Templates or tips – Which extension method to choose?
Amber D'Halluin
1. What are tips?
Tips are a kind of plastic attachments that you stick on the top of your nail plate with special nail glue, this tip serves as an extension. After you have updated and shortened them to the desired shape and length, you still have to build up your nails with a layer of gel, acrylic or polygel. Tips are available in both a natural and transparent color.
2. How do you use tips?
2.1 Requirements
In the overview below you will find the materials you need to place tips:
2.2 Step-by-step plan for applying tips
Applying tips is not that difficult. In the following step-by-step plan you will learn how to apply tips step by step.
Step 1
Prepare your natural nail plate by matting it with a buffer file.
Step 2
Choose the appropriate tips that match the size of your nails.
Step 3
Apply nail glue to the tip and stick it to the top of your nails. Let it dry for a while.
Step 4
If desired, you can shorten the tips using a tip cutter.
Step 5
Once the tips are the desired length, file them to the desired shape and then matt the top surface of the nails. Make sure there is no visible difference between your natural nail plate and the tips.
Step 6
Once the tips are in place, you can begin the further steps of a manicure.
3. What are templates?
Stencils are a form of paper or plastic that are placed under the natural nail plate. The template serves as a temporary base to build up the desired length and shape of your nail. After the nail is built up and hardened, you must remove the template from under the nail.
4. How do you use nail stencils?
4.1 Requirements
In the overview below you will find the materials you need to extend your nails with templates:
4.2 Step-by-step plan for using a template
Extending your nails with forms requires some skills and training. In the following step-by-step plan you will learn how to apply forms step by step.
Step 1
Take the removable circle from the middle, leaving the template still stuck to the leaf.
Step 2
Adjust the template with nail scissors so that it fits perfectly under the nails. There are cutting lines on the templates for this.
Step 3
Bend the stencil and stick it to the front of your nail.
Step 4
Slide the template under your nail and secure it to the sides of your finger.
Step 5
Now you can start building up your nails with your desired nail product.
5. Which products can you use stencils with?
Building your nails with forms is possible with all nail products, such as acrylic, polygel, gel and gel polish. With gel, polygel and acrylic you have the freedom to choose the desired length. With gel polish it is more limited, you can extend your nails but not as long as with other products. Below you will find some gel polish products with which you can extend your nails:
- Cover lover base : recommended extension of max. 2mm
- Expert base / Expert base milky : recommended extension of max. 5mm
- Flexi base : recommended extension of max. 2mm
- SO SO Hard keratin base : recommended extension of max. 2mm
- Undress me base : recommended extension of max. 2mm
6. What's better? Tips or templates
Each of these extension techniques has its pros and cons. It is difficult to determine which technique is better. One nail stylist prefers to work with forms, while the other prefers to work with tips. It depends on what your preference is.
Tips are generally used by beginning nail stylists, because your tips are already available in the desired shape. In contrast to tips, you have to build up the nails yourself with templates.
Working with stencils saves you a lot of time in your nail studio. Applying tips takes much more time.
