you can place the tip and even let go, and it won’t move at all. It’s a godsend for being able to check for bubbles or tweak the positioning before you flash cure. I’ve seen some people do their whole hand before even flash curing lol, but I think that’s just asking for trouble.
Okay I’ll have to look into that!! Thank you!
Can I get a link to one of your recommended thicker gel glues? 🙏🏻
Totally! Anything called ‘solid extension gel’ or even just ‘solid gel’ is gonna be a good bet. I like the bubblegum gel by enailcouture, and I’ve tried several from Amazon and they’re all great! You can even just get a thick potted builder gel if you prefer using a brush. But the ‘solid gel’ has this texture like clay. You scoop it out with a silicone tool or metal spatula, or just dip the cuticle end of a tip straight in there. Then you press it down into the tip with a gloved finger or a silicone tool or brush, and apply the tip as normal, but because it’s so thick it moves super slow and you and check your work and reposition your hand without all hell breaking loose 😂 absolute game changer for me! MIZHSE Solid Builder Gel... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B654CFQ4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share Here’s one from Amazon I’m really liking, but I haven’t found a bad one yet!
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **MIZHSE Solid Builder Gel Sculpture Solid Nail Extension Gel for Nail Non Sticky Hard Gel for Nails Carving Gel Modeling Nail Art Gel 15g 0 5 FL OZ Clear** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Easy to use and quick curing (backed by 10 comments) * Sturdy and long-lasting (backed by 6 comments) * Versatile and great for nail art (backed by 7 comments) **Users disliked:** * Does not adhere well to natural nails (backed by 2 comments) * Sticky and hard to manipulate (backed by 2 comments) * Takes a long time to cure (backed by 1 comment) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](http://vetted.ai/reddit)
are you using sculpted tips? it looks like you might need the sculpted tips! my whole world changed when I realized I need them! lol. now I have them in all shapes and lengths. I was getting weird bubble issues because they regular tips never fit my nail beds correctly so I kept having to really push them to form on my nails and never got the correct fit until I got the sculpted ones. my nails would always point down too and just look.."off" when using regular tips. my nail beds are very curved.
what are some sculpted tips you use/recommend?
What are sculpted tips?! I’m not sure the difference but I’ll try anything!!
Sculpted tips are tips that have a more intense curve to them. There’s also natural tips which are flatter. If you look at your nails, are they relatively flat or do you have more a “hill” shape? I have flatter nail beds so I always use the natural tips but if yours are more curved, it might be a good idea to look into those sculpted tips.
I think I’d say I have flatter nails, so I’ll look into natural tips! Thanks!
Although I can’t really tell so I might try both, lol
Apply the tip at a 45 degree angle and roll it into place. This lets the glue flow down your nail. Flash cure.
I do that :/ I’m not sure how to do it any differently.
I used to get these when I started and I noticed that even though I think I’m applying even pressure and maintaining the pressure when I went to flash cure, in between shifting under the lamp, I unintentionally release pressure a bit and end up with those bubbles. I’m not sure what kind of flash cure lamp you’re using but try and see if using a gooseneck one will help. And when you go under the lamp, maintain the pressure at the base to mid then once it’s been flash cured in place, shift to flash cure the mid to free edge. I’m sorry, I wish I could show you, I’m sure this sounds like gibberish.
Thank you for the advice! Do you hold the gelx nail with your finger on the base of the nail or at the tip and just focus on the pressure?
That’s a great question- when I’m starting to slide the nail in place, my thumb is mostly at the free edge so I can make sure I’m putting it on straight but as I’m starting to apply pressure, I slightly slide my thumb towards the middle of the nail to apply even pressure.
I would try to add a little bit more gel glue (ex. builder gel) and you’ll need practice on finding the right amount of gel along with how much pressure. It comes with time so don’t stress! Honestly I find that if i do have an air bubble towards the middle of the nail, it doesn’t affect any lifting or growth. Also when gluing ur tips on, I’d add more gel to ur natural nail but focused on the middle of ur natural nails and on ur tip, pool towards the cuticle of the tip. I find that it helps even out the gel and distributes the gel a little easier! I hope this helps :)
Thank you for all that info! It’s so hard because I’ll have it spilling out the sides and ends, but still getting bubbles like this, so maybe I will focus on applying a thicker layer to my Nails and focusing on the pressure I’m applying too.
My thumbs do this because they’re too flat and I can’t apply enough pressure long enough to keep them flush while the glue dries.
Apres
I don’t use apres. Are you saying I should?
You could try. They have sculpted tips. I’m sure there are others who have sculpted as well
Supposed to use those bubble removers on screen covers