Why won't gel nails stay on my client?

Answer

Nail biters are tricky because it is hard to build something out of nothing. First of all, you have to be meticulous in your prep work. In order to remove all of the shine in the hard-to-reach nail grooves of a nail biter, I like to use the cone bit of my electric file to get into the places where my hand file won’t fit. Be sure to remove all dust, oil, and shine before applying product. Because nail biters are not accustomed to having long free edges, you don’t want to give them a free edge that will get in their way. Instead of using forms or tips, I build the French white on the end of their finger. This way there is no free edge beyond the end of their finger. In other words, you are using their finger as a form rather than using an actual nail form. I recommend that they schedule a fill in two weeks at which time they will have a free edge to place a form under. —Rheanne Thackeray is a nail tech and esthetician at Kenneth Blair Salon & Spa in Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada.