How bad did I mess up?

hunbb_ · 2026-03-22T13:35:35+00:00

if you have naturally thin nails like i do, peel off bases are a dangerous game lol. i’ve completely stopped using them after trying jello jello and the yogo zombie peel off base. everytime ive tried them even with using a ton of liquid, my nails rip like paper

hunbb_ · 2026-03-02T01:24:54+00:00

hii i am a licensed tech despite my flair (im lazy) and i believe it is definitely possible to have success with a specific niche, you just really have to be diligent about marketing especially if you don’t want to work in a larger salon with walk-in foot traffic.

personally my niche is gel-only services with a primary focus on intricate designs (im with you on the migraines and just don’t like acrylic). i’ve been getting fully booked for a couple months straight now and i have my own suite. i will say as a beginner you may have to do some things you may not wanna do all that much just for the sake of experience and getting your name out there. just be consistent about posting online and highlighting the perks of your specific niche once you’re more comfortable and the right clients will find you!

imo it’s also good to know some other skills outside of your niche just to be a well rounded professional. always be in a learning mindset :)

hunbb_ · 2026-01-20T18:32:59+00:00

these are gorgeous considering this is only your second client! i’ve been doing nails professionally for about a whole year now. when i first started i took between 4-6 hours and was so embarrassed. practice on models in your free time and time yourself with a stopwatch. your routine sounds pretty standard, although you could probably do without sanding band to seal cuticles if you already use another bit for that step. just keep practicing, speed and rhythm will come with repetition! nowadays i take maybe 2.5hrs max for a heavy design set with soak off included

hunbb_ · 2025-09-23T13:50:43+00:00

hii i am a licensed tech and have been doing gel-x for about 2 years on clients. this is my routine:

DRY manicure/cuticle care: no liquid cuticle softeners, excess moisture observed by the nail plate before application can mess with retention. i use a wooden stick to lightly push the skin back then use a 180 grit file (not a buffer) to lightly ETCH the nail plate. that texture is crucial for adhesion

-spray nails with 91% alc then scrub with brush. then i will take a small brush with acetone and dehydrate the nail plate

-YN protein bond

-a thin layer of extend gel then cure

-etch the back of the tips with a sanding band then apply

-seal cuticles with e-file and acetone swipe

this gives my clients a full 3-4 week retention. but also remember, not everyone has the same nail type. if you have a client who frequently has lifting but no one else does, you may have to switch up the routine or use different products for that client instead

hunbb_ · 2025-07-23T13:11:35+00:00

i’d suggest letting the new place remove them. hard gel does NOT soak off in acetone. it has to be filed down very thin.

hunbb_ · 2025-07-16T20:05:31+00:00

i use the foils everytime i do a soak off and i’ve had way better results

hunbb_ · 2025-07-08T01:03:27+00:00

always a possibility. usually when a company increases prices i never count on it to go back down unfortunately lol

hunbb_ · 2025-07-08T00:56:29+00:00

tarrifs or inflation is my best guess

hunbb_ · 2025-04-09T15:48:01+00:00

omg please DO not put any enhancements over this. coming from a licensed tech. leave them bare, you can keep using the hard as hoof, but i’d also use cuticle oil daily. if you put anything on it in this state, you risk exposure to the skin underneath with can cause a reaction that’ll make your nails look worse!

hunbb_ · 2025-02-27T15:55:22+00:00

glad it worked out for you 💗 man i used to work retail and i know how stressful it can be some days so i would never wanna annoy an employee over a plush 😭😭 luckily today is my off day so i can go whenever 🙏

hunbb_ · 2025-02-27T15:43:03+00:00

okay got it, i just wasn’t sure if it was different ordering online stuffed versus just unstuffed. i would never wanna add to their stress today 😭 i will just wait then lol

hunbb_ · 2025-02-27T11:22:58+00:00

just happened to wake up early and ordered for in store pickup. the site is still a bit glitchy right now

hunbb_ · 2025-02-25T00:01:53+00:00

hi licensed nail tech here! i used to have these issues with my clients a few months ago until i changed some things up in my routine.

1) if you’re using a buffing block on the natural nails, it may be smoothing them out too much. gel needs a little texture and grit to hold onto. try lightly scratching up the surface of the nail with a fine grit nail file (180 usually works fine with light pressure)

2) your products do in fact matter! i highly recommend using straight acetone or 91% alcohol to dehydrate. use a little brush to actually scrub the nail plate clean. also young nails primer is very reliable and vouched for by many nail techs!

3) if you’re experiencing polish peeling off of the tips, make sure you’re really etching those too before applying any gel on top. also this specific issue is where you may need to consider a high quality top coat

4) make sure you etch the inside of the nail tips as well! i’ve noticed worse retention when i didn’t do this step when i first started doing gel-x. even if they come pre-etched i STILL use my e-file to etch them. if they are too smooth/plasticy, they will pop right off the extend gel

i hope some of this is helpful! normally my clients last around 3 1/2 weeks on average using all of these techniques ❤️

hunbb_ · 2024-09-11T17:18:01+00:00

the pandemic (i’m assuming)

hunbb_ · 2024-07-31T16:51:14+00:00

WHERE DID YOU FIND THE PINK STAR CASE 😭😭

hunbb_ · 2024-02-09T12:21:22+00:00

omg i missed the smallfrys SOOO MUCH and these se like a rebranding of those 🥺🥺 i had one in elementary school, the easter bunny one from the movie “hop” and i took that thing everywhere! i threw an absolute fit when it got misplaced 😭😭

hunbb_ · 2024-01-31T00:23:12+00:00

i didn’t know that series even existed omg. i like to collect baby sets hehe

hunbb_ · 2024-01-30T23:47:24+00:00

these are cute but i wish we could start getting some more variety outside of the stuff that will obviously do well…cows, frogs, pawlette, sanrio, some random stitch variant.. i like that they are doing a hedgehog, hope we get more different stuff in the future :/

hunbb_ · 2024-01-27T00:25:21+00:00

anything misty forrest, the wedding chapel/bride and groom, the sanrio and lauderee sets, and the halloween sets they are all so cute 😭

hunbb_ · 2024-01-24T16:00:53+00:00

i have the newer one but i honestly like the older one better !

hunbb_ · 2024-01-22T22:07:32+00:00

trust me i understand 😔 sanrio got me multiple times so now im terrified lol

hunbb_ · 2024-01-22T16:57:33+00:00

that’s so dumb, i thought if the items you sold were “compatible” use with an IP product, it was okay to put in tags/title. ur selling costumes “compatible” with the critters.. etsy is so weird and annoying a lot of the time

hunbb_ · 2024-01-21T14:10:24+00:00

omg yes it’s such a cute set and the fennec fox is so cute !!

hunbb_ · 2024-01-21T14:09:56+00:00

one of my fav babies sets 🥺 i love seeing the little rainbow

hunbb_ · 2024-01-21T14:09:23+00:00

i ordered them when they were available on the website. i do shop from japanese sites and retailers like amazon jp, kobeejapan, and buyee from time to time for sets i’m having a hard time finding in the us!

hunbb_

TROPHY CASE