Air bubbles under the styling - how to improve adhesion?
The styling keeps lifting despite correct preparation? See how to improve adhesion step by step and what to do with a problematic nail plate.
Used correctly, the Excellent PRO System gives the styling very high adhesion. Even so, there are individual clients on whom air bubbles keep appearing despite a correct application.
What should you do in such a situation? Before you change products, work step by step - from the smallest to the largest interference with the standard system.
Before you start - physical preparation of the nail plate matters most
No chemical product will replace a properly done manicure.
Before you apply the system, make sure that:
- the nail folds are properly worked on and pushed back,
- the pterygium on the nail plate has been thoroughly removed,
- the cuticles have been carefully worked on,
- the side walls are cleaned and open,
- the whole surface of the nail plate has been evenly and thoroughly buffed,
- no dust or other contamination is left on the plate.
If the physical preparation of the nail plate is incorrect, even the strongest chemical system will not solve the problem of air bubbles.
Only once you are sure that this stage has been done correctly should you move on to the next steps.
Please note: we also wrote about air bubbles on only one or two nails in the article The most common problems in nail styling - practical tips from one stylist to another.
Step 1. Check how fast you work
First of all, make sure that you are applying the basic Excellent PRO System correctly.
As little time as possible should pass between dehydrating the nail plate and curing Multifunction Grafen Base. Applying the whole system on 10 nails should not take more than about 3 minutes.
The simplest test? Start a stopwatch and check how fast you really work.
Work in a relay - nail after nail, without unnecessary breaks between the individual stages.
Step 2. Split the work into smaller batches
If you work fast and the problem still occurs, the cause may be a nail plate that regains moisture very quickly. This matters especially with clients who have sweaty hands.
In such a case apply the full system:
Dehydrator → Bonder → Multifunction Grafen Base → Excellent PRO lamp (60 s)
on:
- one hand,
- two nails at a time,
- and in the most demanding cases - nail after nail.
The point is to shorten the time between dehydration and the curing of Multifunction Grafen Base as much as possible.
The sooner the dehydrated nail plate is joined with the base and goes into the lamp, the better.
Step 3. Use an acid primer
If the method above still does not solve the problem, you can extend the system with an acid primer.
Do not use it instead of Bonder! The acid primer is an additional stage:
Dehydrator → acid primer → Bonder → Multifunction Grafen Base
How to work with it?
- Apply a small amount of acid primer as a dot on the nail plate.
- Let it spread across the surface.
- Wait until it has completely evaporated - the plate should become matte again.
- Apply Bonder.
- Then paint the plate with Multifunction Grafen Base and cure it as recommended.
An acid primer containing methacrylic acid additionally dehydrates the surface of the nail plate strongly and modifies its surface structure. It increases its microporosity and the contact area, so the product can bond with the plate more strongly.
Important: the acid primer should not come into contact with the skin. We use it sparingly and only on the nail plate.
A solution based on Ultra Base with Acid
If the earlier methods still do not bring the expected result, we can reach for Ultra Base with Acid Excellent PRO. Ultra Base with Acid is not part of the basic Excellent PRO System, which is why we change the way the nail plate is prepared.
It is a base with added acrylic acid, intended for “problematic” cases, for example:
- a very hard nail plate,
- bitten nails,
- clients who use their hands intensively,
- cases in which the standard methods of improving adhesion bring no result.
How to apply Ultra Base with Acid?
1. Prepare the nail plate physically and thoroughly.
Work on the cuticles and nail folds, remove the pterygium and buff the surface carefully.
2. Dehydrate the nail plate very thoroughly.
You can wipe it carefully with a cotton pad well soaked in Multifunction Liquid.
If needed, you can additionally use Dehydrator to be sure that the product has also reached the hard to access spots.
3. Apply a small amount of Ultra Base with Acid.
Apply the product as a dot and then, with a separate brush used only for this base, rub a very thin layer thoroughly into the whole surface of the plate.
Work carefully, with pulsating movements - also along the side walls and in the hard to access spots.
4. Cure for 60 seconds.
5. Optionally paint the plate with Multifunction Grafen Base and cure it as recommended.
We treat this solution as the last stage of improving adhesion - we use it when simpler modifications of the basic system have not brought the expected result.
The order of steps in short
If the styling lifts on an individual client, follow this order:
1. Check the physical preparation of the nail plate → 2. Work faster → 3. Work on fewer nails at a time → 4. Add an acid primer → 5. Use the method based on Ultra Base with Acid.
Not sure? Ask us!
If you are not sure whether you prepare the nail plate correctly, apply the Excellent PRO System properly, or whether it is worth moving to the next stage with a particular client - get in touch with us.
You can send us a description of the problem and photos of the styling. We will try to analyse the situation and suggest what is worth changing.
Sometimes a small change in the application technique is enough to solve the problem with air bubbles.
Check the exact curing times of Excellent PRO products, compare the coverage levels of the gels or find your product in the interactive comparison tool.
