Acrylic and Gel Nail Application
This domain is chemistry and technique together. The exam asks why a set lifted, why a client felt heat or burning, and what the correct liquid-to-powder ratio looks like.
Acrylic (liquid and powder)
- Polymer powder plus monomer liquid cures by chemical polymerization - no lamp involved.
- Bead ratio: a correct medium bead is a smooth ball that holds its shape and does not run. Too wet, and the product shrinks, lifts, weakens, and can produce a heat spike; too dry, and it is lumpy and brittle.
- Prep: remove shine, clean, and dehydrate. Primer is optional and manufacturer-specific; acid-based primer goes on the plate only, never on skin, and never substitutes for proper prep.
- Zones: zone 1 at the free edge thin, zone 2 at the stress area with the apex, zone 3 thin at the cuticle so product does not touch skin.
- File and refine after cure; rebalance every 2–3 weeks to control lifting and stress cracks.
Gel
Gels are light-cured oligomers with photoinitiators. They cure only under the correct wavelength and the correct time for that product - thin coats cure more reliably than thick ones. A sticky inhibition layer remains and is removed per manufacturer instructions. Removal means filing through the top coat, then soaking in acetone for roughly 10–20 minutes and gently pushing the softened product away.
Worked example
A client reports a burning sensation during gel curing. Reasoning: heat is released by the curing reaction, so the cause is a coating applied too thickly, not a defective lamp. Correct response: remove the hand from the lamp if burning, apply thinner coats, and cure each layer fully.
Traps that cost marks
"More powder makes it stronger," mixing brands of gel and lamp, extending cure time to compensate for worn bulbs, and using primer as a fix for an oily, poorly prepped plate.