The LuvNailz store is run by Akzentz educator, distributor and most importantly FULL TIME Nail Tech Jessica Briarmoon. She works in the salon 30-50 hours a week on clients, just like you! That means she can help troubleshoot the products you are using or your techniques. Just click on the Contact page and send her an email, she will respond ASAP.
What's with all the gels?
by Jessica Briarmoon
on
Jess did a video recently and a comment asked what the difference was between Akzentz Options, and Akzentz Profomance Gel lines. Here is the response, we hope it can help you understand the products as well :)
My question is: what is the difference between Options and Proformance? I gather that Options is a little more flexible? Since gel is still very new to me, I’m also a little confused about gel flexibility in general - if a client has very thin and flexible nails (I have this myself!) but they want strength and some hardness to prevent too much flexibility, do I go with Options or Proformance (ie. do I use a flexible product for flexible natural nails or should I use a harder product to counteract that flexibility?) On the flip side, if someone has generally hard - but brittle nails - do I use Proformance to enhance that hardness, or Options to improve flexibility?
Answer
Options is a soak off gel line. It was actually first created many years ago when Akzentz had become incredibly popular in Japan but it was illegal to use products that didn't soak off! Not sure if thats still the case. But because of that, Akzentz chemists created a gel that could be sculpted. The first creation: Options Clear is a flexible clear gel, that works nice as an overlay, on the natural nail or tips. Options Crystal Clear (don't get me started on the name) - came later and cures harder, allowing for longer extensions to be sculpted. All the options colors have a flexible base like Options Clear.
Proformance came later, it is the LED Hard gel the chemists created to replace the Classic UV Hard Gel that Akzentz was famous for since the 90s. The gels in general are all very hard and strong, but still have flexibility to allow great adhesion without lifting. As a standard 3 step gel system, it has the basics of Bonding, Building and Gloss Gel. For those familiar with the Akzentz UV gels, the chemists did the best they could to mimic the viscosity of the gels techs were used to. Adhere is Bonding gel. Standard building gels: Enhance (runniest viscosity), Balance (medium/thicker viscosity - closest to UV Akzentz "Natural" and "Modeling" gels) and Structure (completely non-self leveling similar to Akzentz "Builder"). Ultra Gloss is the Top Gloss (terrific for hair stylists!). Trinity was designed a few years ago as a One Step gel and replaced the UV version "Trilite." I never much used Trilite when it was out, I was a HUGE fan of Opti-bond (a flexible bonding gel from the Options line) paired with Natural Pink (which you can see in many of my old videos). It wasn't until Akzentz informed us they would stop making the UV gels that I had to adapt and really gave Trinity a chance. I'm glad I did!! Its chemistry is so amazing, clients that maybe lifted a little here and there with the old UV gels NEVER do with Trinity.
I used to have a bit of a juggling act between Options and UV Gels to find the right flexibility for clients not to lift. But with Trinity you honestly don't have to!! It would be an unusual thing to have a customer who didn't do well with Trinity. I suppose in that situation I might try Options and see if it helped. But I would give Trinity a try first. Its just the perfect balance. :)
