Troubleshooting with Gelish Dip Products
The Gelish Dip system has become increasingly popular in the last year. We get tonnes of questions daily on how to use it and trouble shooting questions. We’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions and answered them below.
Please keep in mind that Gelish Dip is a professional use product and if you are not a trained nail technician, we suggest watching tutorials and at the very least reading the application instructions as it can be a bit tricky to apply.
Click here for the step by step instructions for Gelish Dip
Can I apply gel polish over the top of Gelish Dip? No, even though these products are created by the same company they are not compatible with each other. If you apply Gelish gel polish or gel top coat over the top of the dip it will eventually peel off.
How many treatments are in one 23g tub? Approximately 50 applications per colour.
Why is my Gelish Dip chipping and lifting? Gelish dip is an acrylic system therefore the prep is going to determine the longevity of the Gelish Dip manicure. The nails need to be gently filed with a 180 grit file prior to starting the Gelish Dip application. If there is any shine or oils on the natural nail this can cause the product to lift or chip. Use the Gelish Dip Prep product, PH bond or alcohol swab to remove surface oil. Another tip is to make sure the Gelish Dip Base coat application is even and not too thick.
My Gelish Dip Top coat and Base coat lid won’t open? How do I prevent this from happening? The Gelish Dip Base coat is a glue-based product which means if any residue gets on the neck of the bottle it can make the bottle very hard and nearly impossible to open! If this occurs you can run the neck of the bottle under hot water or use pliers to open the product – however this definitely isn’t ideal especially during an appointment with your client. To prevent this from happening you can rub a little bit of cuticle oil around the neck of the bottle before closing it which should help reduce the chance of it sticking. There is also a filter inside the bottle which will allow you to wipe any excess product off inside the bottle, rather than bringing out the brush completely and wiping any excess product on the side of the bottle which will then result in product residue getting stuck inside the lid making it impossible to open. This can also occur with the Gelish Dip Top Coat, so use the same prevention steps with this product.
My brushes have hardened. How do I prevent this from happening? Brush restore!! You will need to soak brushes in the Brush Restorer for 5-10 minutes at the end of each treatment to make sure brushes are clean and no product residue is left. The base coat is a glue and it will harden if left on the brush. You can also use alcohol swabs to further cleanse brushes if needed.
A handy tip if you don’t have brush restorer on hand – use some inexpensive small brushes from a paint store to save your dip brushes. After the treatment, let the product set on the paint brushes and then soak in acetone for 10 minutes.
My Gelish Dip Base Coat Base coat has gone cloudy. How do I prevent this from happening? If powder particle get into the Base and Coat top, this will cause the product to go cloudy or thick. Keep cleaning your brushes and be careful not to cross-contaminate! Also wipe over brushes with lint free wipes to ensure no powder makes its way into the bottles.
Why is the Gelish Dip Top Coat not shiny when applied on the nails? You may notice when you apply the top coat for the first time the product is shiny and glossy as a top coat should be and then after a few uses the Gelish Dip Top coat starts to look cloudy and loses it shine. This can be caused by cross contamination. If you haven’t wiped down the nails fully of any surface dust or excess product prior to applying the Gelish Dip Top coat and then any of these excess particles get trapped in the brush and put back into the product, the Gelish Dip Top coat is then spoiled! To prevent this from happening you need to ensure you clean the brush thoroughly before putting it back into the bottle. You can also use the Gelish Dip Restore to clean the brushes ensuring they are free of all dust.
How much should I charge for a Gelish Dip manicure? There is no right or wrong amount to be charging for a Gelish Dip manicure as there are many factors when choosing a cost for this service. It can depend on many things like if you are using tips, what kind of manicure you are providing before the Gelish Dip application, location etc. However, we have found on average most salons are charging around $50AUD for Gelish Dip applications.
Can I apply tips with Gelish Dip? Yes, you can apply tips before applying Gelish Dip as you would prior to acrylics. A tip to prevent the tips from breaking with the Gelish Dip is once you have filed, shaped and glued the tip to the natural nail, you would prep as normal and then apply a thin layer of Gelish Dip Base coat horizontally along the base of the tip and dip once with the clear powder for best results. This will help to strengthen the tip along the stress point where the fractures usually occur.
Please let us know if there are any other issues you are having with Gelish Dip and we will be sure to get back to you with any helpful tips we may have.
I have several clients whose gelish dip nails are cracking and chipping off. They tell me they are not doing heavy work I file them and use the prep. What could be the cause of this
Why is my top coat brush getting hard? Very hard to complete all 10 nails. Are you sopose to wipe the activator off with a lint free wipe saturated with alcohol?
Hi Kristen, we’d recommend using the Gelish Dip Brush Restorer between applications. You can find this product here: https://www.auswax.com.au/gelish-dip-brush-restorer-15ml
Why does my base coat brush get hard and the product Harden in the bottle
Hi….I have a bit of an issue where both the base coat and the top coat, they have gone all gluggy in the bottles. So when you go to put it on, instead of it looking like nail polish should, with a nice consistency…its gone all gluggy and looks like glue and goes on unevenly & lumpy. Any ideas?
Hi why does my Gelish tip coat become cloudy like glue ?? I just think is it I’m filing too hard which I shouldn’t at all
Why isn’t it as shiny as just as any other top coat
The foundation base of my Gelish Dip system keeps getting stringy and gooey even when I shake the bottle before use, I also make sure to tighten the lid, and to not over expose it to unnecessary air. Why does this keep happening? This is my second bottle and only a few manicures in! This stuff is to expensive to dry up and get yucky that quickly!
I have noticed my base coat is stringy and won’t go on smooth. What is the cause of that?? Please let me know I really enjoy working with gelish dip system
Hi, when applying the top coat, my clients nails beds are having a burning sensation? There is no uv lamp with the dip process so I’m stumped why it is happening?
Why is my top coat dip nail polish sticky
Looks like they never answer customer questions
Hi Erica, we’d be happy to answer your questions. You can send us an email at sales@auswax.com.au
My top coat polish hardened even if I close the cap. Its a waste of money.
Hi Rochelle, if these suggestions didn’t help we’d be happy to provide some more trouble shooting tips. We can also chat about the new formulation. Feel free to give us a call on 02 9909 8091.
Why does the base or top coat burn clients nail bed?
Hi Judy, this could be due to an ingredient reaction however we’d need some more information to provide support. Please email us at sales@auswax.com.au