FAQs

Who can buy Magpie Gel Colour?
Magpie Gel Colour is a professional only product, therefore it is exclusive purchase only from fully qualified technicians holding a recognised training certificate in manicure/gel Polish theory and application.

What qualification is required to purchase and provide professional services using Magpie Gel Colour?
Anyone that holds a recognised gel polish or enhancement qualification can purchase the professional Magpie Gel Colour System. We offer beginner Gel Colour Masterclasses live online or in classroom to gain this accredited qualification if you do not already hold one. We also offer conversion workshops to qualified technicians who would like to invest in our ranges.

Are all colours 2 layers for full coverage?
To achieve the best results we recommended a two layer application process, however, Magpie Gel Colours are so highly pigmented they offer excellent coverage after one layer.

What is the shelf life of the colours?
12 month period after opening. To get the full 12-month shelf life from your Magpie Gel Colour please ensure that the products are sealed, stored away from direct sunlight or ambient light and are kept in a dry environment at room temperature.

Is Magpie Gel Colour 5 FREE?
Yes. They do not contain toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP or camphor.

Can you use it with other brands/ or full system?
Magpie Gel Colour has been tried and tested as a complete system and should be used as a complete Magpie service (prep, base, colour and top coat) to achieve the optimum results. We cannot guarantee that there will not be service breakdown if it is used in conjunction with other prep solutions, lamps. base or topcoats.

What is the difference between Build It and Build Me Up?
Build Me Up is a harder gel system than Build It, which means it can crack and chip if it is not applied in 2-3 structured layers. Build It is slightly softer so can be applied in 1 structured layer without cracking. We recommend infilling Build Me Up however Build it is excellent for soaking off or infilling.

What should I use to prep the natural nail with?
We ONLY recommend using a 240 GRIT zebra file on the natural nail as part of our nail preparation routine. One stoke on each section of the natural nail is enough to prepare the surface of the nail so our nail systems can adhere perfectly. If any higher grit is used to prep the natural nail, this can cause damage to the nail plate by removing the some of the upper layers of the nail plate, which can result in excessive thinning of the nail plate and prevent nail enhancements from lasting in the future.

What products contain HEMA?
The only Magpie products to contain Hema are Rubber up, All About the Base, Velvet top, get foiled, full foiled, blooming lovely and gel paints+. Everything else is Hema free including all gel colours, get a grip, build me up, perfect poly, both acrylic monomers, like a diamond, top it off and ARTYgels.

Can I use my lamp with your products?
We would strongly reccomend using our lamp for best results. We cannot guarantee a full cure with any branded lamp expect our own. Gels that are uncured will still look and feel cured on top of the product, however underneath the product the gel may be uncured, which can cause allergies by leaching into the nail plate, therefore we would never recommend using another brands lamp alongside our gels for health and safety reasons.

We have feedback from customers who get both good results using other branded lamps as well as those who experience service breakdown. Due to the allergy risks of not curing gel fully in another branded lamp, we would strongly recommend only trialling our products alongside our lamp for safe and optimum results.

My Magpie Dust bottle has arrived and looks low?
Our dusts are sold by weight so they will not arrive full. We have done this so that your bottles can still be uniform.

How do you prevent chrome from peeling?
You must file the free edge after chrome application, then encapsulate with a base or structure gel before top coating to prevent chrome peeling.

How do you do detailed chrome Nail art?
Double wipe the inhibition layer with Magpie Prep & Dehydrate liquid, or buff the surface. Then apply your design using our ARTYgel range, flash cure and chrome using one of our dusts.

What's the best base coats?
This depends on your clients. At Magpie we believe in prescriptive manicures. Rubber up is our most hard wearing base coat that contains a small, safe amount of HEMA. Get a Grip is our HEMA free alternative rubber base which also has excellent adhesion. Our builder gels can also be used as base coats.

Best colour for French manicure?
Our most popular Give Me Strength colours for a French manicure are Truffle, Cupid and Starkers. Build It are Biscotti, Bunny and Pampas. Gel colours are Forget Mia Not, Come What May and Good Golly Miss Molly.

What is the difference between ARTYgel and Gel Colour?
ARTYgels are thicker than our gel colour range and do not have an inhibition layer, which means techs can paint without any colour bleeding and use them for chrome detailing.

Which course should I book if I don't hold any nail qualifications?
You can attend our MANIGEL or GEL COLOUR masterclass which can be attended live online or in classroom. You do not need to attend both.

What is the difference between the Manigel and Gel Colour Masterclasses?
GEL COLOUR is a condensed version of MANIGEL. Both courses include in depth theory, product knowledge, natural nail prep, gel application. Manigel also includes Massage, French and Glitter application.

Which class should I take if I want to rebrand to your Builder Gel?
If you already hold a builder gel certficate you can attend our pre recorded BUILD IT CONVERSION WORKSHOP. If you do not hold one you'll need to attend our BUILD IT MASTERCLASS which can be attended live online or in classroom.

Can I attend E-file training online as a beginner?
Yes. All of our online accredited Masterclasses are kept very small to ensure you feel confident with your skills after training. These involve student case studies which must be passed by your Educator to receive your certficate.

Can I combine Masterclasses to attend multiple in one day?
Yes. You would need to attend a ONE TO ONE session with one of our talented Educators who will combine training based on your needs.

Can an educator travel to my salon for training?
Yes. We offer HOST AN EDUCATOR training days which have been designed for tailoring a day of training for a group of technicians.