Reddit mentions of Mia Secret No Burn Acid Free Primer Xtra Bond Acrylic Uv Gel 0.5 Fl Oz

I do my own gel manicures. I used to have that problem, but this product is a game changer. I apply it immediately before my gel base coat. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JVZGO3W/

I'm a really big fan of Mia Secrets products if we want an inexpensive expensive medium setting traditional system. I have their acrylics, gels, preps, and primers and I honestly haven't had a dud from them yet. They have this little intro kit if you want super small sizes of the bare essentials to try before committing, but I'll also show you everything I use to do a set of new nails with their system. If you go with the kit, the brush isn't the greatest...but it's better than most other kits in this price range.

• I dehydrate the nail using Mia Secrets Nail Prep.
  
• I apply my nail tip of choice and make sure it's straight.
  
• I brush Mia Secrets No Lines over the smile line of the tip and allow it to dry.
  
• I prime the nail using Mia Secrets [XTrabond]
  (https://www.amazon.com/Mia-Secret-Burn-Primer-Acrylic/dp/B00JVZGO3W/ref=sr_1_5_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1466043934&sr=1-5&keywords=Mia+Secret).
  
• I fill my dappen dish with Mia Secrets Liquid Monomer, ensuring there is enough liquid in the dish to submerge my brush from tip to ferrule.
  
• I drain my brush as needed to make the correct size bead then dip it into Mia Secrets Clear Acrylic Powder 3 times.
  
• I shape and buff the nail.
  
• I apply Mia Secrets Icegel top coat if my client does not want polish, alternatively I either polish the nails as normal, or use Mia Secrets UV Finish Gel if the client has paid extra for a UV top coat. (Sorry about the non Amazon link! It's not available on Amazon currently.)
  
  I PROMISE I AM NOT ENDORSED OR AFFILIATED WITH MIA SECRETS OR NAILITE WHATSOEVER. I just happen to use and love a lot of their products.
  
  
  I can also suggest Nailite's OMEGA system if you're a problem lifter. It's comparable to using CND's Retention+ liquid in my opinion.
  They sell a small kit and a large kit. I bought the large and it's an amazing value with a high quality brush to boot! I follow a similar system with it to Mia Secrets, but I'll outline the steps again.
  
  
• I dehydrate the nail with Nailite's Nail Prep.
  
• I apply my nail tip of choice and make sure it's straight.
  
• I blend the nail tip into the natural nail ensuring there are no ridges.
  
• I prime the nail with Nailite's Something Wonderful Protein Bonder.
  
• I fill my dappen dish with Nailite's Omega Liquid Monomer, ensuring there is enough liquid in the dish to submerge my brush from tip to ferrule.
  
• I drain my brush as needed to make the correct size bead then dip it into Nailite's Omega Powder 1 time and hold it there for 3 seconds.
  
• I shape and buff the nail.
  
• I apply Nailite's Wet Look Top Coat if my client does not want polish, alternatively I either polish the nails as normal or use Nailite's High Gloss Tackless Sealer if the client has paid extra for a UV top coat.
  
  If you have any questions at all about any products you may come across, tips on technique, or would like more product suggestions, etc.... I encourage you to PM me at anytime. :)

Here's what I do:

Buff the nail completely with a 180 file removing the cuticle and the surface shine from the nail. I have a nail drill, so I just do it like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCbjiCXlOiQ&t=26s

Wipe with a mix of 5/6 90%+ alcohol + 1/6 100% acetone (alcohol to disinfect, acetone to remove the oils).

Allow to air dry. Do not introduce more oils to the nail (like touching with your other hand after!)

Buy some primer: https://www.amazon.com/Mia-Secret-Burn-Primer-Acrylic/dp/B00JVZGO3W

I wear hard gel extensions, but this works for soft gel as well.

After you buff and remove the oils + sanitize, apply some primer. Primer makes the nail accept and hold on to gel better. I can keep my extensions on for 3 weeks to a month with minimal to no lifting even using them as tools (opening soda cans, removing keys off of key rings -- how do you think I am typing this lmao).

Anyways, you want to find a nice tacky soak off base coat. I personally just use what Born Pretty has to offer. It is extremely sticky when it dries. Do not wipe the sticky layer.

So now we have buffed, cleaned nails with some primer (do not wipe), and a base coat (do not wipe!)

Then you want to put on your color. Start with a nice thin layer pointing the nail down while doing it. Cure this layer for a minute or whatever the gel says. Do not wipe!

If you wipe, you must buff this layer gently so the gel can stick. Wipe this layer with the cleaning solution you made above if you made this mistake D:

Put on a second coat. Do not wipe!

Put on as many coats as you need to do get the intensity you want. Just remember, it will look thicker the more you do.

Still, do not wipe.

Put on a no wipe top coat for shine if you want to do that.

I personally like matte, but I don't use a matte top coat: I just take a buffing block and make it matte.

So tldr:

1. Buff entire nail
   
2. Wipe with 5/6 90%+ alcohol + 1/6 acetone solution to remove dust and remove oils
   
3. Apply primer. Do not wipe.
   
4. Apply soak off base coat. Do not wipe.
   
5. Apply color in a thin layer. Cure. Do not wipe.
   
6. Apply second coat in a thin layer. Cure. Do not wipe.
   
7. Apply third coat if needed in a thin layer. Do not wipe.
   
8. Apply no wipe top coat
   
9. If the top coat is sticky or not shiny enough, buff the combination, wipe, and top coat again.

1: prepare nails using nail drill, cuticle cutters, and nail file.
2: use professional bonder: Mia Secret No Burn Acid Free... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JVZGO3W?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
This coats the nail and helps the polish stick better.
3: apply base coat
4: dry under lamp.
5: apply coat of base color 044, dry under lamp. Repeat x3.
6: apply matte top coat and dry under lamp.
7: use small ball point tip of toolset and draw desired designs on accent nails with golden polish. I utilized striping tape in various directions for the middle fingers. Dry under lamp.
8: disinfect tools. Put cutical oil on cuticles.. utilize cuticle oil frequently....