Nail extension without forms: is it worth using this method?

Ksenia Zhukovskaya, Nail Educator Euro Fashion Akademia Paznokcia, Nail Educator RaNails, judge NAILPRO Eastern Europe, instructor of the original form “Bridget” (acrylic and gel technology), TOP-10 NAILPRO EEu 2018, gold, silver, bronze medalist at Nailapalooza, NAILPRO EEu 2018 (Kiev)

How do you feel about nail extensions without forms?

I don't really support this method. It is good only if there is no way to use classic templates, that is, after a nail injury or for some other reason.

Yes, you can use a napkin, a tea bag, a piece of plastic, paper, and so on. But, firstly, this is unprofessional. Secondly, I don’t see any point in this, as well as in using upper forms, which have once again “come into fashion.” One of the cosmetic companies tried to introduce this method into the practice of craftsmen around 2011, but it did not catch on. Since then, unfortunately, no one has come up with anything new.

How do you recommend doing extensions?

I support classic patterns for any nails - they always save and will save. Maybe someone will say that this is the last century, but probably not everyone understands that clients’ nails are all different, and the ideal architecture can only be achieved by using templates.

Yes, it takes longer, yes, you need to learn this, but if the student does not initially understand how nails should look, then he will never be able to achieve this using extensions without forms.

Conclusion

This is my point of view as an expert, master and teacher who sees what kind of nails a model then returns with after such “fashion courses”. There are a lot of errors in this method: under-dried gel, polygel inside, crooked nails, architectural violations. Therefore, not all fashion trends need to be put into practice with clients.