Technique: Pink-And-White Application Using ProHesion

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With the amount of unique nail art out now, the classic French manicure is said to be a lost art. But perfecting it can better all your other work as a tech. Follow along as Hand & Nail Harmony demonstrates the traditonal method for applying pink-and-whites using a new generation of liquid and powder.

Prep
Prep: Push back the cuticle with Eco Pusher and file the free edge with a 240/240 grit file. With the 100 side of the 100/180 grit buffer, buff the surface of the nail to remove the shine. Remove dust with a Wipe it Off and cleanse the nails with Nail Surface Cleanse.

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Step 1: Remove the Perfetto nail form from the backing and take the center tab from the form and place it against the sticky side underneath to help stabilize the form. Hold the form between the fore fingers and the thumbs and roll it between them to create a curve. Holding the curve in the form, slide under each side wall and rock it back onto the finger and adhere to the form to the finger. Press the first tabs together and make sure that the C-curve is even, press the back tabs together, and using the thumbnails, press right at the joint between the natural nail and the skin. This helps to create the c curve at the free edge of the natural nail all the way down the barrel of the form.

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Step 2: Dip the brush into the ProHesion Sculpting Monomer and pick up a medium sized bead of ProHesion Vivid White sculpting powder and wait for the orange-skin texture to go creamy. Place the bead at the junction of the natural nail and the form. Distribute the white ball to form the preliminary smile line. This is a combination of pressing and shoving motion. Carve the preliminary smile line; then press again to distribute and firm the product. Carve the smile line again, while concentrating on sharpness and crispness. Barely tap the brush on the side of the dappen dish to pick up a tiny amount of monomer and dip into the ProHesion Vivid White sculpting powder to pick up a dry crusty bead. Apply on the natural nail at the point of the smile line and stroke to blend forward. Carve to perfect. Stroke toward smile line then carve up to extend the smile line to side wall. Repeat on the opposite side.

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Step 3: Pick up a medium sized bead of ProHesion Elegant Pink sculpting powder and place halfway between the cuticle and the smile line; press across to evenly distribute and stroke forward. Pick up a smaller bead of ProHesion Elegant Pink sculpting powder and apply to the cuticle area and press evenly to distribute and stoke forward to blend.

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Step 4: Wait for product to reach the moldable stage and mold the c-curve, starting at the nail body and down to the smile line – rolling and lifting to get a consistent curve down the whole body of the nail. Press the free edge around the Harmony C-Curve Stick to enhance the C-curve, making sure it is consistent all the way down the nail body.

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Step 5: Start with the 150/150 grit file and perimeter shape – free edge, side walls, and lower arch. Switch to the 180/180 grit file and repeat last step. Contour and surface shape using the 180 grit file – file cuticle area to contour and blend into the natural nail and file straight up from the nail groove and around the surface the nail to create arch location Turning the file to face you while looking down the barrel of the nail, rock the file from side to side while filing towards to you to taper and bevel the white. Make sure the C-curve is consistent from side to side.

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Step 6: Wipe the dust off with a dry clean Wipe It Off before switching to the 100 side of 100/180 grit buffer, repeat all filing steps to remove scratches left by the previous files. Turn the buffer over and buff with the 180 grit side and remove the dust again. Using the 220/280 buffer, use the 220 side to buff the surface, repeat then switch to the 280 side and repeat. Wipe the nail with a dry clean Wipe It Off to remove dust.  

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Step 7: Apply Gelish Nourish cuticle oil and remove the excess with a Wipe it Off. Buff with the blue side of the Eco Shiner and turn it over and repeat with the white side to reveal a high shine.

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Step 8: Finished look!

[Courtesy of Hand & Nail Harmony]

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