Redcarpet Manicure - any new tips and observations?

[jordie_tart]

the 'roughing up'of the nail - i too an a little unhappy about this, but I find if I do need to do it one every couple of months , otherwise the RCM tends to start peeling a bit - and I'm a bugger for picking if it starts to peel, so for me it;s the lesser of 2 evils , rough up once every couple of months or end up picking off peeling varnish.

removal.... I use velcro wraps rather than foil (meant for tidying cables ...) to hold the cut up cotton wool pads (soaked in cheapo acetone) and applying heat definately helps - and again I do I hand at at time .

RCM without colour ... just apply the topcoat after curing the base coat , and you can do coats if you want.

for sparkly toes I use some fine crafting glitter on top of the cured base coat then apply top coat (again maybe 2 coats) to seal it in - BUT I have 2 bottles of topcoat and save one for glitter top coats and one for non-glitter, as the glitter does 'travel' and some ends up back in the bottle of top coat !

using normal colour with RCM...
either use ontop - but I find this still chips
or paint it on the cured base coat, then wait till it is completely dry , then apply RCM top coat and cure .... this extends your RCM colour wardrobe.

 

[MinxyKitten]

using normal colour with RCM...
either use ontop - but I find this still chips
or paint it on the cured base coat, then wait till it is completely dry , then apply RCM top coat and cure .... this extends your RCM colour wardrobe.

Ah, this may be where I went wrong! I didn't wait for it to dry. And this is also where I would inevitably end up smudging or chipping it. I am useless at sitting still and doing nothing! I may have to invest in some more RCM colours :-(

 

[Shopscot]

I dont know whether any of you have seen the article in the Mail on Monday. They were talking about the damage you can do by having gel applied to your nails, hardened by a UV light. Might be scaremongering but its worth considering. Apparently the UV light could raise the risk of skin cancer and recommend that the treatment be limited to twice a year.

Yikes! Thanks for this. I was scanning the posts trying to decide whether to buy this set, and spotted this post. I had surgery for melanoma last year, and was well and truly told to keep out the sun. But had not linked to gel nails at all. It seems a bit extreme to link these, but the first question they asked me was about use of sunlamps/sunbeds (no - had never used these). Clearly, it is not 'normal' for skin.

I'll just stick with bare nails, or perfect formula or LD/Nails Inc. I'm really grateful for this post.

 

[MinxyKitten]

I have the portable lamp and it is l.e.d rather than UV.

 

[iloveshopping]

The RMC lamp is led but probably both types of lamps cause some UV damage but I will still carry on. BTW heat deffo works to dissolve the gel. I've been on Tenerife and taking off the gel was no problem when indoors the temperature was around 25C in the evening. I took my lamp in my hand luggage and changed the gel twice.

 

[Bea Frugal]

I just want to say that this stuff really does work and I'm the biggest doubter of just about any claims going. My daughter has this and I did my nails 2 weeks ago and am just about to remove the colour (which still looks fantastic but the regrowth is showing now and I'm desperate to file my nails). I am truly amazed. Normally a manicure lasts me about 4 days tops and I stick to very pale colours. I've enjoyed reading all your tips and think I'll just do the clear next time. I can see that it will make a great base for ordinary polish because it leaves the nail surface so smooth (where have all the annoying ridges gone?) and I'll still have a good clear manicure when I get tired of the colour. It's a winner.

 

[iloveshopping]

Been back from my holiday in Tenerife for 2 weeks now. I took my led lamp with me in my hand luggage and redid my nails the day before coming back. The polish now need removing as has a few chips and regrowth so has lasted a lot better than when I apply it in the UK. I am wondering whether it is because I kept the polishes in the fridge in Tenerife. Another reason could be the temperature when I applied it but even here in the summer it does not last more than 7 days. Any ideas as to what gave me such longevity? BTW taking it off was so much easier as well, so I will use a hot water bottle to keep my hands warm when taking the varnish off.

 

[holmca]

I think the longevity also has to do with colour. The colours always last 2 weeks on me, but last week I decided to just use the clear that I got with the French Manicure. After 3 days one nail peeled. Over the course of the week I had to redo 4 nails, and by day 10 I just took it all off.

In the Winter I tend to use the Taupe colour and this always lasts 2 weeks, so in conclusion I think the colours even if they are pale last longer.

 

[iloveshopping]

I have finally cracked the removal of the polish. After breaking down the top layer with emery board, I wrap the nails in cotton wool soaked acetone and wrap kitchen foil around the cotton wool, put a pair of plastic or latex gloves on and hold a hot water bottle in my hands. After 15 mins the polish has completely lifted off. Best result ever!

 

[holmca]

I have finally cracked the removal of the polish. After breaking down the top layer with emery board, I wrap the nails in cotton wool soaked acetone and wrap kitchen foil around the cotton wool, put a pair of plastic or latex gloves on and hold a hot water bottle in my hands. After 15 mins the polish has completely lifted off. Best result ever!

I suppose that if you put the gloves on you could put both hands into a bowl of hot water - you could even do the washing up! It might be easier than the hot water bottle.

 

[Jabbathehut]

Leighton Denny has launched his lomgelity 2 week manicure I am me also interested in seeing and comparing this to RCM