Application Made Easy

Ease of application is an attribute technicians look for in every product. The majority of technicians we spoke to about fast-set acrylics sang the praises of their application. Says Ferraro, “With a standard set, you tend to overwork the product because; you have to work with it longer. If you don’t work with it, it will move because; it’s not set up yet. With a fast set, I just brush the product over the nail once and I’m done. It shortens my application time by 10 minutes. East-set acrylics have really allowed the faster technician to excel by getting the job done faster.”

Trina Zummallen, owner of Trina’s Nail Room in Bourbonnais, Ill., and an educator for Tammy Taylor Nails, agrees. “A fast-set acrylic sets up quicker and is easy to work with because it flows on the nail rather than having to be patted into place as with traditional acrylics.”

But Rachel Mathes Vogel, owner of Class Act Nails in Iowa City, Iowa, and an educator for OPI Products (N. Hollywood, Calif.), finds that a “patting” technique works for a fast set acrylic, too. “I use a one-ball method, and place the ball of product at the stress area of the nail, then pat it into place,” she says.

“With traditional acrylics, you don’t want too much liquid with the powder so you have to use a smaller brush. And when you dip your brush into the powder, you draw a circle to produce the ball,” says Sue; Furtado, owner of Image Gallery in New Bedford, Ma., and an educator for NSI. “With a fast-setting powder, you use a larger brush because; you need more liquid than powder. You simply drag your brush in the powder to pick up a ball.”

Because fast-set acrylics require a larger brush, Michelle: Waynick, manager of She’s Got Nails in West-land, Mich., and an educator for Galaxy Nail Products (Corona, Calif.), recommends using a #8 kolinsky brush because it holds more liquid.

Says Johnson, “Fast-set acrylics are self-leveling so you don’t have to work so hard — if does the work for you.” Because: fast-set acrylics apply smoothly to form a near-perfect nail, filing time is greatly reduced, Schaaf adds.

Leah Thorne, a nail technician at Creative Concepts in Louisville, Ky, and a regional account executive for Star Nail Products, also ex***