Kinetics Online Certification Class:

I’ve been working on it all summer so far and it’s truly my dream class that I wish I had been able to take myself years ago. It starts next week on 8/5 through 8/19, and there is still time to sign up! This is an online class with pre-recorded videos that you can watch and learn from on your own time.

I go over Russian Manicure prep (including the new way that I’ve been doing cuticle work that I LOVE), soft gel overlays, hard gel restorations and overlays, how to refine and shape nails (also with a new scheme that I love since it takes the guess work out of shaping), and so much more. I put all of the details here on my site.

(Also, if you want to take the class but the dates are tough for you, send me an email and we can find a solution! I most likely won’t be offering this class again soon and I really want you to be able to take it now if you want to.)

Nail Prep:

Erica’s Long Flame Diamond Bit - This is a little larger than their other flame bits and I just find it so much faster and easier to use!

Baby Powder + Powder Puffer - I like to puff a little powder on the nails right before using the diamond bit for cuticle work. It soaks up oil and helps keep the skin dry which makes prep easier!

Kinetics Cleanser - I didn’t think I would really needs this but I gotta tell you it’s sooo drying and gets rid of any trace of oil on the nails. I will definitely be buying more of this when I run out.

Kinetics Dehydrator - There’s just something I love about using a tiny brush to precisely make sure the nails are perfectly dehydrated. You can never be too sure ;)

Kinetics Bonder - If you have any gel lifting problems, you NEED this. It’s magic.

The Big Suck Dust Collector - I’ve had this for a few months now and it’s just AMAZING. It’s small and so powerful and such a good price for the quality.

Staleks Cuticle Nippers - I was looking for a really great pair of cuticle nippers that were a little easier to find than my other favorites and I am so happy to say I found some!! Staleks makes amazing tools and I’m really enjoying these nippers.

Hard Gels:

Kinetics Pink Spark - I finally got a chance to use the Kinetics Effects Hard Gels as a full manicure and I’m just obsessed. I used Pink Spark which is a milky light pink with gold and pink micro shimmer in it and then just a top coat and I feel so chic and cool whenever I look at my nails!!

Kinetics Jelly Gel In Milky Pink - I got the pink Jelly Gel for restorations because I use the pink hard gel so much. When you match them together the restorations are literally undetectable and it makes refining the nails so much easier. I’m all about meaningful short cuts recently if you can’t tell :)

Nail Art:

My current nail obsessions that I have to do soon or have done recently are: bubble nails, aurora chrome nails and fruit gradient nails.

Yogurt Nail Bbogle Bbogle Nails - These are super sheer jelly polishes with different types of sequins inside that are PERFECT for the bubble nails trend. I especially love the aurora 3d bubble sequins! I think this new Eeeya collection is sooo cute too and it already has the mag gel in it which is lovely.

Yogurt Nail Fruits Magnet - I really love how bubble nails look with a super silky bright magnet gel underneath and I just used one of these with the Bbogle polish on top, it was a perfect combo! And this collection has so many cute juicy colors.

Yogurt Nail Chewing Gum - These are bright and sheer and jelly and they blend together so perfectly. I used them for a tomato gradient nail set on my friend and I think I need to come up with a new fruit to do on my own nails using these stat.

Micro Stars from Amazon - I found some in every color of the rainbow, prepare to be sick of seeing them!!! :)

Aurora Chrome Powder - I just got this new aurora chrome from Sweetie, it’s duo toned and soo pigmented!! I really want to do a french tip with them!

Beauty:

Kinetics Sun Care Cream - I have been using this all summer and I’m sure you’ve heard me talk about this but I just love it SO much. It’s not greasy like some sunscreens are, and it has a really nice light clean scent. I have been using this all over my hands and arms this summer. Also, Kinetics is having a buy 2, get 1 free sale on their hand creams that ends TODAY! In case you want to stock up. I also love their Rich Cream and Scented Cream!

Kinetics Dry Oil - My go to cuticle oil right now!

Merit Clean Volume Mascara - I got this recently and it’s my new favorite mascara EVER! It’s a tubing mascara that’s really lightweight and actually keeps my lashes curled and doesn’t flake off or smudge. It’s SO easy to remove too.

Clothes/Shoes:

Quince Italian Leather Platform Flip Flops - These are the Y2K platform sandals of my dreams. They’re so comfy and I’ve been wearing them so much this summer!

Soloman XT-Whisper Sneaker - This is my second pair, I just love them sooo much, they’re so supportive for walking and I gotta say I do love not having to tie them every time :)

That’s all for now!! So many good favorites, look out for them in action on my socials and if you have any questions, let me know!

Also, be sure to sign up for my Kinetics Online Certification Class before 8/5 if you want to join this time!

BYE! 💋

• Thin, but strong nails - nails don’t look chunky or bulky, they look natural and they don’t break

• You can use hard gel with soft gel! (more on this later)

• You can make tiny corrections on the nail to reinforce it and refine it to get the exact look that you want

• The nails really hold their shape for the duration of the manicure so they look better for longer!

If you want to learn more about hard gel, make sure to read this post I did on it recently!

Join My New Certification Training Class!

One of my favorite hard gels I’ve been using for a while now is Kinetics and the main reason I love it is because they have a product and a solution for every type of nail and every problem you might face. And if you’ve been interested in learning more about this brand + how to use hard gel (and their entire system), I’m hosting an online certification training class that starts in two weeks!

Dates: Class runs from 8/5 - 8/19, and it’s completely online so you’re able to take the lessons and complete the class on your own time. In order to earn a certification, you will need to complete the assignments and submit photos.

Learn More Here!

What You’ll Learn + My Favorite Products:

This is a great opportunity to become an expert in all things Kinetics and also an expert in nail prep + product application techniques too. Here are the topics I will be going over and my favorite products that we’ll be using:

Kinetics Brand Overview

Learn the ins and outs of the brand: History, manufacturing, chemistry, product assortment and more.

Nail Anatomy, Structure & Architecture

This will help you understand why we use certain products and how applying them in specific ways can support the nail.

E-File Nail Prep

My exact prep routine starting from debulking the previous product and detailed cuticle work for great looking and longer lasting manicures!

Soft Gel Polish

Learn all about the Kinetics line of soft gels, including when to use which product. You’ll learn how to do overlays with rubber base, fiber base gel and ceramic base gel!

Perfect, Close Color Application

How to apply color gel perfectly for supppperrr close precise application. This is one of my favorite parts, it’s so satisfying! And Kinetics makes some of the best color gels I’ve ever tried - the pigmentation and quality is amazing!

Hard Gel Polish

Learn how to use my favorite hard gels! I will be showing how to do beautiful overlays with Hard Gel In Bottle and Classic Potted Hard Gel (with and without corrections)!

Natural Nail Corrections

This is one of my favorite things I think I’ve ever learned in my nail career! You’ll learn how to use hard gel to make corrections to the nail using Jelly Gel with both hard gel and soft gel, which can rebuild the nail to have the correct architecture, and you’ll be able to do a negative or hidden apex, which I feel like is all the rage in nails right now!

Shaping & Refining

This will take your nails to the next level! Refining hard gel makes all the difference in the final look, imo! Plus my new shaping technique has changed the way I do manicures and I absolutely love the outcome!

I created my dream class for YOU!

I am so excited about this class because it’s exactly what I wish I would have had when I was getting into builder gel and hard gel, and it has completely changed the way I do nails now! If you are interested in learning everything there is to know about the way I do nails, this class is going to be just that.

Learn More + Enroll!

Some details you might want to know…

• See the entire Class Supplies List Here! Once you enroll, you will get an exclusive 20% off coupon to purchase the items on the list + whatever else you want to stock up on :)

• Enroll now until 8/5! Class starts on 8/5 and runs until 8/19. You can complete the lessons and assignments on your own time!

  • The assignments are just executing the demos with the products on your own nails and submitting photos. For example, you’ll watch the demo of a hard gel overlay, and then your assignment will be to do a hard gel overlay on one nail and take 3 photos of it.

• You do not need to be a professional nail tech to take this class, however I do recommend having some experience with gel polish because it is not a beginner class. I am always here to help if you have any questions or need assistance!

• If you want to see even more details & enroll, visit my site for more!

I’m super excited about this class, it’s not only an amazing overview of Kinetics, but the techniques and tips and tricks you’ll learn will be useful for any type of product or nail you may work on in the future too.

If you have any questions, reply to this email or leave a comment :)

CAN’T WAIT! 💋

Why I LOVE Japanese Gel:

A quick backstory on why I recommend these: way back when I knew I wanted to become a nail tech, I followed a few people on social media that were doing nails the way I wanted to do them and they all used Japanese gel. So by the transitive property, I started using it too and I seriously fell in love!

Japan in general just has an overall standard for quality that I think is really admirable and it translates to the gel polish too. Another reason I love using it is because they are on the cutting edge of nail product innovation and art trends, the products are accessible so you can just try it out subtly, or go all out!

This list is going to be 10 of my favorite items from Kokoist. Which I’m sure you all know by now but if you don’t, they are a Japanese brand that makes amazing quality products that are so pleasant and lovely to work with! If you have any questions about any of the products or how to use them, leave a comment or reply to this email and I’ll help.

I have been using Kokoist & Nail Thoughts products for over 6 years now and I just love them so much. I’m also an educator with them which means I host certification classes (more on that below), and I feel pretty confident in my recommendations because I’ve pretty much tried all of their products (except some color gels!).

My Top 10 Current Recommendations:

See everything in one place here:

(You can also see even more of my recommendations from other favorite brands like Sweetie Nail Supply, Kinetics, Erica’s ATA, Nail Mart USA and more on my spreadsheet HERE!)

1. Base Coat - Kokoist Sticky Base: a HEMA and TPO free base gel, use it under builder gel to increase and improve retention. This really helps if you ever have lifting with builder.

2. Clear Builder - Kokoist Platinum Filler Base: A base + builder in one (but wear a layer of the base gel above for extra insurance against lifting!)

3. Tinted Builder - Nail Thoughts 3-in-1 Base, Builder and Color: this can be worn directly on prepped nails, or use a layer of the Sticky Base for extra insurance! My favorite colors currently are Dahlia Syrup Base (peachy sheer brown), Rose Water Base (sheer cool toned milky pink), and Plumeria Syrup Base (sheer, cool toned milky white).

4. Color Gel: I love using the Kokoist Bottle’n Go and Nail Thoughts color gels! One of the best things about Japanese gel colors is the pigmentation is incredible and you only need to do very thin coats for full color payoff. This keeps your nails thin and prevents them from getting bulky which can cause lifting. See my recommendations on the Kokoist/Nail Thoughts tab here!

5. Magnet Gel: Kokoist makes some of the best mag gels I’ve ever used! If you haven’t tried the new Unicorn Candy Magnet Collection yet… treat yourself!!

6. Magnet: the Max Magnet is the BEST!! It’s literally the only magnet I use now.

7. Lamp: The Le Blanc (cordless) or Infinity Hybrid (corded) are my top lamp recommendations especially if you’re using Kokoist/NT products because they are literally formulated so they cure properly with these lamps. And they’re 20% off right now!!!

8. Brushes: I have been using the Round and Long Liner brushes the most recently. These are called Kumano brushes which means they are made by craftsmen who have been experts in Japanese brush making for hundreds of years. The quality is amazing, they are so soft and flexible and easy to work with, they absolutely hold up to the high quality standards I mentioned earlier. Make sure to clean these with brush cleaning gel to maintain them!

9. Top Coat: I have been loving the new Totally Glossy Non Wipe top coat! It’s essentially the HEMA and TPO free version of Ultra Glossy. Both are amazing options!!

10. Fixee Gel: A thick gel with nylon fibers in it to do nail repairs, fixing cracks, or extensions!

Kokoist’s 20% OFF everything sale runs through Monday July 6th until 11:59 pm PST!

Are you interested in my certification classes?

I am gearing up to host some branded certification classes this summer! If you’re interested in learning more about my Kokoist Double Certification, Nail Thoughts with Erica’s ATA E-Filing Double Certification and NEW Kinetics Certification, enter your email here on this form and I’ll send you a note with more info when they’re ready :) Ps - anyone on the waitlist will receive a special discount when enrolling in the classes!

Class Interest Form!

BYE! 💋

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Where does gel lifting happen?

The most common spots your gel might lift are the cuticle area, random pockets in the center of the nail, and the tips. Today I want to focus on how to avoid lifting gel in general, but also specifically near the cuticle area!

If you want to learn more about how to prevent it from happening at the tip of the nail, read this post where I focused on my favorite tip to help this from happening!

How to prevent gel lifting:

Prevention is truly key, because once it starts lifting, there’s really not much you can do. So let’s get ahead of it! I like to break this down into four steps:

Nail Prep

All of these steps are important, but proper nail prep will really set the nails up for successful and better retention. During nail prep you want to make sure you do the following:

• Remove any old lifted gel from the previous manicure if you’re doing a rebalance

• Gently buff the surface to create texture

• Remove cuticle and dead skin from the nail bed

• Remove all oils and dust and debris using a brush and 90%+ isopropyl alcohol

How to prevent cuticle lifting during nail prep:

• Ensure there is no remaining cuticle left over on the nail, this will cause the product to lift prematurely

• Be sure not to over file the cuticle area with the efile. The nail is pretty flexible in this area and if you damage it by filing too much, the product may have trouble staying on

Product Selection

Not all gels are right for everyone, and it’s important to make sure you are using one that works for the specific type of nail you’re working on. I have an entire post diving into this topic that I recommend reading:

Product Application

Applying gel incorrectly can cause lifting too! If the layers are too thick, or too thin, or the gel is not structured correctly, it can easily start to detach from the nails.

• When using builder gel, make sure to build an appropriate structure with it

• Be mindful not to use too much product, especially with pigmented builder gel or color gel. Thick layers will have a harder time curing properly and can peel off. Also uncured gel on the nails can lead to allergies and sensitivities. Thin layers always!

• Use a bonding product, which acts like a double sided tape that helps the gel stay adhered to the nail! I just started using this on my problem lifting clients and I swear it’s MAGIC!!

• Use a professional lamp! If you are using a low quality lamp, the LED bulbs might not be able to cure the gel properly even if you are doing everything else right.

  • If you notice that your gel is lifting all of the sudden and you haven’t changed anything else in the process, this is a sign that you probably need a new lamp.

  • Make sure to note the lifespan or warranty of the lamp you have and replace it when you hit that mark or before if you notice gel lifting.

  • These are my gel lamp recommendations! My top recommendations at the lowest prices are this Kokoist lamp or this Kinetics lamp. You can use my code KARA10 for 10% off too!

How to prevent cuticle lifting during product application:

• Prep & application go hand in hand! If the nail prep is not thorough enough, especially around the cuticle area, it can make close, precise application so difficult

• With that said, try to avoid gel flooding into the skin and touching the cuticle area when applying it. Gel is not designed to cure onto skin, so it will eventually lift off of the skin, and cause a pocket between the skin and nail that is now lifted and will continue to lift

• Clean up pooled gel before curing. If you notice it is pooled after curing, use an e-file bit to remove the flooded part, and then I recommend filing the remaining gel so it’s flush with the nail again and not lifted from the pooling

• Avoid a hump of gel at the base of the nail. As I said before, thick layers are more likely to lift especially near the cuticle area since it is so flexible

• I only use pure gel because it is so much more pigmented than hybrid gel, and highly pigmented gel means you can do super thin layers and get full color payoff

  • All of the gel colors & brands I recommend can be found on my spreadsheet linked here!

After Care

• Apply cuticle oil daily to keep the skin and nails hydrated and a little bit flexible. Flexible nails can bend and flex slightly which actually helps gel stay on better! These are my favorite cuticle & hand care products.

• Never ever peel your gel off! If it’s lifting and driving you crazy, remove it by filing down the top layers and soaking off with acetone (read this post for more details on gel removal). Peeling gel peels off and damages layers of your nails, and gets you into a bad cycle where your next manicure will have trouble staying on.

• Don’t use your nails as tools. Just because they feel stronger with gel on, doesn’t mean that they can withstand anything :( Use scissors or can openers or whatever else instead of your nails.

• Wear gloves when doing dishes or cleaning or gardening! Protect your assets!

There are SO many things that go into preventing gel from lifting and having a successful manicure, and they really all go hand in hand together too. So I hope this helps you figure out what might be causing lifting and keeps your manicures lasting longer. If you have any questions, let me know!

Are you interested in my certification classes?

I am gearing up to host some branded certification classes this summer! If you’re interested in learning more about my Kokoist Double Certification, Nail Thoughts with Erica’s ATA E-Filing Double Certification and NEW Kinetics Certification, enter your email here on this form and I’ll send you a note with more info when they’re ready :) Ps - anyone on the waitlist will receive a special discount when enrolling in the classes!

Class Interest Form!

BYE! 💋

A lot of things I use for my nail prep is from Amazon and I love to recommend! I’ve tried things from other places but I always keep coming back to my trusty Amazon faves :) Let’s get into the round up!

I also reorganized and edited my Amazon Store Front too! So you can find everything you need on there!

Learn My Gel Manicure Process Yourself!

My educational nail classes are 25% off June 23-26th with code PRIMEDAY25 !

If you want to see how I use these products in today’s newsletter in action (plus my builder gel application!), you need to check out my Advanced Gel Manicure Course!! Click HERE to learn more!

Or check out my E-File Basics Course to learn everything you need to know about how to use an e-file for fills and manicure prep!!

I also have a class if you’re newer to gel manicures, and a bundle if you want everything in one place!! DM me or leave a comment if you have any questions!

25% OFF CLASSES!

NAIL PREP:

These are all of the items I use literally every time I do my nails! I even use them on clients. They’re the BEST!! I always have these items in my kit:

Nail Files - I love using 180/240 for shaping and surface prep!

Buffers - These are the best for helping with retention!

Cuticle Pusher - Ergonomic!!! Comfy to use and helps prevent damage from pushing too hard on your nails.

Cuticle Nipper - Fresh nippers make clipping dry skin so much easier!

E-File - I used this for years, it’s a great option if you’re new to e-files or do your own nails!

Dust Collector - If you’re using an e-file, you need a dust collector to protect yourself from breathing in the dust (and wear a mask!) and to keep your desk clean. I’ve had this one for over 4 years and I’ve finally just needed to replace it. It’s really powerful and does a great job for a fraction of the price of professional ones!

E-File Bits - I find amazon bits to be pretty inconsistent in quality and availability so I’ve completely switched to Erica’s ATA bits personally! And they’re 20% off right now with code PRIME26 !!

They are amazing quality and last so much longer than my Amazon ones used to. For example, you could spend $10-15 on a carbide bit from amazon and it might last 10-20 services before getting dull and needing to be replaced. My favorite Erica’s Carbide bit is $21.95 and it lasts for 150-300 services! I have a post explaining all of my favorite bits and why I love Erica’s ATA here!

Orangewood Sticks - For safely cleaning up pooled gel and making precise adjustments. I use these instead of clean up brushes usually!

Gel Lamp - To be honest, I would recommend this Kinetics lamp ($144 with my code kara10) or this Kokoist lamp ($177 with my code kara10) any day over a lamp from Amazon because I believe this is something you cannot skimp on especially if you are using the gel products I recommend. These are amazing lamps that will last over 2 years with daily use and even longer with less use. If you are going to go the Amazon route, this is the only one I’ve used and recommend, but I do think it’s important to replace it every 6-12 months because the LEDs are not going to be as good of quality.

Nail Polish Organizer - I LOVE these. I have like 10 and I use them for allll of my polish. I love how it keeps them upright and you can neatly see all of your polish displayed!

Nail Pinchers - my new c-curve tool that I use for making nails look more narrow without overfiling, and creating a strong structure!

Manicure Tool Sanitizing Solution + Cleaning Case: This is what I use for sanitizing all of my tools! I love this solution because it doesn’t rust your bits and tools!

See the rest of my Prime Day Picks here on my storefront!!

A QUICK NOTE ON GEL POLISH FROM AMAZON:

I *never* recommend buying it from there! Read THIS BLOG POST to learn more.

If you’re wondering what I like to use instead of Amazon Gel Polishes… Here is my starter pack pdf download with all of my favorite tools & polishes linked!

Hand/Foot & Cuticle Care:

My favorite hand creams, cuticle butter, magic foot balm and scrub!!

NAIL ART:

I'm obsessed with these micro star and heart sequins I found this year! And I also love these fun new magnets I got recently!!

BOOKS:

My favorite hobby :) Here are some of favorite 5 star reads -- perfect for the summer! Plus my favorite cookbooks that I use allll the time! And my BELOVED kindle!!!

RANDOM THINGS:

I also added a few of my other favorite things to my Prime Day Collection. I already bought the Ninja Creami the other year and it’s one of my favorite things everrr to be able to make my own ice cream! Also - I can’t live without my Nodpod, it’s a weighted eye mask and it’s the best for helping me sleep and you can freeze it to help with headaches too. I’m obsessed!!! I also linked my favorite running shorts & socks since I’m in my running era ;) And my new rainbow light that also has a convenient phone stand if you make content! But it’s also amazing for lighting up your nail station.

Prime Day (aka 4 days lol) is June 23-26! Comment if you have any questions or need anything else! :)

Are you interested in my certification classes?

I am gearing up to host some branded certification classes this summer! If you’re interested in learning more about my Kokoist Double Certification, Nail Thoughts with Erica’s ATA E-Filing Double Certification and NEW Kinetics Certification, enter your email here on this form and I’ll send you a note with more info when they’re ready :) Ps - anyone on the waitlist will receive a special discount when enrolling in the classes!

Class Interest Form!

BYE! 💋

What’s really different about how I’ve done them in the past? I have been loving using hard gel to reconstruct my natural nails to reinforce them, keep them strong, and supportive for a really natural look! I’ve learned more about nail anatomy and negative apex technique with hard gel, and I just love how it looks and feels.

I’m working on all new content to teach you exactly how to use these products in video format that’s coming soon! If you want to be notified when it’s live, make sure you’re subscribed here!

Subscribe now

The main things I’m keeping in mind during this manicure are:

• Thorough prep and thin application to prevent lifting

• Precise yet gentle cuticle work

• Finish filing and refining the shape

• Reconstructing or repairing my nails for a supportive shape with a negative or hidden apex!

  • A negative apex is the opposite of a positive apex which is what you might traditionally picture when you think of an apex with builder gel!

  • Instead of using a bead of polish to build the overlay and add bulk on the stress area of the nail, a negative apex uses hard gel to make corrections on the nail before doing the overlay, and almost fills in those areas so the nail is still supported and strong, but doesn’t have as pronounced of a stress area!

  • I will teach how to do this process in detail in my new classes! Make sure you sign up to be notified at the end of the email

    

Okay let’s get the steps! Ps -You can find all of the products & tools I used HERE!

Rebalance & Prep:

Photo 1: My nails after 4+ weeks of wear. I did this exact same process with this manicure and it lasted PERFECTLY! No lifting and my nails felt really strong. I’m excited to do it again.

Photo 2: Rebalancing with my carbide barrel bit. I like to remove about 80-90% of my previous manicure, leaving about 10-20% to prep on top of. I’m also using the new Erica’s ATA dust collector and it’s incredible!! It’s so powerful for the size.

Photo 3: I love this dual sided cuticle pusher! I push back the skin to open the cuticle pocket and then use the loop side to gently remove and cuticle on the nail around the skin so my bits don’t need to work quite as hard

Photo 1: My new favorite Erica’s ATA diamond bits! These just came out recently and they’re all I’ve been using.

Photo 2: The long flame bit is really gentle for exfoliating cuticle off the nail (which is key to prevent lifting gel), and lifting up the skin around the nail so I can easily clip it off

Photo 3: Post flame bit nail! The skin is lifted and ready to be nipped off. These are my favorite nippers.

Base & Builder Application:

Photo 1: I just got this Kinetics dehydrator which you apply before base gel and it air dries. This is just a little extra insurance that the nail is free of oil so the gel can adhere properly! I like applying it with a brush like this.

Photo 2: I loveee the Kinetics Max Base. I applied a thin even layer all over my nail to help with my builder gel retention. This base is really great for anyone who suffers from frequent lifted gel, it’s literally formulated for difficult nails but works equally well on healthy normal nails too!

I’ve been using the Kinetics Lamp recently and I LOVE IT! It’s a really great price for a cordless lamp too.

Photo 3: One of my favorite things about Kinetics is that all of their product lines come in the same colors. So I’m using thixotropic jelly gel (read more about what this means HERE) and self-leveling builder gel in the same color - Natural Pink!

Photo 1: Armoring the tips & repairing corners with Jelly Gel

Photo 2: Applying the self-leveling builder gel overlay! I am trying out the Kinetics Ceramic Builder Gel which is their hardest soft gel (it can be soaked off)! It reminds me of Nail Thoughts - it’s strong and supportive but self levels really well and is super easy to apply!

Photo 3: After the builder is applied, I like to shape my nails and refine the surface. I also remove some of the natural nail from the tips to ensure there’s no lifting there! I’m using this bit from Erica’s ATA. Read more about this process here too!

Finishing Touches:

Photo 1: I used the Kinetics Smart Top Coat Light which is SUPER THIN! You hardly need any because it flows really fast (I learned the hard way). But it’s so thin which keeps your nails thin in turn, and also shiny and scratch free!

Photo 2: This is my new favorite cuticle product!! It’s a dry oil so it air dries but it’s so hydrating!!! And it has no smell which I enjoy from time to time. I’ve been reaching for this every manicure!

Photo 3: The finished result! I love the light pink shade, I think it looks so natural!

Are you interested in my certification classes?

I am gearing up to host some branded certification classes this summer! If you’re interested in learning more about my Kokoist Double Certification, Nail Thoughts with Erica’s ATA E-Filing Double Certification and NEW Kinetics Certification, enter your email here on this form and I’ll send you a note with more info when they’re ready :) Ps - anyone on the waitlist will receive a special discount when enrolling in the classes!

Class Interest Form!

Leave a comment if you have any questions at all! Thanks for reading and make sure you’re subscribed for weekly notes from me directly in your inbox! 💋

Finish filing is kind of a controversial topic because inherently it sounds like something that would cause the gel to lift away from the tips of the nails, but in reality, it does the opposite! But only when done correctly and with the correct products.

What is finish filing?

Finish filing is when you file the natural nail a little bit to remove it and tuck it underneath the builder gel. The way that you file the nail is important because we want to file it at a 45 degree angle to bevel the edge so it’s nicely tucked underneath. If you only file directly perpendicular to the nail, it can cause lifting because you aren’t actually tucking the natural nail, you are just making it even with the gel.

This process is only done when using builder gel, which shrinks a little bit as it cures. Because of this shrinkage, it can leave the tip of the natural nail exposed without any builder gel covering it.

Why do we do it?

Simple answer: to strengthen the free edge. A strong free edge = better retention with no lifting.

The natural nail is naturally bendier and more flexible than builder gel (hence the reason why we use builder gel as a strong protective layer over natural nails!), so if we leave the natural nail exposed at the tip, it can bend and flex and lift apart from the builder gel causing lifting and separation at the tips. Tucking the natural nail underneath the builder gel prevents this entire situation from happening!

It also makes your nails look more finished and the shape looks precise and crisp!

When should you finish file?

I only really recommend doing a finish file when you use builder gel, either semi-hard or hard because it can withstand being filed and holding up the shape even with the nail being filed away.

Read my post about builder gel and the different types here!

When should you NOT finish file?

If you are only using soft gel (i.e. soft gel base coat, gel color and gel top coat), the products may not be strong enough to withstand being filed and the product can lift and break and chip.

If you want to touch up the shape after applying soft gels, I would recommend using a high grit file like 240 so that you aren’t causing micro tears in the nails, but I can’t guarantee it won’t cause lifting.

Where does it fit into the routine?

This is up to you and the routine you like to do, but you’ll do it after you apply builder. I personally like to do it after the builder gel is cured, because I will shape and do some surface filing at the same time and it’s nice to file everything at once.

I also like to touch up the shape and do a tiny finish file after top coat, so I will essentially do it twice, but the main one where I’m really doing all of the work is after builder application. The file after top coat takes me less than a minute.

If you don’t surface file and want to do the shaping and finish file after top coat, that’s a nice option too so that you only need to file once!

What tools do we use for finish filing?

This also depends on the length and shape of the nails. For all nails, I will use a file (usually 150 or 180 grit) and for some lengths and shapes, I’ll use an e-file bit. My favorite one is the Under Cleaner from Erica’s! It’s very thin and narrow which makes it easy to use underneath most nails and helps create a nice C shape.

It’s easier to use a hand file under round or almond nails, but when you enter square or soft square territory, sometimes it’s impossible to file the entire nail and this is where an e-file bit can come in handy!

Let’s address some FAQs:

These are some common questions I get whenever I share this process!

Q: So you don’t cap the nails with gel?

A: No! Since I am filing the nails after applying product, and also after top coat, there isn’t a need to cap the nails with polish. I actually wouldn’t recommend doing it anyways, because you could add a glob of gel near the top and thicker areas of gel can cause lifting.

Q: Doesn’t it ruin your nails if you file it away? I want them to grow them, not shorten them.

A: It does shorten them a bit, but the amount is negligible compared to the amount that your nails will grow during the few weeks that you’ll have the harder gel on them. And if your gel doesn’t lift and you have great retention, it’s better for your nail growth in the long run.

Q: I do this and my nails are still lifting.

A: There is probably some other factor contributing to your lifting. Read this post here for some tips. I highly recommend my Advanced Gel Manicure Class which focuses on how to prevent lifting and how to apply products so it doesn’t happen too!

Also, this is only meant to be done on harder gels. If you’re using only soft gels, your gel will likely lift or chip. I mean it when I say I do this every single manicure I do and I never have lifting from the free edge, not once!

Q: Why do you do it after the topcoat too?

A: Like I mentioned, gel shrinks or changes shape a little bit when it cures. So filing at the very end of the manicure when you’re done with applying gel will make all of the layers come back together for a more even look and to ensure there’s no natural nail sticking out from gel shrinkage. It also makes the shape look precise and crisp!

Do you have any other questions about this process? Let me know!

Leave a comment

Are you interested in my certification classes?

I am gearing up to host some branded certification classes this summer! If you’re interested in learning more about my Kokoist Double Certification, Nail Thoughts with Erica’s ATA E-Filing Double Certification and NEW Kinetics Certification, enter your email here on this form and I’ll send you a note with more info when they’re ready :) Ps - anyone on the waitlist will receive a special discount when enrolling in the classes!

Class Interest Form!

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SUMMARY stands for:

Something New

Useful Tip

Manicure Of the Month

Mood Board

Amusement

Recommendation

You Need This

Get it?! Ok let’s go!

Interested in a certification class?

Before we get started! I am gearing up to host some branded certification classes this summer! If you’re interested in learning more about my Kokoist Double Certification, Nail Thoughts with Erica’s ATA E-Filing Double Certification and NEW Kinetics Certification, enter your email here on this form and I’ll send you a note with more info when they’re ready :)

Class Interest Form!

🔆 S: Something New

I got so many exciting new products last month while I was gone, I’m honestly a little overwhelmed. (Stay tuned for a round up post!!)

But there was one thing I was the most excited about and needed to use first: The Big Suck!!! A new Dust Collector from Erica’s ATA. I believe this is their first dust collector they’ve ever made and I was BLOWN AWAY (ironically)!

It’s very compact and sooo strong. The suction is incredible, even if it’s not on high. It’s a little quieter and smaller than my Shemax one and the price is unbeatable tbh. I think this is going to be my new go-to, I was just so impressed. Stay tuned for my full review on my socials coming next week!!

If you’re in the market for a new dust collector, I really love it so far. You can also use my code KARA10 for 10% off :)

🛠️ U: Useful Tip Or Product

Ok this is also a new product to me that I posted about on my instagram stories the other day and I feel like everyone was so interested in it as much as I am!!

This is a nail pincher, although I personally want to rebrand it to a c-curve tool because it’s a painless pinching process that helps your nails curve to make them stronger and look more narrow without overfiling the sidewalls!

It’s only $5 and I actually think it’s going to change the way our nails look for the better, especially if you are into square shapes, or use jelly gel for rebuilding the sidewalls like I have recently.

Should I do a post about pinching??

💅 M: Manicure Of The Month

I did my nails 2x this month and I LOVED both manicures so much so they are both going to be my MoMs :) starting with my nails I did for my friend’s bachelorette party + the Oregon Nail Expo. I only used 3 products for this and it FAST! Also, the glitter polish sold out at the expo and I can’t help but think I helped that happen 😎

Sparkly Pink Nails:

For my base gel + builder, I used Nail Thoughts Strawberry Lemonade Base which is a juicy bright medium pink. This looks sooo cute on its own too! Then I layered it with NT Matsuri which is a a sheer pink with chunky holographic glitter and it was just stunning on top of the builder! To finish the nails, I used the new Kokoist Totally Glossy Top Coat!

Rainbow Peach Nails:

For my trip to Europe, I knew I wanted something neutral but still fun and this new Rainbow Peach Unicorn mag gel was PERFECT!! In some lighting it just looked like a pretty peachy neutral manicure, and in other lighting the golden magnet effect and rainbow glitters shined through and I was OBSESSED! I need everyone to try a polish from this collection, it’s so stunning. I’m going to use it again asap! Click here to see everything I used for this manicure (the tools + hard gel, etc)!

🔮 M: Mood Board

This month, I am challenging myself to ONLY use new products that I haven’t used or worn before!! And I want to create really fun bright, mixed media manicures with them! I’m still dying to use my new rhinestones, and I got a bunch of new inks, and colors too. So stay tuned to see what I come up with :)

🧘🏻‍♀️ A: Amusement

Anyone else obsessed with Off Campus??? I can’t get enough - it feels so nostalgic to me, like the shows I used to obsess over on the CW and Freeform. If you didn’t know, I have a little side hustle podcast show that I started because I was obsessed with The Summer I Turned Pretty (i’m just a 16 year old girl at heart truly) and I just started recapping Off Campus! And I’m sooo excited for Every Year After coming out next week too and I’ll be covering that as well!!

If you love obsessing about teen tv like me, I think you’ll really like it! :)

Listen here!!

💖 R: Recommendation

My all time favorite candles are 25% off!!! The New Savant is revamping their packaging and we are reaping the benefits lol. These are truly some of the most delicious, juicy summer scents ever and I had to repurchase them when I saw the sale happening!! I have tried most of their scents (because I’m addicted) and I really like them all, you can’t go wrong if it sounds good to you!

Quick story: last year, I had my bachelorette party at my house and was burning these candles all weekend. My friends loved them so much that I decided to get them each a Summer Splendor candle for a little bridesmaid gift as a thank you for getting ready with me and it was a hit!!!

Summer Splendor: Italian White Wine, Zesty Bergamot, Sparkling Grapefruit, Charred Artichoke, Salty Green Olives, Creamy Avocado, Roasted Sesame, Fresh Woods

Heatwave: Fresh Dill, Garden Basil, Eucalyptus Leaves, Damp Earth, Cucumber, Summer Peaches, Patchouli, Amber, Cedarwood

And they actually smell like all that too^ in a good way!

I also have a code that they shared with me for 15% extra off and it works on top of the 25% off sale!!! It’s KARA15!

💋 Y: You Need This

It’s officially sandal weather and my feet have reemerged. And I’m actually not too worried about them because I have been using this MIRACLE cream on them and they look and feel so soft and hydrated.

I’m calling this a miracle cream because truly my feet get neglected for most of the year and all I did was put this on maybe 3 times and I saw a drastic change. Incredible!

It has the consistency of aquaphor or vaseline, but it’s also formulated with salicylic acid and urea (my fave!!!) to actually exfoliate the skin and remove the dead cells so you’re left with super soft hydrated feet! I recommend putting on some socks after applying this and letting it sit for a while. Remove them, and your life will be changed, I swear!! And it’s under $10!!!

You can get it at Target or Amazon!

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There are so many good sales going on this weekend, it’s a little overwhelming!! Here’s a quick overview:

Erica’s ATA is 15% off full price items + 10% off their NEW dust collector!! (From Friday 12 am til Monday 11:59 pm)

Nail Mart USA is up to 40% off select products! (From Friday 12 am til Monday 11:59 pm)

Tom Bachik: 20% off full priced items (I’m obsessed with his NUEDES collection!!) (Saturday 12 am cst til Monday at 11:59 pm cst)

Kokoist & Nail Thoughts: keep reading… 🥰

Check out my spreadsheet for more sale info!

Kokoist is having their first sale of the year starting tomorrow!!! (Saturday 12 am cst and ending Monday at 11:59 pm cst) and it’s 20% off everything!!! I’m going to share 3 things x 3 things in this email: what’s new, what I’m loving, and what I highly recommend to help you make some picks if you’re planning to shop the sale!

See all of my favorite Kokoist & Nail Thoughts Products HERE on my spreadsheet and read more about it HERE on my blog!

Before we get started, my nail classes are 20% off this weekend too! I actually use Kokoist & Nail Thoughts products in these classes (although you can also apply the info to any product/brand you use) and they pair perfectly with this sale! You can learn how to use gel products safely, or learn new techniques/perfect your routine!

These are my top 3 most popular classes:

Advanced Gel Manicure Class: Learn how to do my exact process I always do - rebalances with my e-file, advanced cuticle e-file work, and builder gel application for manicures that LAST! Learn the why behind each of the tools and products you’re using so you can apply that knowledge to every manicure you do!

Basic Gel Manicure Class: This is a perfect class for anyone who wants to perfect a basic gel manicure and learn all about gel safety! You’ll learn the foundations of what gel polish is, how to safely use it, how to do a basic dry manicure, apply the gel so it lasts for weeks, and remove it safely with no damage.

Basic + Advanced Gel Manicure Bundle: A bundle of both classes above so you can be a gel manicure master in one go!

Use code MEMDAY20 for 20% off any class! Leave a comment or reply to this email if you have any questions!

Browse Classes!

What’s New at Kokoist!

1. Unicorn Candy Magnet Gels + Unicorn Mermaid Magnet Gels: This is a new set of 9 new iridescent jelly rainbow and aurora magnet gels!!! Have you ever heard of anything more perfect?? There are three mermaid gels that have multi colored aurora effects inspired by the ocean and they literally look like glittery gorgeous water colors! Then the six Candy Magnet gels are sheer colored bases with golden magnet glitter and ALSO rainbow colored iridescent shimmery magnet glitter and they’re insaneeee. I’m wearing Peach Rainbow here and I’m obsessed!

   

2. Crystal Glass Veil Powder: This is a brand new CLEAR chrome powder!! It’s shimmery and ever so slightly pearly, but less white and powdery than the Fairy Veil Powder! One thing I really like about this is that it doesn’t change the color of the base gel too much at all. I tested this on a Unicorn Mermaid gel (from above) and it was still bright and vibrant, it just had a glassy sheen to it! I can’t wait to use this to make all of my glazed donut nail dreams come true.

   

3. New Bleeding Inks! These are new alcohol pigment inks that you can use for nail art in NEW colors and also they have a NEW pointed brush!!! Which means you can use the bottle brush for more precise details if you want. I am especially excited about the new colors and the pastel set! I got to try these out at the Oregon nail expo and they have the same amazing bleeding and blending quality as all of the other Kokoist inks which make them super user friendly. I can’t wait to use them more!

What I’m Loving Recently at Kokoist!

1. Bottle’N Go Colors: These are new HEMA & TPO free color gels in a bottle with a new rounded brush!! My favorite thing about these is the self-leveling formula, it is sooo easy to use. There are 58 new colors and I feel like it’s an amazing option if you’re looking to build your color gel collection. I also LOVE the flash glitters (especially Rainbow Ice and Rainbow Mauve!)

2. Round Brush & Long Liner Brush: I’ve been reaching for these two brushes the most out of any of my brushes recently!! I love the length and shape of the round brush for potted builder or color application, and then I’ll switch to the long liner brush to refine! It’s also amazing for nail art because the length and tiny pointed end really allow you to do any tiny details! Make sure to use Brush Cleaning Gel to clean them and prevent the brushes from drying out!!!

3. Max Magnet: This is the only magnet I’ve been using for about the past year and it’s sooo good. It’s heavy duty and SO strong and it pulls up all of the particles in the gel pretty quickly to give off a very bright finish for all of your magnet gels!! I worked at the Oregon Nail Expo the other week, and this was one of the first items to sell out, it’s that good!!

What I *Highly Recommend* at Kokoist!

1. Ultimate Trio: This has my three absolute favorite must have products in it - Ultra Glossy Top Coat, Mega Stick Base and Platinum Filler Builder Base. These are in constant rotation for my manicures and I use the base & top coat pretty much every time. They’re the best for long lasting and super shiny manicures and I just swear by them!!!

   There is also a new HEMA & TPO free version of Mega Stick called Sticky Base and also of Ultra Glossy called Totally Glossy!! I’ve been using them for the past month and I’m loving them!

2. Nail Thoughts Strawberry Lemonade Base + Matsuri: I wore this combo recently and I think it’s SO cute for summer and I want to put it back on my nails ASAP.

   

3. Le Blanc Lamp: This is theee best nail lamp in my opinion and it’s the best time to grab it for 20% off!! If you’re using Kokoist & Nail Thoughts products, it’s a great investment to make to ensure they’re all curing properly with this lamp. The Hybrid Infinity Lamp is also another amazing option! The main difference is that this one has a cord and must be plugged in, whereas the Le Blanc can be cordless.

Don’t forget to look at all of my favorites on my Kokoist spreadsheet if you need any other recs!! Thanks for reading & lmk if you have any questions!

BYE! 💋

If your free edge is weak and bendy, your gel will probably peel off or lift and it just gets into a bad cycle. My nails have been breaking a little bit near my sidewalls too, and this has helped them feel so much stronger and look better too. I hope this post helps you with this new technique. If you have any questions, let me know!

Rebuilding the Sidewalls!

Watch the process in the action here:

Let’s talk about nail anatomy quickly. The area that the arrows are pointing to where my free edge meets my nail bed is the growth point of the nails, aka the sidewalls. If that area is filed away, it makes the nails weak and prone to breaking.

Proper, strong nail structure has the sidewalls in tact and not filed away. They act almost as a protective fence for the nails and support them as they grow. If you look at your nail and draw a straight line down the side (like I did above), your sidewalls should follow that path. If they’re missing, you can re-build them with gel!

For this process, I’m using a thixotropic hard gel (read this post to learn more about the different types of hard gel!). It doesn’t move unless you move it, so you can slightly extend it over the free edge & sides of the nail to fill them back in! I also just put it about 2/3 of the way down my nail for extra support but you totally can focus on just the boarder of the nails if you’d prefer that. It’s quicker to do that because you have less extra gel on your nail’s surface.

Now it’s time to refine the nails and apply an overlay. You can use either hard or semi-hard gel for this! Since the thixotropic gel is a bit bumpy/lumpy, you can file it before applying the overlay to smooth it out, or you can apply the overlay and refine the surface then. This is the gel I used!

I like to do it at this point because I shape my nails here too. And then you can apply color or top coat! I used a milky white top which conceals all of those ridges from the file and makes the color look more even! Here’s the final look:

My nails feel so strong when I do this and I feel like the shape looks really natural and just right!!

Here’s everything I used for this process above!

Armoring The Free Edge!

This is essentially the same technique as above, using the same thixotropic gel but it’s a little quicker and covers less surface area on the nails because we are only using it on the free edge. You can also put the gel around the sidewalls too if you need to (aka the quicker option that I mentioned above)!

You would use this method when the free edge is weaker and bendy. It essentially reinforces or replaces the weak free edge and leaves your free edge with a really strong hard gel cover. And the overlay will grip on to that new free edge and won’t lift, and the nail will feel really strong and supported!

For this nail, I pretty much did outlined her free edge and the sides with the hard gel and then cured it! I love this method because you don’t need to be extremely precise since we’ll touch it up after the overlay. I used this hard gel & this brush!

Then I did her overlay with a semi-hard builder gel. To make sure the gel doesn’t lift away from the new free edge, you do want to file underneath the nail to file away a tiny bit of the natural nail. Watch the process here!

Here’s everything I used for this process above!

This process definitely takes a little longer when doing nails, but the result is worth it! Eventually, I’m hoping my nails will be so strong and have a proper supportive structure so I won’t even need to do any reinforcing - that’s the goal!

Let me know if you have any questions!!

BYE! 💋

SUMMARY stands for:

Something New

Useful Tip

Manicure Of the Month

Mood Board

Amusement

Recommendation

You Need This

Get it?! Ok let’s go!

🔆 S: Something New

There are sooo many good new things this month, it was almost too hard to choose. So I’m not going to :)

Kokoist Bottle’N Go

This is Kokoist’s new HEMA Free & TPO Free launch! It consists of 58 new bottled color polishes + Totally Glossy Top Coat + Sticky Base Coat.

I got a chance to try out a few of the new colors and they are SO nice. They are self leveling, really pigmented, amazing quality, and you only need one or two thin layers to get even coverage! I also feel like these colors are a great option for anyone who is trying to build out their color collection because it has all of the basics plus some fun extras. Check out this video to learn more!

You can save 10% on any of these colors with code KARA10!

Shop Bottle'N Go!

Tom Bachik NEUDES Collection:

Tom Bachik is a celebrity nail artist (he is always doing Selena Gomez’s nails!) who just launched a new color gel collection in collaboration with Kokoist!

These are 33 new self leveling bottled nude gel polish colors that are HEMA & TPO Free. And if that sounds like the Bottle’N Go… you’re not wrong 😂 I had the chance to swatch all of the colors for their launch and I was truly blown away by the quality of these gels and it made me extra excited for the BNG launch.

I did confirm with Kokoist that they are not exactly the same, but they’re just similar enough for me to recommend both collections! See the swatch video I did here! I’m planning to do a pedicure with these asap.

You can save 10% on any of these colors with code KARA10!

Shop Tom Bachik!

🛠️ U: Useful Tip Or Product

Shortening nails with a carbide bit!! I used to be really freaked out by doing this but it’s actually becoming one of my favorite things to do. It’s not only satisfying but it’s so fast too! Here’s how you do it:

• Use a carbide bit (I like this one)

  • You can also do this with a sanding band, at about 15 rpm. It’s actually good practice to use this bit and get comfortable with the motions at a lower speed with a softer grit!

• Run it at the same speed as you do for removal (25-30k rpm)

• Hold the hand piece the exact same way you would for removal

• If you’re moving the bit in FWD, move from left to right. If you’re moving the bit in REV, go right to left.

• Hold the bit parallel to the nail if you are doing a flat square shape, angle it slightly down about 15% if you are doing a rounded shape

• Move the bit across the nail with steady, even pressure to remove length. Repeat the steps if you want to take more length off!

• See it in action in this video!

💅 M: Manicure Of The Month

I love the look of pigment powder blended ombre nails, but I just haven’t invested in them yet because frankly they seem kind of fussy and annoying to do (lmk if I’m wrong). But I just got this new rainbow syrup gel collection from Bandi and I think this ombre mani gives off the same effect as pigments - it maybe even does a better job!!

Since they are all syrup gels, the polishes blend really well together and this was super easy to do. I also had to add tiny little iridescent stars of course! Here’s a link to the tutorial and everything else I used!

🔮 M: Mood Board

As you can tell, I’m extremely into rhinestone nails right now! They feel so nostalgic and I’m excited to try them out on a mani! I’m also really loving aurora gels which is essentially a mixture of pigments to actually look like the northern lights! And finally, I don’t know why but a really juicy jelly purple set is calling my name.

🧘🏻‍♀️ A: Amusement

I’m finally going on my honeymoon next month!!! I need to figure out what to do on my nails for it STAT. Anyways, we will be heading to Portugal and Spain and walking a ton so I figured I should invest in some really comfy shoes for the trip. I got these Soloman’s (they’re actually the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn), and Coolway Goal’s. I’ve tested them out and so far, so good!!

I also am newly obsessed with the Uniqlo Mini T-Shirt and picked up a black and white one. The key is to size up one size and then it’s the actually perfect tee shirt. It hits exactly at the waist band of my jeans/pants but not in a cropped baby tee way. And it’s THICK and nice, especially for the price!!

Lastly, I have a few pairs of Quince denim and it just keeps getting better and better. I got these Bella Rigid Straight jeans for my trip too and they seriously feel and look like expensive jeans and they were only $60!! I love.

💖 R: Recommendation

Want to see what a work day in my life looks like? I am talking about a bunch of the things I mentioned in this video, including an in depth review of the Kokoist Bottle’N Go and Tom Bachik Nuedes collections! Check it out here:

💋 Y: You Need This

A few weeks ago I went to the dentist. My hygienist was so nice and chatty and I got to asking her about her favorite teeth related products, especially mouthwash. She told me about new magic product that allegedly all of the dentists are loving because it neutralizes bad breath for 24 hours. I literally ordered it while I was in the chair and I’ve been using it ever since!

I wanted to share because I had never heard of such a thing before and as someone who loves to smell good, it’s been really great 😂 Warning: It’s slightly minty but also tastes kind of odd because it uses zinc ion. It’s worth it though! I got it at target :)

Another scent related item I have to call out: my new Dedcool perfume!! I have tried a bunch of their scents before and I think they’re really unique and I love getting mini ones for traveling. Their new Mineral Milk scent sounded so good to me so I ordered it from the Sephora sale and I’ve been wearing it every day!!! It smells like I’m on a beach vacation with a hint of vanilla and salt. The actual description says it smells fresh, solar, with hints of Nectar, Lavender, Amber Milk. It will be your new fave summer scent I promise!!

Thanks for reading and make sure you’re subscribed for weekly notes from me directly in your inbox! 💋

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Which Nail Products Are Right For Your Specific Nails?

I’ll be going through a bunch of different nail types and scenarios and suggesting some products that might work for your nails! I would highly suggest reading my previous two posts if you haven’t yet as they’ll help you get a better understanding of the products I like to use:

Rubber Base vs. Builder Gel vs. Hard Gel

What is Hard Gel?

Ok let’s get into it!

A quick caveat:

As you’ll see, some products and nail types have some overlapping suggestions. That’s because everyone and every nail is different and not everything will be a perfect fit. And the type of product your nails need can and probably will change over time as your nails get stronger or change lengths or shapes too. I think the most important thing is to understand what each product is good for and then you can pick and choose when you need to use each one. I wish there was a clear answer but hopefully this will be helpful!

Healthy, short nails:

Nail Type: Not very bendy or damaged at all, with a short free edge

Goal: Start growing nails longer, while keeping them strong

Product recommendations:

Soft adhesive base gel or rubber base gel - You could build a small apex with these if you’d like to for the first few manicures until the free edge starts to grow. Or you can also use a thin layer of either base gel as just a base gel to help the builder gel adhere.

Kokoist Mega Stick Base or Kinetics Max Base (use code KARA10 for 10% off all links!)

Semi-hard builder gel - the flexibility and strength will work well with healthy nails to help them grow longer, while still being able to flex a little with a natural feel. The base gel underneath will help extra with adhesion so the gel doesn’t lift and damage the nails at all. Once the free edge starts growing even longer, you can switch to a harder gel if you’d like!

Nail Thoughts Tinted Builder Base Gel (I’m wearing Chai Latte Base here)

Weak, bendy, thin, damaged short nails:

Nail Type: Delicate, thin, damaged, sometimes painful. Possibly damaged from gel removal or peeling or picking

Goal: Start growing nails longer and getting stronger. The nails need a strong product to protect them, but also an adhesive base to help the strong product adhere.

Product recommendations:

Soft adhesive base gel or rubber base gel - applied in a thin even layer to help with adhesion of builder gel.

Kokoist Mega Stick Base or Kinetics Max Base (use code KARA10 for 10% off all links!)

Semi-hard builder gel - You might try one with fibers in it which will help add some strength and durability to the delicate nails. A builder gel with a nice amount of flexibility and also adhesion will be helpful for retention with these nails.

Kinetics Fiber Base Gel or Nail Thoughts Builder Base Gel

OR

Bottled hard gel or medium viscosity potted gel - self leveling hard gel is not as flexible as semi-hard builder, but just as easy to apply! It can be applied with a thin overlay to prevent lifting and keep the natural nail from bending too much underneath it which can help with retention and building strength.

Kinetics Gel In Bottle Hard Gel or Classic Gel Medium

Broken, cracking nails, and/or missing sidewalls:

Nail Type: weak nails that crack or break, and those that struggle to grow without breaking. Missing nail at the growth point and sidewalls

Goal: Reinforce and repair broken parts, rebuild free edge and sidewalls, and add strength with builder gel. Harder gels need a strong free edge to properly adhere and prevent lifting at the free edge.

Product recommendation:

Soft adhesive base gel or rubber base gel - applied in a thin even layer to help with adhesion of builder gel.

Kokoist Mega Stick Base or Kinetics Max Base (use code KARA10 for 10% off all links!)

Fixee gel - a thick gel with nylon fibers in it that can be used for repairing breaks and building short extensions

Kokoist Fixee Gel

Thixotropic hard gel - applied in a border around the free edge and sidewalls to armor and make them stronger

Kinetics Jelly Gel Medium or Strong

Semi-hard or hard gel - applied in a thinner overlay to avoid making the nails bulky. You should do a finish file underneath the free edge to tuck the natural nail underneath the hard gel boarder to prevent lifting

Kinetics Gel In Bottle Hard Gel or Classic Gel Medium or Nail Thoughts Builder Base Gel or Kokoist Platinum Filler Base

Healthy, medium to longer length nails

Nail Type: stronger, not so bendy or weak nails that are able to grow and have a medium to longer free edge. This type of nail is kind of a lucky type, because most products will work well and you can usually get by with whatever you like and prefer to wear.

Goal: Maintain or grow nails, keep them strong so they don’t break

Product recommendation:

Soft adhesive base gel or rubber base gel - applied in a thin even layer to help with adhesion of builder gel.

Kokoist Mega Stick Base or Kinetics Max Base (use code KARA10 for 10% off all links!)

Semi-hard or hard gel - Build an overlay to keep nails strong and supported while growing.

Kinetics Gel In Bottle Hard Gel or Classic Gel Medium or Nail Thoughts Builder Base Gel or Kokoist Platinum Filler Base

Long, durable wear or specific shaped nails

Nail Type: healthier, stronger nails

Goal: Durable, longer lasting manicure that doesn’t change shape/maintains shape

Product recommendations:

Soft adhesive base gel or rubber base gel - applied in a thin even layer to help with adhesion of builder gel.

Kokoist Mega Stick Base or Kinetics Max Base (use code KARA10 for 10% off all links!)

Hard gel - has less flexibility than semi-hard gel and the shape won’t change over the duration of the manicure. It’s especially helpful for square nails to maintain those crispy corners! If you need something extra durable, try an even stronger hard gel. You can also add length by building extensions.

Kinetics Gel In Bottle Hard Gel or Classic Gel Medium or Akzentz Trinity

Cheat Sheet - When to use which product:

Rubber Base/Base Gel:

• Every manicure, every type of nail

• When you’re just starting with gel and want to start growing and gaining strength

• If you have super weak or bitten or brittle, short nails

Soft/Semi-Hard Builder Gel:

• Weaker, bendy nails that need strength & support

• Stronger, healthy nails that want to grow with support

• Shorter, stronger nails

• Shorter extensions

Hard Builder Gel:

• Weaker, bendy nails, especially those that struggle with semi-hard gel retention

• Broken nails and missing sidewalls

• Longer, stronger nails

• Long wear and specific shapes (especially square)

• Durable extensions

Did I forget your nail type?? Let me know and I can make adjustments or give you a suggestion :)

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BYE! 💋

What Is Hard Gel?

Before we get into everything you need to know, have you read my previous post from last week? I think this will really help you understand different types of gel, and this post is going to build off of last week’s!

Now let’s get into What is Hard Gel?

High Level Explanation: Essentially, hard gel is manufactured to have more tightly linked chains of ingredients which make it solvent resistant, more rigid, and non-porous, so it cannot be soaked off with acetone. Generally it has some level of flexibility still but less than soft gel.

I have been using hard gel for a few months personally, and I’m really loving it. It has similarities to soft gel, but also has to be treated differently to be used properly!

How Do You Remove It? Since you cannot soak off this product, you have to file it off to remove it. Since it’s so durable, you’re also able to do rebalances with your manicures. Here’s a video on this process if you want to learn more! A few more things on this:

I’d recommend using an e-file with a carbide bit to remove this product, rather than hand filing because that will take so long and just not be fun. So if you aren’t comfortable using an e-file, I’d recommend taking my e-file class to learn - it’s actually the best tool that really elevated my manicures! Or you can of course use soft gel instead too.

my e-file & bit recommendations

Technically, since you need to put a soft gel base or rubber base gel under hard gel, you can file off the hard gel layers until you reach your clear base and then soak off the product from there. So it’s not like you are stuck with this product on forever! You just aren’t able to soak off the actual hard gel like you would be able to with a soft builder.

Why Would You Use It Over Soft Gel?

Hard gel can be so useful for different issues with the nails but also it can be applied in a thinner overlay than soft gel for anyone who likes a really natural look. Here are some other use cases: free edge armoring, building extensions, repairing broken nails, repairing sidewalls, maintaining shapes (like square), providing support for long or very strong nails.

It sounds counterintuitive, but hard gel can also be a really good option for weak, bendy nails. If nails are really bendy underneath a soft gel overlay, the gel and nails might move enough and lift off. However, if the nails have hard gel on, it will hold them in place and not allow them to bend and flex as much and it might stay on better!

It can take some experimenting to find the right gel for each set of nails, but I really enjoy having options and being able to try different things depending on the state of my nails or client’s nails.

One of my favorite things about hard gel:

This might sound really obvious, but one of the main differences I notice from using hard gel vs. soft semi-hard gel is that the shape that I do on day 1 of my manicure stays maintained and looks essentially the same on day 21 or whenever I redo them. This is because soft semi-hard gel is more flexible, so as your nail grows and changes shape, the manicure shape can change too. But since hard gel is more rigid, it holds the shape in place really well. This is huge especially if you like square or soft square nails!

Types of Hard Gel:

Pot vs. Bottle:

Historically, hard gel was mostly available in pots and was a very thick formula that was not user friendly. Now, I feel like there are so many innovations and ranges of hard gel, it’s so much easier to find a product that works for whatever nails you’re working with.

Hard gels are still widely available in pots but bottled hard gel is becoming more popular. I find bottled hard gel to have a very similar consistency to bottled semi-hard builder gels so if you’re familiar with those, you might really enjoy a bottled option.

Potted hard gels come in a few different types that I’ll touch on in a second, but the benefit of this format is that you can really control the amount that you pick up on your brush, and also it allows you to more easily use the hard gel for other use cases like armoring or repairing, while also having more control over overlays.

Self Leveling vs. Thixotropic Gel:

Hard gel comes in two different consistencies: self leveling and thixotropic. Self leveling means the gel consistency is runny/moveable enough the spread and flow after it’s placed on the nail. It will flood the skin if it’s not cured. Thixotropic means the gel won’t move unless you move it. It’s a thicker, more viscous formula that is mainly used for armoring, repairing, and extensions. This gel will not flood the skin.

The fun thing about these two types of gel is that you can use them together depending on the nail’s needs. I just did a manicure where I armored the free edge with thixotropic gel, and then did the overlay with a self leveling formula. This is such a great way to reinforce the nail and give it extra strength with the thicker gel, and then keep the overlay really thin with the self leveling gel.

With semi-hard gel, you can of course have a nice strong overlay too, but the nail must be built up at least a little bit with structure so that it’s supported. With hard gel, the structure still matters, but you’re just able to use a little bit less product for a very strong nail.

Application Techniques:

All hard gel that I’ve heard of and used requires a base gel underneath it. Unless the brand specifically says a base gel isn’t necessary, it probably is. Especially since hard gel is rigid and not very flexible, a flexible, adhesive base gel underneath will really be crucial for adhesion and retention.

My favorite base gels are the Kokoist Mega Stick Base, Kinetics Max Base or Rubber Base.

A thin overlay is very important for hard gel because it will ensure even curing, and it will allow you to have the proper strong structure without adding unnecessary weight on the nails. If hard gel is applied too thin, it will likely crack or lift, so you still need to build the overlay a little bit.

The sidewalls & cuticle area are very flexible, so it’s especially important to keep the gel thin here so that it doesn’t lift and the grow out is more natural. A good rule of thumb is that thick gel in flexible areas = lifting.

The free edge needs a little bit of thickness to be strong and not lift, but not TOO much (for the same rule as above). I also always do a finish file where I file down a little bit of the natural nail underneath the free edge so the hard gel is the first point of contact with any surface. This will help prevent lifting too.

Here’s an example of a semi-hard builder gel overlay vs. a hard gel overlay. I personally love the look of both, it’s just a little bit different!

One more thing about hard gel application is that sometimes it will require some form of refining, whether it’s surface filing or refining the shape and free edge, some hard gels won’t self level quite as much as you might like so filing it can help get the final look you want.

Some hard gels self level so well, like just as nicely as semi-hard builders so you won’t need to refine if you like the look. But if you do armoring or repairs paired with this type of gel, refining might be necessary. It really just depends!

One thing I actually like about refining hard gel is that you don’t need to spend quite as much time on the application, because you’ll be spending a few extra minutes of filing. So it’s kind of give and take.

Hard Gel Recommendations:

Here are some of my favorite hard gels I’ve tried:

Self Leveling:

Quick note: Kinetics has quickly become one of my favorite new gel brands. They really made me fall in love with hard gel. The quality is amazing, there are so many products that help you achieve whatever nail goals you have, and the colors are amazing. I am going to do a Kinetics 101 post this month too, so make sure you’re subscribed if you want to learn more!

One of my favorite things about Kinetics is that they have the same color range in all of their builder gels. So for example, if you love Milky White you could get it in the Fiber Base and the Potted Hard Gel so you can switch between formulas whenever you need to. Or you could get the Milky White thixotropic gel for armoring and then do your overlay with one of the bottled gels and they would completely match!

You can get Kinetics products either from Nail Mart USA or Kinetics USA and my promo code KARA10 works for 10% off at both stores! Sometimes if something is out of stock on Nail Mart, you can find it on Kinetics, just FYI :)

Kinetics Gel In Bottle:

Self leveling formula in a bottle, smaller brush that makes application and refining really easy. This hard gel is great natural overlays for most nails, from weaker to stronger, short to medium long. They don’t recommend using it for extensions or repairs.

Comes in 6 classic colors, clear, and new shimmer glittery effect shades too. My favorites are Light Sand, Natural Pink, Clear, and Milky Frost.

Shop Gel in Bottle on Nail Mart USA or Kinetics USA

Kinetics Classic Potted Gel:

Self leveling formula in a pot, it’s slightly thicker than the bottled formula and not as runny. This hard gel is great natural overlays for most nails, from weaker to stronger, short to medium long. You can also use this gel for short to medium extensions.

Comes in 6 classic colors, clear, and new shimmer glittery effect shades too. I’ve only tried Classic Rose and it’s a very pretty classic rosy pink shade!

Shop Gel in Bottle on Nail Mart USA or Kinetics USA

Others:

I just got a pot of Akzentz Trinity hard gel which I’ve heard so many great things about! And I ordered a few American Creator Hard Gels that I will hopefully get soon to test out too!

Above: Akzentz SW1 and Kinetics Milky Stone Top Coat

I also have a bottled self leveling collection from Diami via Sweetie Nail Supply! The colors are so beautiful and the formula is so similar to semi-hard gel, I truly didn’t even know I was using hard gel.

You can use my promo code KARA10 for 10% off at Nail Mart USA and Sweetie Nail Supply!

If you have any favorites, let me know what else I need to try!

Thixotropic:

Kinetics Jelly Gel:

Medium: This is a medium consistency thixotropic gel in a pot. This is the gel that you’d want to use for armoring tips, rebuilding side walls, and building extensions. It has a thick consistency and won’t self level or flow like the gels above do.

Comes in 6 classic colors and clear. I have Milky White which is perfect for armoring and reinforcing the free edge because it looks really natural!

Strong: This is an even thicker consistency thixotropic gel in a pot. This can be used for the same things as Medium Jelly Gel, but it’s made for extra long extensions since it’s so strong. I really like using it for repairs specifically!

Comes in 3 colors: light rose, light sand, and extreme white, and also clear!

Shop Jelly Gel on Nail Mart USA or Kinetics USA

What else do you want to know about Hard Gel?

Leave a comment and let me know if you have any questions or if there is anything else you want to learn! I am planning to do an entire class about hard gel so stay tuned for that if you want to learn the ins and outs of how to apply it so it lasts and looks great.

Next week, I will be doing another educational newsletter so make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it!

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Thanks so much for reading! 💋

What is the difference between builder gel, hard gel and rubber base?

One thing I want to call out before we even get into the specifics, is that every brand is going to have their own version or title for these types of products. Honestly, it can get really confusing because brands will call their products whatever is trending or make up something new to make it seem like an innovative product, and that makes it really confusing for consumers to know what to use and how to use it. So it’s really important to understand what the product is that you’re using and how it functions, moreso than what a brand labels it as.

What is Builder Gel?

High Level Explanation: A thicker gel that can be used to build an overlay on top of the nail and give it a thicker structure, which adds strength and can be used to help nails grow longer without breaking.

Builder gel is the umbrella term for any gel that’s used as I stated above. What sets it apart are the characteristics of builder gel like the post cured hardness, the viscosity, how you apply it, if you need to file it, if it can be used for extensions, and so on.

You should be able to get all of this information from the brand that you’re using and if you can’t, in my opinion you shouldn’t be using it. Because 1 - how are you supposed to know how to use the gel or what type of nails the gel works for if they don’t tell you, and 2 - I just think it’s SO important to only work with trustworthy gel brands who will directly communicate with customers for safety and best results.

Just so you know, I only work with and recommend professional gel brands that I fully trust. I’ve either met the owners of the brands, or someone from the team, or I’ve met the owners of the nail supply companies and I feel confident in using them and suggesting them to you all too! Ok now let’s break down the

Types Of Builder Gel:

For this purpose, let’s break these gels into two categories: soft and hard builder gel.

Soft Gel:

High Level Explanation: A porous gel that can be soaked off with acetone. Generally has some level of flexibility.

Other Names: Semi-hard gel, structure gel, builder base, builder in a bottle, rubber gel, rubber base, overlay gel… am I forgetting anything else? 😂 Like I mentioned above, the characteristics of the gel will depend on the formula, how it’s applied, and how it wears on the nail.

Rubber Base:

This is truly just a name that a brand came up with somewhere, but at it’s core, it’s usually a softer, more flexible builder gel that can be used as a base coat underneath less flexible products to increase adhesion. AND you can also build small overlays with it.

Who it’s good for: softer, weaker, damaged nails that need really adhesive flexible products for better retention. It can also be applied in a thinner layer as a base coat for less flexible builder gels. This gel will NOT give the nails very much strength, so if it’s worn alone, it’s better for shorter nails. This will also usually not last as long on the nails because of the flexibility. I’d say you can probably get like 10-14 days of wear on average out of this.

If you are trying to grow your nails and they are damaged or weak, this is actually a great product to start with by doing regular overlay manicures and adding protection to the nails so they can start to grow. After they grow and feel a little stronger, you can switch to a less flexible gel like semi-hard gel or hard gel.

How to remove it: Since this is a soft gel, it can be soaked off with acetone after you file off the top layers. If you want to use an e-file to do that, I’d recommend using a sanding band with a lower grit (my favorite ones linked here). I wouldn’t use a carbide bit because this gel is just really soft and you could damage the nails more easily.

My favorites: Kinetics Max Base and Kokoist Mega Stick Base. I typically apply these underneath less flexible builder gels, but you CAN do a small overlay on short nails.

Semi-Hard Builder Gel:

High Level Explanation: A builder gel that has a thicker viscosity and a higher post cured hardness than rubber base, but can still be soaked off with acetone. This is where most builder gels (despite what each brand calls them) will fall.

Who It’s Good For: In my experience, this product works best on nails that fall somewhere between the weaker to strong range, but not for anyone who has really damaged nails or extremely strong nails.

It’s an amazing product for anyone who wants that classic russian manicure look, who wants to add strength to their nails but still have some flexibility, and grow them longer without breakage. It’s also a great option for anyone who wants to be able to more easily fully remove their gel because it can be soaked off with acetone.

Not all semi-hard builders work for everyone, so this is where it’s important to understand the characteristics of each product to choose the best one for your nails.

Why is flexibility important? It seems counterintuitive to put a flexible product on your nails when you actually don’t want them to bend and break, but a flexible product can actually help prevent breakage. Flexible gel is able to move and bend and flex just a little with your natural nail. So instead of snapping or breaking whenever your nail touches a surface (like typing or something a little harder like accidentally hitting your hand on a counter - I do this a lot lol), the gel has the ability to move WITH your nail so that it can actually stay adhered.

If you’ve ever had a nail enhancement that’s TOO hard, like acrylic or dip, you might have experienced how it can literally rip off your nail in one piece because it essentially has zero flexibility and physically can’t stay attached to your nail when there’s some sort of force.

How to remove it: Since this is a soft gel, it can be soaked off with acetone after you file off the top layers. If you want to use an e-file to do that, I recommend using a carbide bit to quickly file down the overlay before soaking. You can also do rebalances with these types of gels. Here’s a video that explains that process!

Here are some of my favorites:

*If you have weaker nails, or if the brand recommends, you can/might want to put a layer of base or rubber base on underneath these gels. I usually do this regardless of the product, because I don’t want my gel to lift.

Kinetics Fiber Base Gel: This is a builder gel that has tiny nylon fibers inside the formula that add extra strength and durability to the nails. It’s made for thin, delicate nails because the fibers in the formula add a really nice layer of protection and they can feel really supported. I also love this gel as someone who has longer, stronger nails personally. The fibers gave my nails a nice amount of strength, and I would say it has a similar flexibility to Nail Thoughts (below).

Other things to note: this product should be worn with a base gel underneath, it should not be used for extensions, and it can be used on weaker to medium strong, short to medium-long nails. If you need something stronger, I would recommend any of the gels below!

Nail Thoughts 3-in-1 Builder Base Gels: These are great for people who have a little bit of strength already, and if your nails are on the weaker side, I’d highly recommend doing a thin layer of Mega Stick Base underneath so this doesn’t lift.

This gel has a little flexibility so it’s great for helping flexible nails get stronger, while also providing support and strength so they can go without breaking. It’s also great for stronger nails because the post-cured hardness is higher and it can adhere well and feels really supportive.

I like this think of Nail Thoughts as a product that can generally work well for most people as long as your nails aren’t extremely damaged or rigid.

Other things to note: it can be used on short to medium-long nails, and you can build short extensions with it.

Kokoist Platinum Filler Base: This is a 2-in-1 base and builder gel, if you need additional adhesion, I’d recommend putting Mega Stick Base on underneath. I would not recommend this gel if you have very weak, bendy, damaged nails.

This builder gel has a higher post cured hardness than Nail Thoughts and I LOVE it for when my nails are longer because it feels so strong and supportive. It still has some flexibility, but it is noticeably more rigid than Nail Thoughts too.

Because of this, I think this specific builder gel is better for people who like to wear their nails medium-long to long, and who just want additional strength and less flexibility.

Other things to note: it can be used on short to long nails, and you can build short extensions with it.

Hard Gel:

High Level Explanation: A non-porous gel that can not be soaked off with acetone. Generally has some level of flexibility still but is more rigid than soft gel.

Hard gel seems to be sweeping the nation right now! I don’t know about you but I’m seeing it all over social media and I’ve heard a bunch of nail techs say they are either jumping on the hard gel train or they’re reaching for it more and more.

I have been using hard gel for a few months personally, and I’m really loving it. It has similarities to soft gel, but also has to be treated differently to be used properly!

I think this deserves it’s own dedicated post, so I will be putting that out next week, with way more information on what it is, how to use it, etc. If you have any specific questions, please leave a comment. And make sure you’re subscribed too so you don’t miss it!

See you next week! 💋

SUMMARY stands for:

Something New

Useful Tip

Manicure Of the Month

Mood Board

Amusement

Recommendation

You Need This

Get it?! Ok let’s go!

🔆 S: Something New

This futuristic lamp from DGEL!! I’ve been using it all month and I’m honestly obsessed. The design is really sleek and elevated, but my favorite part about it is the little thumb cave at the top. It’s so comfortable and really nice for a quick one finger flash cure! It also has a red light therapy function that I haven’t made time to use but I really want to work it into my routine and see how it changes my skin. This lamp is definitely an investment piece but I’m highly recommending it!!

🛠️ U: Useful Tip Or Product

I feel like I can’t stop talking about hard gel after I went on the Kinetics Educators trip this month. Read my post about my trip to NYC if you missed it here!

When I was there I got to try out their entire product line and one in particular that I really liked was the Jelly Gel Medium in milky white. This is a thicker consistency hard gel that you can use for overlays, building extensions, and also armoring nail tips which is what I did in the photo above! Basically it’s a way to reinforce the free edge to keep it strong, and also guide the shape of the hard gel overlay which I did with the clear Gel In Bottle. I need to do more content on hard gel in general. Let me know in the comments if you have any specific questions or content requests too!

💅 M: Manicure Of The Month

This jewel toned magnet gel manicure I did on my friend is going viral on my socials because of her hard gel journey and also these colors are just soooooo cute!! I’ve had this collection of polishes for a while but I hadn’t had a chance to use them yet and now I can’t wait to use them again! Watch the tutorial here if you want to see how I did these!

Jel and Gel Star 2 Collection

Hard Builder Gel

🔮 M: Mood Board

I’m ready to go ALL IN on florals and jellies this month!

🧘🏻‍♀️ A: Amusement

I have gotten so into scents in the past year and mixing and matching things that go well together too. One of my favorite brands I’ve discovered is CYKLAR which has a bunch of different body and hydration products and they’re on sale right now as a part of Amazon’s Spring Sale!!

For the winter/colder months, I really love using the Sacred Santal (vanilla/warm/woody santal scent) and the Vanilla Verve (spicy, woody vanilla scent) and then in the warmer months I like to use the Naked Neroli scent. This smells like summer in a bottle to me - I even wore it for my wedding!! It’s got notes of jasmine, citrus and musk so it’s not too sweet and it just smells so lovely!

One of my favorite combos is the Naked Neroli body cream (I need to get the hand cream in this scent soon!) and the Kokoist Jasmine Nail Oil, the scents just go together perfectly and it’s soo hydrating.

I love all CYKLAR products but their body wash is this really unique oil to gel texture that’s very hydrating, the scent actually lasts on the skin and it’s so nice for shaving too!

These are 15% off on Amazon ending today!! PS - here is my amazon storefront if you want to browse any other products during the sale!

💖 R: Recommendation

Is this a safe place for some shameless self promo?? 😇 I’m back on my long form video game and I’d love if you checked out my YouTube channel! I’ll be posting longer tutorials, educational content, and more day in my life type of style videos over there every Friday! If you have any requests, let me know! Here’s my latest video:

💋 Y: You Need This

Urea!!! I’ve been using this Prequel Urea moisturizing milk allll month since I got it and it’s heavenly. It’s quickly become my favorite lotion. I love that it’s unscented so I can mix it with whatever scent I want to wear, it’s light, it’s so hydrating and not greasy. And the Urea in the lotion gently exfoliates dry skin so that the hydrating ingredients can work even harder and better. I also am lovinggg the Cyklar Urea hand cream too and this new Rose Bud scent is so divine!

Thanks for reading and make sure you’re subscribed for weekly notes from me directly in your inbox! 💋

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I love having one place to point you guys to for all of my favorite things, and I hope you find the spreadsheet to be super helpful but I also wanted to call out some of my favorite things in this post too!

If you ever need to reference these items again, I put everything in this spreadsheet that you can always find in the bios of my social media or on my website too.

Desk Tour:

I’m back on my long form video grind! I’ll be posting a few new videos every month so make sure you’re subscribed :) In this video I’m taking you on a tour of my desk, showing you how I organize my tools and polishes, and sharing some new products too!

My Desk

My Lamps

My NEW Shadowless Lamp

Polish Organizers

Education:

This is obviously the most important part of doing your nails! And if you didn’t know, I have a few different long form tutorial classes on my website that break down my entire process step by step in real time so that you aren’t left with any questions! This is content that you won’t find anywhere else. The classes are perfect for any one who is interested in doing their own nails or client’s nails. Each link below has a ton of information on what the videos contain, so make sure to click through to learn more or leave a comment if you have questions!

Basic Gel Manicure Course

Advanced Gel Manicure Course

View All Courses!

As a newsletter subscriber, if you haven’t gotten a course yet, you can use code LOVELETTER10 for 10% off your first one!

Nail Prep Tools (manual, no e-file):

Nail Files (I always use 180/240 for both shaping and surface prep!)

Buffers

Orange Wood Sticks

Cuticle Pusher

Cuticle Nipper

Lint Free Wipes (these are essential because cotton balls leave too much fuzz!)

Nylon Brush

90% Isopropyl Alcohol (I never recommend using acetone during gel manicures (unless you’re soaking off your gels) because it can actually cause adhesion issues since it’s a solvent. Isopropyl alcohol will dehydrate and cleanse perfectly instead!)

E-File Nail Prep Tools:

Amazon E-File

Professional E-File (the one I always use now!)

Carbide Barrel Bit (for rebalancing)

Diamond Cuticle Flame Bit

Large Polishing Diamond Ball Bit (for exfoliating skin after the manicure)

Amazon Dust Collector (I used to think these were optional but they are actually really important at capturing all of the dust from gel removal! It can be very harmful to breathe in all of the dust particles. I also wear a mask and glasses whenever I remove my gel now too.)

Professional Dust Collector (more powerful and better for more frequent use)

Implement Disinfection Solution (this gets your tools disinfected AND doesn’t rust them!)

Gel Lamps:

These lamps work well with the gel I like to use and recommend! Of course other lamps will work, but I always recommend making sure that your lamp has a wavelength of 365-405 nanometers to cure the gel below properly. It’s also important to replace your lamp often. The timing totally depends on the quality and usage. I recommend looking for are signs of uncured gel (like denting, wrinkling, shrinking), or repeated lifting, that hasn’t happened often in the past. Or if there is a general decline in the quality of your manicures, it’s probably a good idea to upgrade!

Kokoist Le Blanc Lamp (I use this lamp pretty much every time I do my nails and I LOVE it! This lamp is an investment, but it is amazing quality and will likely last longer (aka years longer) than the other options.

Kokoist Hybrid Infinity Lamp (another great option from Kokoist! This one is not cordless like the above)

Amazon Lamp (similar specs to the above lamp but with lower quality LEDs that will not be as strong for as long as a professional lamp. I recommend replacing this after 6 months if you’re a nail professional, or after 1 year if you do your own nails)

Base Gel:

Wear these alone for simple soft gel manicures or underneath builder gels to help with longevity and adhesion.

Kokoist Megastick Base (the best for ensuring adhesion!!!)

Kinetics Max Base (super adhesive and will help gel adhere to even the most difficult nails - I’ve been loving this one recently!)

Soft Builder Gel:

Soft gel can be soaked off with acetone!

Kokoist Platinum Filler Base (Clear builder and base gel in one. HEMA Free, Formulated with antibacterial ingredients to help your nails stay healthy while doing fills)

Nail Thoughts Tinted Builder Base Gels (3-in-1 base gel, builder gel & color gel! Also comes in clear. There are sooo many colors. Check out the Kokoist tab on the spreadsheet for my favorites + links to photos!)

Hard Builder Gel:

Can’t be soaked off, they must be filed. These products are less flexible than soft gel!

Kinetics Gel In Bottle (This is a hard gel in a bottle and self levels really easily. It can be used to build short extensions)

Kinetics Classic Gel Medium (Potted hard gel, self levels slowly. Might require some surface filing. Pair with base underneath (like Kinetics Max Base or Kokoist Mega Stick Base. You can builder shorter to medium extensions with this.)

Color Gel:

Kokoist & Nail Thoughts Favorites (broken out by color!)

Sweetie Nail Supply Favorites (broken out by color!)

Top Gel:

Kokoist Ultra Glossy Non Wipe Top Coat (the BEST of the best. Thicker but self levels. Perfect for encapsulating art and designs)

Kinetics Max Top (slightly thicker viscosity for encapsulating thinner work, can be applied in 2 layers if needed!)

Brushes:

Nail Thoughts Brush Set (comes with an application brush, a liner brush and a smaller art brush. My most used brushes for pretty much every situation!)

Kokoist Brush Cleaning Gel (Don’t use acetone or alcohol on these, you’ll ruin them!! USE THIS INSTEAD!)

Hydration:

Kokoist and Nail Thoughts Nail Oil (it’s sooo thick and smells incredible. By far my favorite cuticle oil I’ve tried)

Prequel Urea Moisturizing Milk (my current favorite! Urea is like a super ingredient for skin, it both exfoliates dead skin and helps lock in moisture for softer hydrated skin!)

EOS Hand Cream (my other favorite - sooo hydrating and not greasy. Comes in several scents and also unscented)

Popular Blog Posts:

Kokoist Master Blog Post (so many photos & a breakdown of their products!)

Gel Allergies 101 (what they are & how to prevent them)

What is Builder Gel?

My Exact Manicure Routine Explained

Make sure to check out my Master List Spreadsheet for even more of my favorites + my website and blog for even more info!!! If you have any specific questions, be sure to leave a comment :)

Ok bye!!

💋

The trip was super fun and also just so informative. There were 10 other nail experts there sharing tons of tips and tricks and it was so inspiring to me! I learned a bunch of random tips that I’m excited to implement into my practice and I thought it would be fun to do a round up of tips I learned and things I bought based on what we focused on and what others shared with me. Let’s get into it!

Nail Prep + Cuticle Prep Tips:

We learned about two different techniques for e-file cuticle prep for both dry and moist cuticles.

For really dry cuticles, our teacher showed us how she will dip a ball bit or cylinder bit into a tiny tiny amount of water before exfoliating the skin around the cuticle area. The water helps prevent the skin from feeling “hot” from the friction and she runs the bit around 15k rpm. I haven’t tried this yet but I’m very interested to test it soon.

For oily or moist cuticle, especially any skin that sticks up unto the nail, they told us to use baby powder or corn starch before using a flame bit on the skin. The powder is a drying agent and it will soak up any oils or moisture which makes the skin and cuticle drier and therefore easier to process and safer too! I tried this the other day and I’m definitely going to keep it on hand for whenever I’m dealing with oily cuticles from now on.

I also borrowed the Erica’s Russian Flame Bit in fine from my friend Katie one of the days and I LOVED the shape! I immediately ordered this and I’m excited to use it. I also ordered some cuticle scissors because a bunch of the girls used these instead of nippers and I was curious :)

Nail Products & Skincare:

At this training, we learned about when to use all of the different Kinetics’ products and how to properly apply them all - ranging from soft gels, color gels, hard gels, top coats, skin care and more (stay tuned to my socials for more tutorials)! Some of my favorite products that I tried were:

PS - Use code KARA10 for 10% off any Kinetics products!

Grapeseed Dry Nail Oil - Hydrating cuticle oil but it’s magically NOT greasy. It’s a dry oil that leaves your nails and skin glowing and soft but without residue, also there’s no scent. I loved!

Gel In Bottle Light Linen - I already lovee this hard gel in a bottle formula and I got to try out more shades in their color range. Light Linen is a very lovely slightly sheer neutral color hard gel.

Jelly Gel Medium in Milky White - Jelly gel is their thicker thixotropic potted hard gel, which doesn’t move very much (not self leveling) and it’s amazing for doing extensions or armoring the free edge. They showed us a bunch of different ways to do transparent or invisible french manicures with this (plus the Light Linen Gel in Bottle too!) which I need on my nails like yesterday. Plus the milky white color is perfect for nail repairs too.

Shield Colors - One thing I was really impressed with is their line of gel colors and the fact that they are formulated and tested to be fully opaque or full coverage in two THIN coats, which keeps the nail structure really thin.

They told us that even if the color could technically be full coverage in one layer if you apply it a little thicker in some areas, it’s actually better to do two thin layers because of maintaining the structure of the nail, that way it will be smooth and balanced and not lopsided.

This sounds really simple and obvious but for some reason I never thought of color application like this and it really clicked for me! I used their classed red shade Victory and also this deep red called Curious like this and it looks so perfect to me! I loved it. I also have various hard gels and the tinted top coat on my nails too :)

Tinted Top Coat in Stone - I have used this before but I was reaching for it a bunch at the training because 1) it’s a beautiful soft jelly milky color that just looks great! and 2) it fills in gaps and sparse areas and makes the nails look extra perfect and it’s so easy to use!!

We also just talked about other brands and products we love to use in general and these kept coming up:

Akzentz Hard Gel - This is what a lot of the girls use with their clients in addition to Kinetics. Their Trinity hard gel is 3-in-1: base + hard gel, color and top coat so you can literally apply it and wear it alone on the nails if you want! I had to order some to try.

Sirooni Nail Files & Buffers - I really liked these, they were comfortable to use and good quality! I’ll definitely be buying them once I run low.

Skincare - Kinetics has a very impressive and extensive skincare line including spa products for feet & hands, different cuticle oils, everyday moisturizers and richer moisturizers. AND they have a dedicated in house chemist whose job is to literally develop skincare products! We learned all about the different ingredients in their line and what each one does. It was really enlightening!! The main one that stuck out to me thought is Urea.

Urea is like a super ingredient for skin, and it can both hydrate and exfoliate depending on the percentage amount present in the formula. From my understanding, Urea can gently turn over dead skin cells which helps actually keep the skin hydrated and looking smooth. It also helps other moisturizing ingredients penetrate the skin AND then acts as barrier by locking in the hydration so skin feels softer for longer.

Kinetics Rich Cream has Urea in it. I also picked up this Prequel Urea Advanced Relief 10% Urea Moisturizing Milk (which I am obsessed with already!) and I just got this new Cyklar Urea Hand Cream that smells incredible and it’s sooo hydrating. I think this is my new favorite ingredient :)

Content Creation:

Pretty much everyone there also makes content for social media and it was so fun to trade content secrets. I took away 3 main things:

Baby Wipes and Micellar Water - instead of hydrating the nails with oil and lotion before taking photos or the final video, they suggested using baby wipes to wipe the nails and skin around the nails, and then rehydrate with micellar water which also starts the rehydrating process. And then of course after photos, use your Urea lotion :)

Shadowless Lamp - I’m always looking for better lighting for my videos and the founder of Nail Mart USA told me I had to try this type of lamp that claims to prevent shadows. I also like how it clamps onto the desk which is nice because it leaves more space on the actual desk!

That’s pretty much all I can remember aside from all of the Kinetics based info I learned which I’m so excited to start sharing on my channels soon too! If you have any questions or requests - let me know!!

I hope you enjoyed these random tidbits :)

Talk soon!

💋

SUMMARY stands for:

Something New

Useful Tip

Manicure Of the Month

Mood Board

Amusement

Recommendation

You Need This

Get it?! Ok let’s go!

🔆 S: Something New

Nail Thoughts Celebration Collection! This collection is literally a party in polish form to celebrate the 100th color gel in the Nail Thoughts line. There are 12 new color gels - 7 glitters and 5 opaques. I challenged myself to use all 12 in one manicure and I just think these are so much fun together! See my swatches here:

The glitters are perfect for layering and the opaques are so rich and easy to apply. I think my top 3 colors are Matsuri (pinky sparkly one), Dancing Shoes (tennis ball green sparkly one) and Candy Coated (the key lime pie green opaque one), but really they’re all sooo fun it’s hard to choose!

These colors are on sale now and you can save 10% with my code KARA10! Also - if you get the entire collection, you get 12 colors for the price of 10 (plus you can use my discount on top of it), a rainbow Nail Thoughts hair clip (it’s sooo cute!), and also the Nail Thoughts polish organizer drawer set!! I’m actually shocked at this deal, I love the drawers soo much for storing my polishes and they also stack!

🛠️ U: Useful Tip Or Product

Kokoist Fixee Gel!!! Toward the end of my manicure’s life, I noticed that my hair was getting stuck in one of the nails… I’m sure some of you know what I mean - it’s the worst. It’s also a sign that either the nail is broken or the gel is lifting.

So when I removed most of the gel this week on my ring finger, I noticed a small chunk of my nail near my stress area was broken and just not there. I’m guessing it happened because either my builder gel wasn’t brought all the way out to my sidewalls or/and I just had my nails on for so long that my overlay wasn’t strong enough for the new length.

Enter: fixee gel! Here’s a tutorial for how I fixed the nail, and the gel is a natural looking color so it blends in with my nail so well and you can hardly tell it’s there!

💅 M: Manicure Of The Month

I just got this new collection of magnet gels from Rozyhips called Rose & Rozy via Sweetie Nail Supply! It’s 15 jelly clear magnet gels and each one either has a pearly, champagne gold or pinky magnetic sheen!

My friend came over for a manicure the other day and picked this gorgeous glowy pinky golden one and I’m so obsessed with the final nails!! She has had a bunch of lifting issues in the past, so I made a video tutorial about what we did to hopefully make the manicure last better this time! And here’s a link to all of the products we used on her too.

ALSO - There’s a tutorial for how I have been doing magnet gel recently so it doesn’t look streaky and looks extra glowy! Be sure to check it out below.

🔮 M: Mood Board

A mix of late winter & early spring colors, with a hint of sparkle! I’m dying to try those sequins flowers soon!

🧘🏻‍♀️ A: Amusement

This month really flew by and I feel like all I did was work and watch the Olympics 😂 every Olympic season I find myself hyper fixating on a sport and getting super invested and this winter it was Cross Country Skiing and also Ice Dancing. If you’re missing the olympics, I recommend watching Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing on Netflix. It’s a documentary about Ice Dancing that was so interesting and added so much context to the competition and rivalry between the teams! I also highly recommend rewatching the XC skiing races on peacock if you have time ;)

💖 R: Recommendation

I’ve been trying to revamp my wardrobe so I actually have things I want to wear 😬 and my current focus is jeans! I’ve found a few pairs that I tried and really liked:

Left to right:

QUINCE - Bella Wide Leg - so stretchy and high quality for the price

Uniqlo/JW Anderson Collab - Baggy Jeans - free alterations and I love this wash!

Gap factory - High Rise Wide Leg Pull On Jeans - these are so comfy and I love the stripe for spring!

💋 Y: You Need This

Little stars & heart sequins!! I have always wanted little tiny micro stars and hearts for easy nail art, and I finally found some on Amazon! I ordered 3 different types and they’re all sooo tiny and cute! I can’t wait to wear them!

🎥 Tutorial: Magnet Gel Hack!

Here is a tutorial for how I’ve been doing magnet gel recently so it’s not streaky and it looks extra bright and glowy!

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As much as I love a maximalist manicure, sometimes I crave a simple, sheer perfectly manicured look and I love it even more! There are many names to this type of manicure, but I like to call them soap nails, because they look like shiny little soap bubbles on your nails. It’s really just a new trendy name for sheer, super shiny, neutral nails, and they are sooo gorgeous.

What Makes Soap Nails Look SO Good?

This look is really made by perfecting two things: nail prep & builder gel application. The nail prep needs to be thorough and flawless so that the builder gel can be applied with no obstacles, and it also needs to be balanced and not bulky to keep the nails looking natural. This is truly one of my favorite looks because although it’s simple, it’s a beautiful display of nail care and precision with products and tools!

Become Certified In This Type Of Manicure:

LEARN MORE!

I’m teaching three classes this month: my NEW Nail Thoughts + Erica’a ATA E-Filing Certification, Kokoist Double Certification and Nail Thoughts Certification! These are ONLINE classes! There are many other amazing Kokoist educators who only teach in person classes, so this is a unique opportunity to take these classes no matter where you live, in the comfort of your own home or studio or office or wherever, on your own time!

Quick facts on each class:

Kokoist Online Double Certification Class:

You can get two certifications in one class: Kokoist Premier Level & Kokoist Excel Level!! Which means you will be a certified expert in all Kokoist products & the processes to use everything! Two lessons that I’m particularly excited about are doing overlays with Mega Stick Base and performing free form extensions that can either add length/strength or fix broken nails!!

Nail Thoughts + Erica’s ATA Online Certification Class:

Become a certified expert with two in demand brands in one class. Learn the advantages of using an e-file, gain confidence in performing rebalances, nail prep and cuticle work with high quality bits. Plus you will learn how to properly perform overlay manicures using builder gel while understanding how to combat lifting and choose products to fit the needs of your client’s nails. You can also take this class without the e-file portion in my Nail Thoughts Online Certification Class.

When Is Class Happening?

Enrollment is open now until 2/22, and class starts on 2/23 until 3/9. I recommend signing up ASAP so you have time to order and receive your class products before class starts.

Want to learn more? Read this blog post which features more information on each class plus frequently asked questions!

How To Get The Perfect Soap Nails:

1. Pick a sheer, neutral color. My favorite product to use for this is a tinted builder gel base (like Nail Thoughts!) because you don’t need to do a bunch of different layers, you can just apply the gel with an overlay and do a top coat and be done! These also have a really unique, jelly-like, sheer, but also not too sheer finish.

   Here some of my favorite polishes that I think would work perfectly for this look:

   

   Nail Thoughts Rose Water Base (what I used above!)

   Nail Thoughts Honey Tea Base (essentially what Rose Water is, but syrupy brown/tan)

   Nail Thoughts Plumeria Syrup Base (a sheer milky white)

   Nail Thoughts Dahlia Syrup Base (a sheer peachy syrup)

   Nail Thoughts Hydrangea Syrup Base (not too pink, not too brown. A perfect syrupy neutral)

   Nail Thoughts Taro Milk Tea Base (a milky lavender sheer. a fun fresh take on this look!!)

2. Prep your nails really thoroughly & remove cuticle and hangnails. A really thorough manicure will help this look extra “clean”! And it also helps for the next step! If you want to master this process, my Nail Thoughts & Erica’s ATA certification is your answer!

3. Tuck in your polish!!! This is a painting technique where you use a liner brush to get the polish super super close to your skin (without touching) so that your manicure looks newer/fresher for longer! Basically you’re ensuring there isn’t a “grown out” look after just a few days. And this is where #2 helps A LOT because if there isn’t any cuticle and/or hangnails, it’s so much easier to get your polish close to your skin and keep everything clean!

   And - This is the liner brush I used!

4. Use a SHINY top coat! You already know my favorite is the Kokoist Ultra Glossy Non Wipe Top Coat! It just keeps your nails sooo shiny and scratch free and really makes your nails look soapy and reflective which is perfect for this mani.

I could do these types of manicures every single time and be happy because they are just so beautiful!!

If you want to become certified in Nail Thoughts and Erica’s ATA and/or Kokoist, make sure to sign up asap! And if you have any questions at all, you can send me an email at karanaileditbusiness@gmail.com or just reply to this email!

I need to redo my nails this week and I am so tempted to do my nails like this now so stay tuned for photos on my ig!!

Hope you have a great week!

💋

Stay tuned til the end of this post where I’m sharing a 30 minute watch me work style video using all new products! If you’ve ever wanted to see how I do my nails with minimal edits and in real time, this video is for you! Plus I’m testing out a new Kinetics base gel and builder gel, and the Nail Thoughts Zodiac flash magnet gels!

My Favorite (And Easiest) V-day Nail Art:

Heart sequins!! I personally just love how these little guys look and this set comes with so many options for fun color combos. My favorite thing about this collection is the middle one, which is a heart shaped frame, but the tiny heart shape in the middle is also included so you get two for one. I used the tiny hearts and larger hearts in my tutorial later in this post and show exactly how to encapsulate them so they lay smooth on your nail.

These are really easy to add to any manicure and I’m really loving them randomly placed and layered on the nails too.

Nail Inspo:

Pinks and reds are some of my favorite colors to wear on my nails so I thought I’d round up the ones I’m loving + some collections that scream v-day to me!

PINKS:

Nail Thoughts Rose Water Base (watch my video using it here)

Valla Pink Soup 07 (watch my video using it here)

Nail Thoughts Spritzer (watch my video using it here)

Kokoist Malibu Pink

REDS:

Rozyhip Red Fever RS03 (watch my video using it here)

Nail Thoughts My Favorite Red

Kokoist Rouge Red

Olive & June ES

COLLECTIONS:

Rozyhip Red Fever (red syrups!!!)

Yogurt Nail Heart Ping (the magnetic particles are pink and gold! watch my video using it here)

DVOK Chilling (champagne gold magnet gels)

Valla Pink Soup (gorgeous pink syrups)

Valla Yeonglong (clear pinky magnet gels! watch my swatch video here)

Ps - lots of these videos are on Youtube. Subscribe there too if you aren’t already!

Watch Me Work: Valentine’s Day Nails!

Here’s my 31-minute tutorial for my current valentine’s day nails that I have on right now!! I’m using all new products including showing how I apply a new Kinetics fiber builder gel, using the new Nail Thoughts Zodiac collection magnet gels and showing how I use the magnet to activate them, and then also how I encapsulate the sequins so my nails look totally smooth BUT not bulky. I hope you enjoy!!

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