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Get comfy, because this nail transformation is a wild ride! Watch as we tackle hooked nails, stubborn picking habits, and give pro tips you’ve probably never heard before. Curious how to rescue downward nails or deal with tricky cuticles? Don’t miss the end results! Subscribe to our channel for more real talk and nail magic, and comment below with your favorite moment. #nails #manicure #nailart #beauty #DIY

šŸ‘‰ This channel was created in collaboration with @alenalavrenteva

00:00:01 - Introduction and Client Background
00:00:26 - Assessing Nail Condition
00:01:32 - Challenges With Downward-Growing Nails
00:02:14 - Thumb Issues and Nail Picking
00:04:14 - Injuries, Manicure Limitations, and Solutions
00:05:51 - Removing Calluses and Prepping for Base
00:07:24 - Applying Polygel and Shaping
00:08:47 - Finishing, Results, and Final Thoughts


Transcript
00:00The video will be long, so make yourself comfortable.
00:04I was honestly surprised by your reaction to these nails, they're just pecking.
00:08There were so many comments and oddly even more saves.
00:11And here we have two big fingers, there are stars, because they're really pecking,
00:17and their cuticles and matrix area are also pecked at.
00:20All this leads to inflammation and soreness.
00:23Well, we'll go over all of this separately now.
00:26This is our home cover, and I've already removed all the rhinestones.
00:30The nails weren't done in Kazan, but she's my regular client, she went to Sochi and brought them back to
00:36me.
00:37And here they are.
00:38And so, the first part of the video is dedicated to how you can lift a downward growing nail without
00:44adding extra material.
00:46The whole secret and trick is just to place the file under the nail, like I did at the very
00:52beginning,
00:53and simply start filing.
00:55And just a little at an angle, about 25-30 degrees approximately.
01:00We'll file off the hooked part to make straight parallels.
01:04And all this needs to be done before starting the removal.
01:06Well, of course, unless there are some serious detachments, right?
01:10So, I lifted all of this, then I removed the coloured part, and now I'm using a file.
01:15A 100 and 180 grit to 100 side.
01:19I was removing the unnecessary thickness and started creating a beautiful shape.
01:24We tweaked it from the inside, refined it with a file, and shaped it under the nails.
01:29Notice that the lower parallels are parallel.
01:31And now let's talk about nails that can't be lifted using this method.
01:35Because it's so curved down, that only gel, acrygel, polygel, or whatever you prefer, including acrylic, will help you here.
01:44Of course, I tried here as well, but during the process, I realized that all my efforts were just in
01:49vain.
01:49It's useless.
01:50With those kinds of manipulations, you can't lift anything there.
01:53Because the nail is just like a hawk's beak, curving very strongly downward.
01:57Honestly, I don't know how they filed it like that there, but overall, the coating itself is done pretty well.
02:02Yes, the architecture suffers, but everything, including the rhinestones, stayed on.
02:07Everything's fine, but the technician doesn't know how to lift nails like that.
02:11Maybe she didn't have time, didn't want to, or had other reasons.
02:14And now let's get back to our thumb.
02:16Besides the fact that it's growing who knows where, it's just living its own life.
02:19So to speak, it's going against the system, not following the rules.
02:22It also has a quirk.
02:24This nail is very picked at, she picks at it herself.
02:27It's not any kind of fungus.
02:28Exactly, exactly, absolutely 100%, really, just not at all, not in any way.
02:34She has a strange habit of nervously picking at her cuticle with her index finger.
02:39Now I'm removing and opening the detachments.
02:42These are injuries, constant, systematic injuries, that she inflicts on herself.
02:47So the nail grows all bumpy and wavy because of this, and when you flip it over...
02:52Well, if there's a dent on top, there will naturally be a bump underneath.
02:56And because of all this, the material peels off quite a lot.
03:00So apparently in Sochi, they didn't clean anything up either.
03:03And that's why I had to open everything up, clean it out, remove and pull everything out,
03:07so there wouldn't be any unpleasant consequences.
03:10You can see the grooves very clearly, these transverse ones, across the nail.
03:15And let's also pay attention to the lunula, the moon, see how big and healthy it is.
03:21I'll wipe this off, degrease it for visibility, then show and explain it to her.
03:27Oh no, not now, a little later, I'll show that separately in a moment.
03:30I just got a bit mixed up with the steps.
03:32Now, while we're moving on to another nail, which is about the same shape,
03:37we also carefully do the same thing symmetrically.
03:39Push the cuticle down, remove any hooked parts, if that's even a word.
03:44Basically, we remove them.
03:45This unpleasant part that grows downward, we remove it as much as possible without losing too much length.
03:52Next, we remove it.
03:54We remove all the excess material, also file away anything inside that's in the way,
03:59and clean up all these separations.
04:01This peeking is much deeper than before, likely with the right hand,
04:05because it's more convenient, that's my understanding.
04:08There was also a serious preventive conversation about this, not for the first time,
04:14but she promised, swore and vowed that she wouldn't do it anymore.
04:18In the meantime, we're filing the top, meaning the upper part of the architecture,
04:23shaping it as best as we can.
04:25We can also see some lifting there.
04:28We start opening all of this up again.
04:30Nothing should be left untouched.
04:32Nothing should remain unfiled.
04:35Sorry, I'm getting confused.
04:37It's 2am and I'm recording audio.
04:39Also, we're back to that finger.
04:41Now I'm showing her Lunala, which she has, and right now I'm showing how much it's exposed.
04:46This is the nail bed from her picking at it, and the matrix is very close, so I can't give
04:52her a proper good manicure.
04:54Even though there's all sorts of stuff packed under the cuticle, if I go in there I'll just cause her
04:59another injury,
05:00so my movements and actions will be as superficial as possible.
05:03Now I need to clean up what I can, and it won't be a wow effect.
05:07I always explain to the client that by doing this, they limit my abilities, and they limit their own chances
05:15of getting a good quality manicure.
05:17So I could do better, but right now, to avoid causing harm, I won't go in there.
05:21I'll clean it up as best as I can, shake off the dust, trim a little, and we'll leave it
05:27at that.
05:28By the way, we also won't be putting any coating under the cuticle on the big toes, because I can't
05:33clean it properly there.
05:34There's something strange left there, kind of like calluses.
05:40And of course, it won't be possible to apply anything evenly there, neither base, nor gel, nor polish, nor anything
05:45else.
05:45So we'll still leave about half a millimeter from the cuticle, that way there will probably be less trouble.
05:52Here's our second finger, where I'm at least trying to move it, though I know I can't, it's just a
05:57mess there.
05:58Right here, there's just a callus, like a heel callus, right on the finger, on the hand.
06:03Yeah, I always try to do this from the inside, at least try to drill it out somehow.
06:08I don't even know what word to use here, basically we're trying to dig a tunnel there, but so far
06:13it's all been unsuccessful.
06:15Let's clean it up.
06:17We'll keep the client updated throughout.
06:19I never get tired of doing this, I lecture everyone, I never lose hope, I always keep going, thinking that
06:25maybe my advice will help someone.
06:28Because I just don't see any point in such self-sabotage.
06:31It doesn't do any good at all, so why do it?
06:34Everyone knows if you put your leg under a circular saw, you'll lose it and won't get another, that's not
06:40good.
06:41When someone knows picking their nails is bad, but keeps doing it, it's like sticking your leg in a circular
06:47saw.
06:48So it's a completely illogical action and absolutely negative, there's no need for it anywhere or in any way.
06:55In the meantime, let's keep cleaning up, or rather sanding.
06:59By the way, you can see how the cuticle is so raised, thick and inflamed.
07:03In short, it all looks pretty unappealing.
07:06We're refining what we can with the file, and I'm still using a 100-180 grit.
07:12When we're done cleaning up, we degrease the nail and prepare it for coating by applying a dehydrator.
07:18Make sure to do it thoroughly, so that not a single millimetre of the nail is left unattended.
07:24Next, we apply a non-acid primer from the BANDI brand.
07:29It's vitamin enriched and specifically designed for thin, brittle or damaged nails.
07:35And the base coat from the same Vita Baza series, my dehydrator is from the Glow brand.
07:39We'll put all of this under the lamp to cure, and then we'll restore the nail architecture using polygel.
07:46We'll do the same steps with the second finger.
07:51See the hole? It's clear, the shadows go right in.
07:55Unfortunately, nothing can be done right away.
07:59Also, primer dehydrator, the same as the previous one base coat, also from BANDI.
08:04I hope someone is listening, because I'm just tired of writing the same thing in the comments.
08:08Okay, now the polygel.
08:10We just put on a huge blob, a really giant one.
08:13Yes, just this big.
08:16We use brushes, and everyone has their own.
08:19I use an old acrylic brush that's 6 years old.
08:22Honestly, it's probably from ages ago.
08:24You need to moisten it with a degreaser, alcohol or whatever you use.
08:28It doesn't matter, or with a special liquid.
08:31Next, we gently even and smooth it out.
08:33The polygel I'm using is from the brand Tatnail.
08:36It's not the only brand I work with.
08:38I use a lot of different products.
08:40I'm not attached to any brand, since I haven't found a favourite yet.
08:44And honestly, I haven't found any bad polygel either.
08:47That's it.
08:48While working, I saw my blob wasn't enough, so I'm adding more.
08:51I even use the professional slang blob.
08:54We pile on the blob and pat it.
08:56But at least it's clear, right?
08:58At least in Russian they're not unknown words.
09:00So we piled it on, patted it down, and levelled it.
09:04On the surface we get the right shape, but from the side it looks like a little monster.
09:09One more.
09:10Did I step out of the frame?
09:12We pile another little blob like this onto the second nail.
09:15We're using so much material because the nail is pointing really far down, and we need to lift it up.
09:22We smooth near the cuticle, then gently and carefully start pulling it, smoothing out each part in every millimetre.
09:30So that there's less filing on top, then we'll only need to file the bottom and create a small natural
09:36arch from the inside.
09:38The nails are big, so we try to match their shape to the others.
09:43We won't make them perfectly straight, just slightly like this.
09:47With a slight curve, so to speak.
09:50Then we dried all of this for a minute thoroughly because the height is really good, quite decent.
09:56If your lamp isn't strong enough, dry for 2 or 3 minutes to be safe.
10:01Then degrease and use the same 100-180 file.
10:05Start with 100, then use 180.
10:08We file the top.
10:10Following the same steps as before, we continue.
10:13Then turn it over and remove everything underneath.
10:16This is the mess that we don't need.
10:17I was filing there, realized I hadn't dried it enough, so I sent it to dry right in the middle
10:22of filing.
10:23There's nothing wrong with that.
10:24I finished drying it and continued filing.
10:27Now everything is fine there.
10:28Our bit is too thick, so I'm switching to a thinner bit.
10:32I'm working closer to the skin.
10:34Don't forget to pull back the cuticle to avoid touching it.
10:36I'm evening out the length by the middle finger.
10:39I'm comparing the thumb with this file.
10:41Use a centimeter ruler or whatever is convenient.
10:44Some use a piece of nail form.
10:46Oh, I only had a nail file on hand, so I just eyeballed it the way I wanted.
10:51I also worked on the cuticle area with a drill, removed the excess bulk and filed the inside of the
10:57second finger.
10:58Always examine the nail from every angle, tip, right, left, top or side.
11:03As soon as you see the right shape, please make sure it looks as similar as possible to all the
11:08others.
11:10After finishing, brush off dust and degrease.
11:12And then we'll need to even it out a little with the base coat so the nail is smooth and
11:17a bit more voluminous.
11:19Here's our final result.
11:21The nail looks pretty good, the side walls are parallel and it has a slight apex.
11:26I think it turned out really well.
11:29I didn't record the manicure itself this time since there's probably nothing new there.
11:34Just snowflakes, just blue, matte.
11:36By the way, yes, look, see how it's not too close to the cuticle?
11:40Here's the other hand and now here's the second thumb.
11:43You can see it clearly here but that was the best I could do.
11:47I didn't try to get closer or force anything.
11:50Sometimes you must be flexible and rational.
11:53Overall, I think the manicure turned out great.
11:56Thank you so much to everyone who put up with my chatter.
11:59I hope there won't be any silly questions in the comments but if there are, of course I'll try to
12:04answer them.
12:05But still, I hope you'll listen to what I'm saying.
12:08So, I'm saying goodbye to everyone, thank you all very much, goodbye.
12:25See you tomorrow.
12:28Bye.
12:29Bye.
12:32Bye.
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