Maria Cientanni shares Lecenté glitter application tips
By Sophie Nutt | 21 February 2019 | Expert Advice, Feature
It’s no secret that glitter is a key component – and, for some, a healthy obsession – in a nail tech’s life. Glitter is a great way to personalise a manicure and make it unique to the client, as more women are seeking to express themselves through their nail choices, and is a great way to upsell your services. But how do you know that you’re getting the most out of your sparkle? We asked Maria Cientanni, co-founder of Lecenté, for her expert application tips…
What are your top techniques for glitter application?
When applying glitter to gel polish, use the ‘pat and press’ method. Simply pick up the glitter with a G1 Brush and pat and press it onto the desired areas. Gently sweep away any excess. This technique ensures even coverage and a finish with more depth. You can use this method for any Lecenté glitters but it is essential for the Multi Glitz and Glimenté ranges. You can also burnish glitters onto the sticky layer using a G1 Brush for a classic, shiny smooth finish. This method works well with the Iridescent and Stardust ranges. To create a smooth nail finish with the Chunky Glitter range, Lecenté launched Smooth It!, a nail art gel that can be applied after a colour coat and before top coat application to encapsulate the glitters and keep the nail surface smooth. Remember to always use a separate coat for glitter nails and avoid using a large duster brush as you may dislodge the glitter.
What products can be used in conjunction with Lecenté glitter?
The glitters can be used with all gel polish systems that have a sticky layer. This is the most common system with which nail techs use our glitters, but the glitters can also be encapsulated within liquid and powder, mixed with acrylic powder, applied onto lacquer, used with fibreglass, silk and hard gels and used with gel such as Lecenté Smooth It! to create stunning finishes.
Why do some glitters look dull when applied?
If the glitter looks a little dull it may be that you are using the wrong top coat. If you use the CND system, the recommended top coat is the Original. Check with your chosen enhancement brand about the top coat that is recommended for nail art. Check with your chosen enhancement brand about the top coat that is recommended for nail art.
What support do you offer to techs that buy Lecenté glitters?
Team Lecenté is always available to chat to customers by telephone, email or social media and we are proud of our very quick response time. We try hard to be available to techs when they need us – and that means being online in the evenings when they are, too!
We also have a fantastic support group on Facebook, which we are proud to say is full of helpful people and good vibes. Our partners are fantastic at answering questions on there, as is the community of talented techs. We often go ‘live’ to offer ideas and techniques to support customers – and after new product releases always ensure we troubleshoot via these channels, too. Our master distributor offers all of the Lecenté training courses and the educators are so helpful to students post-course too. We can’t thank them enough for the work they do to ensure techs get the most from Lecenté.
Read more of Maria’s expert advice in the February issue of Scratch!
