*   Product too close to the cuticle
*   Product too thick at the cuticle
*   Natural nail bed is damaged from improper preparation/removal of nail enhancements
*   Over priming...primer must be DRY
*   Ptergium is not removed from nail plate
*   Nails are too long
*   Nipping of the previously applied acrylic
*   Use of certain medications such as heart or thyroid

If your client's nails are yellowing, here are some probable causes:

*   Using product without UV Shield or inhibitors
*   Polish residue left on top of acrylic
*   Wet priming (monomer mixing with primer)
*   Product contamination/old product
*   Brush contamination (If brush cleaner is left in the brush when product is applied.)

If your client's nails are getting air bubbles and/or air pockets,
these are some things that can be causing them:

*   Using too much powder and/or not enough liquid (air bubbles are caused when the liquid does not penetrate all of the powder)
*   Brush may have air trapped inside the belly of the bristles.  To remove the air, press the brush all the way down inside the dappen dish and watch the bubbles (air) float to the top!  Make this routine a general habit at the start of every nail service.

If your clients are experiencing brittleness
(cracking and breaking), these are some possible causes:

*   Nails are being applied too flat.  There MUST be an apex curve, created with the product, down the center of the nail to make the nail more durable.
*   Stress area not built up enough.  (The apex curve should include the stress area too.)
*   Nails applied too long (Free edge should never be longer than the nail bed.)
*   Over-filing the sidewalls.

If your clients are getting what appears to look like
"low freckles" in the middle of the nail:

*   This can be caused by over priming--using too much primer or not allowing the primer application to dry completely.
*   They will usually appear in the middle of the nail because that is where the most primer is concentrated.

If your client's nails are peeling away from the nail enhancement under
the free edge, below are some suggestions on why it may be happening:

*   Natural nail is too long under the acrylic
*   Nails are in water a lot which keeps them moist (when the natural nail is wet, it tends to be flat and when it dries, the nail starts to curl underneath)
*   When the natural nail under the nail enhancement becomes the length of the enhancement, the client puts more pressure on the edge of her finger which causes the separation between the enhancement and the natural nail.

If you are having a problem with fill lines,
these are some reasons you may have them:

*   Product is applied too thick
*   Vibration caused by over-filing or drilling on the natural nail
*   Client waited too long between fills
*   Improper nail preparation which caused lifting
*   Nipping previously applied product which can leave a ledge that is difficult to get flush with the natural nail

Did you know?

There are a number of companies that produce products to help eliminate fill lines!  NSI's "Line Out" is one which is a heat setting resin that works in tandem with acrylic or gel.  As acrylic or gel cures, it creates a small amount of heat allowing the Line Out to set and pull that lifted area back down the natural nail.

  For even better education,
click HERE to get information on the Acrylic Tip/Overlay Training DVD, or the Acrylic Sculpting Training DVD and kits! 

Good Luck!  Written by: Gina Wallace