Builder in a bottle has become all the rage in the nail industry, while it is not a new concept, the heat spike or burning associated with it has been a deterrent for me when it comes to using it on clients. How are we keeping their nails safe if we burn the nail bed a little every 2-4 weeks on a regular basis? Generally a heat spike in gel is caused by a few common things:
a thin or damaged natural nail
the gel touching the skin
the gel being applied too thickly
the incorrect pairing of gel and lamp
a high natural arch in the nail
natural sensitivity (ie: sensitive skin, light sensitivity, etc)
The builder in a bottle model of product is known for its heat spike tendencies. After testing several varieties of them, one was a stand out for lack of heat spike on the widest variety of test subjects, including my own nails. If you find that your clients are burning more often than not:
make sure you are following manufacturer instructions
make sure you are using the lamp designed to properly cure the gel you chose to use
make sure you are not trying to build it too thick in one step
Since Jimmygel from Light Elegance came away as my clear favorite for the ease of use, consistent performance, and usual lack of heat spike, a tutorial was in order with some tips and tricks.
Let me know your thoughts on the tutorial below and what builder in a bottle products you have had success with!