Light Elegance Gel is new to Sweet Squared, but this brand has been rocking the hard gel category for 20 years. When it comes to gel enhancements, there is simply nothing better. We simply HAD to have it!
For info on training with Light Elegance in the UK call: 0333 000 7000, in Ireland call: 01 408 91 91.
Q&A plus tons more pics below!
Yesterday we took to Facebook LIVE for a 90 minute broadcast using Light Elegance Gel. My goal was to answer as many questions as possible. If you want to check it out, scroll to the end of this blog to watch the broadcast. To scope out the broadcast with all the realtime comments (lots of great Q&A went on) follow this link: Light Elegance with Fee Wallace on Sweet squared’s Facebook Page
When it comes to nail brands, I’ve always been a monogamist. I’ve been using CND as my one and only for 20 years, since the age of 16. For a long time I really thought I had everything I needed. But here’s the thing; this is 2019, are we not about ready for some excitement?
Q: I’m a CND™ Nail Pro, why would I need Light Elegance?
It’s a great question, and one I asked myself right off the bat. For me, it was the durability and absence of service breakdown that swung it initially. I have never had results as good as this with gel before. Gel was always the service I had least confidence in. Sure I could do it, and did for the clients who wanted it, but not until using Light Elegance have I been able to enjoy the same awesome results I get with CND™ Liquid & Powder, but with a gel system. I am still an L&P girl, and I will continue to use CND Retention+ Liquid & Powder, nothing compares to it, I just got myself a new pal for gel.
Q: Can we use Light Elegance products such as ButterCreams on natural nails?
Light Elegance is a hard gel system for creating nail enhancements. Yes you can create beautiful overlays that don’t extend the length of the natural nail, but that service would still require nail enhancement PREP, maintenance by rebalancing, and can not be soaked off for removal. To purchase Light Elegance from Sweet Squared you need to be qualified in CND™ L&P, Brisa Gel, or a hard gel from another manufacturer.
Q: Do I need to buy a new lamp to use Light Elegance?
One of the cool things about LE is that they have tested their product in just about every lamp on the market and are happy to share their findings with us. We know categorically that Light Elegance products cure in either CND™ LED or original UV lamps. For the first three months of using LE, it was my CND Lamp I cured it in. Now that I have have the LE Dot, I definitely prefer it, simply because the cure is totally comfortable for my clients. We can completely avoid heat spikes, even on sensitive clients by using Light Elegance gel in the LE Dot.
Q: There are SO MANY different Light Elegance Gels! Do I need them all??
There are a lots of gels in the Light Elegance range, and especially if you are accustomed to the CND™ Brisa system which is very streamline and simple, the sheer size and variety in the LE range can appear a bit overwhelming! The awesome news is that the size of the range is all about choice for us as Nail Pros. It’s not the case that one type of gel can only be used on one type of nail, or that each gel has a specific client type it must be used on. Instead, the variety is about ease of use for the nail pro. Like a stiff builder sculpting gel with a thick viscosity? Use LE Builder Gel from the Lexy Line. Prefer the workability of a gel that settles into place and has a much more ‘runny’ viscosity? 1 Step from the Lexy line will be your best friend! If like me you favour a medium viscosity to work with, LE Extreme Gel is a good place to start! All of the Lexy Line Gels come in clear, various french pinks in a range of opacities, and also fabulous french whites for those classic french tip nail enhancement looks.
Q: What Light Elegance products do I need to get started? And what do I do with them?
If like me you are a Sweet Squared customer currently using CND™ Enhancement products, here is my recommendation for getting started with Light Elegance.
- Complete your usual natural nail PREP method.
- After cleansing, it’s time to apply and cure a bonder. I recommend LE Tack for most clients.
- To create a thin base layer of gel, I like to use 1 Step Gel in Clear.
- When sculpting out the extension edge my favourite product is LE Fiber Gel in Natural.
- Next, to build up the nail bed area I’d go for Soft Pink Extreme.
- Before filing the enhancement, we might need to add a final perfecting layer of clear gel, especially if you are just starting out and getting used to the product. Go ahead and use the Clear 1 Step we used for the base layer. The viscosity of this gel makes it ideal for filling in low sports and perfecting the structure at this stage.
- File the enhancements with a 180 grit file and cleanse.
- Now for colour and glitter! Choose an LE ButterCream, or an LE Glitter Gel. Most ButterCreams require two thin layers, but I have found the glitters usually look awesome with one. A layer of ButterCream followed by a layer of Glitter Gel also looks super fabulous! (If you want just a natural look, miss out this step and go straight onto Top Coat).
- Now we finish with LE Super Shiny Top Coat. After curing, cleanse to remove the sticky and apply Oil. LE Cuticle Oil has notes of Lavender and cloves.
*Cure each layer of gel as you go. If you are using a CND™ Lamp use the 2B setting in the LED, or cure for 2 minutes in the original CND UV Lamp for each step. In the LE Dot Lamp, you can use any of the three settings for any of the steps, though I’d recommend using the 120 second setting for thicker layers of gel, and the 60 second setting for Super Shiny Top Coat in order to get the shiniest finish!
Q: Can I apply LE ButterCreams or Glitter Gels over Liquid & Powder Enhancements… and what about CND™ Shellac over LE Enhancements?
We can do both! When decorating L&P enhancements with LE Gel, make sure the enhancement surface is roughened to 180 grit, cleanse, then first apply and cure a layer of LE Tack. This will give you amazing adhesion, no need to worry about the gel separating from the L&P. As for CND™ Shellac over LE Enhancements, the steps would be the same as coating CND enhancements with Shellac.
For more Q&A check out our Facebook LIVE
https://www.facebook.com/SweetSquared/videos/845342792474244/
Thank you for checking out the blog! I hope this has been a helpful intro! I’d love to know what you think here in the comments or over on Facebook xxx
FURTHER RESOURCES:
Follow Fee Wallace on Instagram: instagram.com/fee_wallace/
Follow Celina Ryden on YouTube: Celina’s Channel
Check out Jo Wickens on YouTube: Jojo’s Channel
Fee Wallace Online 