I went to Walmart and bought Kiss's Brush-on Gel kit. I don't like having to pay $50 at a salon every time I want some french tip nails and the glue on nails just don't stay on. So I bought this kit thinking it looked easy to use. When I got home I read through the instructions carefully before doing anything with the kit. I began the process and became increasingly frustrated with the product. The nail tips would not stay on. No glue was included as you are instructed to use the brush-on gel to apply the tips. This did not work at all so I grabbed some nail glue that I had on hand. After applying the tips you are supposed to brush the gel on your nails in smooth even strokes and then watch as it flattened and smoothed itself out. Well let me tell you, that did NOT happen. It was a streaky goopy mess. After three nails I gave up. I contacted Kiss and told them about what had happened. They responded promptly and told me that if the gel was streaking there probably wasn't enough on the brush. I took their instructions and attempted to get more gel on the brush. That did not work at all as the brush is made of cheap plastic and very thin so it doesn't hold a lot of gel. I contacted them after trying again and they responded quickly again. They offered to replace the kit or exchange it for a different product on their site of equal value as they do not offer refunds. So beware, you get what you pay for. I paid for $10 of sticky mess. I picked an exchange and got the Kiss French acrylic sculpture kit. I received this kit today and it worked very well and was easy to use.
Ugh, that sucks! You DO get what you pay for so you can't expect salon results, but I would've expected better than that at least! I'm glad the other one worked better. Do you think there was maybe something wrong with your first set?
I am not sure if there was anything wrong with the gel in the first set but I was so frustrated with it that I didn't want to try it again to find out that it was just how it is. Lol. The acrylics are great though, I haven't experienced any lifting or cracking or anything in that last week so I believe I will just stick with them this way! I have been going to salons to get my nails done since I was a teenager and at this point am pretty good at doing them myself so I figure why not save money and just do it myself?
It may have been the set because a lot of the girls I know around me get the Walmart gel set and they turn out fine. But, at the same time they kind of go to the same person to put the gel on them. Sometimes things seem easy but there's a reason why people study to get these things done. It could've been worse. It could've looked like it came out right and when you removed them your nails would've had mold.
Every time I decide I want acrylic nails I convince myself that I can do it myself. I've had it done professionally, so it isn't like I was a total noob. And every time I try it the same things happen as before. The ones that turn out really good will always fall off. The ones that look horrible will be holding on to dear life. So I go to the store to get acetone fingernail polish remover and I'm pretty sure everyone notices the complete mess on my hands. But I'm sure I'll do it again.
Yeah, I've had similar problems with the really cheap nail kits. In the end, it seems like it is just worth it to pay more to have my nails done at the saloon then to try to do them on my own. Still, I wish I could just do my nails myself because it would save money and time. If I could find a good set or learn how to do my own nails I could do them early morning or late at night when salons are closed.
If you are wanting French tips, its really not that hard if you just grow your nails out. It takes a minute to get the strips just right. But once you can do those where the white polish does go underneath the strip and you don't get some on your nail, below the strip, its not any harder than using any other nail polish.
I like the look of the french nail but have not tried it for my own natural nails as they are a little on the thin side. I have attempted to put the glue on french nails but it has not worked very well so I gave up. After reading the above post it seems I have needed to be a little more patience with the application.
It's annoying that you had so much trouble with that kit. But you know, I've known people who paid a ton of money (and time) at salons, having their nails done, only to have to keep going back and having a nail put back on, etc., so I sure don't blame you for trying it yourself. It's great that Kiss stands by their products. That's really good to know.
I haven't heard too many good things about gel nails. They are super durable, but then they are still there when they are growing out and it takes so much time to remove them and probably eats away at your nails from the exposure to the remover. I haven't tried them because I'm afraid that when they come off I will find I have a 6 month wait until my nails grown out enough to hold up at a length that doesn't hurt my fingers.
I think that when it comes to artificial nails, you do get what you pay for - to an extent. Proper preparation is important too and you need to ensure that your nails are clean and grease-free by sweeping them over with polish remover before application. giving your nails a quick going over witht he rough side of a buffer too, to help the glue stick better.
Yeah, I normally don't mess with these types of "DIY" things. I mean, it'd probably be a better experience to use these kits with your friends, as they can help you (plus, it might be a fun experience). HOWEVER - I've come across a few that have malfunctioned in ways that I cannot begin to comprehend. I normally try to suggest a good brand (or in this case, kit) - HOWEVER, I haven't come across a good one (yet).
