can i use any 36 watt uv lamp with shellac??

[moushax37]

I just got a basic 36 watt lamp from ebay, originally bought it to dry nails and for other basic uv top coats, but I want to try shellac. I'm licensed but haven't gotten into the industry much, I only do my own and a couple friends nails so I don't want to get a bunch of expensive stuff since I'm not making money. Also, can you use shellac on arylics??[/list]

[SillyGem]

I've used my cheapo machine with no problems.

[ManicuresThatLast]

Your 36w lamp will cure Shellac fine - however if you should experience any issues that require you to contact CND, if you are not using their lamp, they will not help you.

If you are curing any gel product with a wattage less than the recommended, the product may appear to be cured, but it most likely is not cured to the proper specifications. Improper cure can come back to bite you and your client down the road with over exposure and allergic reaction issues.

[Nurse nail tech]

ManicuresThatLast :
> Your 36w lamp will cure Shellac fine - however if you should experience any
> issues that require you to contact CND, if you are not using their lamp, they
> will not help you.
>
> If you are curing any gel product with a wattage less than the recommended,
> the product may appear to be cured, but it most likely is not cured to the
> proper specifications. Improper cure can come back to bite you and your client
> down the road with over exposure and allergic reaction issues.

You are so right. This is why I won't use CND, because they say they cannot guarantee results of their products without the use of their lamp. I need to have a lamp that cures most products. I have a couple of lamps and they cure the gels I have used.

[Guest]

If you don't use any manufacturer's full line as they direct, none of them will guarantee results. It's part of their marketing strategy and due to the research they have done to ensure their products work together. So it isn't just CND that does that.

Yes, you can use any 36w lamp. CND does recommend their lamp, but it is recommended to use a 36w lamp. Making sure you do the recommended time they stipulate for curing is important also. I would, however, be concerned about getting a lamp on e-bay and the brand of bulbs is very important also. You have no way of knowing if it is what they say it is. Would be better to buy from a reputable supplier. Check out:

http://www.nailiteinc.com

Very reasonably priced uv lamps with phillips bulbs (are the best bulbs). You can buy from them as long as you are a current licensed nail tech.

[mysweetjordan]

What makes Phillips bulbs better than the rest? I've never used them, but they seem to get LOTS of buzz.

[ElenaDesmonie]

I know techs that use the Star Nail 36watt lamp and have no issues. I wonder what Doug thinks?

[Malea]

Funny-I spoke to CND today on this. They insist that you use their lamp, which is an 18 watt lamp. They explained that it is not based on the wattage but on the actual product. They will not stand behind the product if you are curing with any other lamp. Sadly, their lamp is twice the price of other lamps in the industry.

It is too bad that they can not have more of a universal lamp for gels and gel polishes. I am hoping that LED will be the wave of the future and solve all of the UV issues.

[aj]

Cheryl,

Hi Can you please email me, thanks!

[mysweetjordan]

Malea :
> Funny-I spoke to CND today on this. They insist that you use their lamp, which
> is an 18 watt lamp. They explained that it is not based on the wattage but
> on the actual product. They will not stand behind the product if you are curing
> with any other lamp. Sadly, their lamp is twice the price of other lamps in
> the industry.
>
> It is too bad that they can not have more of a universal lamp for gels and
> gel polishes. I am hoping that LED will be the wave of the future and solve
> all of the UV issues.

Don't count on it. It wouldn't be beneficial to manufacturing companies if they encouraged you to open your options to purchasing from other source. Who would pay that much for a uv lamp from "X" manufacturer if the rep actually said "It's totally fine to use a $45 dollar lamp from Nailite instead of our $200 lamp ." Not too good for sales.

[jb100680]

mysweetjordan

> Don't count on it. It wouldn't be beneficial to manufacturing companies if
> they encouraged you to open your options to purchasing from other source. Who
> would pay that much for a uv lamp from "X" manufacturer if the rep actually
> said "It's totally fine to use a $45 dollar lamp from Nailite instead of our
> $200 lamp ." Not too good for sales.

I have to say, I respectfully disagree with you on this.

I think manufacturers would make more money if they could guarantee that any UV lamp would work with their product. But , how can they guarantee that?

CND researched their product in a controlled environment. So, in order to guarantee the best results you have to use it in the same way it was tested to be used. How can you expect them to guarantee it, if they have no idea what lamp you are using?

And there would still be a market for lamps at all price points. There is more to a lamp than the wattage. There are other features that make one more expensive than another.

moushax37 To answer your question, if you just want to do nails for your friends and you want to see if you would like Shellac. Go ahead, buy some colors and try it. But if you ever want to make doing nails a serious business, I would recommend that you invest in a whole system so that you can guarantee the best possible results.

[Annette1105]

I spoke to CND about my shellac peeling issues. I am using an off brand UV light, you would have thought I swore at the tech when I told her that.
I'm playing around with my system at this point to see what I can do to get it to stay on. There were several places I can change technique.
What other UV lights are the rest of you using that "WORK" other then CND brand

[Guest]

aj :
> Cheryl,
>
> Hi Can you please email me, thanks!

Hi AJ, didn't see this til today. If you are talking to me my e-mail is under my post.

[Guest]

Annette1105 :
> I spoke to CND about my shellac peeling issues. I am using an off brand UV
> light, you would have thought I swore at the tech when I told her that.
> I'm playing around with my system at this point to see what I can do to get
> it to stay on. There were several places I can change technique.
> What other UV lights are the rest of you using that "WORK" other then CND brand

For some reason what I posted didn't show up. What bulbs are you using? That could be an issue. Even a 9W bulb will cure gel polish, just depends on what bulbs and how long you are curing.

[sobeit]

Quote:Annette1105 :
> I spoke to CND about my shellac peeling issues. I am using an off brand UV
> light, you would have thought I swore at the tech when I told her that.
> I'm playing around with my system at this point to see what I can do to get
> it to stay on. There were several places I can change technique.
> What other UV lights are the rest of you using that "WORK" other then CND brand

I use my P.N.I 36 watt full hand tunnel lamp from premier, it was less than $40 and it has never ever been an issue. And now that I use Gelish base I never have a wear problem.

[CloudNineNails]

I have a $50 star nail lamp that works great. I use gelish and axxium in it. of Course id love to have a nice cnd or opi light but for some techs like me the price is just to much!

[Annette1105]

CloudNineNails
> I have a $50 star nail lamp that works great. I use gelish and axxium in it.
> of Course id love to have a nice cnd or opi light but for some techs like
> me the price is just to much!

Have you used the shellac system at all? I've never tried gelish, whats the difference?

[Annette1105]

sobeit
>

Quote:Annette1105
>> I spoke to CND about my shellac peeling issues. I am using an off brand UV
>> light, you would have thought I swore at the tech when I told her that.
>> I'm playing around with my system at this point to see what I can do to get
>> it to stay on. There were several places I can change technique.
>> What other UV lights are the rest of you using that "WORK" other then CND brand

> I use my P.N.I 36 watt full hand tunnel lamp from premier, it was less than
> $40 and it has never ever been an issue. And now that I use Gelish base I never
> have a wear problem.

did you use Shellac before? Y did you choose Gelish over the other products available?

[Annette1105]

idonls
> Annette1105
>> I spoke to CND about my shellac peeling issues. I am using an off brand UV
>> light, you would have thought I swore at the tech when I told her that.
>> I'm playing around with my system at this point to see what I can do to get
>> it to stay on. There were several places I can change technique.
>> What other UV lights are the rest of you using that "WORK" other then CND brand
>
> For some reason what I posted didn't show up. What bulbs are you using? That
> could be an issue. Even a 9W bulb will cure gel polish, just depends on what
> bulbs and how long you are curing.

I'm using a starpro UV lamp its a 36 watt lamp it has (4) 9 watt bulbs.
The base cure is to only take 10 seconds
the other coats are to be cured 2 min.

[wendynailart]

(10-04-2011 02:07 PM)Annette1105 Wrote:  I spoke to CND about my shellac peeling issues. I am using an off brand UV light, you would have thought I swore at the tech when I told her that.
I'm playing around with my system at this point to see what I can do to get it to stay on. There were several places I can change technique.
What other UV lights are the rest of you using that "WORK" other then CND brand

if the bulbs are arranged to give full exposure and the lamp using the Phillip bulbs CND uses, what is the difference? I know they can't see your lamp, but more supportive to address issues that arise when even with their lamp there can be problems (and their lamp isn't that great)
I still laugh about the original Brisa video, minutes of a model like the corpse bride strutting down the runway to music like a boba bar... "high fashion", uh huh.... then, "natural" french nail product, poor visibility, bad camera angles... details of application not even mentioned....
Plus, we are not made of money... if their product will work with other good quality lamps, makes life easier for us. I used Brisa with the "Light Elegance" lamp (great lamp, well designed), better side cures than Brisa's
Product companies don't realize they can turn us off a product. A friend ordered BioSculpt for me at a beauty show, they shipped it to me at the salon, my name on the order. I had trouble placing the next order, run around with them not really reading the email and answering questions I never asked and not the ones I did
eventually I was able to call them, the rep, childishly arrogant... told me they never sent it to me if I was not a member, they don't "sell to just anyone", they "have polices to keep their product out of the hands of people who might misuse it"....

I was teaching gel classes when he was in rompers... sure, he doesn't know that, but then... it could have been much more respectful. It made me entirely not interested in paying a large amount of money to "join", suspecting I would be treated like an errant child
Before I run out of product I will experiment with others... co-worker is loving Young LED, the local supplier, "Better Fortune", nice people, well stocked... can walk in and see products, always a plus...

[nailfun]

I use 2 tunnel lamps from Nailite. I use their bulbs, though they do sell Philips. No problem with the cure of anything I've used including Shellac. I did buy a CND lamp. It bit the dust. It sits in my closet.

[jennie]

I used to use the PNI lamp but the bulbs are bad now and I use my shellac lamp all the time, wish I had two. Just wait til the new CND LED lamp comes out later this year....suddenly Shellac is led compatible with their lamp.