Nails 101: A Student Blog

Week 7: The Acrylic Journey Continues (With Encapsulations)!

by Joliessa Seguin | August 11, 2017 | Bookmark +
This was my first attempt at enhancements. I thought they came out all right, but definitely had room for improvement.

This was my first attempt at enhancements. I thought they came out all right, but definitely had room for improvement. 

It's week 7 of nail school and the acrylic journey continues. For the first half of the week, we worked on overlays with tips. My first set didn't come out so well, but I've learned to not be too hard on myself. Instead, I learned to view the nail at all angles, see what I could do better, and apply it to the next set. With that in mind, my second attempt at enhancements with tips turned out to be the best set I have done yet. I was proud of the outcome. It's the best feeling to look at your own work and think to yourself, "Man, I can't believe I did that!" 

This was my first attempt at encapsulated nails using glitter and a 3-D heart.

This was my first attempt at encapsulated nails using glitter and a 3-D heart. 

For the second half of the week, we learned how to do encapsulated nails, which is when products, such as glitter, linen, lace, or foil, are sandwiched between two layers of clear acrylic. Let me tell you, it was much harder than I anticipated. I had a few ideas, but when I laid the acrylic, it didn't come out the way I had imagined. My first set came out pretty well, but the second set was disappointing.

I was not a fan of my second set of encapsulated nails, but I want to share it to remind everyone that we won't always be proud of our work but we should never be ashamed of it either!

I was not a fan of my second set of encapsulated nails, but I want to share it to remind everyone that we won't always be proud of our work but we should never be ashamed of it either!

There were a few moments when I got frustrated and wanted to give up, but I just picked up my brush and kept on trying. Finally, my third set came out pretty decent. I learned the key is to apply a thin layer of the clear acrylic, then a thin layer of the product being encapsulated, and finally a third layer of clear to add structure and strength to the apex (stress area) and to balance the rest of the enhancement.

Here was my third set of encapsulated nails, and fifth overall set for the week. We were busy this week, but it was a lot of fun.

Here was my third set of encapsulated nails, and fifth overall set for the week. We were busy this week, but it was a lot of fun. 

There's a few things I'd like to mention that I've learned while at nail school (and in life in general).

> Take one day at a time. Worrying doesn't solve or help anything. It only wastes time, and prevents us from enjoying the simple things in life. Just stay positive and know that everything will work out.  

> Look at the glass as half full instead of half empty. A positive mind produces positive results. If you think something bad is going to happen, then it's destined to happen.

> Never Give Up! This sacrifice we're making is only temporary. In about five months, we'll be clocking out for the last time and we'll only be a state exam away from becoming a licensed nail technician!

It's about the perspective we choose have, so it's best to stay optimic. You give what you get in life. 

-Jojo

Follow my journey on Instagram: @lovejoself

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