Pro FAQs

OPI's proprietary formula has superior adhesion on the nails while maintaining flexibility to resist chipping.

Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Executive Vice President and Artistic Director, "Our two yearly signature Collections are geographically themed, with all the shades inspired by a particular country or region. I travel to that locale to experience firsthand the culture, colors, textures, and fashion. Combining that information with my color and fashion trend forecasts for the upcoming season allows me to choose the most popular shades. Then a small, select group of OPI employees gather, exploring hundreds of names (with much patience and laughter) in order to come up with 12."

Each January OPI discontinues less popular Nail Lacquer shades to maintain a minimum shade range (about 200!) , plus two Seasonal Holiday and Summer Nail Lacquer collections. Your local Authorized OPI Distributor receives a list of discontinued shades at the end of each year. Check with them to see if they still have the shade in inventory.

Flip the bottle over and drop a few drops of nail polish remover inside the cap and let sit for a 1-2 minutes, then flip back over and if it is really stuck, submerge in a bowl of hot water for up 3 minutes. Carefully remove and unscrew. If you are having trouble getting a good hold on the cap, wrap the cap with a rubber glove for extra grip!

We are unable to give medical advice and your physician would be the best one to determine that for you. Here is the MSDS for our Nail Lacquer. You will need to take this sheet to your doctor and only he/she can tell you if it is safe to use. http://www.hazdox.com/hdf/product/sds/OPI-SDS-334_v13.pdf

Polish removers often have water, moisturizers, or other ingredients, which would ruin the polish. Pure acetone may cause polish to separate. So, we recommend OPI Lacquer Thinner which is formulated with the right combination of solvents. Adding a few drops to thickened nail lacquer or treatment will give a good smooth coat and the right drying time.

Sometimes lacquer that is between the top of the brush stem and where it meets the bottle neck causes them to stick together. Simply separate the brush stem from the bottle so it is not stuck. Leaving the brush in the bottle, take the cap and screw it on like you normally would but do it slightly tighter this time. Unscrew the cap and viola

OPI Nail Lacquer and Infinite Shine use Ethyl Acetate, Butyl Acetate, Propyl Acetate as main solvents. Due to high levels of solvents, the formula is hostile for the virus. However, we recommend all surfaces in contact with hands should be disinfected.

Improper nail prep, hands frequently in water, product applied on weak, thin nails, natural nails being too long, or very soft and flexible can all be causes of product lifting.

Base Coat - 30 seconds GelColor - 30 seconds each coat Top Coat - 30 Seconds No Cleanse Top Coat - 60 Seconds

Possibly, however OPI cannot guarantee results with non-OPI light sources.

Gel manicures and pedicures have been available, and safely used, in salons for more than three decades. Today's new-generation gel systems are easier and faster to use and safer than ever. Significantly, these types of products have been found safe by the Expert Panel on Cosmetic Ingredient Review. Moreover, the exposure every second or third week from today's newest and fastest gel lights is only three or four brief intervals of 30 seconds each. One gets more exposure spending a couple of additional minutes a day outdoors.

Our GelColor does not damage the nail. The problem often starts with improper prep (too much filing of the nail plate) or improper removal. Never let someone scrape the GelColor from your nails. This pulls up layers of the nail plate and weakens the nail significantly. In addition, after the nail plate has been roughed up, a buffing is required which thins out the nail even more. Another problem is that sometimes clients will pick and peel their gels, causing way more damage than scraping would. Gor a true GelColor experience, we would suggest visiting a OPI certified salon.

Sometimes when different brands are mixed together, color shifting occurs. We would suggest calling your salon and asking them to redo your service using the entire OPI system. If you are a Professional, we ask that you contact us with the batch codes for each product used so we can get to the bottom of why this happened.

The OPI LED Light has a 1-year manufacturer warranty. The OPI Starlight Lamp has a 2-year limited warranty.

No. GelColor is a 100% gel color which means it wears and protects like a gel, and stays shinier longer than any other gel available. GelColor Base Coat does contain both gel polymer and solvent-type polymers for faster removal.

Up to three weeks, depending on the condition of the client's nails and how they uses their hands (e.g., exposure to chemicals, texting, typing, house or outdoor work, picking, etc.).

Average Industry Prices: Mani $30 French 35 Pedi $40 Removal $5

Base Coat: 100 sets GelColor: 80 sets (2 applications per set) Top Coat: 100 sets

$0.58 per service or Base Coat: $0.18 per set GelColor: $0.22 per set (2 coats) Top Coat: $0.18 per set

If client experiences any sensation during removal (e.g. pressure, squeezing, pinching), remove wrap and gently file surface of gel only along side walls with an 180 Edge File. Resaturate foil wrap, rewrap nail, and continue soaking.

We are unable to give medical advice and your physician would be the best one to determine that for you. Here is the MSDS for our GelColor. You will need to take this sheet to your doctor and only he/she can tell you if it is safe to use. http://www.hazdox.com/hdf/product/sds/OPI-SDS-246_v42.pdf

No. Trying to fill GelColor presents the risk for a fungal infection as liquid could become trapped under the lifted gel. It's actually easier and faster to remove it and reapply.

No. Nail lacquer contains solvents that continue to dissipate while drying down completely. GelColor Top Coat will not allow these solvents to evaporate.

Yes. It is a fast way to shine and seal enhancements. Finish filing with the 180 side of the FLEX Silver 100/180 Buffer, dust and cleanse, and apply GelColor Top Coat according to instructions. Keep in mind that removal with Expert Touch Lacquer Remover will soften or remove acrylics and tips. In this case, GelColor Top Coat would need to be filed off as part of the fill service.

Yes, Powder Perfection is free of Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde, and Toulene.

Powder Perfection is designed to create a protective overlay on the natural nail while providing long-lasting color and shine. It creates a hard, durable surface similar to acrylics, but cannot be used to add length or shape.

Often times the reason for the Top Coat not drying is due to not using enough activator before the final Top Coat application or applying way too much Top Coat at once. We suggest applying a heavier coat of Activator next time and waiting 1-2 minutes before applying Top Coat. An uneven or overly thick application will cause matting. Apply your first coat of Top Coat with a light touch, just enough to cover the nail.

This is likely due to excess product being left on the neck of the OPI Powder Perfection Base Coat or Top Coat. Make sure to wipe off any excess product with an Expert Touch Nail Wipe saturated with either Expert Touch Lacquer Remover or N.A.S. 99 before closing each bottle.

Either you waited just a tiny bit too long before applying Top Coat or you applied too much in certain areas and there isn't enough Activator left on the nail to penetrate the Top Coat, resulting in matte spots. Next time, apply your first coat a little earlier than what you did before and make sure to apply a very thin coat in as few strokes as possible. An uneven or overly thick application will cause matting. Apply your first coat of Top Coat with a light touch, just enough to cover the nail.

This service is ideal for a client that has weak, flexible nails that tear easily. This is perfect for clients that want long lasting color with added strength and durability, but don’t want additional length.

For North America Liquid Activator: The OPI Dipping Powder Activator contains >97% of Ethyl Acetate and does not contain water. With this high level of solvent, the formula is hostile for the virus. OPI protocol should be followed and fresh powder should be poured into small plastic cup and disposed after each client.

Always apply acrylic on properly prepared nail plates. Follow the OPI Dry Prep Method to ensure nail plates are free of all non-living tissue Use Bond-Aid pH Balancing Agent to increase adhesion. Apply only one coat of Bondex Acrylic Bonding Agent. Use the proper liquid to powder ratio for Absolute Precision Liquid & Powder System. Always leave a small margin around cuticles and sidewalls during acrylic application and avoid touching cuticles with the brush. Avoid applying acrylic too thick. Excessive filing to remove product will loosen the bond between the acrylic and the nail plate.

Bond-Aid balances the pH of the natural nail by making the nail surface slightly more alkaline. The acid groups of primer molecules bond more strongly to an alkaline surface, which helps increase adhesion between acrylic and the natural nail.

False. Applying more than one coat of ANY primer defeats its effectiveness. Bondex is a one-application primer. It contains a monomer that bonds to both the natural nail and acrylic, similar to the way double-sided sticky tape joins two surfaces together. Do not apply any other primer over Bondex.

The proper liquid to power ratio for Absolute acrylic is 2 parts liquid/1 part powder (2:1). To achieve this ratio, dip the tip of the brush into the liquid and press it against the inside of the dappen dish to release the excess. Sweep the tip of the brush across the surface of the powder until it has gathered just enough powder to absorb all the liquid. The bead should appear slightly glossy and round into a bead on the brush.

Using the improper liquid to powder ratio, or overworking the acrylic can force air bubbles into the acrylic.

Refer client to a physician and discontinue use of all acrylic products, including gels.

Clarite monomer does not evaporate like other monomers. Wiping the brush frequently during application removes excess liquid and minimizes the amount of surface residue.

Expert Touch Table towels and wipes are absorbent and lint free.

These brushes have smaller brush heads (ranging from #4 to #7) with flatter bellies that hold less liquid. Because Clarite monomer does not evaporate like other monomers, using less liquid helps minimize the amount of surface residue.

Clarite Curing Resin forms a barrier layer that inhibits oxygen allowing the surface of the acrylic to fully polymerize (harden). This fully hardened surface can then be filed and finished like traditional acrylics.

The unpolymerized (unhardened) surface residue would need to be rolled off using a coarse board file. Rolling off the surface residue is more time consuming, and requires that more acrylic is applied to account for the roll off. In addition, the physical action of rolling off the residue may weaken the bond between the acrylic and the nail plate. Using the Clarite Curing Resin is the ideal solution for eliminating the surface residue, and while it is an extra service step, actually allows for faster finishing and longer lasting enhancements.

The proper liquid to power ratio for Clarit_ acrylic is 1 part liquid/1 part powder (1:1). To achieve this ratio, dip the tip of the brush into the liquid and press it against the inside of the dappen dish to release the excess. Sweep the tip of the brush across the surface of the powder until it has gathered as much powder as the liquid in the brush can hold. Proper consistency has been achieved when the powder completely absorbs the liquid and the bead retains its shape. The bead will appear slightly frosty and granular.

The proper liquid to power ratio for Competition acrylic is 1 part liquid/1 part powder (1:1). To achieve this ratio, dip the tip of the brush into the liquid and press it against the inside of the dappen dish to release the excess. Sweep the tip of the brush across the surface of the powder until it has gathered as much powder as the liquid in the brush can hold. Proper consistency has been achieved when the powder completely absorbs the liquid and the bead retains its shape. The bead will appear slightly frosty, then glossy.

Turn the brush on its side for a smaller brush surface; Remove excess lacquer by stroking brush on neck of bottle.

The ENTIRE collection has been reengineered with superior 420 stainless steel and coated with ultra-hard, corrosion-resistant Titanium. The result is sharper, longer-lasting tools with exceptional precision and luster.

Wash hands frequently with Swiss Blue Liquid Hand Soap, particularly after using the restroom, and between clients. Sanitize hands with Swiss Hand Guard Antiseptic Handwash Gel. Wash and sanitize hands again if you are interrupted during a service to answer the telephone or for any other activity. Require that clients wash and sanitize hands before services and when interrupted for any reason. Properly clean and disinfect stainless steel and other non-porous implements using OPI Spa Complete and the Swiss Clean Implement Soaker. Store disinfected implements in a sanitary, labeled container.

OPI Swiss Guard uses the same active ingredient in most hand sanitizer (Ethanol or Isopropyl Alcohol). OPI Swiss Guard contains slightly above 60% alcohol. Normal use of hand sanitizer should not impact OPI nail products, especially gel, hard gel, and powder (cured products with higher resistance to solvents). The solvent based formula (NL/IS) is also stable with normal use (excessive use with large amounts on nail surfaces can impact the shine of the formula). We recommend use of Swiss Guard during manicure services: its gel consistency works well with most services.