5.11 Attaching tips and creating length

Prior to this lesson, we have been working with natural length nails (aside from your practice tips, of course!). We will now progress on to adding length to the natural nail prior to applying a gel or acrylic enhancement. You will recall from earlier theory that there are two ways to add length to the natural nail:

Full set of tips	Nail tips are what most people think nail extensions are. They are made from nylon, plastic or acetate and act as – you guessed it!– your nail tips. They’re glued onto the nail plate and form a base for applying gel or acrylic. Nail tips can cover the full nail plate or ones that just partially cover the nail. These come in clear, natural, or white (for French nails)
Sculptured nails (forms)	Nail forms are used for the sculpting method of nail extensions and can be used with gel or acrylic. Nail technicians apply a nail form under the nail, and this acts as a temporary base for applying gel or acrylic, helping the technician to build the nail to the desired length and shape. The nail forms are then removed once the nail is built.

In the coming lessons and video tutorials, we will firstly look at adding length by attaching tips.

What is a nail tip?

As mentioned above, tips are made from nylon, plastic or acetate and act as an extension to the natural nail tip. They’re glued onto the nail plate and form a base for applying gel or acrylic. The tip materials are made to be resistant to solvents and conform easily to most nail shapes. They are easy to file and do not crack, crease, or shatter. What is important to note is that a nail tip is a canvas on which to apply enhancement product (acrylic or gel), and IS NOT what provides the strength of the overall enhancement. The acrylic or gel product is what provides strength and integrity to the enhancement.

Tips come in clear, natural, or white (for French nails).

Clear tips were originally designed for use with gel extensions, as the UV/LED light can cure from the top and bottom of the nail. These tips require little to no buffing to blend into the natural nail before application of the desired system.
Natural tips are perfect when when aiming for a natural finish, or when polish is to be applied as you can achieve a good colour payoff. These tips need to be buffed and filed to blend into the natural nail before applying the desired gel or acrylic system.
White (or French) tips make the job of a French manicure quicker and simpler. If a client has short nails, however, it may be more suitable to use a natural nail and paint on the white tip as these tips may look off-balance if not at the right length.

In addition to differences in colour, length and shape, tips are also designed with different wells. A well is an indent in the contact area that helps the tip lay flat when applied to the nail bed. Tips may have full-wells, half-wells, or no-wells at all. The table below outlines the benefits of each well type:

Type	Overview
Full-well	Full-well tips have the largest contact point and therefore provide the most retention to the nail plate. The large surface area is suitable for most clients but is particularly good for nail biters because the well can cover up to half of the natural nail plate. Full-well tips require the most blending, so they are best covered with coloured products.
Half-well	Half-well tips are usually the most preferred by nail technicians. Half-well tips offer less coverage on the nail. The advantage of this is that it is thinner in appearance, which means a smaller contact area for technicians to blend onto the nail plate. This means they can be quicker to apply in comparison to full-well tips.
No-well	Well-less tips are the fastest and most versatile tip because they can be applied anywhere on the nail plate and don’t require blending, and are perfect when creating an enhancement with a smile line. These tips are inappropriate for nail biters, and contact with their natural nails would be virtually impossible.

Selecting the correct style of nail tip

So, which type is better? If your client has long nails, opt for half-wells or well-less nail tips. If your client bites their nails, look for tips with wells. Selecting the right size tip is equally as important as the type of tip! An incorrect size will likely lead to nail lifting, or worse, the nail could become a breeding ground for bacteria.

When selecting the correct size tip, you need to ensure that the width of the tip fits from sidewall to sidewall. This is crucial to ensure that the nail has adequate strength and structure. If the clients nail in between sizes, always go up a size and customise the tip to fit by filing or cutting the tip. Nails come in a range of widths and lengths, so be sure to take the time to size up the tip correctly.

The most important factors you should consider when determining the type of tip to use are the width, length and curvature of the tip. These are chosen based on the shape of the client’s natural nail bed, which determines the shape of the nail plate.

There are four basic types of nail plates, which can be observed by looking directly at the fingertips:

Nail type	Description
Flat nail	The flat nail has littler or no C-curve from sidewall to sidewall. The nail tip that fits best should have a natural gentle curve, designed to fit medium to wide nail plates.
C-curve nail	The c-curve nail has deep sidewalls and a high rounded curve over the top. The nail tip that fits best needs a dramatic high profile arch and the perfect c-curve nail shape.
Arched nail	The arched nail has a convex curve from the cuticle out to the free edge, similar to a talon style extension with a high curve. The nail tip best suited should have deep sidewalls, ideally suited for naturally c-curved nail plates.
Ski-jump nail	The ski jump nail is a flat nail with a free edge that curves upwards and appears concave. To achieve the best possible look, use a tip that is good for flat nails and has a natural curve for medium to wide nail plates.

Tip attachment process

We will look at attaching tips in detail in the upcoming video tutorials. For now, though, see below for a brief summary of the steps involved in attaching tips to the natural nails:

Natural nail prep

Have your client wash their hands and nails with antibacterial soap and warm water. If hand-washing facilities unavailable, have them thoroughly sanitise with a gel or foam hand sanitiser.
Examine your client’s nails and fingers for any contraindications that will prevent treatment. If present, discontinue your service and refer them to a medical professional.
Apply some acetone to a lint free nail wipe and thoroughly wide down each nail to remove any nail polish or natural oils. If removing nail polish, you will need multiple wipes with acetone applied.
Using the curved end of your cuticle pusher, gently push back the cuticle from the nail plate. Examine each cuticle as you go to be sure there is no broken skin, as these areas will need to be treated with added caution.
Turn your cuticle pusher around and use the blade to gently scrape away any remaining cuticle.
Using your cuticle nippers, trim any loose cuticle that has lifted from the nail plate.
Trim away excess nail length with your nail clippers. We want the natural nails clipped and filed short for tip application.
Using your 180 grit nail file, scuff the surface of each nail ready for product application before shaping the nails to the desired shape.
Brush away any nail dust created from filing with your nail brush.
Apply dehydrator to a lint free nail wipe and wipe down each nail.

Tip selection and attachment

Select the correct size tip by holding a tip against each natural nail and measuring from sidewall to sidewall. The tip should completely cover the nail from side wall to side wall. If a nail is between tip sizes, use the tip that is slightly too wide and file it so that it sits flush with the sidewalls with no overhang.
In addition to width, the tip should never cover more than half of the natural nail. If this is the case, trim the tip.
Finally, assess the curve of the tip and ensure it will glue down without any air gaps. If you cannot press it down to the shape of the natural nail, a tip designed for flat nails will need to be used.
Once an appropriate size tip has been selected/pre-tailored for each nail, lay the tips down on your work surface in the order of which finger they belong to.
Apply adhesive to the inside (well) of a nail tip, spreading it from side to side. Once applied, holding it at 45 degrees to the natural nail, position it so that the free edge of the nail catches the groove at the end of the well.
Once in position, lower the tip down onto the natural nail and press it down firmly for 5-10 seconds. Repeat steps 5 and 6 on each nail.
Once a tip is attached to each nail, trim each tip to the desired length using a tip cutter. Do not use nail clippers to trim tips as this will apply too much pressure to the curved tips and cause them to crack or lift.
Using your 180 grit nail file, file the free edge of each tip to the desired shape.
Using a barrel tungsten-carbide bit inserted into your E-drill, gently file the surface of the tip to ‘de-bulk’ it, providing a more natural looking finish. Avoid the surface of the natural nail with this harsh drill bit.
Using your 100 grit nail file, blend the edge of the tip so that there is a seamless transition from tip to natural nail.

The tip is now ready for the application of your chosen enhancement product (gel or acrylic).