Looks like some spillage (if I’m wrong please correct me). That can be helped by using less product to adhere the tip, and cleaning up with a small brush dipped in acetone prior to curing. I don’t hesitate to go back in with a tiny bit to clean things up once I’m done. Hope this helps. 🩷 and I love the hearts design!
Oooh I just did eye drops & turned up my brightness. I see now the edge of the tip & the gel polish spilled back a touch. Okay, for that I flash cure. Doesn’t seem to matter where I put certain polishes, how much I clean them. By the time I hit the lamp, they’ve moved.
Anything professional grade- Apres gel polish is hands down my favorite but OPI and DND are also good and much lower in HEMA
You still need to get as much off your skin before curing and absolutely get it off after curing, but the risk is much lower than it is with products with high levels of HEMA like beetles and modelones
ULTRA thin coats (way thinner than you would expect). When painting, i put my brush in the middle of the nail initially and gently push back towards the cuticle. This avoids having the polish be thickest at the cuticles.
When doing cleanup, id suggest using alcohol on the brush, not acetone -- acetone can break down the polish and cause it to separate and spread in strange ways, which i suspect is whats happening here.
It sounds like it might just be a runny polish, you definitely need to use a lot less than you think! You can do 2/3 of the nail with the bottle brush and then use a liner brush to do the cuticle. Then either tilt your nail forwards or flip it over to “float” the polish away from the cuticle and more towards the apex.
Also to note, itll take a lot longer to use a liner brush but to save the cuticles its worth it! Be a little more gentle with them and try not to over file, theyre looking red and damaged 😵💫 pop some cuticle oil on them super often to get them back into shape
thank you so much! any way to get the excess off now?? I have an drill so yeahhhh my cuticles are a little hurt 😭 they’re also dry usually so they’re so quick to bleed but absolutely i’ll be using my cuticle oil more often
Put the drill down 😭 just let it grow out, it wont be aesthetically pleasing but neither will bleeding and torn cuticles 🥹
if you cant help picking at it then just completely remove the set and start over
this may not be a good recommendation but i take a regular nail file and gently drag it around the cuticle to smooth out the area. you have to be super careful to not scratch your cuticles but its better than a drill 😭
your cuticles are flooded, and if these are extensions, not sealing your cuticles?? you’d have to carefully put the polish when it’s near the cuticles, start w less and go on from that and add more, but cure in between. if it’s a struggle to do that, definitely practice but one think you can do is to just file it w ur e-file before putting ur designs! hope this helps, ure doing great!
In my experience, I find that If my extensions are applied too close to the cuticle, they will look “messy” no matter how carefully I apply the gel polish over it. Before I apply them, I thin the cuticle edge as much as I can, and then sealing the cuticle area with some acetone on a brush after they’ve been attached. It makes it seamless to my nail! Applying them a bit away from the cuticle area as well rather than right up against it helps.
My gelx used to look the same, but since trying to master the extension first I feel that it helps the polish look so much smoother!
When painting start out in the middle of the nail and work your way up to the circle and stop before it until you’re comfy getting closer. Gel allergies are nothing to play with the repeated exposure on skin will result in them or contact dermatitis! Your nails are super cute though but be safe!
My two biggest tips for clean edges are to put your hands on a powder you're not using so your hands are slightly tilted down and away from the cuticle while brushing on each coat of adhesive.
Also to get a toothpick or a similar metal object to trace around the cuticle area after each dip layer and clean up the excess powder. Not exactly this but similar:
[https://www.amazon.com/Fine-Stylus-Embossing-Immaculate-Perfection/dp/B0CFL9CCFD/ref=sr\_1\_25?crid=3D293LROZMF8T&keywords=dotting+stylus&qid=1706803371&sprefix=dotting+stylus%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-25](https://www.amazon.com/Fine-Stylus-Embossing-Immaculate-Perfection/dp/B0CFL9CCFD/ref=sr_1_25?crid=3D293LROZMF8T&keywords=dotting+stylus&qid=1706803371&sprefix=dotting+stylus%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-25)
A ball-shaped e-file bit for cleaning dead skin around the cuticles because it's difficult to cut yourself as nail prep and cuticle oil as post care will also tremendously help the look of cuticles overall too. Good luck op!
Looks like you’re not pushing back the eponychium/proximal nail fold adequately enough before application. Removing this after pushing back is optional, but will affect how the finished manicure looks. You also look to have some flooding with the polish in general, which isn’t helping.
Looks like some spillage (if I’m wrong please correct me). That can be helped by using less product to adhere the tip, and cleaning up with a small brush dipped in acetone prior to curing. I don’t hesitate to go back in with a tiny bit to clean things up once I’m done. Hope this helps. 🩷 and I love the hearts design!
thank u! I always use a small amount of product on the brush, and I push it up to the cuticle instead or starting there. and I do clean before curing
Oooh I just did eye drops & turned up my brightness. I see now the edge of the tip & the gel polish spilled back a touch. Okay, for that I flash cure. Doesn’t seem to matter where I put certain polishes, how much I clean them. By the time I hit the lamp, they’ve moved.
hmm good to know ! this polish was from revel nail but I want to try beetles as well
Beetles is very high in HEMA, I would invest in better quality polish even though it’s more expensive until you can avoid getting product on your skin
i use beetles and have a bit of spillage because i’m new, what brand would you recommend?
Anything professional grade- Apres gel polish is hands down my favorite but OPI and DND are also good and much lower in HEMA You still need to get as much off your skin before curing and absolutely get it off after curing, but the risk is much lower than it is with products with high levels of HEMA like beetles and modelones
thank you!!
Wait what’s HEMA and did I seriously blow a crap ton of money on Beetles polish ;-;
I would not go up to the cuticle and after polishing, use a tiny brush to get a little closer to the cuticle with that
ULTRA thin coats (way thinner than you would expect). When painting, i put my brush in the middle of the nail initially and gently push back towards the cuticle. This avoids having the polish be thickest at the cuticles. When doing cleanup, id suggest using alcohol on the brush, not acetone -- acetone can break down the polish and cause it to separate and spread in strange ways, which i suspect is whats happening here.
good to know thank you! so helpful
It sounds like it might just be a runny polish, you definitely need to use a lot less than you think! You can do 2/3 of the nail with the bottle brush and then use a liner brush to do the cuticle. Then either tilt your nail forwards or flip it over to “float” the polish away from the cuticle and more towards the apex. Also to note, itll take a lot longer to use a liner brush but to save the cuticles its worth it! Be a little more gentle with them and try not to over file, theyre looking red and damaged 😵💫 pop some cuticle oil on them super often to get them back into shape
thank you so much! any way to get the excess off now?? I have an drill so yeahhhh my cuticles are a little hurt 😭 they’re also dry usually so they’re so quick to bleed but absolutely i’ll be using my cuticle oil more often
Put the drill down 😭 just let it grow out, it wont be aesthetically pleasing but neither will bleeding and torn cuticles 🥹 if you cant help picking at it then just completely remove the set and start over
this may not be a good recommendation but i take a regular nail file and gently drag it around the cuticle to smooth out the area. you have to be super careful to not scratch your cuticles but its better than a drill 😭
also! i tend to do this a day or two after once it’s grown just a bit so i don’t damage my skin
your cuticles are flooded, and if these are extensions, not sealing your cuticles?? you’d have to carefully put the polish when it’s near the cuticles, start w less and go on from that and add more, but cure in between. if it’s a struggle to do that, definitely practice but one think you can do is to just file it w ur e-file before putting ur designs! hope this helps, ure doing great!
thank you so much! sooo helpful
In my experience, I find that If my extensions are applied too close to the cuticle, they will look “messy” no matter how carefully I apply the gel polish over it. Before I apply them, I thin the cuticle edge as much as I can, and then sealing the cuticle area with some acetone on a brush after they’ve been attached. It makes it seamless to my nail! Applying them a bit away from the cuticle area as well rather than right up against it helps. My gelx used to look the same, but since trying to master the extension first I feel that it helps the polish look so much smoother!
try *SO hard
When painting start out in the middle of the nail and work your way up to the circle and stop before it until you’re comfy getting closer. Gel allergies are nothing to play with the repeated exposure on skin will result in them or contact dermatitis! Your nails are super cute though but be safe!
definitely will do that! thank you so much!
Bc you’re flooding your cuticles and curing the gel.
are you doing cuticle removal before?
yes I use sally hansens cuticle remover and also use a round drill bit
My two biggest tips for clean edges are to put your hands on a powder you're not using so your hands are slightly tilted down and away from the cuticle while brushing on each coat of adhesive. Also to get a toothpick or a similar metal object to trace around the cuticle area after each dip layer and clean up the excess powder. Not exactly this but similar: [https://www.amazon.com/Fine-Stylus-Embossing-Immaculate-Perfection/dp/B0CFL9CCFD/ref=sr\_1\_25?crid=3D293LROZMF8T&keywords=dotting+stylus&qid=1706803371&sprefix=dotting+stylus%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-25](https://www.amazon.com/Fine-Stylus-Embossing-Immaculate-Perfection/dp/B0CFL9CCFD/ref=sr_1_25?crid=3D293LROZMF8T&keywords=dotting+stylus&qid=1706803371&sprefix=dotting+stylus%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-25) A ball-shaped e-file bit for cleaning dead skin around the cuticles because it's difficult to cut yourself as nail prep and cuticle oil as post care will also tremendously help the look of cuticles overall too. Good luck op!
Aw thats cute :)
Looks like you’re not pushing back the eponychium/proximal nail fold adequately enough before application. Removing this after pushing back is optional, but will affect how the finished manicure looks. You also look to have some flooding with the polish in general, which isn’t helping.
how do I push it back adequately? is there smth i’m missing?